Emails from Europe

"I leave in a few hours"

May 23, 2001

Hello everyone... 
I leave in a few hours for the airport. I am in Queens, New York, with my friend Kevan, having some of the best food and wine ever, without even leaving the house. It's great. My flight across the Atlantic takes off at 6pm. We'll be leaving in a few hours. I will be writing to this list ever chance I can. So, you can follow me along for the trip and know a general overview of my adventures for the preceding days and the plan for the days to come... Reyjkavik, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Aachen, Trier, Berlin, Prague, Munchen, Vienna, Modena, Firenze (Florence), Roma, Barcelona, and then Ibiza for the final touch, before heading to Paris and then back home. If you want me to stop emailing you on this list, please let me know and I shall do so. This is just a very effective and convenient way to communicate. And some of my emails will be hardly legible, because of the keyboards they use in Czechoslovakia for example, but I will try my best to make them legible. I hope that each and everyone of you is having a great summer, as well as success on your jobs. Some will be starting new lives in the Fall, others back to the same grind of life.... Either way, best wishes and great success!!!

I will post pictures of my trip on my website upon my return along with my journal entries for your viewing/reading pleasures. This trip will not only be one for visiting museums, meeting people, and having an adventure, but one of searching the soul and heart trying to learn more about the things I want from life. So expect some poetry, some simple thoughts on paper and maybe some overused clichés that will have new found meanings in my journal entries. 
Again, best of luck to you with everything... I will keep in touch! 

Nojan

PS: To those who helped, thanks for the advice, the equipment, and the excitement and encouragement that you radiated at me to push me through with doing this by myself.

"Bruxelles and Brugges"

May 27, 2001

Hello to all, as I use this strange keyboard to type: 

The keyboard has the letters located in quite unfamiliar places. I am assu,ing as QWERTY is the format for frequently used letters, this must be the same for the Belgians, arranged for efficiency. But, quite difficult to adjust for me. Anyway, Hope all is well, I just left Paris last night, met a couple of British ladies with whom, I traveled on up to Bruxelles (Brussels). It's quite the typical older European city... So I will move on to Brugge, which is supposed to be quite beautiful, I sent out some cards today, more to come. I hope all are well, some with whom I haven't spoken in a while, I hope we can catch up when I get back. But for now, lunch: Belgian Waffle at street corner, then some Belgian chocolate, A few Australian lads/chaps are joining me for the trip to Brugge, so I have to get moving. Versailles yesterday was quite a sight, remember World History back in 8th grade? Louis XIV's castle/mansion...lavish and posh, quite a display of frivolous spending... It's colder than Paris here and I need to go put my sweat shirt on... After Brugge, Amsterdam, then Aachen (June 1+2), then to Trier on the 2nd midday. Hope all are well. I love EUROPE. So much culture, so much beauty, so much history, sex appeal, and bizzazze. Will write more soon. 
au revoir, À la prochain.
I cannot wait to get to Italy and Ibiza later;;;;;
Au revoir et à bientôt

Nojan

"Brugge is beautiful!"

May 27, 2001

Got to Brugge about 6 hours ago????
I think I'm gonna park it here for a few days... just got here, but met some Australian chaps... I can stay here and work for a few days in the kitchen at night, make some money, and stay the nights for free... I'm probably gonna extend this great Trip to Europe, MAYBE? Stay tuned, I'll make up my mind by Monday night. If I work, I can make some money and pay for the extension as well as the money spent during the trip. We'll see. Otherwise, off to Amsterdam, TOUGH CHOICE..... Brugge and the Belgique country-side is gorgeous. 

Later.....

Noj

"Brugge -> Damme, Slusse -> Amsterdam"

May 29, 2001

So I am finally in Amsterdam. 5/29.

