Perspective is the Miracle Cure

I’ve been lax in keeping up with this blog, and now that my area is well over a month into a “safer at home” policy to flatten the curve of COVID-19, I wanted to lend a little perspective. Regarding the virus that has now killed more Americans than were killed in the war in Vietnam, I'll admit, I've been snarky and irreverent at best, asshole-ish at worst. I’m starting to hit the boredom wall and whenever I feel like I should hit the garden with my urban farmer guns a-blazin’, I think about that next episode of The Man in the High Castle and hunker down like a good, brave GenX COVID-19 warrior would do.

We’re now in 2020, and the generation who survived a cataclysmic, man-made, ego-driven event (World War II) nearly gone with the ages. That is, except for the few remaining here with us, now in their 8th or 9th decade of life. My mother is one of them. I think of my 91 year old mother. Mom—friends call her Lou—is not afraid of the virus--not unafraid like the foolish zombie Faux News adherents age 50 and above. Not that at all.

Lou is keeping herself safe, unlike a few misguided folks hankering for a burger at that bastion of “haut cuisine,” Applebee’s, and a haircut, and thankfully has the company of her granddaughter throughout this strange period. But at the beginning of this whole Coronavirus pandemic, going back to January, her words never changed: “If it comes here, I’m not afraid.”  Her words do not come from bravado, although, for someone who stands a full 15 inches shorter than me, she is, as my late father said, “a tough broad.”

Her words speak of struggle and perspective.

We've got our social media and the internet. We've got 24/7 knowledge and pretend facts being rammed down our throats. Mom--bless her heart--she had it easy (I'm being sarcastic here, so work with me on this).

1. Her father left Lithuania when she was barely two years old, to find a better life in Canada. She never saw him again. The few times she has spoken about him, the pain was clearly evident in her eyes.

2. When she was barely 13, she and her mother and brother fled Lithuania. The Soviets (today's Russians, but same belligerence) had invaded her country, instituted laws that were meant to eradicate her country, her culture and her language. What little she had (including her dog) were left behind and she made her way into Nazi-occupied Poland. There, she was placed in a refugee camp, not knowing the language, and just a *scōsh* more hospitable than the Soviet-run home she left.

3. As Soviets advanced toward Germany, she made her way west. She found herself in Dresden. She

Dresden 1945

was there in February 1945. Google Dresden 1945, and you'll understand what I'm getting at. By sheer luck, she was held in a boxcar with other refugees near a train depot on the outskirts of town. Ask her what the heat of phosphorus bombs and the resulting fire coming through the cracks in the boxcar walls felt like a couple of kilometers away from ground zero.

4. She left Germany in the 1950's, to come with her husband, child and mother to a country where, again, she didn't know the language. Using the tools of television and necessity, she learned English, to add to her other portfolio of linguistic talents. Mom started a life with her husband, and while we can’t say it was the American Dream come true, it was (and still is) a good life.

Sophia Loren throwing epic stink-eye

Keep this in perspective. COVID-19 is bad. It's worse than the flu. According to certain reports, it also is contributing to other debilitating ailments that, if you have the misfortune of contracting the disease, and good fortune of surviving, you may have a constant reminder for the rest of your life. And the most insidious of all, we don't know who's carrying it and who is spreading it. Worse than that, we have an incompetent federal response to the pandemic, abdicating responsibility for the safety of the citizenry to (or, worse, committing larceny from) individual states. But we have social networks. We have connections that still keep a bare thread between us, despite social distancing and the occasional “stink eye” look that comes with approaching the six-foot air barrier.

Think about a teenage girl, separated from her mother and brother, making her way through a war-ravaged continent, constantly finding herself to be a stranger in a strange land.

And yet...and YET...she persevered. She has maintained a wry sense of humor. And she's not frightened, except for, maybe, running out of toilet paper.

Keep things in perspective.

Pachamama

Perspective IS the miracle cure. The more you keep things in perspective and empathize with those who have walked this Earth before you and do so with you, the more you will be able to withstand the necessity of social distancing and isolation. Don’t be misguided by AstroTurfing “spontaneous” groups demanding to open up theeconomy before it is time to do so safely and deliberately.

It won't be easy (Lord knows I'm stressed about my 401k being down about the cost of a south side Milwaukee bungalow). Keep your eyes on the prize--we will get through this and rebuild. Most of all DON'T PANIC! Perspective. That’s the key. We are not living in rubble. The air is much easier to breathe. Mother Nature is getting a break from us wreaking havoc on the only home we have (and in a battle between Pachamama and human beings, my money’s always going to be on Pachamama. Don't believe me? Watch the video). 

