Chasing Ideals

Once again it has been a while with no updates, no report on the status of this traveler yabo. I wonder now where the inspiration for this one might begin. Perhaps some weeks ago in the early hours with a knock and the entrance of my little nephew to my not so humble sleeping quarters. With a big smile he mumbled softly, “Skyler,” to my half-asleep carcass and proceeded to climb up on the bed next to me. It is difficult to express my joy at his speech and being awakened from slumber by it. With still much bigger smile the little treasure then proceeded to square himself above me. Under the influence of only partial consciousness I prepared myself for his jump not realizing the efficiency of his positioning. Amazing that one so small can be so aware of where to strike. Boney bottom first the little fellow jumped and landed his direct hit right to my groin then quickly descended from the bed and returned to mamma with great glee at his success. Left me of course to writhe in early morning agony and wonder at the many gifts of uncledom.

Oh, yet another wonderful note to begin from. As you may well know I have departed once more, yet again with much pain of heart but awareness of purpose and necessity. My journeying in Europe yet continues with my arrival to Poland last Thursday after some Paris airport sprints and an overwhelming yet thankfully short period of exhaustion.

It was from North Carolina and my youngest sister and family that I departed. A month of activity in sharing the joy of their new home and the joy of my sister’s thankfully jobless new lifestyle. I have never had the opportunity to share so much with the Willis (the family surname) clan or become such a part of the daily goings on. Those goings ons including voluntary servitude that consisted of bakery frequency bread making and the scorching of my dainty digits through repeated dish washings. But those joys were merely icing on the cake of my time of travel in that gorgeous state. Rolling about in the kids’ new bouncing castle, watching with awe the early days of Faith’s learning to read, trying to make my weak bladder bearing sis laugh till the soiled trouser reached levels of saturation, and a spree of intense conversations of life, liberty and large blocks of smelly cheese with my sister’s hubby Ken.

I shall remember great joy from those days; late nights watching the few comedies that can tickle my insides; long drives through some of the most beautiful countryside I have yet seen; sitting beneath a waterfall with Ken and wondering whether skin remained on my tender rear parts; and playing games with the children where I was not allowed to be the mean shark trying to grab them but rather the nice shark that cared only for hugs and encouragement. Thankfully, this time even included a short trip to visit Taryn and Adam and their growing family. I have rarely mentioned my long time South African friend and her family but there has always been great joy for me in visiting with her and she has always been one who inspired my faith and the knowledge that one’s whole life can be lived in relationship to Christ. I am so thrilled to see the growth of her family and the commitment and joy they exude to the life of their children.

On the road of life in constant love relationship with Jesus there are certainly no mistake occurrences and my time in North Carolina and short visit with Taryn bear no exception. I am indeed eternally loved and to share that love with my family and friends is the great joy that fills and encourages my life. Its only sorrow at times has been that departures come so frequently and never are overcome without the sadness of knowing that much time may pass before I might again be among them.

The “first two weeks” photo album includes our journey to Tweetsie, the little engine that could, as well as a few from the kid’s birthday party and a few of their house. The “strawberry picking” album includes just that as well as those from our journey south to the Pisgah National Forest and all its valley, waterfall, and mountaineous beauty. The new “short visit” starts of with a few of Adam and Taryn and family and some from my last days with Aran. The album “Aran’s contributions” lastly includes pictures from throughout including the kids’ gym time and from our various triparoonies.

Taking the plunge has new meaning after today's activities. Yours truly, the once ladder fearing, urinating in britches at top of stairs yabo leapt from bridge to river this afternoon. I skidaddled from Ljubljana yesterday evening for a weekend hiatus around the city,town,dot-on-map Nova Gorica. I thought that I would sleep there in hotel,campground,or small hole but luckily had the thought to call Blaz(the z of his name should have a special symbol above it and sound almost like sh) who is one of Jan's roommates from where I stayed last week. He said that after he finished work in Nova Gorica I could come to his home. Unfortunately he didn't finish work until the wee hours, meaning 1am. After a marvelous journey of relational chatting with two of Ana's chums from Ljubljana to the beloved dot-on-map I wandered about for 4-5 (hours that is) trying not to look like a drifting criminal with my poofy hairdo and oversized backpack clinging to me. Luckily the dot-on-map population was out for a concert and also the weather did not turn wet-and-wild until just before Blaz's arrival. After that we hit a country bar called "Saloon" with fury to meet some of his chums for a few (minutes that is as the bartender would not even serve us water) before heading to his home and dreams of midgets in yodelling costumes.

