Yer out!

Had i been on that plane, there would have been one survivor - work has warned me that i'm not allowed to die or otherwise have anything bad happen to me. Instead, my relation to current events has me stranded in Zagreb for a day, a result of the immovable force known as the Italian strike. Had i been more on the ball, could have checked out Ljubljana, but in the wee hours of my Zagreb arrival, was not comprehending which country was on strike (how could i wonder?)

Wandered around Zagreb, a city i've wandered around in the past - at least this time an old man did not proposition me within the first ten minutes of my arrival. Went to a sculptor's museum and saw how a three dimensional artform can become a two dimensional work.

Added a couple k's of liquid to my pack, wonder how customs will like that.

Listened to a Belgian complain to me about graffiti, and brag that Belgium has none. That country's not even 12,000 square miles, probably can't find anything decent to tag - not that i support mindless sparypaint, the main variety found in these parts.

And now just wait. And wait. And wait, for the first post-strike train to Venice.

Everyone's Hero...

...except the hooligans. Bruce Lee was gone, having been desecrated after a football match. Back next season, after a thorough cleaning and repairs. Perhaps i will be too, if the Kosovo vote fairs well.

Rebirth

I remember my youth. So well, in fact, that my memory exagerates events exponentially, as any frequent and astute reader will be aware of. But even my over-active memories of my own experienced civil war are no match for the history lessons available by walking the streets of Mostar.

Sure, a number of buildings have been full repaired, no visible damage whatsoever. But a number of inhabited buildings still show the bullet holes and shell damage of recent history. And peppered between both of these, the empty husks of buildings, glass shattered, walls appearing as a strange war-time stucco.

Ah, life.

Is there an architecture school that teaches to build for civil war? To consider not just what the building will look like immediately upon completion, but upon destruction too? All my life i have been shown the end result, the death toll of countless buildings. Did the Colliseum architect, Pompeii's legions, the Mayans, the Khmer, consider what their structures would look like, covered with lava, dirt, trees, time?

Bucharest, Day 1

Slept 12 hours, despite the usual hostel racket. Finally no winesap worries, no koolwhip concerns. Wandered aroun the rest of the day. Hurried activities prior to my departure helped me forget my compass, but still i maintained a fair sense of direction. This town is nice enough, standard Eastern European city. More Belgrade than Prague.

I think the scale on my maps is off by a factor of two, else i'm terribly out of walking shape. Enough English spoken here, getting around is rather easy, though eating still a bit difficult. The language holds many similarities to Italian, but different enough i'm not sure what kind kind of chicken that was. Still, the language, coupled with the Roman alphabet, makes sign reading, and thus getting around, rather easy.

Safety First

Going through immigration as i'm leaving de, the officer asks, "Only in Germany for one day? Where are you going to now?" "To Bucharest." "Romania? Be Safe."

What's so dangerous about Romania? Oh, excepting maybe the roaming packs of stray dogs that even killed a tourist last year. Get some Thai over there, that problem's gone in a couple weeks. I've had my rabies shots and instictively protect my jugular... usually. I think i'll be ok.

Partial Arrival

Uneventful flight. The days leading to vacation left me so exhausted that i missed watching 2 movies i'd yet to see - listened to them as i slept, but from what i've learned in my class, that doesn't count.

In Frankfurt, managed to push the right buttons to get a train ticket from the airport. Don't know where exactly i am, just hopped on the first train. It's a lazy Sunday afternoon, i'm the only one in an Italian restaurant. Eating a penne boscaiola, though no meat. Pasta is a little overdone, but this is a Calabrese restaurant and i do not know their style.

Called in a reservation from the airport - i'll be staying at Butterfly Villa Hostel the first couple nights in Bucharest. I don't care much for hostels, despite enjoying each one i've stayed at, especially Backpacker's Hostel in Kampala. I recommend that over any $$$ hotel i've been in. Well, except maybe one in Switzerland.

I'm off to battle keyboards, and hopefully find my way back to the flughafen.