Low Batt.

Well I haven't even been home a month and I have already managed to tired myself out so much that I already have that "stuggling to keep your head above water" syndrome. Part of that is due to the comute in traffic during rush hour, which takes nearly three hours out of my day. We could put it this way - I get up at 6, leave at 7 as the sun goes up and work til 6 and arrive arround 7:30, again in time to catch the sunset. (Neat thing is during the monring I dive towards the East and in the evenings drive back towards the West) But between prepping for school, trying to make a representative online album of the past 10 months of my life, looking for a job (this means getting up at 5:30 am to complete and read over cover letters that were composed at 11 pm the night before), catching up with friends and doing frisbee, yoga and squash; I have come to the conclusion that I am forgetting to take care of the most important person in my life: me. So if that means that it's Saturday night and I played Frisbee for 5 hours today and am too tired to go for dinner with friends, then I simply won't go! I think mainly I just need to get enough rest to be able to enjoy my outings, since now they have become another thing that has to get done.

On another tangent, I went out last night and saw many old friends associated with my ex, Darryl and with my former job at Neteller. Although it was really great seeing all of them again and I had a good time, especially watching his band play, all this weird nostalgia set in. Not nostaliga as in "I want to relive this" but more like "Yup. No need to go back there again....." I guess it's a healthy feeling?

Regardless, now I am waiting for my supper to cook, with which I will stuff myself, to later keel over and sleep for as much as 12 hours until day break. Great plans huh?

gettin' whipped back into shape.

Yeah. My return to Canada has been somewhat hectic...I had wanted to write all about the Brighton chronicles and my time in Brighton with Scott but unfortunately too much time has gone by and it's just all one hillarious blurr to me right now.

I have, however, been keeping quite busy. Within one week of being home, I was already moving out temporarily to Bearspaw to house/pet sit. It's great -- I get a view of the rockies, I get the company of 2 big dogs and one cute cat, and I get an hour and 15 minute drive into the centre of town everyday. yugh. Why am I doing this again?? Oh yeah, wait, I know why...BECAUSE I AM BROKE ASS!!! (and they are paying me) Actually I ike housesitting but the timing this is a bit bad right now. I am housesitting for 3 weeks, which happens to be within my first month back, so I am running arround, driving nearly three hours a day just to go for a beer kind of thing. The problem is that I WANT to see my friends and I want to go out but once I get here and it's nearly 8pm, there is no way in hell that I just want to hop in my car again and drive out to the city centre. I can't afford anything anyway.

In other news, I played my first game(s!) of Ultimate Frisbee today...WOO! It was a jolly old time, except that I nearly died. What was I thinking!?! I can't run like a mad woman and chase a frisbee for two hours! I have walking muscles, WALKING! After our victories (not because of me, might I add) my toe curled up involuntarily and I couldn't get it back to normal!!! I litteraly had to pry it open with my fingers to seperate it from my foot. It wasn't painful per say, but it was most definetely weird. I think anytime your body does something your brain didn't ask it to is guaranteed to be slightly odd.

So now I am in Bearspaw with Socrates watching me as I type this between the online orientation for my Master's, online job applications, msn, and translating for a friend....which I should get back to.....

Chetnik lisa

Chetnik lisa
Originally uploaded by borderlys.

Well it’s my second last day here and that sinking feeling of termination has slowly crept up on me. I’ve got that heavy feeling that you get when something is over, that you can’t do anything about. This place became my home away from home during my 9 months away, through living and working here, then by dropping in and relaxing for sometime before continuing on to my next destination. I’m at that stage where I have to say “well if I don’t see you again, take care” or “it was nice knowing you” and when I get the question “when will you return to Serbia?” replying with an apologetic shrug and a “I really don’t know”. For the most par of last week it had been rainy and I had been fighting some weird stomach virus and counting down the days to go home, and now the pinch in my heart makes me wish I had better appreciated my time here, and the famous words of Joni Mitchell come to mind “Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you got ‘til it’s gone”….