It was a messy trip from Brugge. Went on a bike excursion from Brugge yesterday to the North Sea/the coast of Belgium, saw some WWII bunkers and battle sites/trenches etc. I saw Napoleon's canal, a city named Damme, where Jean Claude's family is originally from, and a place name Slusse, near the coast, all beautiful, all very quiet and non-touristy. I loved it, but it was a very long trip. I am now saddle-sore. I hope all of you are doing well. I will try not to enjoy the red-light district and the coffee-shopes of Amsterdam too much. I am meeting all kinds of great people here. The Hollandish women are beautiful, their architecture fantastic. Had some Pancakes this morning when I arrived. "To die for"! Anyway... "Fair-dinkum"--some aussie slang I picked up, means that's damned right! Anyway... Out into town! Thank you all for writing back. I don't have to write each and everyone long messages right now, but I will keep in touch. Next I go to Aachen on June 1st, very early in the morning, to see the city where I once lived. But, first, Amsterdam better be ready for me, because, here I come... 

Nojan

"Amsterdam"

May 31, 2001

Amsterdam... Adult playground for the beautiful.

 Nowhere in this city can you walk for more than an hour before the smell of marijuana hits you in the face. A look to your right, an average guy sitting on a seat at the tram station waiting for his tram, is rolling himself a joint. A look to your left reveals a slice of the traffic of people through the city, about a large percentage of which tourists, some on bikes, another group beyond the bike-path on the side-walk, beyond the sidewalk, a look down the canal with beautiful buildings from the 13th through 15th centuries lining both sides, with a few boats giving canal cruises to tourists. Then you have the trams, the taxis, the buses, and the more compact and economical cars all in the same picture. Better move on before one of the bikes runs you over. Straight ahead, the central cathedral of Amsterdam built in the 13th century. Next to it, the red light district with its windows full of women displaying their offerings with a tease at nights. What an interesting mix of varying lifestyles, diversity, technology and tradition, a blend of liberal perspectives in a place with a great deal of history, so beautiful, so much to offer, so much to do. Every corner, a shoarma and fallafel store sticks out. Shopping, though expensive, can be a delightful adventure for those with money, with fashion from some of the world's top designers. Ok, I'm starting to sound like a tourguide. It's been incredible, one more night, then off to Aachen. Here, your wildest fantasies can be realized and with a little bit of money you can indulge yourself in some of the offerings this city has to offer. Last night, at "Paradiso", an old cathedral turned into a dance club, we danced the night away. For the first time on my trip, I had a relaxing morning, waking up at the late hours of 2pm. Felt great. People here are so much more knowledgeable of the world around them than people back in the states. Everyone knows about world affairs and politics. They don't get their news from the |Atlanta Journal-Constitution, that has fifty pages of local news and one paragraph of world news. People know where Iran is, what the president's name there is. They know about the recent problems in Uganda and Ghana. They know about the riots in Indonesia outside the parliament yesterday. In fact it's front-page news. It's a whole different world. Yet this all exists amidst a easy-going and liberal attitude. And I love it. I can see how people can get sucked into it. Even the average person at the coffee-shop smoking his hash is college educated and well-read and is fun to have conversation with, easily switching from Dutch to French to German or English. Stay tuned... Nojan's love affair continues....

"Aachen"

