First round.....

The Christmas holiday went by quickly, and was enjoyable overall, although, it didn't start well for me. On the eve of the 24th, unexpectedly, I had to cope with a small incident.

At 6 pm, as I was exiting my apartment with hands full of stuff, the door closed behind me accidentally, while I didn't have my keys in hand. No matter, I thought.....the master key available in the building could be used to solve this small inconvenience, but I was sorely mistaken!

There was only a 'relief' doorman on duty, who did not have access to the needed key, and, the solution turned out to be a lengthy and costly one. Even a friend of mine that has access to my apartment happened to be out of town. The only alternative I was offered was to wait for the super's backup man that had all keys with him, to come in from his home, 1 1/2 hour away, which he offered to do when called. Needless to say, in addition to the annoyance, I was late for my dinner appointment and frustrated! As I discovered post facto, there was a better and quicker solution, if the doorman had followed the instructions left by the superintendent, but didn't!

Let's hope that the second round of New Year festivities go a bit smoother.

Bouche de Noel

 
 

Season's Greetings!

The rush is ongoing everywhere in NY city, especially since the trasportation strike that has affected us all for a couple of days, just ended. However, I feel pretty comfortable because I'm almost finished with all I need to do before tomorrow night. I've written to everyone on my holiday list, I've answered the ones I didn't expect to receive, but did, purchased and wrapped the gifts to be made, and made the necessary phone calls, expected by tradition by the European relatives and friends.

Now, I've got to straighten out my desk and my apartment, which are both in a bit of a mess, and prepare myself to enjoy the upcoming holidays. I am always a guest at friends' homes for Christmas eve and day, and even Hanukkah. Many a year I have hosted a New Year's Eve party, but this time I am a guest even at such an affair. Thank goodness it takes place in town and I don't have to travel long distance for it (have done enough traveling this year....!).

Soooo.....all there is to do is to wish everyone HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

Happy 98th birthday!

Party's preparations

 

Party time

Yesterday I attended a lovely party for a long term friend who just turned 98! Her real name is Angela, but she is known by all as Lina (abbreviation of Angelina).

She originates from Italy, but has been a resident of the U.S. since she was 9 years old. She is the mother of two, the grandmother of four, and the great grandmother of 10! I consider her like a second mother – she married the same year as mine did, and I met her almost half a century ago, just before mine passed away still young.

For a variety of reasons most of her grand and great grandchildren could not be with us at this party, but close relatives and friends were present, and this gathering turned out to be one of mature participants, more or less within the same age group. The large banquet table was filled with foods and goods of all sorts, lovingly prepared and presented by her daughter and son in law, who hosted, as usual, the celebration. The former has wonderful taste in decorating the settings and the house, while her husband (almost ready for retirement) has taken up experimenting with cooking, which he is great at, enjoys very much and is successfully in doing.

The remarkable woman we celebrated yesterday worked hard throughout, and dedicated her entire life to family and friends, who now are willing to travel long distances to join her in celebrating her birthday. She still displays a sense of humor and such a youthful voice that could be the envy of young people. Right on, dear Lina, I am looking forward to your 100th!

More snow and..... messy NY

 

 

First snow

This morning Mother Nature has reminded us that the winter season is here. The first snow is blanketing New York, just a couple of inches worth, but more is forecasted to be in store for the next 24 hours.

It's Sunday and there is not a sound to be heard here. What a blessing to feel cozy in the warmth of one's own home,... but my thoughts go out to the less fortunate around the world, where lack of shelter, or comforts, or natural disaster can make life quite difficult.

Home for the holidays

The last few days in Tirana were very hectic. As usual, the meetings I wish could take place soon after my arrival always get postponed (procrastination is exercised a lot in Europe!), and I invariably find myself scrambling to squeeze in a lot at the end of every trip.

I experienced the same situation in Italy, also last month, during my brief stay there. Contacts do not promptly return calls for appointments, and they are surprised when I inform them that I may not have extra time for our meetings, which I try to book as much as possible way ahead of my departure from the States.

The first flight out of Tirana for Milan, Italy, is at 5:45am. I was able to just rest 2 hours before heading for the airport at 3:45am. I knew it was going to be a long, long day to get home, due to Delta airline changes for the transatlantic crossing. The direct flight from Milan to JFK that usually takes 8 ½ hours was suppressed on the day of my return and I was rerouted through Atlanta, where I had to spend another 5 hours for the flight to New York, also delayed because of the Thanksgiving weekend heavy traffic. Bottom line: with the time difference from Europe, I was on the go for a full 24 hours!

Due to the above changes, my luggage was also affected. It could not be checked all the way to destination, and I had to recheck it also in Atlanta, which became the entry point in the U.S. and where I had to go through passport control. Thank goodness for the comfort of the business lounges during my lay over in Milan and Atlanta, where I could grab some food and drinks, and make some phone calls, although I felt quite sleepy!

Found New York extremely chilly and windy, but the ride into the city was swift due to the light traffic – it was midnight after all! A few good hours of sleep were finally a blessing, and by 1pm I was able to join some friends, who were expecting me for the traditional holiday dinner on Thanksgiving day.

Work practices

I needed some electrical work done in the apartment I use and decided to call on the owner of a company that served me well a couple of years ago. He not only remembered me well (Albanians have a phenomenal memory!), but responded promptly to my call, although he is a very busy guy. Notwithstanding the ongoing energy crisis, his men are working all over the city and at all hours.

He gave a quick look at my needs and without taking any measurements or making any notes, he promised to send an electrician as soon as possible. The young guy that was dispatched, also multilingual, is a conscientious worker , ready to please me . All this implies that no real planning was done ahead for the entire job; decisions are made, by consulting the client, on the spot on “how” the job should be done, but, unfortunately, this may lead to some lack of supplies during the course of the job, as I forecasted, and ....indeed it happened!

However, this way of working seems to be a local habit: both boss and workers take what it comes with it in stride. It’s not an efficient use of time, which may create also some chaotic situations affecting the clients, but these service providers feel very busy, and they get around doing what needs to be done, very politely and usually with a smile on their faces.

I had a similar experience a week ago when I arranged for two men to come and install some heavy furniture, which I had shipped from Italy earlier in the month.

They both came, armed with electric drill and other tools, and they asked me for a picture of what the piece should look like when mounted. I tried to point them to the various pieces and the hardware that was part of it, but they were fumbling around and were not paying much attention to what I was saying, trying to figure out where to start.

After all, I was present at the dismantling, and a few minutes of attention would have avoided having to redo some installation steps that they eagerly took when they disregarded my suggestions on the matter. When they finally realized their mistake, they smiled graciously and humbly acknowledged that my input was correct. It not possible to get angry at such behavior!