If a 4' 10", nonagenarian lady with a bright smile and a heavy eastern European accent doesn't sweat it (but still sticks with keeping sequestered at home), neither should we. Stay safe and keep well. And with sincerest respect, stay the fuck home too.

Keep your eyes on the prize. The prize is more important than standard of living. The prize is LIFE.

Dipping my toe back in: A review of what is one of the best restaurants in Bologna, Italy: Trattoria di Via Serra

I'm dipping my toe back in for this blog, and I'm linking this to my review posted in TripAdvisor.com. Hey, I originally wrote it, so I should be able to reproduce it on my own blog, n'est-ce pas?

So please feel free to stop by for this review and any others which I have written, by the by! This was posted in September 2018 on TripAdvisor.com.

****
Trattoria di Via Serra is the epitome of an amazing slow food experience!

Young parmagiana cheese
wrapped in pancetta

Interior of Trattoria in Via Serra

My wife and I decided to gamble on getting seated at Trattoria di Via Serra, and it was well worth the gamble! It's located in a non-descript neighborhood north of Bologna Centrale station in what resembles what I can only describe as a re-purposed garage. To gain entry, ring the doorbell and you'll be greeted by the engaging and ebullient Flavio. He advised us that he didn't have tables open for the evening but asked if we were flexible enough to eat at a coffee table in the lobby area, which we enthusiastically agreed to do! Shortly thereafter, another reservation cancelled, and Flavio asked us to take any available table (we were there early, so we chose a two-top in the main dining area).

We were pleasantly amazed at what followed. We ordered some house white wine and an antipasto to share: young parmagiana cheese wrapped in pancetta and baked. Our Primi Piatti consisted of

Rabbit meatballs in pancetta
with potatoes and aubergines

Tortellini in brodo (chicken broth) and Tagliatelle with a genuine Bolognese ragu--all freshly made. Finally, as secondi, we chose an appetizer sized Baccala with blue potato puree and baby orange peppers and rabbit meatballs (chopped, not ground), rolled in pancetta and baked, with potatoes and grilled aubergines. Everything was delicious and whatever the wait (which we hadn't noticed) was well worth it. It is exactly what slow food was meant to be. We were later tempted with desserts: a flourless chocolate cake and what I can only describe as a vanilla and chocolate pudding with liberal amounts of pink liqueur-soaked cake.ALL DELICIOUS and delightfully decadent. To top it off, Fabio asked us to partake in some homemade black walnut liqueur, which--I swear--helped with the digestive process, and then some. 

Now, we went in with the expectation that this would be an extravagant expense for a meal, and for us budget travelers, it was a 100 Euro evening. But it was well worth it.

Homemade black walnut liquer

And you would be best served to visit Flavio and Chef Tommaso and be treated to some exquisitely crafted slow food that is richly blessed with the flavor, culture and spirit of the heart of Emilia Romagna. Do yourself a big favor and visit Trattoria di Via Serra.

****

If you enjoyed this review, do check out TripAdvisor for my other reviews. And take time to click on the ads in this post. They help me think that I can actually make money by putting words to e-paper, so support the illusion!

Mental Health

Let's talk a bit about mental health.

I have, for about half of 2017, not taken any time to devote to this blog. That's on me, of course. The lion's share of time has been devoted to job hunting. This, it seems, has been tantamount to the search for the mythical creatures like the unicorn and, in the far northern reaches of my home state, the Hodag. And, much like the intrepid hunters of these mythological creatures, the alchemists of old, and the majority of the lemmings in the California and Yukon gold rushes of the 19th century, my searches have come to naught. I have even failed to gain employment in lower level occupations.

One would think that I am the most incompetent of job seekers.

That's the mental illness rearing it's ugly head.

I have sought the approval of the anonymous figurehead of corporate America. I sought the approval of those who would not blink an eye at fostering my demise, when, in fact, I should have focused on gaining approval of my own self. And, in seeking out the nod of approval of others who have no clue about me as a person, other than what they could make out of my dreadfully non-linear resume (which would require a modicum of imagination, and, dare I say, "work," on the part of recruiters and hiring managers to understand where my actual strengths lie; but that's a diatribe for another time), and my in-person and/or telephone interviews, I have engaged in the very definition of insanity: doing the same thing over again and expecting a different result every time.

