Observations & experiences from travel activities
– Castles, Copernicus, and Cold Beaches – When you’re as active as Ela and I, February presents a challenge. We feel the need to get out and do something, but there are only a few winter holidays we find suitable. We’re not skiers, we don’t climb anymore, so we have to get creative when we plan a winter holiday. “Let’s go to the beach,” Ela … Continue reading Winter Holiday at the Baltic
– Daily Adventures in Strzelin – Enough with the mountain man stuff… let’s do something different! Instead of reminiscing about past adventures in the Rocky Mountains, today we’ll have some travel fun. Since many of my friends in Texas and Idaho have expressed interest and curiosity in my new home, Ela and I decided to take you on a video tour. I’m confident this trip … Continue reading Video Tour of Suburban Poland
– Some Things Never Change – I was tired of looking out windows of aircraft… bored to the bone with the whole flying experience. Even in the Business Class comfort of the ‘80s and ‘90s – when Baked Alaska was still served and alcohol was free – international flights had lost their magic. There was nothing exciting about sitting in a flying cigar tube sharing … Continue reading Repatriation for an Expat
– My Health Care Experience in Poland – I was uninsured from Obamacare to Medicare (which was 2021 for me). Most of that time, I lived off the grid in the Idaho backcountry. I did not get paid for being an amateur adventurer and only occasionally worked for wages as a guide, packer, or cook. Since neither vocation provided social benefits, I went without health … Continue reading Surgery in a Foreign Land
– A GREAT COUNTRY OF MANY SYMBOLS – The United States of America, popularly known as the USA or simply the States, is a country that the average inhabitant of the globe associates with “AMERICAN DREAMS”, i.e. the freedom to pursue and fulfill great dreams. Those dreams have been and still are attracting people from all over the world to America. If we ask a … Continue reading Elka Pentelka in the Wild West
– Courage for a True Adventurer – I must admit that Patrick impressed me with the way he found himself in the Polish reality. The decision to start life in a European country like Poland was, in my opinion, very brave. This was no ordinary trip from one state to another, or even a trip to Canada bordering the US. I would rather compare Patrick’s … Continue reading Bungee Jump Over the Ocean
– The First Time I Fell in Love with Europe – In 1602, the Dutch East India Company became the world’s first multinational corporation. Amsterdam became one of the most important ports in the world. It grew as a European power by brokering trade between Spain and England with the Baltic countries, then expanded into the international spice trade. For two centuries, the Dutch were … Continue reading Amsterdam Was a Lifestyle
– The Harder the Work, the Higher the Pay – On the banks of the Euphrates River near the border with Iraq, there was ancient bedouin village in Syria named Deir ez-Zor. Royal Dutch Shell invested heavily in the development of nearby oilfields, not in the backward city. Historically, it served as a caravan stop on the famous Silk Road trade route. Expats called it … Continue reading Syria Was Tough Duty
– How to Meet People and Have Fun – In last Friday’s article, we talked about making time and money for travel. I decided to write this article as an illustrative example of that one: how ordinary individuals can find time and money for extraordinary travel experiences. From time to time, we travel with a bus group. It’s always the same driver – Wojtek (pronounced … Continue reading Weekend in Warsaw
– Retired From Work, Not From Life – I enjoyed a few minutes visiting with Doc today. I don’t know his real name because he doesn’t speak English. My brain searches for the few Polish words it can string together, but he speaks faster than it can process. I assign nicknames to the ‘chlopaki’; Doc is neatly dressed like a retired doctor or teacher, which … Continue reading Living in Poland
