We’ve got more catching up to do in Europe…

This is the second of several postings that I could not make due to problems with Safari.

 

The Cinqueterre was wonderful. Internet reception was worse than in my apartment in Alba Adriatica. I never thought such a thing could be possible. But, with only 3G available in a tiny community along the seashore hemmed in by mountains, I suppose it was to be expected. This is why all my postings are so late.

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Playing catch-up in Europe

This is one of several postings that should have been made a couple of weeks ago. For some reason, I was completely unable to access WordPress or my blog via Apple’s Safari for nearly two weeks. I am now using a different web browser.

 

May 18, 2015

Nine hours of travel today.

I’m on my way to the Cinqueterre to hook up with some friends from my old church in Salem, Oregon. I can’t wait. Firstly, because it will be great to see someone from home. Secondly, because it will be fun to play host and show off my rudimentary Italian.

For quite a distance I will be sitting on this train cruising along the Adriatic Sea, sometimes twenty-five feet from the water. The sun is out, temps are in the sixties early this morning and there’s not a cloud in the sky. The train is comfortable, if a bit crowded. Indeed, I was not expecting so many people. Perhaps this leg of the trip is more crowded since it’s a regional train taking me to Ancona where I will switch onto a different train for Parma. From Parma I will switch once again for Monterosso.

Europe, travel, genealogy, adoption and “the book”

Never has writing been as hard as it has been lately. It’s after midnight right now and I’ve just finished chatting with several people on Facebook and it somehow motivated me to put pen to paper. Or, rather, fingers to keyboard.

I’m throwing around ideas for this second book. I had initially thought about writing it along the lines of Alex Hailey’s approach to his masterpiece, Roots. I’ve been thinking about writing it as a series of letters to my nephew, my brother’s son, telling him his heritage, incorporating my brother’s fascinating life. I’ve even got a working title already.

No, I’m not going to reveal it.

The genealogical search in Ukraine is over. Is the book over, too?

After nearly a week back home in Italy, I’m finding it virtually impossible to write. The desire has vanished and I can’t figure out why. A rehash…

I traveled to Krakow, Warsaw and Lviv to research my biological mother’s side of the family. Armed with only the most basic of information gleaned from Ancestry.com, I flew to Krakow. I had scheduled myself for three weeks in that architecturally and culturally stunning city to do my research.

Genealogy and Adoption, “Try and love again”–thank you, Eagles

I haven’t felt much like writing. After last weekend’s monumental experience, I decided I needed to veg out for awhile and that’s what I did. I went to lunch. I went to dinner, I charged around Lviv and marveled at the architecture. I took in a performance of Don Juan at the spectacular Opera House.

Today I had my last dinner with my new cousin, Viktor and his family. However, I have been graciously invited by his son, Victor, for dinner on Monday night right before my departure early Wednesday morning for Italy.