So what is the resolution? What's the cure? I don't know for sure. I only know that whatever I have been doing is not working. I have come to the conclusion that there are a number of things I had feared real yet hoped I would not find to be true: 

1.      As a stereotypical member of the Adult ADD tribe, I need either someone to tell me what to do or an established framework within which to work, if I'm to work in an organization. I'm a worker bee, a drone, a peasant--true to my family heritage going back several generations. That's painful, in this American culture that praises the most corrupt businessmen for their creativity and daring-do. 

2.      Age bias is indeed a thing, as I learned from my experience interviewing at a company called Venmo in Chicago: nowhere in the office was there a person visibly aged above 40, and everywhere in the space sans walls (that could afford privacy and the ability to concentrate), you could see millennials riding scooters. The telltale sign was the fact that my two hiring managers suddenly and coincidentally came down with illnesses that required them to be absent from the interview, leaving only their leader to pick up the slack. I interviewed well, but it was a true exercise in futility because of the simple reason that the rejection email came a scant 48 hours later--with no requests to meet or speak with the actual aforementioned ailing hiring managers. 

3.      I may have not been fit for life as an organization man. This, it appears, requires the cunning of a Littlefinger, the tongue-biting of someone who's goal is not justice for all, but rather rung climbing for oneself, and a never-ceasing desire to engage in Machiavellian gamesmanship. I learned that from my erstwhile leader, who answers to an interesting nickname: The Terminatrix. Never be truthful in the game of office thrones, that is, unless you don't give a damn anymore.

Three strikes! I'm out!

But all is not lost! Here's what I have also discovered:

1.      I have always wanted to be my own boss. I'm just rather poor at self-discipline in organization and categorizing priorities--an ADD hallmark.

2.      I've had a taste of what it takes to start one's business, thanks to my partner Ana. It's like making sausage and laws: the process is not pretty. But I have overcome the unknown, and now have that magical framework of experience within which I may work. How? Helping Ana set up her business (we occasionally slip up and say "our" business). If I may, here's some shameless marketing promotion: www.youbetterstudio.com 

3.      I've come to discover that there are a couple of ideas worth pursuing to begin the journey of small business entrepreneur.

4.      We've all been corrupted by this notion that we have to have a sugar-daddy corporate overlord to give us our "bennies" (benefits). This is a truth, right now, especially in the bootstrap-pulling bastion of "fuck you" capitalism, the good ol' U.S. of A. But in America, we're finding that more citizens want that one thing that guarantees that corporate overlords are going to have a harder time retaining talent that they've taken for granted all this time: single-payer health insurance. Put that in place, and the corporations will find two results: a. people will leave for the chance to make their own way in the world; and they won't have to wear a yoke of health insurance that keeps them chained to desks they despise; and b. companies will find that they will be able to generate more profits because they're not spending exorbitant amounts of money on health insurance benefits (see Toyota Canada as the example of wisdom--choosing Ontario over a US state that nearly wanted to pay the entirety of construction and the first couple of years of overhead to Toyota, in the form of tax breaks; Toyota played the long game in this, and realized that healthcare was a far greater financial risk than any benefit the USA could throw at them).

5.      While a greatly reduced income stream (or non-existent income stream) is a stressor, I have found that I'm able to sleep easier at night.

6.      I'm finding moments of gratitude. One is: I don't have to go back to that "place which shall remain nameless" as I've referred to my ex-employer. 

I don't know how long that will take, but once the beast is awakened, you can't make it go back to sleep!

So here's what I know, in a nutshell: know thyself. Period. If I had listened to myself from the beginning, I would be in a much better place, knowing my place in the world, instead of relying on comparing my place to others in the world. It sort of sounds like the essence of 50 Going on 25, no?

Mental health has a whole lot to do with knowing yourself, and HONORING yourself. Each and every one of us has a value to this world, this society, this moment. Our job is not to realize success as it is defined by an ill society (and believe me, U.S. society is quite ill at the moment). Our job is to realize success as it is to be us, without costumes, pretenses and agendas.

Take this for what it's worth. And make the most of it. I hope to be here more often than the prior half year.

Be well and make it a great life!

Post script: 2/24/19. Yes, it's been well over one year since I set the proverbial foot back into this realm. I miss this place for my creative, forays into writing. I have assisted my partner with her blogs, but I truly want to resume the world of 50 Going On 25. Keep me honest here, folks. I plan to post at least once per month, but it may be less travelogue and more stream-of-consciousness. Will I make money doing this? If love and desire have a great influence on the money stream, then hell to the yes, I will! Keep coming back. Another thing, the aforementioned “Terminatrix” was herself “Terminated” not long after I posted this back in 2017. The universe, it seems, is not without a sense of irony, justice and humor.