Problem solving

The energy crisis in Albania has gotten worst in the past week. The hours of blackout have increased on a daily basis, and the times when there is lack of service have also changed. More than 6 straights hours without electricity (from early morning to early afternoon) seems now to be the norm, followed by one hour when one could cook something for a late lunch, and then everything is off again for another 2 hours, at least. Sometimes, in the evenings electricity may also go off again, unexpectedly, for shorter periods of time. The newly elected government is scrambling for solutions, but even buying extra power from neighboring countries is not easily accomplished all of a sudden. Planning, planning, planning is the key….!

After about one or two hours at the most that electricity is off, a water shortage comes into play. The pumps pushing the water up to the tanks on the roofs cannot work and everyone turns to the supply that, individually gathered in large bottles and containers, is forever present in every Albanian bathroom and kitchen.

People have to adapt somehow to all of the above, and they do. They are so used to these situations for years now, although they are slightly improving, that they shrug their heads and mumble sadly …”this is Albania”! The visitors that lodge at hotels or the casual guest that stays only briefly here, are not really affected by these predicaments because the business community, as I previously explained, have their own generators that take over and cover the needs.

I, living in a rented apartment, although in a new modern building in the city center, have to cope like everyone else. I switched to showering late at night, and I know housewives are doing the same with their laundry too. By morning one can see, on a lot of balconies, their wash, breezing in the wind that is barely perceptible in this city (see picture below). By noon the sun usually comes out from under the clouds and it shines beautifully, but, as it goes down, the warmth of midday disappears very quickly, and, being almost winter time with short days, it’s dark and quite cool by 4pm.

Yesterday, I had an additional problem that required a quick, but no easy solution here. All l of a sudden in the middle of the afternoon my house phone was unusable. I felt lost without my lifeline to the outside world!! Thanks to my cell unit I was able to contact some friends for help. Although they tried to report the problem by calling, we all agreed that, due to the late hour, nothing would be accomplished until the morning.

And so it was. We met at 9am and personally went to the main office of AlbTelecom. I know, from a previous similar experience a couple of years ago, that it may take a week to get a phone restored here. Sure enough, the ladies at the front desk, were not very helpful. First they vented that the line may have been cut for lack of payment, then, without checking anything or speaking to anyone in service, they told us that I would have to wait (as per procedure!) until Monday.

When they understood that the answer was totally unacceptable to me, they directed us to the payment office in another building. There, finally, we found a lady, who took at heart the case, confirmed that the bills were regularly paid, and personally accompanied us to a third building, at the servicemen’s office. The scene there was no better that the first one we encountered: a lady customer was being yelled at by a supervisor, while she was complaining that her phone line was not working for a week!

Fortunately for me, and the judicious presentation of my case on the part of my friend, I got the attention of an employee, who confirmed that the problem may have been caused by work performed in the area the day before, which I had suspected anyway. He called the serviceman in the field, and asked me to go back home and deal with him directly. He assured me he would be there, and he was. I was pleased that I could talk to him directly since he spoke also Italian. He excused himself for not being able to stay and deal with the problem personally since he had to attend a funeral, but he made sure that another technician came soon after and promptly brought my problem to a satisfactory solution. Lucky me!

drying in the sunshine.......

 

Book show inside the "pyramid"

 

Book fair

Annually there is a book fair in Tirana and it’s held at the “pyramid” (see picture below). This modern structure in the newest part of the city was built as a museum dedicated to the ex dictator, Henver Hoxha, during his life time. Since then, it’s used for large exhibits, or gatherings due its enormous size, and it also has been abusively used by children, who slide down its outside walls that lend themselves to this kind of fun. After all, it’s located in the middle of one of the many city parks!

I remember being quite impressed by the shape and magnitude of this construction when, in 1996, I was a guest at a huge public Mother’s Day celebration organized in it. A beautiful show was offered by performing children of all ages, followed by some speakers. I also remember the long walk I had to take to go center stage when, unexpectedly, I was asked to be an active participant by giving my comments about the whole affair. Unbeknown to me though was the fact that the show was televised, thus I was surprised to see myself on the tube that evening while having dinner with friends.

Today, after lunching with a well known Albanian historian at an Italian restaurant, we strolled to the park and entered the pyramid to see the book fair. I was impressed by the massive amount of exhibits and stands, displaying, on three floors, an enormity of published material of all sorts and for every taste. This affair lasts a few days and it attracts people also from neighboring countries. Entire school groups were also being ushered in, while I was there, and attended a special presentation of a modern version of a republished dictionary of a famous late author, which now includes additional entries taken from ancient languages. Interesting was the debate over the pro and con of the “orientalization” of the added material.

Many were the publishing houses represented in the fair, and there were loads of people roaming around, but I did not see a lot of sales taking place. The prices are still too high here for the general Albanian public, who is, however, a very keen reader and always ready to search for new and interesting material. That’s probably why dozens of daily newspapers do a booming business instead in this city.

Tirana's "pyramid" and a more modern building peeking through the top from behind it

A feast and a crisis

Today it’s a public holiday in Albania. It’s the day of Big Bajram that ends the month long period of Ramadan, during which time Muslims abstain from eating during the day time hours. Here, in the capital of Tirana, this feast is announced by the sound of drums that are played by a couple of men parading throughout the city, while the children, off from school, are having fun igniting fireworks here and there. Interestingly, during this stay and contrary to previous experiences of mine while in town, I no longer hear the call to prayer broadcast from the local mosque’s minaret five times daily. I’ll have to investigate why this change has taken place. In the past, the sound of these calls were a point of reference: there was no need to look at the clock to find out the time of day!

All government offices, banks, large stores, and even foreign embassies are closed in observance of today’s holiday. However, small, family type businesses, mama and papa stores are always opened every day of the year until the wee hours of the night. Even the main post office in the center of the city is always functioning until late in the evenings, Sundays included.

In the past few days, the energy crisis in this country has become more acute! The lack of rain has decreased the water supply in the dams, and thus the hydropower. Electricity has been shut off 4 to 5 hours a day, usually from 9am to 2pm. Life and work, therefore, have to be re-arranged accordingly to offset this deficiency. Today, exceptionally, the lights did not go off in the morning, probably to allow cooking for the holiday (in Albania the main meal of the day is usually at lunch, although consumed late), but, it was then cut at 2pm and did not resume until 5pm.

At home, it’s not easy to cope with lack of light when the days are shorter after the change back to standard time, but the myriad of café’s, bars, fast food places, and restaurants continue to do business with the help of large generators, usually placed outside of the premises, nearby on the street. They are automatically switched on when electricity fails, and they produce a humming noise so familiar to all that no one pays any attention to it anymore. What amazes me is how the people sitting at the tables (mostly outdoors) can cope with this nearby clatter and the polluted air that this equipment churns out. They totally ignore the circumstances, which, unfortunately, include their heavy smoking habits!

