http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/ en Thu, 08 Jan 2009 22:07:33 GMT vBulletin 60 http://forums.christian-chat.net/images/bullet/misc/rss.jpg http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/ http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/115-another-health-update.html Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:45:47 GMT On monday I had an MRI BrainScan. I have to admit I liked the MRI. It was peaceful to lay, confined and not be able to move. I didn't worry about having to be still, all I had to do was simply exist.

Existing is something that is a peaceful thought. No worries, however no impact. The reality is coming that I might begin to be limited in what I am able to do. Now, at first, this sound relaxing, however when you ponder it... the stress begins. For someone who doesn't like to be confined, moving forward in my life will be difficult.

Next Monday I have an appointment to discuss my back and spine, then the monday after that I have to go back to the neuroligist, to look at the mri results and to do some nerve testing on my arms. At this point I have no idea what is wrong with me. I still have the arm and leg pains, and now my back is starting to hurt. I am also getting more headaches. I am working less and resting more. I am also eating MUCH better and have lost 10lbs already. So we'll see how things progress. ]]> BrianO http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/115-another-health-update.html http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/114-our-final-day-travel.html Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:17:58 GMT (This is something I typed yesterday, we are back) This morning we left London on our way back to the states. I can be pretty reflective at this... (This is something I typed yesterday, we are back)

This morning we left London on our way back to the states. I can be pretty reflective at this point, looking back at all the experiences and all the highs and lows. I now have a large list of things to do and things that we have done. The first thing to do is to get my life back in order. Working for your career is fine, but you have to take time to remember the experiences and be able to take time to dwell in the experience. There is some much more I want to see and do, so much more to taste and feel. Oliver has that much more that he has and will be able to experience.

Spending time aboard does tend to give you a different perspective. You get to read about your own nations from others point of views and you get to see what others are saying. Right or wrong doesn’t matter, but hearing those other opinions can help shape your own or provide more of a foundation for something you already believe in.

So what happens next? Well, it’s time to take care of Brian. No more consulting, expect the few that I have left. It’s time to buckle down and spend the time to do a 110% job, and not about 80% like it has been. It think quality of service was dwindling, I am not sure customers feel the same way but I know I was not doing 100% of the job. Time to stop doing as much preventative maintenance, and just fix what is needed with scheduled activities. There is always something to do, so time to stop choosing that over family. Time for Church. I attend church, but I don’t activity parti****te, since I am always doing the sound. Granted I will keep doing it, but it needs to become a worship experience for me, not just my Sunday gig as my friend Jarrod used to say.

Exercise and eating and rest. Wow did I just type that. Yes I did. I think I am going to try and get up early with my good friend JJ and exercise. It will be very hard at first, but it’s something that needs to be done and if I am getting home at a decent hour I should able to do it. Time will tell. School, I have finished my degree, now we just have the paperwork to get finished, and then I get to go to Denver to walk. I wasn’t going to, but now I am going to since it seems to mean something to my parents. So then what? Well I am not sure. I think I want to get a Masters in Biblical Studies and archeology or a Masters in Islamic Studies from Southwestern Theological Seminary here in Fort Worth.

Then we have the ideas for the Burleson Market. I think we need to do a Donut Stand and Orange Juice. Then we can move to root beer later. This would be something fun, and would be worth the investment in the long run. It’s time to start thinking beyond the computer business. Mom has agreed to help with SpamGoblin as the head of the sales department, so this is something I am looking forward to growing. I think with her persistence she will be successful however it will be a slow start. So as long as we have some smaller and obtainable goals she will do fine. In fact as soon as we get back in town, I will be ensuring she is properly enabled (computer wise) to be successful, that is my first order of business.

So really when you break it down (hammer time) it’s truly an opportunity to have a new beginning. A fresh start. I remember when I entered the middle pyramid on the Giza plateau, it was like going into another world as you crawl into the hot and musty subterranean world, not knowing how far it is, not knowing the way and watching people coming out looking fatigued and drenched with sweat. As you descend you are a bit uneasy as to if this was the right choice. After a ways you level off, then you begin another uphill climb. Life is kinda this way. It’s easy for a while going, then it levels off, then you have a new uphill challenge. In this case we reached the pharaohs chamber were greeted by an opening larger than expected. This is where you can stop, dwell and catch your breath. This is where I feel I am now in my life’s journey. I have been given and opportunity to stop and catch my breath. I am very fortunate for this opportunity.