The sun has since come out, and the weather has been lovely here. Over the weekend went to the “GUCA” trumpet festival in Southern Serbia, where I partied with Serbs, complete with Chetnik army cap and all…..It’s a part of Serbian culture not to be missed! The sound of powerful, almost schizophrenic trumpet orchestras all over the streets, blaring high-energy music – you can’t help but get in to it! And all the beer helps get in the mood quite effectively…. Not to mention to mention the smell of grilling meat (I had the BEST “pljeskavica” – Serbian style hamburger – of my LIFE there), corn on the cob, “kupus” (delicious cooked cabbage) and local pastries!

I get I just have to make the best of my remaining time here before I head out to London to see Shcott and head home....

This is the end....

Well that’s it. It’s pretty much over. My time in Turkey has passed (just in time, apparently, or else I might have been victim or witness to bombings!) and now it feels like I am aimlessly waiting the day that I can go home. Which I suppose is what I am literally am doing. I tried to find a flight back to Calgary for early September but it seems they have all been booked. So now I am sitting in rainy, cold, drab Novi Becej (I always arrive on time for the rain here) but my mind is elsewhere. Gotta get stuff done for school, gotta organize my photos, gotta start making money, gotta get in shape, gotta get my life in order….you name it, I gotta do it. I am really excited to come home and start a new chapter of my life. I suppose this trip may seem like your cliché “just finished my degree so I”m taking off for a year” trip, but it really wasn’t. Which is what I realized as I was here. I think I have passed the stage where I want to do something just for fun, or to pass time by…I ain’t getting’ any younger after all. I feel this trip lacked purpose – although don’t get me wrong, it was great to travel and learn and see things -- it just felt kind of selfish. Next extended trip should be for a development project of some sort, or some sort of goal, which would allow me to contribute somehow, or make some sort of a difference. I guess I feel like this, because life has been good to me, and has given me so much that I want to give back to it. I still have many trips planned and still want to climb the Kilimanjaro, go scuba diving in the Red Sea, hike the Inca Trail, ride a camel in the Moroccan desert, drink tea in Japan, go to Island, and who knows, maybe even go to the States some day…..but for now I just want to drink tea with my mom after doing the dishes together; hear my dad howling to ACDC on Saturday mornings; fight with my sister over clothes and makeup; and fall asleep with a cat on my lap.

headıng east

on top of old smokey...oh waıt, that's Mt. Nemrut
Originally uploaded by borderlys.

Today was the most amazıng day I have had ın Turkey so far -- just when I thought the lunar landscapes of Capadoccıa were ımpossıble to beat (well, they stıll sort of are...) I have made ıt to southeast anatolıa, whıch ıs a whole other world. We woke up to see the sunrıse on Mount Nemrut - and yes for anyone who has been to Turkey, ı saw the Lonely Planet cover pıcture wıth my own eyes - and later made ıt to the southern town of Harran. Walkıng arround ın 48 degree wheather ın the oldest mesopotamıan cıty ıs undescrıbable....Honey coloured brıck and mud huts by the sunset , kıds runnıng to see us to speak wıth us and ınevıtably get one or two turkıs Lıra from us, people sayıng hello to us and ınvıtıng us ınto theır homes.....Indeed beıng ın thıs 4000 year old town 15 kılometres from the Syrıan border feel much more lıke the mıddle east then the relatıvely westernızed (and tourıst orıented)cıty of Istanbul. We also vısıted the Karavansaray (baısıcally a camel parkıng lot durıng the sılk roads perıod) where the prophet Abraham met hıs wıfe, Sarah, and saw the cave he was born ın. I have decıded to cut my tıme ın Turkey by a week, mostly for fınancıal reasons but now I have a wonderful taste left ın my mouth that wıll keep me wantıng more and needıng to come back and go even deeper ınto the mıddle east....