The news today is that the government is opening negotiations with neighboring countries for the purchase of additional power, which is critical especially in view of the upcoming winter, but there seems to be shortage everywhere else. This capital does not yet have an alternative solution to this shortage, such as gas production and distribution system. Only small, portable tanks can be purchased for home consumption, and a lot of people do use this facility for cooking nowadays, so that a hot meal is always assured. I am sure they had a special one today!

A small world

Today I met a reporter, now retired, who had interviewed me during one of my very first trips to Albania, back in 1993. She is now a writer, and still a very active woman with lots of connections everywhere. The pleasure of rediscovering each other was mutual and we wowed to spend more time together as we go along.

She came to visit me right after a session at the hospital due a problem in one of her eyes. Interestingly, when she mentioned her appointment with me to the doctor treating her, he, in amazement, declared that his father was a very good friend of mine a generation ago. Intrigued by this coincidence, I asked her his name, and to my great delight not only I recognized it, but I told her that I have an old photograph of him as a child sitting on his father’s lap.

This is surely a small world….and now we are planning a new reunion in it!

Tirana's newest and colorful highraisers

Life in Tirana

During this stay in Tirana, luckily and contrary to previous visits, there has not been, so far, any interruption in water and/or electrical supply, which is part of living here. The days are wonderfully sunny and hot in the mornings, but sometimes in late afternoon the clouds appear and it may even rain throughout the night.

The streets in this capital are currently in a real shamble. Diggings are ongoing everywhere, along the main boulevards and in the new part of town, to lay down water pipes and conduits for modern communications. Some squares and older streets are full of potholes, while the construction of tall buildings, started over a decade ago, continues to grow and it seems never ending. The smog produced by the enormous and intense vehicular traffic, in addition to the dust created by the above activities, makes breathing a challenge. When, on top of all this, it rains, the end result is a real mess, with mud and water all over! But this city’s dwellers nonchalantly, but assertively, proceed in their walks, hopping from unusable sidewalks to the middle of the street, or across the stagnant water holes, or in between cars that are continuously maneuvering to avoid hitting the bad spots. They are used to being great walkers (no private cars were allowed during the 50 plus years of communist regime) and they are survivors in all sorts of situations!

Today, while conducting some business at a local, but modern, bank, I was noticing how different these services are from the US or even from other countries such as Italy, for instance. The general public is served by well trained tellers-cashiers that will take care of any need one may have, by filling up withdrawal, deposit, or transfer forms, while other customer service personnel is available for special requests, such as the printing of the latest statement, or the issuance of checkbooks. The customer has only to specify what he wants and the teller will take care of it. This bank provides, in the same fashion, services for business accounts, but in a totally different area of the bank and with a different group of customer reps. Interestingly enough, in this day and age, there are no special barriers between staff and customers, or even security entrances, such as in Italy, for example; just some guards are patrolling the floors.

For the daily needs of food in Tirana, shopping is easy and readily available everywhere. In addition to a large outdoor market that is open even into the night, there are modern indoor supermarkets, strategically located, and, here and there, throughout the city there are also small vendors of produce that line up along some smaller streets, rain or shine, and compete among themselves for price and quality of product. What they offer is cheap, and extremely fresh, and that’s why and where the locals shop daily for their meals. Today, I bought some zucchini, a bunch of carrots, a whole head of cauliflower, four golden apples, two tomatoes, two cucumbers, and 3 beutiful large clementines, all for $3.75.

Tirana today has also a wide array of fast food places, which are opened at all hours, just like some bakeries, where freshly baked bread can be found late into the evening, but there is no MacDonald or Burger King chain here. The sandwiches, just like the pizza (light and delicious), are served hot and filled in front of your eyes with the ingredients that you want. Their price may vary from one to two dollars. maximum. Some restaurants also do deliver at home, via motorcycles.

Most of the life of this city though is displayed by the cafés, which are mostly outdoors, used all year around, and always filled with customers from morning until night. The newest part of Tirana is now bustling with nightly activities, especially for the younger generations, with a wide variety of spots that usually bear foreign names, mostly American. Such is life in Tirana these days!

Among old friends

Sometimes I don't realize how many friends I have here in Tirana. A few phone calls, and everyone is happy to hear I'm back in town, and eager to meet again.

I have to remind myself that timing here is different than in the States, or even Italy. People get up early and offices are open, non stop, from 8am to 3pm. Lunch is at home afterwards, and, after some rest, they go out again in the evening for a stroll, shopping, or to visit. Thus, dinners are usually late and even phone calls are made well into the evening.

Yesterday, I was a guest of a couple, friends of mine since childhood, at a large and pretty restaurant in the newest part of the capital. The ambience was rustic, but the place was furnished in good taste. The food at this "Tavernetta" was excellent. Most restaurants nowdays have, as a first course, a self service, 'salad buffet' with a variety of dishes that includes all sorts of grilled vegetables, burek (stuffed phyllo), fish antipasto, and yogurt (largely used here).

The meat is also very good. When I ordered a grilled steak the waiter warned me not to expect a thick American piece....and I smiled, knowing that it was quite different. The meat is very thinly cut and large, and very tasty. The portions are very satisfying, and the bread is deliciously fresh every time!

There is not a great variety of desserts, but the creme caramel is forever present, and extremely light and yummy.

Further travel

The pre-announced general strike in Italy was postponed and I was happy to be able to continue my travel without major interruptions.

In less than two hour, I flew from Milan to Tirana, Albania. It took longer to get from the city to the airport, due to the incredible traffic. Long lines of cars for miles going at a snail pace! The plane (an airbus M-80), was, as usual, always filled up. Most of the passengers are Albanians that hop over to Italy for visits, or special shopping, but there are also always many business people, speaking Italian, German, and English.

A visa to enter Albania is not required, but, upon arrival, foreigners must pay an entry fee ($12.00), after passport control. Thanks to my last name, typical Albanian, the passport officer reminds me every time that I am exonerated from this payment. In less than ½ hour I am out and, met by my usual driver, am on my way to the unfortunately dusty, and smoggy capital: Tirana.

I was here just a few months ago, still I don’t recognize some new tall buildings here and there, along the way and inside the city. The traffic is even worse than I remember, and a lot of the large boulevards are now a real mess. Large excavations are ongoing for the laying down of water pipes, telecom fiber optics, etc. and the many potholes are also a real hazard for pedestrians and vehicular drivers. Nevertheless everyone is on the move!

I notice a larger number of modern buses for public transport, and they are filled to capacity. There seems to be a better observance of traffic lights than in the earlier days, but once in a while some drivers, for expediency, are going the wrong way in one way streets that they know are not patrolled by traffic police.