This morning we were up at the crack of 10:30am and off back to the "Saloon" on bicycles (new experience numero uno del dia) for capuccinos and croissants. This before heading to the mountains and the summer retreat spot of Blaz's family. The word picturesque would hardly do the place justice and it even came equipped with a volleyball court. 'Twas another of those spots that inspires weeks of frequent grunting in the work of building an old stone house with considerable veg garden accessories. After a fab meal, dessert, glass of local wine, some chatting with Blaz's wonderfully hospitable and welcoming family we were off to the river and the aforementioned bridge. When I first took a gander at said bridge I decided I would sooner soil myself in public than leap from it. A few minutes later however I found myself atop the diving board at its edge. Between stage one and two the only ponderance had been "Why don't I jump?" From board to hitting the water and nearly having the skin torn from my backside there was little thinking done. Lesson to be learned there is that too many thoughts, too much micromanaging of the future can cripple even the best of us. I spent my teenage years terrified of the unknowns and experiencing almost nothing as a result. If now I thought of all that is in entailed in choosing country, finding wife, having children, supporting family, purchasing toilet paper in Swahili, and all else by morning I would be out chewing grass with the nearest sheep and singing to the tune of "She'll be coming 'round the mountain." Lesson number two from this adventure is to enter the water straight rather than in the sitting position. It seemed to take millenia to hit the water and when I did my boney arse took the brunt of the impact. I am lucky that I can write this while sitting. My entrance to the river had had all the finesse of a one legged ballerina attempting the splits but my enthusiasm over saying "boo hoo, sucks to you" to my long held fears gave this Irish boyo some warm fuzzies let me tell ya'. When swim time was complete Blaz and I returned our companions to the retreat spot and then we were off back to Nova Gorica. I had my second look at the incredible Soca(letter c needing a symbol to make it ch) river and had recurrent visions of returning to it for a prolonged swim and exploration. Blaz is off to work now until late and I am enjoying the comforts of his home with plenty of further chatting and being fed like a king.

Last night a blossoming opportunity was presented to climb Slovenia's tallest mountain and so tonight Blaz and I will return to Ljubljana to grab some gear (that sounds cool though my "gear" is meant more for climbing carpeted stairs), sleep a few hours, and head to Bled and then to the mountain's base. I will return to Ljubljana Monday to tell my tale. I have added a new album to Lovable Quirks and three new poems to the Poems area (inspiring place this is). In the new album Benjamin and Karla are pictured who I spent most of the last week with wandering about Ljubljana (wandering major amounts in the attempt to find a Turkish restaurant I might add). Near the end are pictures of my companions from today. Blaz is pictured in the last shot. It is not I pictured jumping from the bridge but you can get the idea of the height that nearly ripped me a new one. So read the poems and take a gander at the new pics.

It has been a week of minimal yet marvelous activity. I have spent the time in nearly constant conversation which may sound like a nightmare for some but for myself is an ice cream and large bowel of porridge reality. Last Sunday afternoon I moved with disconcerting rapidity out of the dorms to a private student apartment beneath a fire breather's lair. My host there was Jan who is a friend of Ana. I was joined there also by his marvelous five roommates and with these and Jan I spend my hours conversing, munching, road tripping, delivering goods in midsize truck, and playing endless card games. On arrival there I had begun to think that my time in Slovenia was drawing to a close and had visions of gondolas and gnocchi dancing betwixt my ears but now I cannot imagine having spent the days anywhere else. Slovenia has been entiringly refreshing in the quality of experience in building relationships with others who have been so genuine in their desire for that.

I endeavored on two road trips in the last week. The first was with some of my new chums to the tourist capital of Slovenia, Bled. I would have liked to have more time to wander around the lake and see the less tourist populated areas but that will be for a further time. It is a spectacular scence with surrounding mountains and small island accessories. The perfect spot for spring time walks, short boating ventures, and afternoon swims. Apparently no visit is complete without the consumption of some of the region's specialty dessert whose name I no longer remember. It is pictured in the new album on Lovable Quirks and was certainly not to be missed. After Bled we ventured further into the mountains toward the Italian border and the village of Kranjska Gora. That is the hometown of Andrea, one of my companions on this venture. She gave us the grand tour of the area and introduced us to some friends. Kranjska Gora is another beautiful spot where the air is fresh, the winter skiing apparently marvelous, and the river water cold enough to freeze the petunias off of anyone with feeling left in their toes (we ran,walked,suffered through some of this river water in the attempt to take a gander at a trickling of water that had been described to us as a waterfall). I was very lucky on this venture to have a chap named Marco with us as he was the day's translator. When I flashed the look of one who hasn't the foggiest what is being discussed he was the one to frequently attempt to translate which is marvelous because as I have described, to be much of the time on the outside of communication is very debilitating and frustrating.

My second adventure of this sort was a four o'clock wake up and midsize delivery truck ride around the area northeast of Ljubljana. Peter, who also lives where I was staying, is the part time driver of this truck and invited me to go with and see some of the countryside. It was my first experience getting a glimpse of the trucker's life and gave me a new perspective on how I take for granted all that happens so that I can walk into a store and buy whatever I wish. The early wake up meant that I was nodding off after the first pick up. I enjoyed helping to load and unload the contents and the Slovenian countryside kept the eyes peeled but by mid afternoon I was exhausted from sitting and watching the road. I think I could only accomplish this work if someone was with me to chat to. The constant attempts to speak English meant that sometimes Peter began speaking to Slovenes in English. For instance when we had lunch I told him what I wanted and he started to tell the Slovene waiter what I had said but still in English and blank stares resulted. Luckily this was quickly remedied but as for many Slovenes and others he has had little practice in speaking English.

I mentioned earlier the fire breather and should explain. The collection of landlords where I was staying have none of what are termed the social skills and obviously feel powerful having students staying under their roof. They are not friendly to guests of their renters so I was obliged to avoid them as much a possible. My one conversation with the self proclaimed boss was enough to make me realize that I should not remain staying there long. I am so pleased of the time that I did have there though as it was so relaxed and I had much time to sit and know and enjoy the company of my roommates and their hospitality towards me.