And feel free to visit www.youbetterstudio.com and the blog there:  https://www.youbetterstudio.com/blog. If you are in Southeastern Wisconsin, we (actually, Ana) would love to have you come visit for a workout or a consultation!

Dipping Your Toe in the Market

I’m going to take a detour from the wonderful world of vagabonding and look at investments.

You may be thinking, “Paul, you’re not a certified professional. How could you possibly know about investing?” You’re right—I’m not a certified professional, so I will emphatically say that my advice is merely based on my 25-plus years of investing my hard-earned money (and gaining the trust of my wife, to invest her hard-earned funds). It’s based upon my having my fair share of dogs and duds—and some went belly-up. It’s also based upon my fair share of satisfactory stocks, and grand-slam homerun equities. And it really only requires a handful of grand-slam stocks to get you to a point where you can breathe a little easier—as long as you know when to step out and take that breather.

And now we are in the midst of a “unique” scenario. We have an unpredictable government in Washington and we are in the apex of a high-flying stock market. Both pretty disconcerting, if you ask me. So why would I urge anyone to engage in the stock market? Because it’s still better than the meager returns of bank accounts. It’s not a replacement for a savings account (you still have to keep about 6 months worth of savings in a money market or savings account… “just in case”). It’s a complement. I invest via CapitalOne Investing—and I’ve done this for close to 20 years (through its predecessor company, ShareBuilder). You can reach CapitalOne here or here.

The good news about investing is that it is simple, if you pay attention to the purpose:  Buy the company, not the hype. You are investing in an asset that you expect to appreciate in value as time goes on. As legendary investor Peter Lynch said: “Never invest in any idea you can't illustrate with a crayon.” Another pearl of wisdom from Lynch is, “If you're prepared to invest in a company, then you ought to be able to explain why in simple language that a fifth grader could understand, and quickly enough so the fifth grader won't get bored.”

Like I said, it’s not complicated. If you can buy a house or an antique, you can buy a stock.

To keep your eye on the prize, focus on three things as your North Star: 1. Taking a hint from Peter Lynch: K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple, stupid!). If you can’t explain what the company does without turning your brain into a balloon animal, then you’re asking for trouble; 2. Do all things in moderation; and 3. Run away when the crowd runs in and run in when the crowd runs away.

So what do I mean by these three cryptic things? The first should be pretty clear from my Peter Lynch reference. The second is, very simply put, dipping your toe in the market through dollar-cost averaging. Start out with one stable security that has seen a bunch of ups and downs. An easy one is Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., B shares (BRK.B). The legendary Oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffett, runs this company—which is basically (for lack of a better term) one very large mutual fund. Note, that Mr. Buffett, a wise man with a wicked sense of humor, does not issue dividends. But that’s ok: the more a company invests in itself, the more likely it is to appreciate in value. Another easy choice for monthly dividends is Realty IncomeCorp. (O), which calls itself “The Monthly Divided Company”. Realty Income is what’s known as a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT). It purchases commercial real estate that is leased to tenants under long-term lease agreements, generally 10-20 years. The lease payments generated each month are used to support predictable monthly dividend payments to their shareholders. Realty Income owns over 4,900 properties, diversified with 248 commercial tenants operating in 47 industries, located throughout 49 states and Puerto Rico. Realty Income issues monthly dividends, which you may (and I highly recommend this) reinvest automatically; while rates of return can change depending upon price fluctuation, O’s current yield on an annualized basis is 4%, so if you think about this in comparison with the average bank account, it’s a no-brainer!

Point of disclosure: I own both BRK.B and O in my portfolio, and I’ve had them in my portfolio for about 15 years.

One last stock I would recommend for dipping your toe in the water is Starbucks (SBUX), because I’m a coffee addict.  And, honestly, if you have never heard of Starbucks, I would question your take on reality. The company’s dividend is on the low end (1.7%) but still better than the earnings of a savings account. It is a company that has gone from mere food and beverage service, to a veritable necessity among coffee generations, which makes the likelihood of price appreciation in the long run (5+ years) pretty strong. I’ve owned SBUX for 10 years, taken my profit once (meaning: I cashed in stock that appreciated to the point that I took out my original dollar investment and I still have a boatload of shares that are delivering dividends and price appreciation; this illustrates the magic of dividend reinvestment and dollar-cost averaging right there), and benefitted from a 2-for-1 stock split (splits don’t generally change the value of the investment, but make it more attractive for others in the market to purchase shares, thus pushing price appreciation—supply and demand, my friends!).