June 1, 2001

Dear Nash (and everyone else),
So, I'm back in Aachen after 12 years. Speaking German comes back fairly well, I'm just a little hesitant to use it. The train stopped for a few minutes outside the train station before finally getting to the main train station (Hauptbahnhof), allowing the nervous feeling, the anxiety, the excitement to build up. Then after about an hour I finally got oriented and was on my way to the hostel, on foot. Stupid! I was 5 minutes from the city center where I could have exchanged money that I could use to pay for the hostel and pay for a bus pass. But I chose the hard way, walked 35 minutes in a warm temperature to the hostel, mostly uphill. Then a 1 hour search for a bank and a bus station, on foot. Then back to the city for a walk down memory lane. Our old house on Rutscher strasse, then, the park we used to play at, the table tennis tables I used to practice on, the old St. Leonhard gymnasium, all just came back like it was yesterday. The Rathaus (city hall) looked tremendous. Was it this way twelve years ago? A lot had changed too. But the excitement of it all still hasn't left my body. I start speaking German and it flows out like it's my native tongue, then I take a step back and look at the situation and say, WOW, it came back that quick huh? Anyway, that's well deserved after the hard time I had in France and Netherlands. I mean, people spoke English, I guess it was just my stubborn attitude that didn't want to give in to speaking English and wanted to maximize my phrase book. I am overall having such a great time. I really wish you Nashmin, of all the people could be here with me to enjoy this city and all of the nostalgia. For all of you who don't know, Nash is my twin sister. This email is dedicated to you... To the memories of us going through that soccer field behind Rutscherstrasse filled with snow on our way to the bus station to go to school on a cold winter morning some 15 years ago. I miss you girl. I wish you were here. Aachen is gorgeous. So much history, the capital of Charlamegne's great Roman empire, holds now his bones and his cathedral, Der Aachener Dom. Tobias, my old friend. Sorry we didn't get in touch. The hostel closes at 1:00 am and I have to be back by then. But I will try you again in a little while. It's great, walking up to women is so easy here. I speak GERMAN! I have never been so happy about that. Just asking for directions can lead to me asking them to join me for coffee later on. I am loving this. I met a guy named Danny who is touring Europe on bike... He is joining me for dinner with a few ladies tonight. It should be interesting. He doesn't speak German. Anyway, I hope everyone is having a great summer so far, keep enjoying it and make sure you relax... For those of you in the real world, working, hang in there, and make sure you go to Europe as often as you can get away. If you need to see family, take them with you. Anyway.... Melanie... Thanks so much.... I am indebted to you. I am looking forward to returning to share more stories with you, in a vain attempt to make it up to you. Congratulations again!!!!!!! Make the most of the summer..... Heather... hang in there girl, don't kill yourself.

I will write more soon.... Later...

Nojan

"Trier und Berlin!"

June 3, 2001

Hallo alle, Ich war gestern im Trier gewesen und heute bin ich im Berlin. 

I hope everyone is doing well. I just got to Berlin from Trier, where I visited Silk and her boyfriend Thomas... Thank you for letting me spend the night. I cleared out of town in Aachen fairly early. It was unfortunate that I could not get in touch with an old friend there, but maybe later...with a Euro-rail pass Europe is small. We had a good time in Trier. It is the oldest town in Germany, and along with it come such things as roman baths and saunas as well as amphitheaters and gates from 2000 years ago, under the rule of Augustus. At night we went to a few local bars. It was a good time. I had home cooking by Silke. Lasgna and Bruschetta. Lovely. Thank you for your hospitality Silke. Now off to Berlin. I found way to the hostel here. I stay a couple of days then to Prague. I am very excited to see this city after the fall of the Wall. I saw it in 1988 before the fall, and the tension that was in the air was quite overwhelming. Now Berlin, though very much under construction is trying to become the city it was destined to be, the capital of Germany and a cosmopolitan center in Europe. Met a few cool Danish ladies on the train. They will cut their stay in Berlin short to join me in Prague for a few days. It will be fun. But tonight... The Clubs of Berlin await. Here we go. I just have to make sure I don't stumble into Kreuzhof. There is a carnival in the city for the weekend, I hope it doesn't interfere with my plans to see the city.

Tobias, again I am sorry we didn't connect. Maybe we can still arrange it during this trip.

Heather... Thank you for all of your advice, your last email and all of the little tips you gave me on Europe. Already I feel rushed through Europe. I will share it all with you when I return. The stories, the glory, the adventure. But, now the show must go on.

Aki, So, Munchen an der 7ten ist es. I hope we can meet.

All others... I hope everything is well. Take care and stay healthy. Off to the bars and clubs.... 

Nojan

"Berlin and Praha, Prague!"