Orıent Express

...So after a long 36 hours of travel tıme, I fınd myself reunıted wıth my good frıend Maıte, wanderıng the swealterıng streets of Istanbul. It's a mıghty 38 degrees celcıus here, but that's not stoppıng the vendors and turkısh, ahem, gentlemenn from approachıng us. 'Hello, where are you from' or my personal favorıte ' Excuse me, you dropped somethıng' as he gestures towards hıs broken heart. I have never been asked out for tea so many tımes ın such a short perıod of tıme!

Although I knew Istabul would be quıte progressıve ın comparıson to the rest of the country, ıts stıll ımpressıve. There ıs not one call tp prayer, but several, echoıng through out the cıty, 5 tımes a day. I cant say ıts partıcularıly spırıtual to hear, through the bustlıng traffıc and tourısts, carpet sellers and tramway; ındeed the call to prayer here seems more lıke an extra noıse.

Istanbul ıs a great cıty, fılled wıth delıcıous surprıses ın ıts nooks and crannıes. local waterpıpe cafes, turkısh coffee, grılled meats and lets not forget, the Turkısh Delıght!

Pottie mouth -- a word on eastern european toilets

So, I consider myself a pretty tolerant personç I thınk I have seen quıte a few thıngs ın my lıfe and that I am not very fussy. ı certaınly don't have prıncess syndrome and I can pee anywhere........almost. Somethıng really has to be saıd about the toılets here -- especıally the ones on the traıns. Between the one wıth the door that's jammed shut, the one wıth the door that won't close and the excrement-fılled one, it's not always a matter of choice. It's quıte a physıcal challenge to have to grab onto the wall handle wıth one hand and your pants wıth the other so your pants dont get wet from the pee on the floor, and so my ass doesn't doesn't touch the shıt on the seat (ıt's runny and red and ıt looks lıke they had corn for dınner). That's ıf there ıs a seat. Most trıps to the toılet requıre ıntense squattıng sınce there ıs no actual seat (not that I would want to sıt on ıt anyway).

Traınstatıons charge you for the use of the toıletö sınce there ıs *staff* who takes care of ıt. what the hell the staff does ıs beyond me. MOst of the tıme they don't even gıve you the paper you're essentıally payıng for, and they certaınly don't clean them! I guess I don't mınd ıf there ıs no seat, thıs ıs ıf you are prıvıledged enough to get a toılet and not a hole ın the ground wıth two spots for your feet, but as I was sayıng, I dont understand WHY they dont have a seat....I mean wouldnt ıt just make sense to have one?

it's alive!

it's alive!
Originally uploaded by borderlys.

Headline reads: Momentous day! Ipod comes back to life after weeklong death!

July 2nd 2006. The presumed dead ipod resurrects from electronic wasteland after being pronounced officially dead a week earlier. Victim and eye witness of this miracle, Lisa Cyr, 25, moments after the resurrection says " I just can't believe it! I thought I was going to have to throw it away and as soon as I touched it, I saw the apple..THE APPLE!"

Innocent bystander and sister, Renee Cyr, claims "I never even saw it comming", as the hysteric Lisa jumps up and down proclaiming the good news.

details on Sarajevo

So I figured I should explain to you all a little bit why I find Sarajevo so magic.

There is a special feeling here, something I felt as soon as I stepped onto the cobble stones of the old turquish quarter. The sun was setting on the town and shining on the mosques and surrounding mountain houses. There is a quiet, peaceful feel to the town, something like the calm after the storm I guess you could say. People are incredibly receptive and friendly here and the fact that I speak Bosnian puts a smile on everyone's face. "Dobro pricas bosansko!"

Yesterday Renee and I went on a small tour organized by one of the guys that works in the youth hostel. We were taken to the site of the Sarajevo tunnel, the tunnel that litterallly saved citizens of Sarajevo. Our guide had personally used this tunnel 800 metre long, 1.6 metres high and 1 metre tunnel to get food and provisions. On this day, July 11th 1995 arround 8000 Bosniaks (Muslim Bosnians) were executed by the Serbian nationalist army, and bodies are still being found today. When I think of what these people have been through, it gives me chills down my spine. This down definetely has a spirit and one feels it right away. I went inside a mosque today and it was great. There is so much room to breathe in there. I am going to go to a service tonight -- I want to feel what the call to prayer and live it personally. I am excited to go to Turkey as well! This is just a taste!