So now all I have left is a bit of a downhill walk, some leveling off and a great uphill climb. ]]> BrianO http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/114-our-final-day-travel.html http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/113-london-calling.html Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:17:17 GMT Today we finished up day 2 in London. What did we try and cram and see… everything. We hit all the tourist highlights, and got plenty of souvenirs. A... Today we finished up day 2 in London. What did we try and cram and see… everything. We hit all the tourist highlights, and got plenty of souvenirs. A highlight for Brandi and I was we hired a black taxi for 2 hrs to drive us all over the city. Unfortunately it was scheduled ahead of time, so we had to take the trip regardless. Well it was raining, so we got a rainy view of everything in London. Our taxi driver rocked, he even took Brandi and I to see the Abbey Road Zebra Crossing (crosswalk). So we have some good video of me walking across.

Brandi and I think we might come back before the holidays, just to see a play or something. Not sure, it all depends on what happens when we get back home and back to some type of reality.

Tomorrow we have a very long day of travel, and lots of more stories to think about. But I have a new respect for the Brits. Fortunately they really collected lots of things. ]]> BrianO http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/113-london-calling.html http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/112-we-ready-london.html Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:16:59 GMT We have arrived in London to begin the final leg of our trip. We left the ship today at 7:45am (gmt +2) and we arrived at the hotel at 11:45pm (gmt)... We have arrived in London to begin the final leg of our trip. We left the ship today at 7:45am (gmt +2) and we arrived at the hotel at 11:45pm (gmt) Do the math. It seems as there were only 3 British Airways flights from Athens to London today and they were all booked solid, so we ended up having to wait at the airport for about 6 hours before we could board and take off. Oh well, it’s part of life when you travel, the key is be flexiable. I told mom, no wake up call tomorrow. We get up when we get up. We are all pretty tired.

Ollie was a real trooper today, he is being taken all these places, no routines etc… but he just goes with the flow. Life is kinda that way. Just go with the flow.

We are staying a few blocks from the Abbey Road Studios of Beatles Fame, and on Saturday afternoon we have a Black Cab coming to pick us up for a Private Tour of London, all the tourist stuff. We plan on eating some fish and chips, and maybe Brandi can talk me into trying a warm ale (but I really doubt that).

So we really have 2 days to see what we can see. It will be quick, but it will give me a glimpse into what I might want to come back and see. That’s all for now, I need to get to bed. I am pushing 24 hrs of being away. I didn’t sleep last night as I couldn’t find my cel phone. Thanks to Kerry and Vic for calling and helping us find it. ]]> BrianO http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/112-we-ready-london.html http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/111-ancient-cities-around-kusadasi-turkey.html Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:16:34 GMT Today was another stop at the Turkish Port of Kusadasi. The most famous reason to go to this port is for a tour of Ephesus. However during out last... Today was another stop at the Turkish Port of Kusadasi. The most famous reason to go to this port is for a tour of Ephesus. However during out last time at port, we toured Ephesus and other areas, so this time we went on a tour of 3 ancient cities, Priene, Didyma and Miletus. Ollie and Mom didn’t go today so it was just my dad, Brandi and myself. So we were expecting an uneventful day. Well it was far from that.

Priene was a Greek and Roman Settlement at different times. It has a great temple, and has some well preserved ruins as well. Here is where our story begins… On this tour we had 3 busses, bug 9, 10 11. We were on bus 11 due to use running late. I didn’t want to get up… I was a little tired and got delayed checking email what else is new right? Well as we are walking up the hill to the ancient city our guide gets a call. Our guide immediately asks if someone was a doctor. He then begins to tell us that someone from group 9 is having a heart attack. Group 9 was on the other side of the ancient city. So our guide goes to make some calls since he is a translator and the paramedics don’t speak English.