June 6, 2001

Dobriyen eh Praha...
Hello from Prague

I hope all are well. I am doing great, living the life here in Prague, it is so cheap. The people are lovely and the women absolutely beautiful and quick witted¨. It is getting easier to meet people the more I travel. I have not been alone on more than one day of my journey so far. Last night I met two argentinians. Anyway... Berlin... beautiful, the memory of the wall being still there and me looking over at the deathstrip 12 years ago, when I visited Berlin was a good one to have when visiting the Brandenburg gate this time around. Most everyone did not have that experience and thus did not know what Berlin was really like before. They did not know what the wall really was about, and they did not see what I saw, including some graves in memory of the people who were shot as they were trying to cross the wall. These no longer stand there. The street, Die Strasse 6.Juni I think it was called is now covered with embassies and expensive hotels. At Bebel Platz where the books of Sigmund Freud and Heinrich Heine were burned in 1933 bz Nazi students, stands a plaque with the quote, "Wherever books are burned, ultimately people are burned as well." 

It was interesting to see that most of the development there now is in the East. Most of the bars, the clubs, the hotels and hostels, I only came back to the Western Berlin side to see a few sites and go to a few bars. I have never seen so much construction in one place. One time I looked out the train window and saw over 20 cranes outside. The night-life is hopping all the time, but I chose to leave and see Prague. I am in Prague now, stazing at the Clown and Bard hostel. I love it. Again, more than half of the experience has been about the people I have met. Tomorrow to Ceskz Kumlauf. I think I got the spelling right. I have mz laundry done finally. In Prague everything is cheap. Footlong subs for 50 cents. One night at the hostel for 8 american dollars. It is beautiful. I met a few locals last night who showed us around. Drugs here are all over the place. Dealers in the hostels. It is a verz interesting culture of backpackers. I am almost loving learning about this culture of different varieties of travelers as much as I love being in Europe and traveling. Anywayz, I hope all are well. I need to go. I saw a lot yesterday, Charles Bridge, Prag Castle, Powder Tower, a performance of Mozart"s Requiem in the Prague National Theater, the Municipal House... INCREDIBLE, and I am trzing to learn some czek. Anyway, I need to leave. I really miss you guys, cannot wait to share pictures, journals and stories, if I decide to actually return. Best wishes on everything.... Cesky Kumlauf tomorrow, then Munich.

From the heart of the citz "whose glory will touch the stars", and haggling on the streets is a way of life...


Nojan

"Praha"

June 8, 2001

Good Times from Praha.... 

This city and the people get more and more beautiful with every minute I choose to spend here. 

Dobriden, friend, fellow travelers, and people I have not talked to in a long while. I am on week three of my journeys through Europe. So far, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Brugge, Aachen, Trier, Berlin, and now Praha. Prague that is, is truly a treasure of the world. Everyday, something 
new, every corner an unturned stone to reveal a jewel, well worth the extra time spent. So, I am slowing down in Prague. I have met some of the most incredible people in the world on this Trip, thank you all for making my experience traveling so much better. 

Prague... A city for soul searching, a city that is a mecca for tourists, by day, and jumps with life at night. It is unfortunate that people do not know more about this place. I have met a few incredible people here, I have done some incredible writing here, and I have learned a lot more about myself. The hostel I stay at, has a bar and music and is filled with great people day in and day out. Now
about the city, Yesterday, I got a chance to climb to the top of a series of hills adjacent to Prague castle and settle in for a picnic in the park with some good Czech wine and some great company. Looking down over a city that was so beautiful, Hitler chose to save it. A city so incredible that the Communist effects on it are minimal among the history and beauty of its splendor. Every corner a new undiscovered tower. I am learning a lot of Czech. Of course it helps having the company of Czech speaking people all around you. But the more you try, the more people love it. Tonight, I see Fat Boy Slim. Last night, I was supposed to go see an opera performance, but I was just too tired of hiking around town... So, I settled in for a nice steak of Salmon and some authentic Czech food for less than 5 dollars, tough trade huh? Anyway, I hope all of you are well. Some of you I have not spoken with in a while. I am truly apologetic. Some of you turned 21, Congratulations! Ryan, thanks for telling me about Praha. A true jewel of Europe. Some of you have made this trip the best experience of my life. I just wish I could put into words what you have added to my experiences and life, and how much you have broadened my horizons. Now, I have to go join a friend. Another day in Prag, tough huh. I wish my life was this difficult all the tme. Today, a tour of synogagues that were spared from the Nazi attacks. Best of wishes to everyone on all of your own journeys through life and abroad, throughout the world. 