I am lucky to have good facilities in a modern apartment that I rent in the city center, near the large main (Skanderbeg) square, with shops, cafés, restaurants, taxi stand, travel agencies, nearby. Large supermarkets are not so close by, but immediate needs upon arrival can be taken care of very quickly.

A different evening

Among the programmed activities during my visit in the area of Milan, one, in particular, turned out to be quite an enjoyable evening.

I was invited to be a guest at a dinner meeting at a student community about one hour ride outside of the city, where I was expected to talk about me, my family, and my current plans, which involve the small, but unfamiliar (to many) country of Albania.

The thought intrigued me because of the setup. The place was created almost 30 years ago to provide an unusual environment where young people, attending schools in the area, could learn, away from home, to be independent, manage themselves, their lives, and their studies, and cope with life in general with the support and counsel of some professionals, who had preceded them in this experience.

The comfortably modern, well equipped, building was donated by a local family to this, self created, institution, which houses co-ed students, from 13 to 20 years of age. They share the same central facilities, which include bedrooms, kitchen, lounges, a library, study and play rooms, and a large basement for extra curriculum activities. This property overlooks a beautiful lake, has a parking lot, and lots of land around, which includes a vegetable and fruit garden, maintained by the students.

The daily schedule is planned by the student community, under the guidance of some, living in, instructors. The same goes for food shopping, meals preparations, house cleaning, extra and leisure activities. Among the latter ones are field trips, cultural visits at museums, fencing and painting classes, chorus practice, and evenings, like the one I participated in, with guests from a variety of fields, from anthropologists, to artists, reporters, poets, etc.

The students’ day are long and busy ones. They arise at 6:45am and retire after a late dinner. Depending on their age, they may not participate into the night activities.

The dinner I ate, simply served family style, was healthy and delicious, including an elaborate dessert. Afterwards, we moved into a large, comfortable living room area, where the burning wood was crackling in the fireplace. There I was able to make a couple of presentations, by projecting onto a large screen, slides from a CD I prepared, and I talked for over an hour, responding also to questions raised.

It was a wonderfully behaved group, which took pictures of the event, and made me sign their guest book. During the car ride back to Milan I continued to furnish additional answers to the couple that invited me. They had attended that institution a few years ago; there they met, eventually graduated (he is a well known architect and she is the board chair of her family’s 200 year old company), and their 3 children now are going through that same experience by being part of this institution.

Finally back at my hotel by 1am, I was rethinking the event and wishing that such an interesting, and obviously successful, setup could be duplicated also elsewhere. These students are indeed lucky to get such broad learning opportunities!

Sharing experiences

 
 

Slick long distance trains

Milan

I spent a few days in Milan and, for the first time, I lodged at a hotel near the main railroad station to facilitate my daily movements out of town.

I've rediscovered this city a bit since I haven't been in it for a long time. The station is forever busy and quite chaotic. A new practical addition is a huge supermarket inside the station, which is quite convenient because it's open about 15 hrs a day. The many ticket windows, however, are all shut in the evening and one has to use automatic machines, which are not very "user friendly" since their programs are not very intuitive.

The huge arcades for which this station is known protect all sorts of beings: from humans to.... loads of pidgeons that are very assertive in search of food. Some of them fly low over people's heads (there is really no space on platforms and floors due to the huge crowds), and it's interesting to see how they perch themselves over the food counters to watch for crumbs and wasted food.

Some of the new long distance trains have a slick, modern look, but, once on board what has not changed is the stuffy air that permeates every car, although most of them are no longer permitting smoking. Italians are usually afraid of drafts and rarely want to open windows whether on cars, train or buses. Once off the trains the smokers lite their cigarette and the air in the entire station (which is huge) is unbreathable!

The local regional trains and the ones that travel northward in Europe are usually on time, while the ones that comes from Sicily or the southern tip of Italy are always late, sometimes by 2 hours!

On the side of this station, which is a mastodontic building, several blocks long, there is also the airlines bus terminal, where many coaches (belonging to competing companies) provide good and cheap service to the airports.

The 3-star hotel I stayed in was very confortable and included a buffet breakfast for all sorts of taste. The rest of my days very quite busy since I planned both activities and leisure time before I left home. I was a guest for lunch and/or dinner, practically every day either at a local restaurant or at friends' homes, and, in Italy, the food is always good no matter where.

Main railroad station in Milan, Italy

 

Paris

The CGD airport is not only huge, but immensely long, and hard to navigate!

There is no motorized transport for people that need assistance. One could order a wheel chair, as I did (since I'm temporarily suffering from tendenitis in my left ankle), but it was nowhere in site at arrival. The plane parked in the middle of the field, thus the passengers had to disembank by walking down stairs, and then hop on a bus that took almost 1/2 hour to reach the arrival terminal.

The traffic was incredible not only on the field, but all the way around the entire airport. I had to climb 2 floors to reach someone to talk to and when they took their sweet time to serve the long line of waiting customers, I decided to walk, otherwise I was risking loosing my connection for Italy. Needless to say the European flight were departing from the opposite end of the airport. So........hopping along, I finally got to the gate, and.....to my surprise, the flight number was not even posted, although it should have been time to board it!

Another flight of stairs brought me to a lounge, where finally I was able to find out that not only the flight was delayed by about 3/4 hr, but that I'd better wait at the gate, otherwise, I could not hear any broadcasted announcement.

The crowds were incredible and, of course, the few seats at every gate were all taken, while the unlucky passengers parked themselves on the floor. It was fascinating to watch the comings and goings, and the wondering looks of such a variety of passengers. The Italians were fretting all over the place, nervously asking questions, while a lot of Americans were quietly sitting down reading their pocket books and only occasionally looking up, waiting for the flight information to be displayed.

We finally boarded the Alitalia flight for Milan 1 hr later, but, once on board, we sat (with open doors) for another hour before departure. The
captain kept us informed, but the hostesses never even offered a drink during all this time. I always knew that there is a difference in service among airlines, but this trip really revealed a striking one!

First class.....

I knew all along that traveling first class was going to be an experience, but what I din't know is that they even furnish you with a pajamas to change into for a totally confortable night on a long transatlantic haul!

First, I had a relaxing time at Air France private lounge at JFK, which is an oasis of serenity and peacefulness. A variety of seats and accomodations serve a variety of lucky passengers that use this facility. A fully stocked self service bar offers all sorts of small sandwiches and drinks, including (of course!) champagne. There is absolutely no noise of any kind in this environment and even the service personnel appears and disappears unoticeably. Never even heard a flight announcement,... "not to disturb" the present users, the sign displays.

Once on board, the fun began. I had seat no. 1 and was flanked by an American businessman who spent part of the night preparing himself for the meetings he had planned in Paris the next morning. All others, mostly French (all seats were taken!), just relaxed, drank, ate, and, soon after, changed into their PJs for an "heavenly" night, tucked under sparkling white, warm, light quilts. The setup was complete with full size white pillow and fully reclinable chair, from head to toe. In this pleasant situation, it's no wonder no one bothered to look at a movie or the news...