I have been treating myself to cevapcicis and bureks, local delicacies. Went to a shisha cafe today and enjoyed some apple tobacco, and have made many trips to the local fountains and water sources. According to the legend, if you drink from one of the many sources of water inside the city, you will return someday. I must have had about 2 litres of it already! This is quite possibly my favorite city so far and has definetely left a permanent impression on me.

Please come to Sarajevo!

Sarajevo afternoon

Sarajevo afternoon
Originally uploaded by borderlys.

I LOVE SARAJEVO!
I LOVE SARAJEVO!
I LOVE SARAJEVO!

U & me baby just weren't meant to be.....

I have a love hate relationship with my Ipod. I love it so much but every time I need it it's not there for me! It always stops working and breaks down on me. I jhave recently gotten back together with it and have put tons of new music onto it (thanks Skye!) but JUST when I was starting to get excited about having it again and being reunited with my music, it broke down on me again (that little bastard). I guess I just don't want to accept that it's over and I keep clinging onto the idea that it just might work again. My problem is that I have trouble moving on and letting go, so knowing myself, I am going to keep on lugging that non functional Ipod with me the rest of the way in the hopes that wil will one day work again and carry along the way since I just can't part with it.

The two faces of Prague

It's kind of a freaky thing to come to a new city through the rougher part of town after a 6 hour train ride. The park behind the main train station is an area where "questionable caracters", as the lonely planet calls them, hang out. There was still day light but it was on it's way out and walking arround with a big back pack and some other random bags and things didn't quite seem to fit into the decor. Moments after a feeble attempt to get my bearings, my sister and I wanted to walk to the hostel, since the flyer says it's a 10 minute walk to the next metro station, followed by a 5 minute walk from there to the hostel. "We can manage that, tough girls that we are" Renee and I tell ourselves. So we go to ask the kind lady at the information desk how to walk to Florence bus station since the lonely planet map is crap and the hostel flyer is difficult to read. "Just take the metro", she says, "yes, but how can we walk there?" we ask again. "Just take the metro!". We turn and face each other "uh, I guess we're taking the metro...." So we take the metro and figure we can walk the remaning 5 minutes to the hostel. We turn the street away from the metro and see some paramedics calmly looking down. What could this be?, Renee and I wonder. Turns out it's a dead man, who has possibly died of an overdose...whatever it was, he seemed to have left this world in a peaceful state.

So we finally get to the grafiti covered youth hostel, all we want is a shower from our half hour trek, long train ride and short morning where showering had not been an option. (Sleep was more important at that point in time).

This morning, however, my memory of Prague and last night's introduction did not do me justice! Renee and I walked about Prague's old quarter, treated ourselves to a cheap boat tour, went up to the caslte, down golden lane and dragged our heavy feet back to the hostel where we bought ourselves a record cheap meal. 53 Krones later (1 Candadian dollar is 20 Krones) we had enough to make a small but delicious salad....

All I can say is taht it's not taking that long for me to get back into the groove of backpacking, after a month long break of being with friends in Serbia and Germany!

Prague Castle!

Prague Castle!
Originally uploaded by borderlys.

Ok. Apparently some people DO read my blog! This has consequently instilled in me the need to produce a quality product! He he...really though, so this is what's going in with me. Renee got to Berlin for the world cup, as you know, afterwhich we went to Braunschweig to spend some time with my good girlfriend Sonja...after too little sleep there and too much partying we headed off to Gifhorn for a short stop at Pahlmann's 25th wedding anniversary. More beer, less sleep. After a groggy train ride to Prague we spent the whole day walking arround the old part of town the Charles bridge, seeing the castle, golden lane etc. There is a frustratingly big international crowd here though...Obviously my sister and I weren't the only ones to notice how close Prague is to Berlin......