Within about 5 mins and 35ish year old male starts to have what we think is a seizure so our group does that best we can to get him situated. Our guide was just coming back and he was like “what’s up today”. So he calls for the paramedics, it just so happens they called 2 ambulances. So now we have one for the heart attack and this other guy. Well the paramedics came for the other guy and got him all situated, so our guide goes back to being our guide and continues to show us around. Now, we make it over to the amphitheatre where the heart attack victim was. As we climb over a wall and walk down some steps, the first image I see is them pumping on his chest. My immediate thought is that this doesn’t look good and I said a prayer for him and his wife who was there sobbing. It was pretty evident, he was dead.

Back to our tour number 9. We were just kinda standing with a dead body on the other side of the area. We paused for a few mins so our guide can translate, then someone else arrived our guide came back to us and we continued the tour and discussion with someone’s lifeless body in view. I asked the guide later why we didn’t leave out of respect and he told me that, he wanted to but someone from the group hinted that they paid for a tour guide, so he needed to do his job. Based on who was with us and who has been on this cruise, I can totally believe him. So it got me thinking, why are we as an American culture so self absorbed. Well it’s not everyone but in this case it would be about 50% of the people who were traveling with us. I have plenty of stories for all of you when I return about how inconsiderate this group of people where. It’s the idea that is you have money you are better than the help, but the funny part is these people aren’t it’s Holland America, not their own ship.

Anyhow, after everything settled down we got back on the bus and went to the next city of Miletus. Miletus has many great ruins, and the great part is you can explore them on your own. Then we had a great lunch of a Turkish stuff. I am glad they didn’t label it, I probably wouldn’t try it. Of course it was all good.

After lunch we went to the city of Didyma and the Temple of Apollo. This was the site for the largest oracle in Asia, so it was very well known in its time. It was first used by the Greek, then later used by the Romans and Christians as well. However the Greeks get the credit for this one. One thing that stuck me was the overall size of the temple. It was supposed to have 127 columns each about 80 feet high. As you can see from the photos the base on the columns is gigantic. You can image scaling this out to be complete. Then we made it back to the port with a little time for shopping. The first thing I heard was how little time people had, and I was so wanting for someone to say… “gosh if that guy wouldn’t have went and died think of all the extra time we would have” fortunately I didn’t hear that. I would have come unglued at that point. People are so insensitive. But what can you do? Besides be an example what can you do?

Today was a day of perspective. I could honestly see myself being that gentleman who passed on. What would I be leaving Brandi and then what type of life would I be having? It is time for some changes personally and professionally. I am not saying living every day for the experience, but I think it is time to start making some better choices. Although my career is very important and the financial blessing that come with it have provided for a good lifestyle for my wife and family, one thing this trip and these experiences have shown me is there is definitely more to life. Unfortunately it has to take a few kicks in the head for me to get it. Tonight is our last night on the ship, time to make the rounds and pass out the tips. A few crew members will be rewarded as they have gone over and above and above some more to help with our experience and with Oliver.

Tomorrow we arrive in Athens, than we fly to London for the weekend. Brandi, Oliver and I have a private tour scheduled to drive us around London on Saturday afternoon, and I think we are going to the British Museum and Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London on Friday. Then Sunday we spend the day flying home. I should be able to blog about London, depending on what we have going on. I’ll even mention the hotel we were going to stay at, then I read the reviews… we changed quickly. ]]> BrianO http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/111-ancient-cities-around-kusadasi-turkey.html http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/110-nesebur-bulgaria-swell-day.html Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:15:56 GMT Today we spent the day in Nesebur, Bulgaria. Nesebur is a Unesco site and is filled with many Byzantine ruins along cobblestone streets. Getting to... Today we spent the day in Nesebur, Bulgaria. Nesebur is a Unesco site and is filled with many Byzantine ruins along cobblestone streets. Getting to Nesebur was a challenge. We had to tender into the port, and the swells were about 4 to 7 feet. So the little tender was bouncing around a bit. However I have to admit the crew handled it with extreme professionalism, and extreme safety. This cruise has tons of older folks on it, so they really needed some help with all the bouncing around.

We didn’t do a tour today; we just strolled around the city. It was another nice day to just walk around the soak in the culture. It was in the 60’s so it was rather cool, but still worth the trip. It was overall a short day. Once we made it back to the ship (which I have some great video of the tender bobbing around in the ocean) we just had some lunch, then went and played cards with mom and dad.