I am back at the student dorms since Saturday spending my hours enjoying the company of Ana's roommate Karla and her boyfriend Benjamin. Being well fed and well taken care of. I have posted a new album from my latest adventures. The first pictures are all from the day in Bled, then more with friends from the dorms, and the last from the truck driving adventure.

Here is something that I have never posted before. A story written by the able hands of Michener in the brilliantly written "Poland" which I completed this afternoon. The quality of the script struck my heart and mind in so many places and this story below more than all. Don't forget to read my post about Slovenia below and the poem that I added if you are so inclined.


"The two men studied their brandy in a silence which was broken in a curious way: Bishop Barski clapped his hands and broke into a hearty laugh. Shoving his glass aside, he reached across the table and patted Szymon on the hand. 'It's really quite funny, Bukowski, that you should consult me about a Nazi monster whom you can't get out of your soul, because I have a little Jewish rabbi that I can't get out of mine.' He laughed again and poured Bukowski another drink.

'You may not know it, but in Auschwitz, which I prefer to call by it's Nazi name because it certainly had nothing to do with Polish Oswiecim, which was a placid little town before they came...Where was I? Yes, in Auschwitz the Nazis were particularly brutal with priests and rabbis, because they felt the need to ridicule and denigrate all religions except their own.

'This meant that priests and rabbis were often thrown together, and there was one horrible little cell with only one small window rather high up into which they crammed sixty or more men at dusk, expecting to find thirty-eight or thirty-nine of them suffocated by morning. Twice I spent a night in that cell, and if you told me know that I would have to do so again, I assure you, Bukowski, I would go screaming, hair-pulling mad. I think no one could survive that terrifying ordeal three times. I couldn't.

'I survived the first time--one of nineteen who did--because as I was about to be jammed inside, a little Jewish rabbie whose name I never knew whispered just four words: "Stand opposite the window." That was all. When I found myself inside, one of that scrambling mass, I saw what he meant, for all the big and powerful fellows were fighting for a place near the window, which allowed me freedom to take my place against the wall on the opposite side.

'Secure in position and tall enough to have my head slightly above the others, I learned two things. Such air as did come into the room drifted my way, and those struggling to intercept it at the window killed one another. There were fights for air, and stranglings, and bodies crushed when they fainted and fell to the floor. And there I stood, thanks to the little Jew, above it all, saved by the bits of air that came to me know and then.

'Toward morning, when it looked as if I might be one of the survivors, I began to look for my benefactor, but he wasn't in the cell. Of that I was sure, for he certainly wasn't on of those still standing; nor was he among the corpses piled on the floor. When I got out I found taht he along with several others had been at the end of the line and could not be pushed in. They would be held over for the next night.

'I saw the little Jew on the work detail next day, lifting great rocks when he'd had no food, not even breakfast soup, and I'd had no sleep. When he saw that I'd survived, his eyes glowed and he started to come over to speak to me, but guards saw him move and they kicked him to death. Before my eyes, they kicked him to death.

'As he lay there in the prison yard looking up at me, his face torn apart and covered with blood, I wanted with all the force in my body to rush over and comfort him, to take him in my arms, for he had saved my life and he deserved that consolation in the moments when he was leaving his. But I could not. I had no physical or moral power. The cell had been too terrible, and I stood motionless as they kicked my savior to death.

'What was the last thing he did on this earth? He smiled at me. Through the blood that dimmed his eyes he smiled at me, as if to say: "Be not afraid." I seemed to hear this little Jewish rabbi using the words of Jesus Christ.'

Bishop Barski lowered his head to the table, and whether he was weeping or praying, Bukowski could not determine, but it seemed certain that he was in communion with the rabbi who had saved his life. Later, when he had composed himself, he blew his nose and said: 'I am with this nameless little man three or four nights a week when I try to sleep. And if I am indeed sympathetic to the trials others, as some say I am, it's because of the counsel I take with him. He saved my life and and I was powerless to save his.' He studied his hands for a moment, then broke into laughter again. 'Have you noticed how I always refer to him as the little Jew? He was. I was this tall and he came only to here. But in the council of God he was so very big and I so very small.'"

Michener, James A. "Poland" Ballantine Books, New York 1983: 606-608.

I left off last after a mouth watering feed of velika riba in the picturesque countryside of south western Slovenia. The tranquil setting of the place and the frequency of the delightful cuisine made for a wonderfully relaxing time spent therein. The only potential disaster occurred on Sunday when whatever weight I gained about the midsection with the Poles came to haunt. Ana's brother Andraz (pronounced Andrash) wanted to spend some quality time with us playing soccer at the school playground and that being my favorite sport of course I complied. I picked for the outing my marvelous grey britches purchased last year in Poland. My seamstress Gram crackers had only recently repaired these from past tearing but I was confident that her stitches would hold. Well when I volunteered as goalkeeper and received one or two ferocious goal attempts from Ana and Andraz the britches decided they had had enough and split from crotch to mid thigh. I saw a few birds take flight at the sound of the tearing but took solace from my companions telling me that it wasn't very noticable. I soldiered on and with a few adjustments of the legs decided that there was no need for immediate change. It wasn't until a few young girls from the area arrived and the my continued playing revealed my britches desire to mimic a scene from "The Full Monty" by tearing to the ankle that I decided it was the moment for departure. On the walk home I held a basketball nervously over the offending area and apart from a not-brief-enough conversation with Ana's aunt in which I shifted and squirmed like someone with bowel troubles I got safely home with no request from a neighbor that I vacate the village.