Nojan, in love with a gorgeous city and its people.

"Bayern Münchenl!"

June 10, 2001

Hello friends, family, and fellow travelers...

I sincerely hope all of you are well as my journey goes on and my horizons broaden. The last week has been hectic and slow at the same time... I slowed down a bit in Prag and met some great people, was sang to Italian Serenades, Argentinian tango songs, Pagliacci opera... I saw so much in Praha... One day I shall return. The last night there I went to see Fat Boy Slim...Great time... Incredible concert. With some of the best friends I could have made, Sole and Jeronimo, thank you both.

Now I am München. Munich that is, home of the liter sized beers at the hofbräuhaus. It was good stuff. I arrived late last night only to be greeted by the friendly hospitality of an old friend, Aki, who entertained my wishes of meeting and going for a beer at a local brewery, Alteskeller? Then some great sleep, since I didn't sleep too well after staying up most of the night at the Concert. By the way, did I mention it cost something like $10.00. Anyway... Today, I decided against the regular tourist plans and tour plans I had, and went to Dachau, the 1st concentration camp in Germany. 

With heavy rain, Dachau was an experience that I cannot really put into words. Cold, eerie, with a lingering feeling of discomfort in the air. A short film of the history of the holocaust in relationship to Dachau included such pictures as I have included... It certainly was not only enlightening, but a rather horrifying visual to make one ask the question, "how could anyone do this". The captives at Dachau were dispossessed of all their property, rights, and human dignity before entering. And the suffering continued until death or liberation. Over 30,000 people died at Dachau. A very depressing but enlightening journey, worth more than any castles or museums I could have visited. To learn of the whole truth and how disturbingly disillusioned an entire nation could become in ignorance was very interesting... 

In the afternoon, I visited the HofBräuhaus, where I had Weißwurst and 2 Maßes (masses) of beer. I loved the atmosphere with the um pa pa band playing folks-songs in the background. Then I met with Aki again, to visit a few more sites around town, before trying to go the Paulaner brewery, which as it turned out was disappointingly closed. So, we had to settle for Augustiner beer. Thank you again Aki. 

Munich though short was enlightening for me. Tonight I leave for Modena, home of Ferrari, I shall visit with the family and friends of a dear friend (thank you Giuseppe), before moving on to Firenze. 

Thank you all for your friendships at one point or another... I wish that you can all have such an experience as I am having at one point or another in your life. Please read no further if you think you may not be able to handle the graphic nature of the pictures below... At the end, a picture of Neuschwanstein castle.... Now, off to Modena... 

Viele Grüße aus München.... 

Nojan

"Modena to Firenze"

June 12, 2001

So, the sensationalized version of my journeys goes on my friends. I left Modena after a great day of touring the city, and relaxing with Gilato with Giuseppe's family and friends. A delicious authentic 4 course lunch with his family was followed by a calm evening of conversation, pizza, wine, and jazz, done with a local non-touristy touch. After Prague, and a rainy Munich, this is exactly what I needed. Giuseppe, I thank you and your friends and family for their hospitality and making me feel like I belonged. Unfortunately due to the shortness of my stay, I did not get a chance to tour the Museum of Ferrari in Maranello, just outside Modena... But there will be a next time. 