Tomorrow we are off to the Ossuary in a UNESCO world heritage listed town so I am pretty excited! After the Czech Republic we are heading out to Vienna for Canada day -- in case I don't update anything before then, have a good one guys!

Right time, right place

World Cur Fans
Originally uploaded by borderlys.

As most of you know, the world cup is happening right now in cities all over Germany, so I thought it would be cool to pop by and check out the action. So after a ridiculously long and hot train ride back to Serbia (couldn't go through Macedonia again because Canadians need a visa! ARGH) I made it to Belgrade and Novi becej where I took things easy for a few days. Headed back up to Budapest and flew to Berlin where I met with Gwen, Marie-Pier and Julia. My sister just got here and all I can say is "jetzt geht's los!" (now we're getting started!) She's still all jet lagged and tired but she's going to muster up the energy to go shopping today (after all, you can't be in Germany without going to H&M) and then hitting up a raggae show in a park for the games tonight.

fare thee well

the view
Originally uploaded by borderlys.

Well I can't believe I am actually leaving Greece! It feels like I have been here forever, but I could VERY easily stay here for ever! The people I have met have been so great -- Greek hospitality is something we could all learn from! So now, when the Hellens (Greeks) exagerate about a place being the MOST beautiful in the whole entire world, or the most amazing in ALL of Europe, or the oldest in the universe, etc. I am tempted to believe them! Sorry, that's sort of an inside because apparently the Greeks tend to ..."embellish" things a bit. Really though, it's a beautiful country, the people are great, the food is oh-so-tasty, the weather is great, etc. what's not to like?!

Artichoke hearts and other stories

Ios
Originally uploaded by borderlys.

...if mainland Greece wasn't beautiful enough, the islands are pure magic! First stop was Ios, where I spent two days simply relaxing. Fred and I rented a scooter the second day and rode arround the island. We finally got to a beach where the only two other people on the island were two Austrians who had just attended the European social forum (http://www.socialforum-media.gr/english_index.htm) ... why I didn't participate still baffles me since the topics were on development and social action, etc. So we feasted together on boiled artichokes and dip and killer rice (with Ayaveda spices, something I want to look into when I get back. Indian food that caters to your type and work at creating balance inside you). So the girl, Astrid, told me about Master's programms in Norway, sice she also happened to be studying international development in Vienna.

Next up, Santorini. Just look at the photos on snapfish and 'nuff said. We went to the volcano and later watched the sunset from Oia, Fred, Philipp (a guy from Quebec we met) and I.

Beautiful as it was, the second day I felt the wind of departure nonetheless and decided to set sail earlier than planned. I set out to Crete where I was greeted by my couchsurfing hosts, Spilios and Kostas. Had a blast riding around Hania with Spilios on his motorbike and going for coffee with some friends. I hit up the Samaria gorge, which was really beautiful....

Also, I WENT SCUBA DIVING TODAY! :D it was awesome and I did alright for myself, considering I hadn't gone in about 2 two years!

the Parthenon, baby!

the Parthenon, baby!
Originally uploaded by borderlys.

yeah, if my smile is this big it's cause it's that cool! I love Athens and I love Greece! (only thing that doesn't, is my wallet.....)