Just as I had in January I enjoyed every moment in that village and with Ana's family. Whether sitting outside in the wonderfully fresh air listening to a plethora of song birds; playing "Man don't be angry" (Slovene translation of the game's name) or "Memory" with Andraz and sitting amazed at his ability to speak English without ever a lesson; or my favorite to have uninterrupted hours to chat with Ana, her parents, and on Monday night Ana's friend Miha who Andy and I spent time with in January. I think that those living in such villages do not realize how lucky they are to live in a place of such peace that promotes relationship. I was saddened to see while there that apart from the young who impressed me at their attempts to encourage togetherness there seemed to be very limited connection among the elders. Modern societies encourage each of us to create our own isolated world and one in which we are constantly comparing what we have to that of others. The result unless fought against is that in village or city people can become very disconnected no matter the proximity to one another. I am enlivened by the youth of Cepovan however in seeing the numbers who meet each evening at their youth club Catacombe and who plan to organize theater performances in the village come Winter. This attitude among the young is the rejuvination that must occur where past generations have been neglectful regarding community.

Since Tuesday I have spent my days here in the very manageable capital city of Ljubljana. Its small population and the ease with which one can in short distance escape to beautiful parks and forested hills make for another peaceful environment. For the first time in my life I am a dorm resident as a friend of Ana's offered her room for use during her abscence from the university. Throughout the past week I have been meeting with many of Ana's friends and schoolmates and each time was impressed by their openness and genuine interest in others. Much of this is a testament to who Ana is that she has found friends of similar character. I am enthralled to spend such time learning the hopes, goals, and passions of those that I am meeting and priviledged to share with them about my life and what I have learned since my student life ended.

On Thursday evening I attended salsa night at a bar on the other side of town (40 minutes walking, I love that). Salsa classes are offered here at the university and Thursday nights are a chance for informal practice and to watch the long term learners spin and twirl. Six of us went from here at the college and it was a marvelous chance not only to learn the basics of the dance but for me of course to meet a few new faces. I have never before attempted any pairs dance (to my regret for extreme past shyness) and am happy to report that I inflicted no major injuries in my first attempts. Ana's roommate Karla and Karla's boyfriend Benjamin were patient and encouraging teachers and that made the experience far more enjoyable than it might have been with the wrong bunch. I was concerned that my long steps might cause my partner to throw a hip in the attempt to match the distance or my forgetfulness about which arm was to be spun to cause some migraine causing wallops but none of that. It is something I would really like to learn but think for future that the guidance of a course would be the best option for really acquiring the ability. There were moments that chatting and dancing simultaneously became too complicated and for me the chatting wins out in priority so I think formal courses would have to be the ticket.

Since Friday the dorms here have become somewhat of a ghost town as it seems everyone returned home for the weekend. Ana also had to work yesterday so these last days have been spent alone but have been wonderful nevertheless. I've been wandering about the beautiful city center a stone's throw away, the enchanting public park and nearby hill, and reading the final pages of "Poland" by James Michener which has kept me riveted to learn the incredible history of the place my friends call home. I have added a new gallery of pictures and finally a new poem to the Poems section. There are only a few pictures from Cepovan, a few of Ana's friends, and the rest from my Ljubljana wanderings.

I am keenly aware that some serious posting needs to be accomplished and though my head feels as though lead weights have been inserted into my earholes I shall soldier on. Since last time I have spent two weeks of ecstasy between Croatia's sheets with a sizable group of Poles. Monumental brain energy was spent in attempts to absorb the Polish language and though I am assuredly confident that I can know ask "Do you like cheese?" I am realizing that I have still have quite a ways to go. In that regard I was fortunate again to have Darek (chap who spent hours in Bojano in February teaching me) as my teacher. Two days ago on the drive out of Croatia we two attempted quite a complex conservation to much success despite the end result feeling that my brains had been replaced by baked beans. He on his quest to learn English threw out some unforgettables like "I am onion" and other phrases that had me tickled. I am so grateful for the opportunity to see the country that most impressed me on my journeying through the eyes of others and to be able to share what I knew of its beauty with them.

The lead weights prevent my chronicalling the journey so I will instead give the high points a good walloping. Our first campground was a beautiful spot with plenty of trees and a thigh splitting walk down to the small yet wonderful rocky beach. Many an hour was spent on that beach allowing the sun to scorch my tender white flesh, swimming out to stranger's boats to lay for more scorching, and playing games on shore like "throw rock at bottle" while the sun scorched some more. I couldn't reach all the necessary spots with the sunscreen so ended up with a patchwork red and white back. Now that the peeling skin has subsided I have luckily come out with a bronzed look that mimics Guatelmalan goat herder or something of the like. In our time at that camp we explored the nearby gem of Dubrovnik. I of course had seen it before but never through the eyes of others and still I am awed to witness an ancient city still so intact and imposing in its grandeur. Time under the previously mentioned trees at our camp was spent in some hours of wonderful conversation and of course the consumption of our delictable army load of food. It is wonderful to be camping yet eating foods one could hardly expect well stocked homes to have at the ready. I with glee relish that vacation time away allows for moments and hours of conversation that the pressures of normal life neglect. Sadly there were moments of extreme frustration at my inability to communicate with everyone. I am so frequently reminded of this dynamic of being unable to communicate though I desperately wish to. There were a few times when it was easier to do something alone so as not to feel this inability to communicate to the level that I wished.