I arrived in Firenze this morning, to have the difficult task of having to find a hostel. After about 5 different places I tried, I decided to try the place recommended to me by a shady character at the train station, for only 50,000 Liras... $25, still expensive for a hostel. Anyway... So it is. The place turned out to be a jewel. I love it. I have two more days here, but I will book in advance for Roma. I visited many Piazzas today, the Dome, cathedral, and Baptistery, Saw the works of Dante, and Michaelangelo.. with the big two tomorrow... The Uffizzzi and the Museum of the dome. Stay tuned. I will go try to find some good Pesto now before heading out to see the replica of David tonight. The real one at Academia, I'll also see that tomorrow, I hope. Anyway... Hope all friends are well... Jeronimo, keep cleaning with Septonex... and Nash (my sister), I miss you and love you very much. 

Got to go... See you in Roma... Nojan

"Firenze... Part Deux????"

June 13, 2001

So, today off I went to the Uffizzi, with the works of Raffael, Michelangelo, and Leonardo... amazing. Then off to the Academia. On the way I stopped for some Pizza, and Pasta with Pesto. Good lunch. 2 hours wait for the academia. Melanie, you're absolutely right, once inside, well worth it to see David. I just sat and sketched for a couple of hours... finally just accepting that the sketch would have to remail an unfinished masterpiece. As Michelangelo would have appreciated this. I loved it. Not too much else to see in the academia. Then some Tiramisu, and Gilatto. I've been trying to reserve rooms for tomorrow in rome. But I just don't think the like the sound of my voice. But what can you do. I'll try back with a few of them tonight, or just try tomorrow, when I get to roma... but now... I am dead. I need some sleep, some bread, cheese and wine... Oh, funny things happen when you don't speak Italian. Yesterday I bought some what I thought was cheese only to get home to find out it was butter. So, I had to have butter sandwiches instead. But I will not make that same mistake again today. I know better. Peppo, again, thank you. I so wish all of you were here... It's a beautiful 80 degrees (Fahrenheit). Mopeds and cars run you over on the streets and the birds love to poop on your head. It just doesn't get better than Florence. I got home to look at my ankles and see that half an inch of smog and dirt had built up on them. 

Anyway... Wish you were here. Having a good time... More from Roma...Nojan

"Rome, Venice, Pisa, Cinque Terre"

June 18, 2001

I'm on the go, too little to write, you name it, the past few days in Italy have been incredible. I love this place. I am now in Cinque Terre. Having a blast with a few new friends that I have made. Tivanka, the Italian women are beautiful, as a few of you on the list may also be part Italian and are perfect examples. I am having a great time. Cinque terre, a series of five villages on the Italian rivierra, I decided to slow down here. Settle down for a couple of good days before returning
home. I will therefore be skipping Ibiza and Barcelona, but a wise decision for a good time here on the coast, a lot more laid back lifestyle of the Italians here...It's great.... Prego, Mille graci, Presto, Pronto, Fettucine al Pesto, formaggia, panne, vino rosso de casa, cosa fai questas era? are all becoming a part of my diet and language. I love it. The villages are in the cliffs overlooking
beaches, what an incredible view, just wait for pictures and post cards.

I hope you guys aren't upset I have been gone so long. I will see you all very soon. Take care. But for those of you who are curious, I discovered Gorgonzola cheese, and I just ask for it by name, so no more mistaking butter for cheese. The food is great. I had some pretty fresh swordfish last night. and hung out till 2am by the cliffs listening to the waves and singing songs by Moein. Ben, Thanks for the regards, I wish you could be here. Had a great time in Brugge, best wishes on the rest of your adventures. We will meet again.

All of you, take care, the best of wishes for all of your adventures.... See you very soon..... Nojan

"Final"

June 25, 2001

Hello to friends, old and new, as this month and a half journey comes to a close.