Mom and Dad are watching Ollie tonight, so we went to comedy show. So far all the comedians on this ship don’t use any blue humor or drop f-bombs. It’s nice to see a cruise line taking this stand, it’s not needed and frankly the ones I have seen have been incredibly funny.

Tomorrow we are at sea, and then we have 1 day left in Turkey… then to Athens to fly to London for the weekend. Our vacation is coming to an end soon, and it’s time to start thinking about what we have to do when we get home. Home Again Home Again. ]]> BrianO http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/110-nesebur-bulgaria-swell-day.html http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/109-our-day-ukraine.html Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:15:37 GMT Today was our day in the Ukraine. We landed in Sevastopol and drove all through the Crimea region. Our first stop was the Swallows Nest Castle, which... Today was our day in the Ukraine. We landed in Sevastopol and drove all through the Crimea region. Our first stop was the Swallows Nest Castle, which of course is now a restaurant go figure. Then we continued on and made it to the summer home of Alexander the 3rd. It was a neat castle with some great gothic style accents.

After that we made our way over to the Livda Palace (pretty sure I spelled that wrong). It was the location of the Yalta Conference that was held after WWII. This was the famous meeting between, Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill. We got to see the table they all sat around, and got a great historical perspective.

Then we had a great lunch. It was at a restaurant that used to be the stables for the palace. We had a great waitress… that’s an in person story. Nothing I’ll post on the web. After that we made our way back to the ship. It was about a 1.5 hr drive each way so we had some time to look around.

Some interesting things to note, I saw more police presence in this area then I have ever seen before. According to the guide something was going on, and he thought it might be some higher ups coming in to town etc. Lots of people were pulled over kinda waiting for something, so that is probably a good guess. Also, I can tell you where the top secret submarine bases in for Russia in the Ukraine. Our guide pointed it out. Did you know that you can get a blue metal roof that looks just like the terra cotta tiles on Mediterranean style houses?

All in all, once again another city and country with people, just normal people. Oh and we have a person who is on the cruise who is wearing her Obama 08 button every where she goes. I just shake my head and walk away. Tomorrow we will be in Bulgaria. ]]> BrianO http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/109-our-day-ukraine.html http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/108-sochi-russia-site-2014-winter-olympics-kinda.html Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:15:17 GMT Today we spent the day in Sochi, Russia. Sochi is the site of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. The interesting part about Sochi is it’s a sub tropical... Today we spent the day in Sochi, Russia. Sochi is the site of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. The interesting part about Sochi is it’s a sub tropical climate. It’s a beach resort town on the black sea. But they are hosting the Winter Olympics… Well the actual games will be held about 50 km away. The unofficial story we got was that Putin owns lots of property in this area and stands to make a killing from the infrastructure that has to be built. Who knows.

The tour we went on today was to Stalin’s summer home in Sochi and a brief view of the city. Overall it was a nice city; the unfortunate part is you have to buy things in rubles. They won’t take the euro or the dollar, so they had a cruise ship full of Americans who they couldn’t sell cheap trinkets to since they wouldn’t exchange the currency. Anyhow, just another problem for them to solve.
Our guide was good and unfortunately many people in our group where just flat our rude to our 20 something guide. She has some interesting assets about her, that I discussed with Brandi. Brandi said she has chicken *******… my response was huh? I still don’t fully understand that one, so I guess it’s a girl thing. Stalin’s Summer Home is totally painted green and come to find out he was a bit paranoid, on and his wife now lives in Wisconsin with a last name of Peters. Who would have thunk it.

Tomorrow we are heading to the Ukraine. I told mom and dad I would ask the stupid American question if they wanted me to… “Where are all the mail over brides… I have scheduled a pickup”. Just kidding of course. Tomorrow I think we are going to Yalta to see where the Yalta accord etc was signed. So much history in this area. Our trip is slowing coming to an end. We had to change our hotel in the UK after I happened to find the reviews on it. We changed to a Marriott. I’ll fill you in on that one later. ]]> BrianO http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/108-sochi-russia-site-2014-winter-olympics-kinda.html http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/107-morning-sumela-monastery.html Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:14:52 GMT Today was our day in Trabzon, Turkey. Trabzon is a industrious port where they do lots of exports and has a great history. One of the main points of... Today was our day in Trabzon, Turkey. Trabzon is a industrious port where they do lots of exports and has a great history. One of the main points of interest is the Sumela Monastery. This was a Greek orthodox monastery that was built into the side of a hill. As you can see it was a site worth seeing. Over the years the Muslims have defaced a good deal of the frescos but fortunately we have a few that are still in tacked. This holy place used to have 3 icons. Once the monastery was closed the 3 were sent all over the world, one was sent to New York, another was sent to Greece and that last was sent to Ireland. The church wanted to make sure they would not be desecrated.