Our second point of stay was far out on a peninsula between Dubrovnik and Bosnia's measly portion of coast. No side splitting walks to the beach here. Instead four or five lengthy strides would have one knee deep in the cool clear waters of the Adriatic. Again there was plenty of swimming to be done, conversation to be had, wine and rakija to be sought after, and most especially and excitedly exotic foods to be harvested. Our most capacious discovery was the number of mussels which were collected with fury and eaten with ravenous appetite and garlic or horseradish sauce accessory. Five minutes of swilling down the contents of each mussel and hurling its shell to the table saw us through three feasts of the little delights. Another afternoon Tymek brought crabs of various sizes and though the portions of meat were nothing to close the pantry over the delight of eating what you or friend has discovered is quite marvelous. My crown jewel moment was the discovery, hacking off, and consuming of raw oysters. With machete in hand, googles on face and three metre depths to traverse we had a small feast of the little blighters at time's end. I dove deeper than I have ever and with the trusted machete hacked away at clinging oysters that needed more than a little convincing to break free. When I emerged from the water I had the look of a bear mauling victim with blood stains from an abundance of cuts on my hands, arms, and shoulders but that was meaningless compared with the thrill of the find and the harvest and of eating our raw treasures immmediately thereafter. The taste of the blighters was none to be soon sought again but with a tiny dose of rakija to follow and as I said the thrill the lot went down a treat. Catching, finding, making your own foods has a grace to the consumption that no purchase of food can scratch the surface of at least for me. Our Croatian voyage was a wonderful time of togetherness, of enjoying incredible scenery, and of new adventure. I am so grateful to have been able to return so soon and in the company of people who have become such an influence in my life.

I had wanted to immediately upload pictures to accompany this post but the lead weights have moved from ears to eyelids and I desperately need the ol' beauty sleep (boy do I need that). When they are up you may find some unrecognizables in the mix. Hopefully all remember Wiesieck, Nancy, and their kids David, Tymek, Hannah, and Paul and the other family then has Darek and Asza at the helm and Jacob, Ania, and Weronika are their children. I am safely stowed away in Slovenia once again. I went by train and bus yesterday through awe-inspiring, breath taking, and generally stupendous countryside to be here in Cepovan with Ana and her family who took such wonderful care of me and Andy back in January. Another velika riba was cooked and consumed this afternoon with great glee and satisfied lips. I shall write more of my adventures here in the next few.

I've spent the last two nights camping along the Rhein in a beautiful campground near Lorch. The scenary there was beautiful but suprisingly there weren't many other campers. My first night camping was grand however last night was a bit soggy. I made the mistake of leaving my tent open a little and I think the rain somehow made it in. As I said though the area was amazing and very peaceful. Maria has given me many things to make camping more pleasant and I'm really grateful for that because already it has been more pleasant. I think she would have filled my cars with goodies but I need some space when people from Phoenix start visiting (hint, hint, nudge, nudge). During the day I got to spend time in Rudesheim which is a very quaint little town with mostly cobblestone streets and old houses. There were tourists there from all over the world including many Americans and English people. Next time I will try to load some pictures so you all can see what it is like. I head to Frankfurt today to hopefully meet Floyd's cousin and also watch the quarter finals with some crazy fans. I'll post again soon hopefully.

I'm leaving here today glad to be continuing my adventure but sad to be leaving more incredible people behind. I know that I will be back here at some point and have been assured that I'm always welcome. Maria has given me some food and supplies that will make camping much easier and much more enjoyable. Tonight I plan to be somewhere near Assmannschausen along the Rhine. I found a campground not to far from there and there are plenty of others if necessary. I don't know how soon I will have access to the internet again so it may be some days before I can respond to emails. Hopefully it won't be long this time before I find somewhere for that. I thank each of you that has kept me in your prayers. Each step in the journey is easier knowing that I have so much love and support in my life and God has already shown that he is taking care of me even if I can't see it in the moment.

I have added a poem and a new link to some pictures (in the sidebar). There is also a new album in Lovable Quirks from my time here. Go to www.lovablequirks.org to see it. The pictures are mostly of me with Cathrin, Maria, and Andre and the rest are of where I've been staying with them.

It has been interesting for me attempting to learn some basics of the German language. At first I felt that because of similarities in the sound to English and because many words are the same that I would have an easy time picking it up. This has not been the case. Much of the pronounciation of words is very different and though some words are the same it seems most others aren't even kissing cousins. Apart from learning to count to one hundred (which one person here pointed out won't do much for me) I don't think that I have learned very much at all. Something to know is that when counting you say the number 23 in German as three and twenty. This can lead to some confusion when a German person who has learned English accidently reverses numbers for instance telling you the price of something as 92 euros instead of 29 euros. I would recommend that anyone planning a move to the land of bratwurst and biergartens seriously plan on taking German courses on arrival unless of course you move to Koln where many I've met get by hardly speaking a word of German.

Some of the few and the proud words and phrases I have picked up are as follows:
badehose-- swim trunks for men (euro style of course so not recommended for anyone wishing to maintain their decency.)
das schmeckt gut-- that tastes good
ich bin am hacken-- i am chopping/hacking
verrückt-- crazy
nein-- no (indepensible for any and all situations)
natürlich-- naturally

One thing that makes it more difficult to learn is that Cathrin and fam have a reason now to practice their English so I haven't needed to learn much. It is funny that many times a German will tell me they don't speak English well but when they try to they speak it better than some high school grads in the USA.