Another surprise was the totally individualized service for each passenger. The reserved, and quietly moving, stewards served the meals (on lovely white table cloths), produced quilts and pillows for the people ready to retire, and in the morning served breakfast only based on the behavior of each passenger, never disturbing the ones that preferred to sleep all the way to destination.

I have traveled business class before, but this was the ultimate experience! At arrival in Paris CDG airport was another story (for another time to tell)!

Here we go!

Although officially fall, the weather in NY has turned hot again. I am on the verge of my planned trip overseas, and still don’t know what to wear. The forecast in Italy, where I’ll land first, is rain and cold, while Albania, where I’ll spend the rest of my time abroad, is still enjoying 80 degrees.

Anyway, what’s important for me is not the clothing to wear, but what data or documents to take with me, based on the projects I am involved with, which require me to travel again so far away from home. I feel ready though, and eager to accomplish a few more tasks, which I’ll report on it, as I go along.

All I know now is that, for the first time, I’ll travel first class, thanks to my frequent flyers miles and the airline industry restructuring and partnerships, which necessitated some rerouting of normal travel plans. In Italy I’ll be doing different things, but quite different from what I’ve done in the past 3 years there, and I forecast the same in Albania, where there will be changes due to a newly elected government in the country and new plans for my work accommodations there.

In Italy I may have to cope with some already announced “general strikes” for a couple of days, which seem to become the norm, but, hopefully, they will not affect my flight schedules. I really don’t mind changes, but pray for minimal disruptions, and,.... confidently, I look forward to new experiences in the air and on land!

New travel plans

Would you believe that I already have plans for my next trip overseas? The exhaustion from my last treck is forgotten, and, yes, I just finished booking my transatlantic flight to Italy for next month. After a few days in Milan, where I am supposed to have a couple of meetings, I shall proceed to Tirana. In Albania I have many ongoing projects and will remain for a month, returning to the States just in time for Thanksgiving.

No sooner I had my electronic ticket in hand that my favorite airline (Delta) has declared bankruptcy! Worried about what I should or should not do, I perused their web site and, low and behold, I find that they have already posted reassuring reports for anyone to read. By the end of day I even got a personal email from the airline toward this end! They wanted me to know that my travel plans are secure.

Where else in the world would one get such attentive and effective service?

Just a thought

As the catastrophe continues to unfold in the southern states I am at home in New York, which, instead is blessed with a gorgeous day. It's very hard to think of the devastation left by Katrina, and even more difficult to imagine how the thousand of people affected are feeling and how they are coping with this immense disaster.

As I am making my contribution, a thought crosses my mind: how would I feel and what would I do if I was in this kind of situation? The only answer I can come up with is that none of us are ready to deal with similar calamity, but we should think about it and should learn a few things from it. In some countries around the world there are people that, although for different reasons, live today their lives with a small survival kit at hand. We should realize that even in the most modern, richest, and powerful nation, every one of us should learn to become more responsible for our own well being and try to plan in advance what we would do if faced with similar misfortune.

the Cavenago castle has an old (125 meter deep) water well, which is no longer used
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the Cavenago's inside courtyard, where drinks are served before dining
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The medieval castle "Cavenago", dating back to the 1300's, now an "agriturismo"
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Relaxing breaks

It was a humid and hot summer evening on Saturday, July 16th, when I rode with a cousin to the club of Castelconturbia, where she and her family are members. (see pictures below)

This has been a private golf club since the early 1900's and it counts no less than 500 members that include many foreigners. It is located in the midst of the rolling countryside at about 30 km from Malpensa (Milan) airport. The dinners can be consumed either indoors or on a large terrace overlooking the greens, with self-service for appetizers and desserts. The food I have enjoyed here many times is consistently excellent and quite varied; the conversation always lively, although frivolous, which makes the atmosphere very relaxing.

The following Sunday, July 24th, I was the host to some other cousins that live in another northern area of the Piedmont region, but came to visit and gave me a hand in my chores. They choose to dine in an old castle on top of the hills of the village, so that their daughter could listen to my recounting some of the stories of this place.

This medieval castle is named 'Cavenago" from the family that owned it (see pictures above). Its last member was a Count that was put to an horrible death by his army in 1307. Naked and covered with honey he was left to die in a cage, consumed by insects and other animals.

As a child I used to visit this place quite frequently, not only because I lived in the village then (it was during WWII), but also because part of it, owned by relatives, was used it for the wine harvest for which the village is known. All the villages in this area are flanked by hills, which sit at the feet of the Italian Alps (on their northern part is Switzerland) and produce some of the best wines of Italy. The one I lived in as a child is named: 'Ghemme' , and it's the birthplace of a famous architect, Antonelli, who, among other structures, designed the cupola of the Duomo of Turin that bears his name.

Today part of the Cavenago castle is privately owned by a local family and has become an "agriturismo" (place where you can eat local specialties, the ingredients of which are suppoed to be all locally grown). The meals are served family style, and there is only one common menu -- one only has to choose the type of wine to go with it. Reservations are a must, and everyone is expected to be seated at the same time, after a cocktail is served in the outdoor garden area. The food is interesting and very satisfying, and, after dining, everyone usually lingers to visit the surroundings areas.

These were the only 2 relaxing breaks I allowed myself during this trip.

Part of the golf course as seen from the club's balcony
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The golf club

Castaleconturbia Golf Club
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Accident

Two days after my arrival in Italy, on an early Saturday morning, I was awaken by a tremedous noise, right underneath my first floor bedroom window, which was kept open due to the hot weather. The view that appeared below when I peeked out looked dreadful (see pictures below).

Two black cars (an Alfa and a Mini), a few feet apart, were completely smashed against my house: a young man. unhurt and standing with a cell phone in hand, was asking the other driver (a woman, still sitting in her small car and moaning) whether he should call an ambulance! In a couple of minutes I was dressed and with camera in hand I descended onto the street to see what I could do. The scene that followed was beyond my belief! The woman was pretty badly hurt. She was a local nurse, going to work at 6am. Her mother witnessed the accident while walking her dog, and came to her assistance immediately. The man, in his 30's, looked sober although he confessed loudly that he did not see the intersection (my house is on a corner of a 4 way crossing). A few neighbors also attracted by the big bang, came running and tried to call the local police, which, I was informed however, being a weekend, was not available. The response came from another larger town, 3/4 of an hour away, and, only after the ambulance arrived, a police car appeared with 2 'carabinieri' in it. One of them never got out of the car, while his colleague was gathering information and making notes. The latter even asked the father of the victim (who meakly obliged!) to help him take measurements, while his partner was sitting and watching the entire scene..... I took some pictures and took notes that I offered to the victim's family. The man who caused the accident called his father, who also arrived on the scene. After about 1 1/2 hour a pickup truck also arrived and expeditiously loaded the 2 cars and even cleaned up part of the debris, which littered 2 streets for many feet. In addition to the shattered glass there was a lot of spilled oil and gasoline, which made walking quite treacherous. Some of the local people even hinted that I should clean the street because the town would not do this except on a designated day during the week. This was certainly an eye-opening experience for me about the Italian state services, and a heck of a way to start my work visit in Italy!!