In order to get to the monastery we had to take a bus, then a mini bus, and then finally walk. It was a cold and rainy day and they were doing road work, so we had a nice muddy walk. Finally we made it to the path which was covered with tree roots and other obstacles you had to navigate around. Once you make it to the entrance you have yet more stairs to climb, then you can see the majesty of the location. Pictures don’t do justice to the beauty of the surroundings.

This was our only day so it made for a short half of a day trip which was nice so would could lounge around the ship a bit before dinner. Tomorrow we are heading to Russia. Russia will be interesting, we are using a local guide to see Stalin’s summer home. So I am curious what the guide is like, and how much they actually believe in their country. Time will tell. I have 3 monastery pictures, and a Brandi shot. Ollie and mom didn’t go today they decided to just stay around the boat. Based on the terrain it was probably for the best. ]]> BrianO http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/107-morning-sumela-monastery.html http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/106-istanbul-turkey-east-meets-west-says-hi.html Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:14:31 GMT Today was our day in Istanbul. What a city! It east meets west and old vs. new. Our day started with a tour to the Blue Mosque. It’s one of the... Today was our day in Istanbul. What a city! It east meets west and old vs. new. Our day started with a tour to the Blue Mosque. It’s one of the fixtures of the Istanbul skyline. I was surprised that we were able to enter in the Mosque. We had to take our shoes off and enter in. It was interesting to see the inside. All mosques are forbidden to have any pictures of any people etc in them, so they are generally decorated with patterns or flowers, especially tulips. The floor was covered with a beautiful carpet, like rugs. The good ones. It was very nice to walk around without shoes during the tour. Ollie even took off his socks and loved to sit on the runs and point out the flowers. It was a nice visit and we had a good guide so it added for a great time of explanation.

Next we traveled to the Tokapi (I think I am spelling it wrong) Palace, this is where the sultan of Turkey lived until he was forced out and modern turkey was formed. We had a nice lunch at a restaurant overlooking the Bosporus Straight, and then we moved on to the Grand Bazaar. Wow what can I say. I really liked the bazaar, we only scratched the surface on what to see and do. Think of it as a really really big market all indoors. I think it’s 34 acres, not sure on the number. It has many mosques built into the market itself. I would come back to Istanbul just for the market.

After the bazaar, we went to Haghia Sophia. Basically this was a church/mosque that predates the blue mosque. It has been a Christian church and a Mosque over its life and frankly I believe is more important and a better treasure then the blue mosque. It was originally a Christian church during the roman times, however all the frescos where covered over when it was a mosque, so fortunately a lot of the fresco’s where preserved when the Muslims covered them up with plaster. It was a great experience. Next we headed on the bus and went back to the ship.

Brandi and I enjoyed the bazaar so much we took a shuttle back to the bazaar and did some more shopping. I collect little monuments when we go places, so I needed to pick up a haghia Sophia and a blue mosque for the collection. Mom needed a few things as well, so while my parents stayed on the ship we Ollie, Brandi and I headed back out and make it to and from the bazaar without issue and had a blast.

We leave at 1:00am local time to head to Trabzon, Turkey where we plan on visiting the Selma Monastery. So we’ll see how that goes. Tomorrow is a sea day, so mom and dad have Ollie so we can sleep in. It’s a nice. ]]> BrianO http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/106-istanbul-turkey-east-meets-west-says-hi.html http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/105-our-ship-our-ship-our-ship-fire.html Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:12:10 GMT That was the 2:00am wakeup call we go this morning. When you board the ship they have you go over the life boat drill and what sounds the horns will... That was the 2:00am wakeup call we go this morning. When you board the ship they have you go over the life boat drill and what sounds the horns will make when we need to muster to our life boat, however they don’t cover the fire one. So our family and all the other old people on the ship got a wakeup call. It was just a simple electrical fire in a dishwasher until up on the lido deck, but still it was a awakening to the dangers at sea.