Tomorrow or Wednesday I shall be hitting the road again and driving south east along the Rhine. The plan is to be in Berlin for the final of the World Cup but I have until July 9th so will take my time and see more of Germany in the mean time. Part of me hates to leave here as I have had such a wonderful time with Cathrin, Maria, and Andre and all those I have met through them. Being here has given me the opportunity to settle in to the fact that I have really left home and allowed me to prepare emotionally for what lies ahead. It has also reminded me of the grace of God in my life that I got the support I needed in my time here.

I know also that my road will not end so soon and so I must press on and continue the journey I have set out for. After Berlin my plan is to travel on to Poland, to Russia if possible, and then on down through Eastern Europe towards Greece and Turkey. I don't know yet that I will make it that far before I get tired of being on the road. Whenever I see a world map I realize how much of the world I have yet to see, perhaps places more suited to the life I want to lead in the future. I am excited to be searching for the place that I want to settle down for my future.

I have added some new pictures to Lovable Quirks here

Apart from my philosophical ideas some of you might be wondering what I am doing while I'm staying here. As I have said in other posts I have spent most of my time in meeting people through Cathrin and also through those I have met at the Church. On Friday I watched a soccer game at one of the castles near Michael's house in Bergheim (Michael had us over for most of that day) and it was interesting to see that the German people there were all hoping that the Netherlands would lose even though the match was not against Germany. I was told that this sentiment goes both ways and that there has been a bitter rivalry between these teams for many decades. That was Friday and then Saturday I spent the day relaxing and watching more of the soccer at my home here (it is nice to be able to write that). The games go on for most of the second half of the day every day and I like it when I get the chance to watch them as it is something I loved to do when I was younger living in Ireland (as well as play soccer of course). On Sunday after Church I went swimming with Cathrin, Michael and some other friends of theirs. It has been a long time since I have gone swimming in a lake but I thoroughly enjoyed myself as the water was warm (I thought anyway) and I got to meet new people. This week I have done some preparing for my journeys ahead buying things that I need for the car and deciding where I will go. I also set up my computer to use Skype which is a free internet phone when calling another person who has Skype set up. I can also buy credit from them to call someone's home or mobile phone for a very small rate per minute. Any of you who have a microphone and can download Skype can talk with me. You would just have to tell me when although I am limited to about 10pm Phoenix time and after or in the morning time in Phoenix when it is evening here. Later today I am going to watch the United States play against Ghana. I'm not so interested in the game as Ireland is really the only team for me but I have been invited to go and will enjoy the company and the atmosphere for the games is really cool to see. The other night I got to see hundreds of Swedish and British fans here for their game in Koln and many were shouting team chants and were dressed in team colors. I really enjoyed seeing all of their preparation and excitement for the event. Well that gives some idea I hope of how I am spending my days. Love to all who read this and to those who don't a soiled hankerchief (not really but I like the word soiled as many of you know).

What an incredible gift it is to experience family. In the time that I have spent here with Cathrin, her mother Maria, and brother Andre I have never once felt like an unwelcome stranger. Rather, I have been welcomed as though a member of their family and they have shown consistent interest in knowing about my friends and family in Phoenix. Last night the four of us ate dinner together as we have many times since my arrival and I was reminded of the joy of that experience. It is such a wonderful way to end the day to be able to sit with others who care about you and share about your life and to hear about their lives also.

It is so easy the way societies operate today to neglect this type of connection with others. Families around the world now have traded intimacy for television, or a microwaveable dinner, or staying busy around the clock, or sometimes people have so little interest in the lives of others that this type of interaction sounds like torture. It is no wonder now that millions of young people, single adults, and even married people now have no idea how to really connect with other people. Many have never had the opportunity to share a meal and truly connect with those around them. They are instead limited to trying to connect by talking about the weather, or movies they recently watched, or the size of their car's chassis, or a whole host of other essentially meaningless topics. Long term connnections are not built on conversations about such things but only when the truth of people's hearts and lives are shared.

I am blessed that in my life I have experienced this joy in sharing myself with others and so whenever I have the opportunity I relish it. I would not trade precious moments of intimacy for any material thing this world has on offer. My family in Phoenix has been such an incredible influence on my life through the love and encouragement I have been given. In the last years I have spent so much time together with them and that impacted in so many ways my desire to start my own family in the future. Some may think that because they have never learned to do this or never experienced this that it is not possible for them. The truth is that all it really takes is first of all making time for it (the most difficult step in modern society) and secondly being open to both give and receive in your time with others. Not every person I have met desires this but I have found that as I am diligent in searching (I won't give up looking because it means so much) I will find others with the same desire for intimacy. When I leave here next week I know that I now have made friends for life and that reminds me just how important it is that I did not miss this opportunity by letting other "things" get in the way. The pictures are from dinner last night. I got to make dinner for them which is something I had missed doing since I left Phoenix.

To the left you should see a new link that I added to some poems I have written. The poems I have put up are ones I wrote some years ago. I do not like when blogs have only posts to read and little else so I thought poems might be an interesting addition.