The car that caused the accident
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The mini smashed against my house
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Travel woe

Now that I am home and still recuperating my strength, I cannot believe what I lived through during my recent trip to Italy.

My presence was required due to negotiations for the sale of a house I co-owned in northern Italy. The prospected buyer was in a hurry to close on the deal because he wanted to re-adapt the street floor during the summer months so that his business (a restaurant) could get into full swing in the fall. So I was forced to make quick plans and leave New York right after July 4th.

The weather has been consistently hot and humid also in Italy, but I survived it somehow. The house is a 4 story building with thick walls and no elevator. My task was to completely empty its content before the closing and I made it, but I cannot remember perspiring so much, while drinking more than 4 liters of water a day, and trying to get a few hours of sleep, here and there, only with the help of a table top fan.

The work, both mental and physical, was totally exhausting and lasted one full month! I had to deal with furniture and furnishings, linens, apparel, books, papers, documents, and photographs that belonged to 3 generations. The house has been in the maternal side of my family since 1894. I had spent time in it during my youth and I relived many memories while clearing it up. It was hard to give it up, emotionally, but a necessity.

During this stay in Italy I declined several of the invitations I usually receive from friends and relatives alike, so that I could meet the planned deadlines, but I had the chance to enjoy a couple of dinners in good company that I'll describe later on.

The 4 story house I worked in has an open terrace on the top, with a beautiful view
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Updates

It seems ages since I've been able to get back to this blog, but during my stay in Italy I was busy working in an environment that didn't have connection facilities. Only a couple of times I was able to use a terminal in the Public Library of the small village where I was and for a brief period of time. This access was available only for a couple of hours a day, and I had to compete with some kids, waiting on line, to get to one of the two terminals at this place. I was, thus, only able to reply to urgent email and make electronic payments of my bills.

Now, I am home after an horrific trip back, which rerouted me from Amsterdam to Paris, and switched me from one airline to another 3 times before returning to NY!! I am all in one piece, but totally exhausted. The 20 hours that took me to get home was just the 'frosting' on the month long, non stop, work stay in northern Italy. More details will follow, soon.

Happenings

Since I have been in Italy, time has flown and I have not been able to get acess to Internet on a regular basis, thus lack of postings here, my friends!

Lots has happened since I've left NY starting with a much delayed departure from JFK airport, due to tires blow out while we were almost ready to take off.....My connection time in Amsterdam was cut so short (from the 2 1/2 hrs that should have been available) that I was very lucky to catch the flight to Milan. In the 15 minutes available to change plane I had to run from one end to the opposite one of the Amsterdam airport, and, fortunately, even my luggage made it with me to final destination.

From my arrival onward, I have worked non-stop, in very unconfortable weather (hot and humid), seven days a week. Much has been accomplished. but I am not finished yet. More details will have to follow though later on.

For now, I can tell you that I can't wait to get back home!!

Departure

As the long holiday week-end of Independence Day is under way here in the U.S., I am packing for my next overseas trip.

"It's not a vacation" - I need to clarify to everyone that hears that I'll be traveling to northern Italy assuming that I am going to have a good time in the country of "la dolce vita". The pleasure of sightseeing this country as a tourist is quite different from the reality of living and having to cope with everyday life as I have experienced for years there.

A month of hard work (both physical and mental) is ahead of me, and, sincerely, I am not looking forward to it. However, it must be done.

The settling of an estate is not an easy thing to do anywhere. It is doubly so for me, due to dealings with foreign procedures and laws, complex bureaucracy, inefficient administration, and wasteful laissez-faire.

The timing of this trip is also not of my choosing. I will have to cope with stifling temperatures, no air conditioning comfort, and no easy phone or Internet connection, but ticket is in hand and I shall deal with it.

Stay tuned in any case, my friends!

Alive and well

Time is not the only one to fly, but seasons too! I work constantly, but never see the end of the tunnel.....One of these days, may be I'll be able to afford real time off!!

It took me a long time in the spring to recoup from a bad bronchitis, which seems to have plagued many people this year. Notwithstanding, I have plugged along in my cleanup and reorganization work at home, and now all other activites and projects of mine have picked up speed, and are on high gear, again.

Bottom line for summer: I am planning my next trip overseas !! Thus, stay tuned, and I shall resurface from time to time to report any progress that I know some of you, my friends, are following very closely. Thanks for lending me your ear.....and eyes!

Time flies.....

Have not posted much in a while, but, three weeks ago became ill and the result was a bad bronchitis . Its effect is still lingering on and my usual energy is not yet completely restored; nevertheless, I have kept busy, strength permitting.

Have tackled the reorganization of files of all sorts, shredded lots of old papers, and created a new filing system, but still have a long way to go. After three generations of computers I also have to sort out and deal with electronic files, which reside on hard disk, and a large volume of diskettes and cd's. This work seems never ending! The related software is also to be dealt with. One never realizes how much can be easily accumulated over time, which, meantime, flies away very quickly!

Spring is a good time to do cleaning, but I can see that what I started may take more than one season to complete!

springtime in my NY neighborhood
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Spring showers?

Where did April go? Oh...., I know! A lot of my time went into gathering, like most people in the US did, personal financial data for the preparation and mailing of the annual tax returns required by Uncle Sam. Although that has been taken care of, I still remain involved in similar tasks for the foundation I manage. Corporate returns are due next month.

The first half of April was exceptionally cold and dry. Attending to chores, such as taxes, was quite a natural thing to do indoors. But in the last few days we are enjoying a spurt of unusual hot weather. It feels like we jumped into summer, and we have not even had spring with its typical showers. This outburst, however, short as it may be, was enough to bring all treets to a full bloom, and to activate sudden allergies even in people that nornally are not affected by them. It's interesting and very pleasant to see Manhattan lined with flowering trees along avenues and streets. What a change from decades ago when there was no planting of any kind, and, except for parks, gray cement was reigning almost everywhere on this island!

This is also a good time for all sorts of spring cleaning, when everyone is energized by the splendid sunshine and the fresh breezes blowing through the open windows! The amaryllis on my kitchen window sill, planted last December and bloomed by Valentine's day, is also gaining brand new leaves and shoots, and I....am off to some aerobic exercises in the pool that I frequent when time allows me. Let's go : it's a period of renewal!