That last point (Run away when the crowd runs in and run in when the crowd runs away) is a contrarian viewpoint that is embraced by Warren Buffett. The stock market relies on groupthink when we get to the heady highs that we’ve experienced in the last couple of months. What can you expect from this? People who shouldn’t be buying, are buying just because “everyone else is doing it.” Take it from Mr. Buffett and your’s truly: be patient and buy at bargain prices. I have a chunk of cash in my portfolio that is burning a hole in my pocket, but right now, I’m not seeing anything that is floating my boat right now. And, frankly, the irregularity of the current administration gives me pause as well. That doesn’t mean you should NOT invest in the market now (this is why I suggested the aforementioned BRK.B, O and SBUX), but when the “correction” comes (and it will come--it could be a mild correction or a downright nasty one; we don’t know until it happens, but they do happen), be ready to jump in and buy more. This is what we mean by running away when others run in, and vice versa.

I don’t plan to make this a regular feature, but as time goes on, I’ll be sure to give some tips, hints and, God willing, the VERY RARE “don’t do this” advice on investing.

One more thing:  The lion’s share of my investments are nestled in my IRA and Roth IRA accounts, so it ensures that these are long-term investments. I recommend any high dividend investments go into a tax-deferred investment, like an IRA or Roth IRA, so you don’t have to pay taxes each year on your dividends. That doesn’t mean you should not have stocks in a taxable account (I do), but a stock like BRK.B may be better suited to a taxable account because of the tax advantages that capital gains have over dividends.

And, while I would be as proud as anything to have your trust in my advice, I would feel much better if you consult a certified professional and/or do your own research. A good website to start you out on researching potential investments is The Motley Fool. It’s very accessible from a linguistic perspective—they speak “normal Joe or Jane”. And if you find you’re ready to harvest those gains, don’t forget to pay your taxes and use a good program (or accountant) to help you do that!

Go ahead. Dip your toe in the market. Be aware, use your noggin, and don’t go with the crowd (unless it’s part of a company’s successful business model).

Peace and profit!

Postscript from 25 February: This article from Fortune online came out about my hero, Warren Buffett (link embedded), whose letter to shareholders was just published. He points out that his bet with a hedge fund manager worked to his advantage. The bet? $500,000 that his pick over a 10 year investment period--a Vanguard fund based on the S&P 500--would outperform a hedge fund manager's pick of 5 hedge funds of his choosing. Buffett won, and proceeded to eloquently slash and burn hedge fund managers' penchant for high fees and mediocre returns.

Chania - A Precious Cretan Gem

Lunch hanging out to dry

I’ll be taking a trip on the way-back machine to 2008, but it’s a town as relevant today as it was a decade ago. Chania (or Hania, or better yet: Χανιά) is a gorgeous, yet rough-and-tumble city on the northwestern coast of the island of Crete--the largest of all the Greek islands. Rather similar to it's Mediterranean cousin to the northwest--I'm talking about Sicily--it also has quite its own culture that the native Cretans proudly differentiate from the rest of Greece. Chania is the capital of it's western province, and also hosts a large naval port to its eastern flank.Chania is a hustling and buzzing harbor city, as cool as it can be. At one time it was the capital city of the island, and that makes it special in the hearts of all Cretans. The city sits around a picture-perfect, if overly touristed, harbor, framed by elegant Venetian and Ottoman houses and a string of waterfront bars and tavernas.The mosque of Kioutsouk Hasan sits on one end, and a Venetian fortress sits on the other. And in the mix is the lighthouse of Chania, the icon of the city.

The old town, an atmospheric, pungent and crowded quarter, is characterized by narrow crisscrossing lanes full of tiny boutiques, souvenir and craft shops, and cozy restaurants and gelato shops. The streets are a delightful labyrinth of exploration for those of us who love getting lost and have time to throw agendas out the window. Find a patch of sunlight coming through the sunlight, you’ll likely stumble across the occasional lazy cat or napping dog. 

Chania old harbor, from the lighthouse 

Take a stroll into the Turkish quarter, and you’ll encounter a more vibrant, youthful energy of coffee shops, wine bars and hip and trendy restaurants. And you're bound to run into a minaret or two, if you're paying attention, that is.

Where to stay in Chania

Hotel Vilelmine from the church courtyard

My favorite place to lay my weary bones down is by far Hotel Vilelmine at 32 Betolo Street (GPS: 35.515036, 24.018013).