Back to the vacation, today was a day at sea. I spent the day sleeping and laying around. We watched 2 movies and then we went and played cards with my parents. It’s these times I enjoy the most. It’s nice to sit and listen to the wisdom and opinions to help shape and form your own decisions.

Tomorrow morning, we will be in Istanbul, and we will be touring the Blue Mosque, St Sofia’s, and the Grand Bazaar and many other places. I am sure I will have some more stories to tell, and experiences to share. Until then… the quest for my new hat continues. ]]> BrianO http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/105-our-ship-our-ship-our-ship-fire.html http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/104-argostoli-greece-just-another-greek-island.html Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:11:50 GMT Today we spent the day in Argostoli, Greece which is the island of Cephalonia. We went on a tour, our guide was Lee. She is a retired police officer... Today we spent the day in Argostoli, Greece which is the island of Cephalonia. We went on a tour, our guide was Lee. She is a retired police officer from the uk, who retired to the island a few years ago. She was the kind of guide who talked the whole tour and provided some great information and some personal items as well. It was nice to see how real people lived on the island and that you could actually retire and start fresh.

We went to the Melissani Lake, which is a sinkhole lake that you can take a small row boat ride in. It is also referred to as Pan’s Cave in some ancient literature. According to the text, lots of “freaky” things happened in the cave. Who knows? But I could see it happening. The beauty was in the clear water and the stillness in the water. You can see from the pictures and video.

We also spent some time in Fiskardo Village which is a small summer fishing village. It has a great tiny harbor where lots of folks can rent sail boats and sail the Greek islands. I talked to Brandi and that is something we might want to do some day. Well not really sail, but go there and rent a boat for a few days and just explore the beaches. There are many that are isolated, and you can go find one then spend the day all to yourself, and you can get lost in the overall beauty.

Tomorrow we are at sea on our way to Istanbul. We are going to the blue mosque and many other places around the city, and then we will head into the black sea. So I am sure I will have some great photos from there. Here is what have from today.

Oh Ollie has a bruised nose from the fall I mentioned in the last post, so that will be the marks in the photos if you see them. We are having a great time, and are looking forward to these next few ports. However the vacation is over half over so the reality if starting to set in… we do have to come home… ]]> BrianO http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/104-argostoli-greece-just-another-greek-island.html http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/103-saranda-albania-medieval-gjirokaster.html Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:11:32 GMT Today we spent the day in and around Saranda, Albania. Albania appeared to be a war torn country on the verge of collapse or at the very early of a... Today we spent the day in and around Saranda, Albania. Albania appeared to be a war torn country on the verge of collapse or at the very early of a rebuilding phase. It’s hard to say which way it will go. The buildings were partially finished, and almost looked like people gave up hope. One of the highlights of this port was the medieval city of Gjirokaster.

Gjirokaster was made a unesco protected city in the past 10 years or so and they have started to begin the restoration processes. Being that this was a communist country for so many years you have generational problems that seem to be plaguing more communist countries. The younger generations want to better themselves, however they seem to be lacking the wisdom and generational experience we get from our parents. These are just some of my personal observations and comments.

Gjirokaster is truly a unique city with excellent accents that make me thinking I am going into an harry potter movie or some time of dungeons and dragons game settings. Driving to the city we see the bunkers all over the countryside. In looking at the city we see a massive castle fortress at the top, and we can look over and down over the roofs of the houses. As you can see some of the houses are being restored, some aren’t. But as with anything it takes the motivation of the people and their dedication to make something happen.

We had a ok guide, she didn’t keep the group together well and she was a younger girl, and she was guiding a group of fat Americans… slow down. She was asked some culture questions on the bus ride back to the ship, so she began to gives up the drug, alcohol and sex life of the Albanian youth. It was quite amusing to say the least. We never did figure out which guest was stupid enough to ask the questions in the first place. That was an interesting and informative discussion of course.