scary-burning-face-fever

adam says:
so what will you ask the oracle?
adam says:
you have to ask it something
adam says:
or it's like going to a water park and not getting wet
Lisa - in Albania! says:
I will ask it what the purpose is behind my being so sick
adam says:
hehehehehe
Lisa - in Albania! says:
(mad face)
Lisa - in Albania! says:
seriously
adam says:
well you can't shout at it
Lisa - in Albania! says:
I had a CRAZY fever!
Lisa - in Albania! says:
haha
Lisa - in Albania! says:
ok I wont
adam says:
did you go to the doctor?
Lisa - in Albania! says:
yeah
Lisa - in Albania! says:
I needed anitbiotics SO bad
Lisa - in Albania! says:
and they are helping
Lisa - in Albania! says:
but I am still in quit a bit of pain
adam says:
They say when you shake hands with a greek you're supposed to count your fingers afterwards
Lisa - in Albania! says:
I guessit's a good thing cause it shuts me up for a while!
adam says:
i wonder what you're supposed to do after you expose your throat
adam says:
i'm sorry you're in pain here's a kitty to cheer you up
Lisa - in Albania! says:
aww thanks
Lisa - in Albania! says:
why, I feel better already!
adam says:
how many days have you been this sick
Lisa - in Albania! says:
well, about 4
adam says:
o that bites
Lisa - in Albania! says:
the 1st wasnt so bad
Lisa - in Albania! says:
then the 2nd is when I fell in the river and had scary- burning-face-fever, the 3rd I went to the doctors and today I am still sore
adam says:
tell me more about the river event
adam says:
i can't stop laughing at the phrase "scary-burning-face-feaver"
adam says:
sorry
Lisa - in Albania! says:
lol
adam says:
so the river
Lisa - in Albania! says:
well
Lisa - in Albania! says:
I was kind of sick, but decided to go out and treck the Vikos gorge with this guy I am travelling with for a bit, Fred
adam says:
the french guy
adam says:
right
Lisa - in Albania! says:
so we searched for the trail (it's the deepest gorge in the WORLD! over 900m)
adam says:
and you fell down it!
Lisa - in Albania! says:
so despite my uncanny femail instincts telling me walking through the river and through trees and stone was not a trail
Lisa - in Albania! says:
he insisted on trying to cross the river
Lisa - in Albania! says:
so I followed along
adam says:
its it a really big strong river?
Lisa - in Albania! says:
haha, no I didnt fall DOWN the gorge
Lisa - in Albania! says:
well, it had a current, but it was moreso that the rocks were really slippery
Lisa - in Albania! says:
he fell in too, only he didnt have mild strep when he set out on the treck
adam says:
so did the river sweep you down
Lisa - in Albania! says:
so after 3 hours of walking arround with wet feet (and ass if you were me)
Lisa - in Albania! says:
no
Lisa - in Albania! says:
but it pissed me off all right
adam says:
so your head didn't go under
adam says:
hahahahaha
Lisa - in Albania! says:
no
Lisa - in Albania! says:

Lisa - in Albania! says:
and then we had to cross it AGAIN!
adam says:
i think i'd like to hear this from you better but this written version is pretty good
Lisa - in Albania! says:
and that wasnt even the ight place to cross
adam says:
ha
Lisa - in Albania! says:
yeah, you'd get the faces to accompany it!
Lisa - in Albania! says:
so we came to sort of cliff rocks
Lisa - in Albania! says:
it was SOO SKETCHY!
Lisa - in Albania! says:
I wish I had taken a picture
adam says:
hahahah
adam says:
me too
Lisa - in Albania! says:
cause if we had fallen from that, one of us would surely have died. I am convinced that would have been me
adam says:
fun
adam says:
now you have a story
Lisa - in Albania! says:
needless to say, I was putting to excellent use the more colourful side of my vocabulary
Lisa - in Albania! says:
....
Lisa - in Albania! says:
sure do!
adam says:
were you really mad?
Lisa - in Albania! says:
nah
Lisa - in Albania! says:
well, sometimes
Lisa - in Albania! says:
cause it was scary!
Lisa - in Albania! says:
and I was cursing myself for not listening to myself!
adam says:
yeah that's the worst
adam says:
christopher got us into all sorts of trouble
Lisa - in Albania! says:
but whatever we made it safe...but we were seriously traversing the rocks like rock climbers
adam says:
but the thing is i let him do the leading on our adventures because he always gets us out of the trouble too
Lisa - in Albania! says:
until we got to the safe part
Lisa - in Albania! says:
haha
Lisa - in Albania! says:
well thats; good!
adam says:
but then i was the one that went to jail
Lisa - in Albania! says:
as long as he gets you out of it
adam says:
in morocco not him
Lisa - in Albania! says:
oh yeha!?
Lisa - in Albania! says:
what happened?
adam says:
when you get to canada you can read it on my myspace account
Lisa - in Albania! says:
aah!
Lisa - in Albania! says:
yes!
adam says:
we offended islam
Lisa - in Albania! says:
I guess I should write about scary-burning-face-fever on my blog
Lisa - in Albania! says:
oh yeah?!
adam says:
and were wearing our cool white suits
Lisa - in Albania! says:
yeah, how is that offensive to islam>?
adam says:
just cut and paste this conversation
Lisa - in Albania! says:
lol
adam says:
BECAUSE WE WERE TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL
Lisa - in Albania! says:
good idea!
Lisa - in Albania! says:
I am going to do taht now actually....