The hotel has a rustic, yet swanky feel and is situated right in the middle of the old town, right next to the Church of the Virgin Mary (Ιερός Ναός Εισοδίων της Θεοτόκου) or better known as the Trimartiri, Chania’s main church. 

Of course, you should be prepared for occasional (early) serenades of the church’s bells, but the charm of the hotel overcomes any aural inconvenience. Besides, you’ll have a ready-made alarm clock of classic proportions, gratis! 

At the Vilelmine, you may get
free entertainment, like the occasional wedding!

The Vilelmine is a former mansion of the Fournarakis family, whose construction began in 1898. The hotel is named after one of the daughters of this family, and is restored to look as it did in the early 1900’s.

Cafe in the Vilelmine

There is a café on the ground floor, where you can enjoy a light breakfast of yogurt with honey,fresh fruit and Greek pastries (and don't forget the coffee). It’s definitely a must, if you are in the mood for a luxurious, historical residence.

Eats and Drinks

"Well of the Turk" taverna

There are a plethora of tavernas and restaurants, cafes and bars to visit in Chania. One guarantee is that anything on the harbor will be laden with tourists and priced to match (that is, more inflated for the tourist crowd). Your best bet would be to venture more toward either the interior, or away from the city center/harbor area for an experience that the locals savor.

Well of the Turk at Sarpaki 1-3 (closed Tuesdays) is housed in a former Turkish hammam (bath), and is a romantic taverna that specializes in rich cuisine inspired by North African, Turkey and the Middle East, prepared with fresh ingredients sourced in Crete.
Apostolis I & II on Akti Enoseos in the east harbor (11:30am to 1am, May-Sept.; reduced hours rest of year) are highly respected locales located in two separate buildings near each other. Their specialties are fresh fish and Cretan cuisine. The more popular of the two is Apostolis II, since the owner is ever-present, but Apostolis I has a slightly less expensive menu. Both I and II have the same choices on their menus.

Thalassino Ageri (open from 7:30pm, April through mid-October), a fish tavern at Vivilaki 35, is off the beaten path, about 2km east of the city center, in Chania’s old tannery district. It is a delightful place to watch a sunset over the Mediterranean. Thalassino Ageri is regarded by many as one of the top fish eateries in Crete, with an ever-changing menu dictated by the day’s catch. Of course, kalamari is not to be missed at this spot. Take a taxi or if you would like to work up an appetite, follow El Venizelou, turning left at Noel St as soon as you veer away from the coast.

Shopping

Chania is widely considered the best place to shop in Crete. Within the labyrinthine streets are a plethora of tiny handicraft stores, boutiques and markets. The covered market in the heart of the old town is good for local flair, where you’ll find Cretan honey, olives, meats and cheese, as well as handmade trinkets and souvenirs.

The covered market in
old town Chania

Nearby Skridlof Street touts numerous leatherworkers hawking quality, affordable, leather goods made by hand. They have many more purses, handbags and shoes, but you are bound to find other leather goods. Ceramics and glassware are Chania specialties as well. You may stumble upon a non-descript place to get some interesting souvenirs that are practical, and enjoy some animated conversation with the locals, some of which had spent considerable time in the USA.

Day-Tripping or Getting Out of Town
A lovely, if somewhat crowded beach is the city beach (Nea Chora Beach) just west of the center, easily accessible by foot (2km or 25 minutes along Akti Kinari, to keep your eyes on the prize—the turquoise Mediterranean waters, in this case; otherwise, the hike is less lengthy and more direct going through town). Take water and your beach equipment with you. Sure, there are even lovelier beaches on the western side of Crete, but you can’t beat the convenience of going by foot!

Stavros, on a chilly October morning.

For a slice of cinematic history, take a bus from the central bus station (at Kelaidi 25-27) to Stavros Beach on the Akrtotiri peninsula. One characteristic feature of the area is a very steep camel-backed mountain rising opposite Stavros harbor. Here, several scenes from “Zorba the Greek” were filmed (especially those where Anthony Quinn danced his Sirtaki Dance) in 1964, when Stavros was a tiny fishing village.

The beach itself is crescent-shaped. A word to the wise, though: based upon personal experience, the weather in mid-October is chilly (no wonder there weren’t any open tavernas there!), so if you really have a jones to re-create Zorba’s dance, bundle up! And know the bus timetables (although timeliness is relative in Greece—just be aware that schedules are “nice to have’s” and not “musts”).

If you want to really hit the road for some serious sun time, try Paleochora on the southern coast (accessible by bus or car). Or backtrack to Rethymnon Province to the southern coast and one of the most unique beaches around: Preveli Beach.