Surprises.....

Last week, just in time for the upcoming Easter holiday, interesting information reached me suddenly, via email. It should not have surprised me since I have had previous similar experiences, especially in the past 5-6 years, but, nonetheless, it did.

Thanks to the marvels of modern technology, which I have tried to keep up with since I got into this field more than 30 years ago, I heard from another relative that I didn’t know existed, and is even closer to me than I ever dreamed.

He is another member on the paternal side of my family, who ‘found’ me thanks to the website that I have created in the name of my family about 6 years ago. As a college student, doing research online and discovering family relations on the part of his mother, he excitedly got in touch, and, to my great delight, I have since obtained additional input on one of my father’s sisters and her descendants.

About 12 years ago, in returning to Tirana (Albania), where I originated from and lived as a baby, I made a great discovery in the National Archives. I found a family tree, handwritten by my father, which traced his male ancestry all the way back to the year 1444. This was the only time when Albania was really independent from centuries of foreign invasions, thanks to the leadership of its national hero, Giorgio Kastriota, who became known in history as “Skanderbeg”. Unfortunately this state of freedom only lasted during his life time. In addition to foreign occupations, several wars and dictatorships also played a great part in separating family members.

At the opening up of Albania, after the fall of communism, I was contacted by old friends of my family and thus began my return to the country that I never thought I would see again. In the past decade I have had many occasions of visiting other areas inhabited by Albanians not only within the current borders and the state of Montenegro, but also the large Albanian diaspora in the US and Europe. Many are the relatives I found and this process continues to today. The family tree initiated by my father is getting greatly populated with data from a variety of sources, and it now contains almost 600 specific names, covering both maternal and paternal relationships.

Spring holidays

Spring is officially here, but snow and chilling winds are still present
in the NY area. Colds are making the rounds, and boots are still a must, while everyone yearns for warmer and sunnier times....... Patience, patience, my friends!

Meantime, just enjoy the upcoming holiday and have a serene Easter day.

On the road again

Departure time out of Albania is scheduled at the crack of dawn. Thus, the ride to Tirana’s airport takes place in the dark at 4:30am, and is quick (only 20 minutes) due to the lack of the usually congested road traffic. All international travels start this early so that the passengers can reach their destinations within the same 24-hrs day.

The small, and now being modernized, Tirana’s airport presents itself well, and is full of activities and people, drinking coffee and smoking. The latter is a real bad problem, still allowed here, and I find the air unbearable to breath, although we are in a large waiting area. Finally, as the reddish light of dawn appears on the horizon, behind the sharp and clear mountain profiles, in this still very cold day, we board our flight to Italy for a further connection, later on, to New York. I feel lucky that my return will not be affected by another Italian airline strike, scheduled in the next 24 hours.

Busy Times

Another busy and fruitful week in Tirana, but dotted with pleasant moments with interesting and valued people. Conducted intense negotiations and made a couple of good business contracts, while meeting also a couple of new, bright and eager to work, young ladies, fluent in at least 3 languages. Had the opportunity to have leisure lunches and dinners with old acquaintances, who were also keen in helping out in whatever they can.

It’s a pleasure to see some of the young people I have been dealing with in the past few years gaining business experience, growing in knowledge and taking successful steps into, and control of, their future! These are the people that are bringing the country forward into the modern world of nations.

One interesting personality I have known for a while is an esteemed historian and a successful writer, who spends most of his time in old state archives and the public library. He painstakingly researches even ancient documents, in more than one language, which no one else would even think of dealing with, and he is a bottomless well of knowledge.

He has undertaken on his own to do research also about one of my family members: my father, ex Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and Member of the Council of State, in his time. He has uncovered historically valuable documents about him and his judgments, which, once published - he believes - could positively inspire and influence the younger generations of today and tomorrow. Albanians are very proud of, and greatly value their history; now that they are free to do so, they are eagerly trying to document publicly this valued past.

Our lunch together one day was also a pleasant experience. While discussing some of his research and findings he wanted me to taste some of the real Albanian dishes at a small, and unpretentious, restaurant, run by an old family of local restaurateurs. For the ‘big’ amount of about $10.00, including wine, everything was fresh, prepared in no time, and delicious! There is no substitute in enjoying the country, except with a real and erudite native!

Weekend

Due to the inclement weather everyone is staying indoors, and I also take advantage of it to rest, sleep, and work at my computer both Saturday and Sunday.

This afternoon, however, I was invited at someone’s home thanks to some friends of mine. It was again a pleasure to meet another very nice Albanian family. They reside on the 9th floor of one the new apartment buildings in the city and here they enjoy all the comforts of modern life. The grandparents are old enough to have known a member of my family in the 1930’s and have vivid memories of those days. One of their two daughters, married with two children of her own, is a dentist by profession and her husband owns a very successful photocopying business at the street level of the same building where they reside. Everyone in the family speaks 3 languages fluently and the young ones are delight to converse with. Among the usual goodies that are offered to guests, today I was introduced to a new delicacy: real tiny eggplants (the size and length of a finger), which, after an elaborate preparation, turn into candied fruit in heavy syrup and are stuffed with walnuts. Real yummy!

On the way back to my apartment, I am able to do some shopping for staples at a nearby supermarket. Some of these markets are packed with goods, including many imports and one can also always find fresh local vegetables and fresh bread at any hour of the day and well into the night.

Back to work, tomorrow!

Craving for sunshine

The weather in Tirana during my first few days here is exceptionally cold. This year the winter is bad everywhere and Albania is no exception. The capital rarely sees snow on the ground, but the mountain chain of Dajti, surrounding the city on the west, is snow capped and since my arrival on Wednesday it has rained continuously.

Today, Sunday, the sun finally peeked a bit through the low, and still dark, clouds in the late afternoon, and the wind has picked up speed. The streets are really a mess since many of them have large potholes, and, with the large puddles there is mud everywhere because of the high concentration of dust that still permeates the city, also plagued by heavy smog. When it rains the air seems cleaner, but this city is, unfortunately, one of the worst in Europe for breathing. With many on going constructions, and street repair work, there is also no smoking policy in effect in public places.

I have been quite busy in important business meetings, which are giving so far excellent results, but I feel quite tired and try to pace myself accordingly. Luckily, the electricity that was lacking at times last year, seems to function pretty well now and it’s very helpful to be able to use the equipment available for such purpose in the apartment I rent. Tirana has no city wide alternative for gas heating so far, but many citizens that now enjoy owning their own residences, are buying and installing this facility in their own units, using part of their balconies for the storage of the gas tanks.

Spring here generally comes early, and with its bright sunshine the midday hours can be really quite hot. The unusually hard winter, especially in the northern areas and towns (where the situation is always critical due to lack of facilities), hopefully will end soon!