You have followed me through my journeys half way across the world. Some of you have been on the journey with me. It has been quite an interesting adventure, the experience of a life-time to say the least, from which I will be telling stories for many many years to come. Whether it was drinking wine in the royal park overlooking the entire city of Prague with two great new friends, Jiro and Sole, or running in a marathon in Brussels. Whether it was biking from Brugge to Damme for a great relaxing afternoon, and seeing a herd of sheep on the road and learning how to say Aussie phrases like "Fair dinkum!" or walking the red light district amidst the debauchery and sales of pleasures of all varieties. From the excess in Prague to the simple life in Cinque Terre; from the Red Light district to seeing the Pope in Rome; from the runways of Paris to the streets of Milano, from the horror of motor vehicles in Rome to the serene and quiet walkways of car-less and bike-less Venice; from a canal boat ride in Amsterdam to a gondola ride in Venice; from seeing the vineyards in Cinque Terre to watching a biker in Amsterdam with a cigarette in her mouth and cell phone in her hand while cycling; what an incredible time! What great people I have met! A journey with stories I will be telling and sharing for years to come with an incredible ending that will allow more such memories and stories. So allow me to bring you up to date on the end of my journey. 

Cinque Terre... I met three great people, Liz, Katie, and Greg on the train ride there, and joined them in my quest for finding a hostel. Cinque Terre, the "five lands", is a series of five villages Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia (pronounces Cornelia), Manorolla, and Riomaggore, from west to east, on the Italian Riviera, between the more major cities of Genova and Pisa, right on the Mediterranean. In fact, they have more to offer than just the fruits of the sea. These fishing villages are set in and surrounded by cliffs and mountainside, all used as vineyards. All but Corniglia are right on the water. We chose to stay in Corniglia, the village where the hike up the hill or the 300-something step really really steep staircase from the train station deterred tourists and backpackers from choosing it as the village in which to stay and/or start their Cinque Terre experience. We had heard this to be the more quiet and less touristy of the villages. And so it proved to be. After a long hike up, we came upon a pink house with a "rooms available sign". After a few exchanges of broken English with a man hanging out of a 4th story window, we understood that "the signora" would return in a few minutes. A walk into town to find good rates proved interesting, to say the least. We returned to stay with the signora, in a four bed suite with a kitchen and bath. It was pretty cozy. Corniglia was beautiful. We had to climb down many steps from the city for our reward, a beautiful view of he Mediterranean from the cliff-side. A further climb down put us on the water by the dock for the fishing boats. The waters were pretty rough that day. A good meal, and two bottles of wine later, after hanging out with our waiter at one of the only place open that late (midnight) in the village, we returned for a more romantic evening overlooking the water crashing against the cliffs. A little chilly, but quite nice. The next morning, I ran on the hiking trail to Vernazza, for 40 minutes, only a 20 minute strip of the 90 minute hike we did later. The trail was narrow, steep, and very dangerous to be running on, lined with cobble stones, sometimes bigger than the ones lining the streets of the Roman Forum (which were themselves really big and deserved attention to prevent an ankle sprains and injury). But the run was a welcomed challenge. The hike to Vernazza, took us through the vineyards and the mountainside, all the while overlooking the water and one really nice stretch of deserted beach. Vernazza, whence I wrote you last, was a quiet little village, more touristy than Corniglia, and had its own little bay for fishing boats. Then off to Monterosso, and the beach there, where after some incredible gilatto, Italian ice cream, we hit the water and the sand for what we crave the most, some sun-bathing amidst the Italian beauties. NOT. The place was filled with foreigners, with only a few gorgeous Italian beauties here and there. A short while later, an exhausted train trip back to the room for sleep. That evening off to Riomaggore for Pizza by the coast. And my two nights were over. The beautiful Cinque Terre joined my top four list with Brugge, Paris, and Prague. Off I went to Milano and Pisa. 