Preveli -- a river runs through it

Be aware that it is approximately 2-3 hours by car from Chania, so your best bet is to put this on your list when visiting the southern part of Rethymnon Province for a few days).

In a Nutshell...

All told, Chania was one of our favorite destinations in Crete, and for good reason: atmosphere, culture all around, and seafood! It is a must-visit if you are willing to take off for Crete. If the city is all you want to savor, give yourself at least two days, but longer stays with the occasional road trip is where the pleasurable Chania experience is!

Getting there: Chania International Airport (CHQ) is accessible from several major European cities and from Athens and Thessaloniki. It is located 14 km east of Chania on the Akrotiri peninsula.

Ferries also arrive at the local deep water port for Chania, Souda, also near the airport. There are daily ferries are primarily from Piraeus, near Athens, and require overnight passage. Be aware that ferry strikes may take place from time to time, so be flexible when choosing the ferry transportation method.

Mark Twain was a visionary

No politics here, although those who know me outside of this blog also know me to be opinionated. The current goings on in the USA are no exception. However, this is not meant to be a soapbox for politics. There are too many thin-skinned individuals out there who would easily take exception.

However, I would like to guide your eyes to this gem from a great American literary icon, Mark Twain (or Sam Clemens, to his family and friends):

Now, consider the following bit: in several studies, only between 3 and 5% of the population of the USA has ever ventured outside of its borders. Those numbers may have changed, but the outcome is the same: as a society, the USA is cozy comfy being within the confines of the USA. It's not a judgment, but it certainly reveals one aspect of why we find ourselves in a cultural conundrum at this juncture. As a larger society, the USA is insular. We fear strangers. We cast a jaundiced eye toward anyone who doesn't sound or look like us (this is an interesting concept, given the great melting pot that we were and from which we seem to be retreating). We are uncomfortable with moving beyond the tried and true.

Perhaps it's time the vast majority of our citizens move beyond the borders and explore another culture, get to know another society. In other words, we need to discover that we have more in common with our brethren in other cultures than we do that is not common. That is something that I and other vagabonds have discovered. Even in that *gasp* political arena, I have found that I and others who are are on opposite sides of the spectrum actually do have commonalities that bridge the gap. We may not agree on methods, but we agree on bottom line desires and goals.

It's time the USA as a society really understands this--before it's too late.

Cefalu - Part II

It seems like all tourists in Sicily come from the Italian boot; you would be hard-pressed to hear English, German, Russian or any other non-Romance language among the crowd. The truth is, Sicily is popular with Italians and non-Italians alike. And Cefalu, a crossroads of civilizations--like much of Sicily--is no different.

Cefalu is a medieval town at heart, with its center reflecting the epitome of the Norman epoch.  The town is magical: labyrinthene alleyways, town walls that reach down to the sea, villas dating from different periods of the city's history, and a delightful, if crowded, beach just outside of the medieval city.

To appreciate Cefalu, one must also understand the amalgamation of civilizations that make up the island of Sicily: Greek, Roman, Moor, French, Spanish, and, of course, Italian. The centerpiece of Cefalu--the Cathedral, or, known by its more formal name: Basilica Cattedrale della Trasfigurazione--was begun in the early 12th century. True to its Norman origins, it resembles more of a fortress than a place of worship. But step inside, and you will be treated to a bright and brilliant mixture of artwork and cultures! The Byzantine mosaics are intricate and geometrically precise. Many seem to resemble patterns found in mosques of Ottoman Empire. The interior's gold leaf somehow recreates a heavenly brightness that would otherwise be blocked out by the fortress-like structure. But perhaps a look might do more justice than mere words.

When walking the cobblestones of the old town becomes too much of a burden on your feet and legs, then stop by Lilie’s Club (at 21 via Bagni Cicerone) for a lovely Sicilian Rosé and some fantastic people watching. And when the sun goes down over the Tyrrhenean Sea, sit down for more wine and a great wood fire pizza at Al Gabbiano (17 Lungomare Giussepe Giardina) before hiking back, as we did, to our delightful respite, Bouganville B&B. Believe me, after the meal at Al Gabbiano, the hike will come in handy!

However, if you have time available (and a change to swimwear), do not overlook a chance to take a dip in the sea at the city beach, Spiaggia Cefalu. Depending upon the date, it may be crowded (as it was in late July), but the water is warm and the view of the old town is not to be denied!

In a nutshell, Cefalu is a gem among the gems of Sicily, and not to be missed. I will make it my life’s mission to come back to this delightful town. Let it be your mission to visit!