We have left Albania on our way to another port in Greece. Tomorrow we will be at anchor in Argostoli, Greece. Then we have Istanbul, and then we will be touring through the black sea. I am still looking for my new hat. I’ll keep you all update since I know you are on pins and needles. Oh Ollie fell out of a chair and landed face first on the ground. So I am in the cabin with him while Brandi and my parents are at dinner. I think I could get a hang of this being a dad thing. Don’t tell anyone. ]]> BrianO http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/103-saranda-albania-medieval-gjirokaster.html http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/102-dubrovnik-croatia-ancient-walled-city.html Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:11:06 GMT Today we spent the day in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Dubrovnik is a beautiful walled city right on the coast. We didn’t do a tour, so we leisurely left the... Today we spent the day in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Dubrovnik is a beautiful walled city right on the coast. We didn’t do a tour, so we leisurely left the ship and took a shuttle into town. Most of the day was spent walking around the whole city on the top of the city wall. We found a café for lunch and had some great pizza. The weather was great, kinda cool not hot but very humid.

It was a rough walk around the city, lots of stairs. However it gave some great perspective views of the city. I loved looking at the rooflines and chimneys. It’s great that this city has been mostly preserved. In the 1991 the city was damaged in the civil war with the Serbians. You’ll notice in the pictures the new roofs vs. the old roofs. The new roofs where the ones that were damaged in the war. However there are a few old ones left over. Once the war was over the city was put back together and is becoming a great tourist destination for Europeans. Croatia is famous for its neck ties. I couldn’t find one I liked, so I didn’t pick up one.

I found a shop that had fedoras. I think I want to get one, time to put the orange hat to rest and move to a new more grown up hat. Oliver is the most popular person on the ship. Everyone knows him, and they all want to give him high 5’s. It was probably a good time to bring Oliver on the cruise. Lots of the staff have children that they don’t see for a year at a time. Most of the cruise staff is from Indonesia or the Philippines. So they are able to love on Oliver. Also since he is still fun and mostly well behaved this has worked out well. Dinners are a challenge since he doesn’t want to sit long, however 99% of the cruise passengers are grandparents, so no one seems to mind and they all understand. So far, Brandi and I would be voted parents of the year in most of the passenger’s eyes, if they only knew hehe.

I think if I can find a new hat I might pick one up. Tomorrow we are going to Sarande, Albania. I am not sure what to expect there, as you know it’s always an adventure. Oh and here is a cute picture of Ollie. He was so tired last night he fell asleep on his bed which is the couch while he was sitting up. ]]> BrianO http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/102-dubrovnik-croatia-ancient-walled-city.html http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/101-rome-short-day.html Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:10:49 GMT Today we spent the day in Rome. Our ship landed about 1.5 hrs away from Rome, so that was 3 hrs of our day. However for our short day trip we were... Today we spent the day in Rome. Our ship landed about 1.5 hrs away from Rome, so that was 3 hrs of our day. However for our short day trip we were able to see all the highlights. We spent time at the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, The Forums, The Coliseum and many other places. We also were able to do a drive by of Vatican City.

The good part about this trip was it was a quick tour of the highlights. I now have a great perspective on what I want to go back and see. Brandi and I are already talking about what we want to see and where we want to stay. We had an overall good day. We walked around the city and found a great little restaurant on a small square. Really it ended up being a triangle but who cares. I had a pizza; it was the cracker crust with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, nothing more. I had to admit it was one of the best pizza’s I have ever had. The company and the setting helped a bit too.

Tonight we set sail on the second part of our journey. We are setting sail for the black sea area. Our first stop is in Croatia I think. Basically since we have all the excursions picked our already we just wake up and look at the port and our day is already planned. A no thinking vacation. We are looking forward to a few days at sea here and there, and then we are planning on just going into the city on a few ports and just finding a café, and having some coffee and ice cream. Here are a few pictures from today. Tomorrow we are at sea, so I probably won’t have an update. But I am using the computer less and less, so this is an improvement.

Oh, do you want to know something funny? I had to show the “internet manager” on the ship what he needed to do to let me use my laptop from my room. He finally said, you obviously know more than I do so here is the username/password just let me know what you did. I love technology. ]]> BrianO http://forums.christian-chat.net/blogs/briano/101-rome-short-day.html