Milan... Incredible. It is the Italian Paris. I was wearing the nicest things I had, a pair of Emory shorts and a T, more like the only clean things, and stormed the city before catching my overnight to Paris, so I could catch my return plane. Everyone was so fashionable. EVERYONE. It seemed like even the 8-year old mischievous boys running around were sporting Armani and Ralph Lauren gear. And who would have thought I would run into someone from Emory in Milan. A 7-foot something basketball player/law student that I used to see around campus every now and then, is there for camp in Venice with the Dallas Mavericks. And I ran into him. A 30 minute break in the city sitting by some Roman Columns with a few gorgeous women, listening to a guy playing REM's "Losing my religion". I had 3 hours in Milan, and I took the city by storm, sacked and pillaged and took booty. Italian women are definitely the most gorgeous in Europe. And the men. Well, think what you want, but when I was in Modena, our waiter walked up to my new friend and said, "You are so beautiful! (bellisima) I have a girlfriend, but I love many women, I love all kinds of women, will you let me love you?" Of course, my friend giggled and said, "Oooh, what a funny guy!" I guess if I had a sexy Italian accent, or could speak Italian, I could enchant women just as well. Maybe! Anyway! The overnight train to Paris was a pain in the butt. I hardly slept! The two guys in the cabin with me speaking Arabic were mighty suspicious. Considering that from what I could gather, one was crossing borders without valid travel documents. Safety certainly was an issue that night. 

Paris...I get to Paris with only 3 hours before my flight, rush to catch the RER to Charles de Gaulles/Rossey, only to have problems there. I didn't want my film or camera to be X-ray scanned, but rather be hand-checked, but the little lady at the machine didn't like this. And after me saying "What the f$%&?", with her low comprehension of English phrases, she may have misunderstood me just an itsy little bit. So, she fought with me over the plane ticket in my hand, taking it from me, before I swiped it back (Those fights with my sister in middle school were great training). Then she called the police. But I was just so sick of the whole thing, after 10 minutes, I just gave up, let them scan the film, and then proceeded to the gate. The police came later, and were on my side, despite not speaking any English, they understood my concern for my film. So the whole fiasco ended, but I guess the mean little lady won, only to realize that I had to do it again the next day... because....

My overnight stay in Paris... The flight was overbooked. They asked for volunteers to step off the plane in exchange for accommodations in Paris and a free round-trip voucher on TWA/American Airlines to ANYWHERE in the world. So, a few places came to mind: Hawaii, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, China, Thailand, India, Iran, Russia. A quick nod of the head, a signature, and I had my free round-trip voucher. That evening and the next day, I hung out with Annie, a French-Cambodian mademoiselle who had also volunteered her seat to get a free round trip ticket. We had lunch, dinner, and breakfast; steak, wine and champagne, all were paid for by Trans World Airlines (thank You!). Then, we caught the next flight out, at the same time, the next day, to NYC's JFK. I met my father at the hostel in New York City, at 103 West and Amsterdam Ave. near Central Park. I love the subway system. It is so convenient and well organized. My father had had a 5 hour delay himself, so was not very upset with me for having volunteered my seat. We went to Times Square, Washington Square Park, the Met (Metropolitan Museum of Art ), met up with my twin sister, Nash, and saw the Brooklyn Bridge, the statue of liberty, and Ellis island. A very cool stay in NYC. I loved it. Cabaret and Les Miserables were playing on Broadway. My father doesn't like Musicals though! so... regardless, a great time... definitely anticlimactic, but after a 3 hour delay for our plane, I am now home. Home, sweet home! Jet lag sucked in NYC but it'll just take me a few days to get adjusted. I start my prenticeship at a family physician's office in Marietta this coming Monday. So I have until then to get my pictures developed, scanned and into my web site. Stay tuned... And check my web site for cool pictures...
www.Valadi.com

For those of you who have contacted me, It was great to hear from you while abroad. It certainly put a smile on my face and helped me be a little less homesick. I hope to rest and recover in the next few days and write you back. So please forgive me for the delay in response. I am sorry I did not have all of your email addresses or home addresses, or you would have received a post-card or email from me sooner. Take Care of yourself.

Cia/Au Revoir.

Nojan Valadi