Peace, everyone!

Keeping things in perspective

I was just watching something on Create (PBS), and apparently the Creator saw fit to tap me on the shoulder and listen: "The work done within a honey bee's lifetime amounts to 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey."

When I get on my pity pot, I'll think about this. My hope is that it turns me around. I hope you get something out of this too.

And go visit my friends at http://www.thebeecause.org .

Peace. And perspective.

Cefalu, Sicily - An underrated place I plan to visit again - Part I: Where to stay

Back to the travel thing, because I want to generate some good vibes for myself and for you. One place I wanted to visit but had only a 24 hour window to do so was Cefalu, Sicily. I was not disappointed. On the contrary, I was despondent that I didn't have more time to spend there. This is one place I very much want to visit again (on par with Nice, France, which may occupy some space on the blog at a later point). My wife and I arrived here by car after exiting Palermo (if you want to have a true Fast and Furious experience with rental cars, try Palermo, if you dare!), with the expressed intention of seeing to discover if we liked it.

Yes. We liked it.

We stayed at the lovely Bouganville Bed & Breakfast which is situated a bit on the outskirts, yet still a manageable 20 minute walk to the center of town. There we were greeted by the especially energetic Fabio, who, with his cousin Alberto, a proprietors of the B&B. The grounds are charming, the building lovely and simply but exquisitely set out. Bouganville is set atop a hill just outside of the city center and may be a little difficult to find if you're driving there (and be aware that the lane is narrow, so yield to vehicles coming downhill toward you). Parking is in the back--just buzz the gate to be allowed entrance. I heartily and enthusiastically endorse this locale--just enough quiet to make it relaxing, just close enough to make for an exciting stay in Cefalu.

Now, I'll get talking about Cefalu proper, in the next post (I want to keep you coming back!). Suffice it to say, the town, anchored by a 12th century Norman cathedral is the epitome of the romantic, narrow-alleyed Mediterranean town that everyone wants to experience. But with its charm comes the fact that people DO live in the city center (along with creatively parked vehicles, and even more creative driving habits), so some annoyances may take away from an idealized expectation (diesel fumes from many scooters weaving in and out of pedestrian traffic; main "drags" being thick with tourist tchatchkies and the like; laundry hanging out two stories overhead), so come with open minds, and let yourself get a bit lost in the maze of alleys and streets. AND never forget the delightful beach just on the edge of town (most people don't, which explains why there were wall to wall locals the day we arrived).

So, for now, fill your head with visions of Cefalu, and I'll scrounge up some photos and memories to share from 24 hours there.

Ciao. And don't forget to check out the ads on this page. If  you have an interest, or a remote curiosity, feel free to click through. This is how I generate income to support this habit.

Peace and love, y'all!

New Orleans - Fun Activities, Part 1

I'm going to take us on a trip via the "wayback" machine to March 2014 (not so way back, but work with me here). My wife and I, with our friend Amy, decided to take a trip to New Orleans (henceforth to be known by the acronym: NOLA). Among the activities, we had to participate in a cooking class. Oh, but taking a cooking class in NOLA is like going through the drive-thru at McDonald's, only 100x more expensive, right? Wrong.

It all depends upon what kind of experience you want to have.

I'm all about experience, and not about price--although I trend to the cheap side. Here's where my absolute thumbs up cooking school and culinary entertainment provider comes into play: Langlois. Caveat:  Because my experience is nearly three years old, the method of delivery (going to their own brick-and-mortar establishment in the Marigny district) has since changed. They now provide various entertainment offers, many of which take place at established, well-regarded restaurants in the city, or at a private home. Therefore, the charm of a small, former corner grocery located outside the bounds of tourist-thick French Quarter, is no longer an option. But like I said: EXPERIENCE, and Langlois mixes culinary know-how with storytelling like no other!

Ours was an intimate class of 7, and, while time has taken away memories of the exact dishes that we learned to prepare (chicken was involved, as were fat pasta noodles made from scratch), but we did come away with stories of how NOLA and Creole cuisine came to be. Needless to say, NOLA's culinary history is a melange of various cultures and comes together in the modern day in a bodacious taste experience! And the cooking school provided us with wonderful recipes that I use to this day (especially Cured Smoked Pompano--although I prefer to use salmon and trout for this one).

And if you don't believe me, try these reviews for size.

Give Langlois a go. If you're in the mood to call them, they can be reached at 504-934-1010, or try the contact form at this link. 

Bon appetit et laissez les bontemps roulez!!