I'm still here staying outside of Koln (Cologne for auslanders) and probably will be until this weekend. At Church on Sunday I was reminded of how important it is to put our trust in God and step out when we know we need to make a change in our lives. My last year in Phoenix was so full with the relationships God has given me but throughout that time I knew that I needed to leave Phoenix. I could see that if I remained in that environment I would become complacent and be chasing after comfort rather than the purpose which God has created me for.

I think sometimes that to others it seemed as though my decision to move was an easy one but the reality is that at each step of the way in preparing to leave I found myself fighting it. Near the end I started thinking I must be crazy to be leaving behind so much and I resented the fact that I knew I needed to do this. In my mind there were many other people better suited to this who preferred to be alone and did not have so many relationships in their lives to lose. These moments reminded me of how indeed God's ways and thoughts are so different from ours. When I was able to stop thinking this way (didn't happen often during the last week or two in Phoenix) and look inside my heart I was reminded that my decision has so much more to do with the future than with happy feelings in the present. So often when I want to make a change I forget that in between where I am and where I want to be there may be hardship, confusion, and loss. The life that I wish to have in the future for my family and for what God is preparing in me required that I make this decision. Throughout my life I must be ready to make these decisions or I will miss out on much of what my life in Christ has to offer. I will be crippled by my desire to lead a comfortable life.

In my life I know that God has been teaching me to see with his eyes. Societies everywhere now teach their young people that comfort and "not rocking the boat" are the most important elements of life. Those ideas go so against the plans of God for our lives. He has created us for a life full of purpose and we will never be content chasing after a comfortable existence. How can a creation of God ever begin to know the fulness of their gifts and abilities when he or she follows those societal ideas? I would challenge any of you that read this to ask yourself "Where is my life going?" and "For what purpose have I been created?" Many would say that they know the answers to these questions and that may be but many people have answered by looking simply through their own eyes or through what they believe they are capable of. That is worlds apart from asking God to show you what he sees and what he believes you are capable of. A comfortable life is just as it says "comfortable" but will never allow for true contentment or knowledge of who you have been created to become.

To those of you who might think this sounded like I was preaching I apologize for that but this issue is too important to God and too important for our lives for it to be ignored. Don't read it and think that you have waited too long to start asking God these questions because none of us has any clue what may still be ahead for us.

Over the weekend Cathrin and Michael(whom I also met on the way to see Taryn) took me to different places in the area. On Saturday I got to go to an event at a monastery near Bonn. There were different activities going on such as live music, comedy shows, magic shows, teaching groups on different subjects, plenty of food, and of course a screen for the World Cup games. I spent most of my time wandering around looking at the different foods to eat and trying to figure out why everyone thought the magician was so funny. It was nice to see so many people turning out for a community event. Then in the evening they took me to downtown Koln to see the cathedral and then we went on to a biergarten for dinner. The cathedral in Koln was magnificent and different in architecture from those in many other countries(both pictures to the left). I also enjoyed seeing so many internationals congregating around the cathedral all dressed for their country's team. The biergarten I was told is a popular place for Germans to spend their time in the evening and is similar to a French cafe in terms of how it looks. I got to try some of the local beer "Kolche" which after a few sips became far too bitter for my tastes. I'm sure for others it would be quite the treat but I have never given myself the chance to develop a taste for beer.

On Sunday I went with Cathrin to Church at the Rhema Bible Church in Bad Goedesburg. The pastor and many of the elders are from the United States but the members themselves are from around the world. It was interesting to meet so many from the United States living in Germany. I talked with them about how they ended up there and what was the plan for the Church. Cathrin had told me that there are very few non-denominational Churches in Germany. Most are either Catholic or Lutheran. Those that I met there were very friendly and we stayed and talked for some time with them. After this Cathrin and I met up with Michael (see my companions in picture) and off we went to a place where old German houses have been moved from different parts of the country and preserved there. It was interesting to see the houses and notice some similarities to old Irish house. Many had thatched roofs and were very dark inside for lack of many windows. There was also old farm equipment and windmills there to see. The place also had exhibits of German history including wars that have taken place and the emmigration of many to the United States. When we left there we stopped at an old castle(burg in German)(pictured below) which was privately owned and used sometimes for cultural events and jousting competitions. At the end of day then we returned home for a feast with Cathrin's mother and brother. We ate two different types of roast, potatoes, a mild curry, sausage, salad, and pudding with chocolate mousse. A fine way to end the day I think.

Since Sunday I have been back into Koln twice on the train. Monday I spent the day with Anton who is a friend of Cathrin from Church and who works as a house music DJ. He is originally from the USA but has been there for some years. I got to see the US soccer team take two from behind at a Joe Champs sports bar with Anton and some other friends of his from the US that evening. Then yesterday evening I went back into Koln to a bible study with Cathrin. I had a great time getting to meet those that go to the study and told many of them about what I am doing and where I am going. It is so nice to have the opportunity to be building relationships in the time that I'm here. I have also gotten to spend alot of time with Cathrin and her family here at the house and that is marvelous also. I still cannot say when I will be moving on but probably by early next week I think, I don't know yet. For sure even when I go I will be back to visit some time as I have made so many connections here now already.

I have added a gallery of pictures to lovable quirks. Click here to see them. There are photos from my travels and also my time spent here in Germany.

