Monthly Archives: October 2020

An Avalanche of Errors

Although they are exceedingly cautious for young adventurers, my kids will follow me off a cliff if my water landing is smooth enough. All to often though, my running jump ends in a belly flop and I’m left wondering if I should follow their leads instead. It’s common to feel a bit of self-doubt whenContinue reading “An Avalanche of Errors”

The Albanian Napolean

Visiting Albania is like walking over a fossil bed; there is so much history that one does not even realize is there hidden below each step. The region was lost in a remote corner of the Ottoman Empire for centuries, isolated because of its mountainous terrain and mostly off limits, a blank section on theContinue reading “The Albanian Napolean”

Update: Police and Masks in Albania

I stopped wearing a face mask or even carrying one with me. For the past couple of months, my mask was the snorkel mask I wore almost everyday while exploring the fascinating underwater scenery on Albania’s Ionian coast. Until yesterday, I almost forgot about the pandemic completely. My family and I left the United StatesContinue reading “Update: Police and Masks in Albania”

The Kingdom of Isolation

Are the police friend or foe? The answer to this really depends on who you are and where you are. If you are a foreigner in Cambodia, the police are about as friendly as leeches. They will do anything to suck your wallet dry. In Jordan, on the other hand, they will go out ofContinue reading “The Kingdom of Isolation”

The Five Mysteries of Himara

Homer’s epic poem, The Iliad, details the glory and futility of war as the city of Troy is besieged and eventually destroyed. It also describes a strange creature, a fire-breathing lion goddess with a goat’s head protruding from her back and a serpent’s head for a tail: the Chimera. This is the mythical creature forContinue reading “The Five Mysteries of Himara”

Albanian Animals

Everywhere my daughter goes, she makes friends. In Albania, these are mostly animal friends because there’s nothing she loves better than furry animals, and furry animals are everywhere in Albania. I love wildlife and there is plenty of wildlife in Albania too. We have seen waterbirds here such as flamingos, pelicans and cormorants as wellContinue reading “Albanian Animals”