OH MY GOD. I just had THE best meal of my life! Why, you ask, was this simple little tortellini dish so blissful?!? Well my friends, for the past 2 days I have been inflicted with a severe case of "acute tonsilitous" (strep throat) and it's so painful that I can't eat. It all started...well I don't know when it started exactly. Fred and I chilled out in Cofu for a few days after having a wicked time in Albania -- Fred taught some Gypsy kids how to juggle (I took pictures) through the American Peace Corps. We sort of did a Peace Corps shuffle in Albania and it was great hanging out with them and seeing them work on community development projects and stuff....it made me want to look into CIDA internships again...

So anyway, Albania turned out to be an extremely friendly country! People were always willing to help us and I felt safe the whole time I was there! Just don't get me started on the bus system - oh wait - there is none. So we managed to take the boat to Cofu Greece, after witnessing and intense and colourful (to say the least!) difference of opinons between the two ferry lines and the weater was great! Stayed in a Youth Hostel called the Sunrock really good price, breakfast and supper included and it's right by the beach! The weather was great, probably like 27 degrees so I got some son tanning in.

So, remember how I was talking about strep throat? WELL. From Corfu we had to hitchike to Monodendri since there are only two busses a week....So cars were passing by and passing by, finally a Priest came to pick us up and dropped us off in the village since it was close to his -- this means he made a 15km detour for us! So, from the humid beach to dryer, colder mountain air = no good. Also, falling in the river on a treck that would lead us nowhere the next day certainly did not help. That's when the fever set in. Worse thing is, we only found the path to the Vikos gorge AFTER wandering arround for 3 hours cold and wet in the trees and rocks...so for two days now I have not been able to swallow without searing pain shooting throughout my body. I have been hungry for two days and pretty much unable to eat...but there is hope! I went to the doctor's today, and although he didn't prescribe anything for the pain, whatever pills he got me taking seem to helping a bit.

Alors, afin de boucler la boucle: right now, I just had the best meal of my life.

Twisted Tirana

After a groggy night on the bus from Struga (F.Y.R. of Macedonia) Fred and I got into Tirana at about 5 am. We didn't have a CLUE where we were cause the terminal stop is more like a fruit stand than anything, a nice taxi driver offered us a ride. Being a traveller I am a bit weary of friendly taxi drivers, I am sure you can understand why, but this guy spoke great English since he worked in London for a few years. So we go for coffee at his brother's cafe and the guy pulls out this crazy story about how he was shot and had to escape to London but got denied residency. Here's a crazy unrelated fact : Albania has the most violent mafia in all of Europe. That being said, all the people we haved talked to so far and have met are really great, super generous and really friendly.

So, Tirana is a really intersting city. There aren't necessarily that many things to see but it's really interesting to look at the architechture. The buildings have odd color combinations, the centre is a flat, wide open (hello communism?!) area with huge pot holes, no lanes on the streets (and no pedestrian crossings either, for that matter!) and people walking and driving in everywhich directly. It's a beautiful mess and I love it.