Today's travel

Just some notes to let me my friends know I've arrived safe and sound in Tirana this afternoon.

Delta could have left NY "on time" (notwithstanding the snowy weather and the previous night storm) if it was not for a passenger that didn't show up, while his luggage was checked in (!?!). Regulations about this sort of mystery require that the bags must be removed from the airplane, if the passenger does not make the flight. Thus, we lost more than 35 minutes doing that....Then the transatlantic crossing was disturbed by some turbulence during the trip, but no major problem. However, we lost additional time during the flight due to contrary winds, and thus arrived in Milan more than an hour later than expected (10am).

By this time I had kissed goodbye to my connection for Albania, but, to my great surprise, I was nonchalantly told by Alitalia that their fight to Tirana was delayed and still at the gate, so I rushed like crazy to catch it.

When I got there, I found many Albanians quietly waiting, with forlorn faces, but not even a soul of a staff to answer queries....For a moment I thought I missed the flight, but that was not the case. It was scheduled for 12noon, but no one bothered to announce the change! Finally one woman showed up at 12, and took her sweet time to answer questions and then to check everyone.....

At this moment more surprises were to come. Usually these flights are accessed via the movable stairs, after a bus delivers you along the plane, which is parked somewhere in the open spaces of the airport. This time the short bus ride downloaded the passengers instead near an entrance into a tower like building. Here everyone had to climb two (2) flights of round about, marble stairs only to find the usual tunnel that leads to the plane’s entry door. Not a moaning was heard, not even from an elderly couple and a mother with baby, who were having extra difficulty ascending with their hand luggage and paraphernalia in hand….this new, whole approach of getting on board left me totally dumbfounded!

Last, but not least, before our arrival in Tirana 2 1/2 hours later, the meal service served on board. Up to last year it used to be a tiny sandwich, plus a slice of cheese and a small dessert. Now it’s called a special treat and it consists only of 2 tiny cookies, or 2 (Italian style) saltines….. your choice of course!

Rinas airport was bustling with activities and an enormous movement of passengers and luggage. I never saw previously so many planes from varied airlines on the tarmac; but everything moved along pretty quickly. With the usual courtesy at passport control I was again recognized of being of Albanian origins, and thus exempted from paying the required entry fee for foreigners, although I carry an American passport. Albania is coming up in the world!

Winter woes

The stormy weather of this past week is worrying me. My travel plans are set, and would be difficult to change them. Thanks to Internet I check and recheck with my air carrier, and eventually make to Kennedy airport, with no problems.

The Supershuttle (so called Blue Van) that I booked came early, and the friendly driver was quite chatty while making the rounds of pick ups in the city proper. Then, while riding through unknown streets of the borough of Queens, not normally used to reach the airport, he actually entertained everyone with a recorded concert of Placido Domingo, in some of his best arias. In a dreary day, a very relaxing way to start a trip!

The airport check in and security processing (including getting dressed and undressed with shoes, jackets, belts, and other assortments) was speedy and unproblematic.
Off I go to Europe!

A crisp, chilly day at the U.N. - the sun is peeking in and out of clouds! Hosted by Hello

Day at the U.N.

Thanks to a friend's invitation I was a guest for a special visit at the U.N. to view the "Auschwitz " exhibit , followed by a luncheon in the Delegates' dining lounge.

The exhibit is an interesting mixture of video presentation, with large black and white photographs on display, together with ax excellent collection of penciled drawings made by a Russian soldier on letterhead paper of the German Commandant of the camp, at the time of liberation!

The large dining lounge overlooking the East river is filled with people of all sorts, chatting and moving about to serve themselves at the buffet tables, displaying a variety of international dishes. The whole place offers a very relaxed atmosphere with excellent food and a great view.

Spring is coming!

.......the Christmas present bloomed just in time for Valentine's Day!
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Busy February

This is quite a busy month. Most of the action takes place even without me leaving my desk or residence. Heavy communication is taking place , mostly electronically, and by phone. Bottom line: my presence is needed overseas, and traveling plans are in the works again.....

Meantime, I am trying to squeeze in a few sessions of physical therapy for my aching neck and shoulders, which have impaired my movements a lot in the past few months. Got to be in good physical shape to hop another plane and cross the Atlantic again!

Nature's life cycle

Old poinsetta is shedding its luxurious winter leaves, but young amaryllo is budding just in time for spring.......
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January woes....

For me January seemed to go out, tranquil as it came in, or so I thought! A life disrupting event was lurking under the floor of my apartment......

Today I found the parket tiles in one corner of my living room soaking wet and buckling!! My prompt discovery and the intervention by the building staff makes it possible to at least contain the damage temporarily during this weekend. The plumbers will fix the leak (that stems from 2 floors above mine) next week. It's a big job, since my wall had to be broken into, my furniture moved, and everything parked somewhere. It's going to be a while until I can get back to normal. Unfortunately this is not the first experience of its kind in the aging building.

The funny part is the temporary arrangement waiting for final repairs: rags are tucked into the hole of the dripping wall and changed twice daily, just like diapers.....:-)) !

NYC snow blizzard aftermath - Jan. 2005
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Snow Blizzard

The first real big snow storm of this winter has blanketed NYC in the past 24 hours. I had saturday night plans of joining friends for a birthday gathering at the French Culinary Institute, but am glad to stay home. Even this dining facility closed its place by midday because of the forecast. Its' a perfectly good time to catch up on accumulated paperwork!

The high winds are strangely blowing the snow sideways, ......I have seen many storms in the city, but don't remember ever seeing windows half covered by a thick white layer that is sticking to the glass, and not only accumulating on the window sills. Real weird scenery.

Chores

The 2nd week of this month was a busy, but a dreary one. The reality of the new year imposes a cleanup and reorganization of last year expenses, especially the ones related to all my travels with the handling of 3 different currencies! It's also a time for physical checkups and medical tests -- fortunately, all good so far!

Installed a brand new LCD flat screen monitor on my desktop without a hitch. It's 19" viewing area is great, but it's spoiling me. I now find it difficult to deal with the smaller characters when I need to revert to my laptop. Lots of cleanup and backups are also a must on both machines, in addition to the annual review for archiving of business files. All real necessities, but a monotonous and boring time!

Solutions

Well....a brand new monitor is on the way, and some pictures are posted next to the travel experiences of last year (see October and November postings).

There is a solution to every problem - it's just a question of putting the mind to it!

Hi 2005!

Trying, to no avail, to post some pictures from last year's travels using new software. Meanwhile, also lost the use of my desktop monitor, which just died. Thank goodness for my (backup) laptop. What a frustrating way to begin the new year, though, but must roll up my sleeves and persist to accomplish needed solution as soon as possible!!