On a quick note I finally added some links to the "links" area. I decided that night in France that I should continue on to Germany and the Cup. It was hard for me to go so quickly through France because even being there for such a short time I was reminded how much I enjoyed driving through the little villages and towns and seeing the way the people related to each other. I went quickly however through the northern part of France and through Belgium on to northwestern Germany. For any who have ever considered a driving tour through Brussels I would strongly recommend a voluntary root canal as an alternative. This was perhaps the most difficult city I have ever driven through and traffic even at 1pm was hellish. After a half hour when I was finally directed to a way out of the city I was only too pleased.

The first half of this day driving was definetely the most difficult time for me thus far. I could not help but feel that I was crazy to have given up so much in leaving Phoenix. In those hours driving alone my thought was that nothing good could come of my decision to move. I derive so much energy and purpose from my relationships with people that to have so much time alone feeling loss in that way was not a good combination. I think that throughout my travels I will have to create many opportunities to be around people.

It is now so amazing to me that God had already provided a solution in that day. As many of you know I had made a contact with someone from Germany when I went to see Taryn but I had neither called nor emailed her. I knew that where she lived was close to where I was going on the motorway but my first thought was that I should stay at a hotel that night and then try to contact her. I realized from her address though how close it was and so I did the "Un-American" thing and showed up at her door. When I arrived only her brother was there and he told me that his sister would not be home from work for an hour. I left thinking now I definitely need to find somewhere else to stay because it was already evening but again I did the "Un-American" thing and returned to her house after about 2 hours at maybe 7:30pm. The picture to the left is of their home.

As soon as I arrived I met Cathrin and her mother, was asked if I wanted something to eat, and was given a tour of the house and shown where I would sleep. The picture shows where I sleep. I realized in these moments that I had never really learned what to do when someone's invite to stay reallymeant something. I have often heard the words "You should come over some time" or "Keep in touch" but most often these words had no real meaning behind them. Catherin asked me how long I would stay and I didn't know what to say because I'm so used to those words only being friendly gestures but not to be taken literally. In the few days I have stayed with Catherin and her family it has been wonderful to be their guest and be treated as a member of the family. It is amazing to think that I must re-learn to take people at their word instead of believing it to just be nice fluff.

After leaving Rory late last Wednesday I went in search of a hotel and didn't find anything until almost midnight. As I said in an earlier post the place I found normally closed earlier and cost much more than I had to pay. It was such a blessing as I had been driving maybe two hours in the dark looking and was constantly looking around for speed cameras. It is not that I was speeding (this may be impossible for some to believe) but do not know how high your speed can be before you are caught and in some places the cameras are everywhere.

The next day I wandered around the south coast of England hoping to find an area by the coast that was not crowded and was free to look at. I would not recommend anyone doing this as everywhere that I found through searching was either crowded with people or expensive to park or both. After a few hours of this and knowing I didn't want to return to London I decided that would be ferry day across to France. I arrived in Dover at about 3:30pm and got my ticket for the ferry. As a side note P&O ferries will charge much less if you buy a return rather than one-way ticket and you can simply not take the return ferry when you arrive. Once the ticket is bought there is then the issue of getting through customs which is not difficult but slightly intimidating as you are asked why you are crossing, where you are going, and customs looks at what you have in your car. Luckily I had left my secret stash behind with Rory (ha ha) so all was ok. Then off you go to put your car in line to get on the beast of a ferry and when you are called on you go. You then can relax upstairs on the ferry and wait for entry into France.

For many the idea of switching driving lanes from left to right in the same day sounds daunting and for many it may be difficult. I was somehow able in my mind to tell myself that I now had to make the switch and had no trouble but it is definetely strange. When the ferry arrives in France you immediately start heading out to the roads so it is necessary to prepare in your mind early so lunacy and mayhem do not ensue.

This first night in France I stayed in a beautiful little village named St. Omer. The picture shows my view from the hotel window. One thing to note is that when approaching to ask for a room I had some choice French phrases memorized but these do not account for a real French person speaking back to you with new phrases and I quickly lost my confidence to speak. The trick I assume is to not panic as you can eventually figure what is happening if you are patient and say what you know to say. Do not expect however that the French will bend over backwards to speak English as many will speak none and always try to speak what French you do know first.

I got to spend the afternoon and evening with Rory last Wednesday. I saw the flat he shares with his cousins and two others. It is so expensive to live in London that sharing a flat with many others is not only common but often necessary. Anyone wishing to go there who is not "rolling in it" and who likes to have a lot of personal space should probably consider London "Plan Z." The picture to the left is of the room that Rory and his two cousins share. It was nice to finally meet his cousins and also their flatmates. Rory has already gotten a job working for a bicycle shop close to the flat and he is planning to move to a different flat in a short time. He said that he is enjoying living in such an international city but said that he probably wouldn't live there because of the expense of it. He will hopefully be able to join me in either Germany or France before he returns to Phoenix in August.

To the left you should see a picture of my new hot rod the Citroen Bx Txd. I picked the car up from the south coast of England in Bognor Regis last Wednesday. The car is rumored to get about 50 miles to the gallon which thus far seems to be no rumor and I am quite pleased to have such a fuel efficient car. It has already taken me from the coast back to London, then to Dover, by ferry to France (no driving required), and now to Germany on only a tank of fuel. I am glad to have a stick shift once again also as I have always preferred this over an automatic. When necessary I will definetely have enough room to sleep in the car if I wish or to carry gear for camping. Right now it has plenty of room for my luggage and me, so I am as pleased as punch.