Typhoon Haiyan
It began with a whiff of a distant breeze.Old Paco Salvador knew what that meant. He'd been on the Phillipine shores all his life. He'd lost three children and his last wife. Paco felt the change in windThe sudden power of a wind within.That inner...
Maps of Africa
Each of these four maps of Africa has a story to tell about Africa.For my stories about Africa, please scroll down to the index on the right called "Other Schrapnel" where you'll see "Africa Tales" and "Congo Stories."This first map shows the great green belt that...
Last Tour Days
I thought I'd spend one last day as a tourist here in Lisbon, Portugal. So if you want to catch a glimpse of Lisbon, then tune right in. These are the famous streetcars, notably filled with tourists. And the route uphill to the famous castle. ...
Parting Shots of Europe
As I get set to fly back to Canada, I leave you with a few of the photos that didn't make onto the first team roster. First, some of the folks of Europe. ...
“Everybody’s Texting at Me
But I can't hear the words they're sayin, must be the echoes in my mind." If yer old enough, you'll remember the great song done by Harry Nilsson. The lyrics go something like this: "everybody's talkin at me, I can't hear a word their sayin, must...
East Europe’s People and Places
A friend I met somewhere along this long road said that there are, generally speaking, two types of urban environments. There are those where the people stand out and are the most important feature. Then there are those where the infrastructure dominates: the...
The Germans Invade Bratislava, Slovakia
Sure that news is some sixty-four years old. But today German troops were back on the streets of Bratislava This was a unique way to celebrate the end of the Second World War here in 1944. It seems that in 1939, the Slovak government was largely cooperative...
A Flight Through Italy and the Balkans
These are some photos of my highlights and lowlights of a trip through Italy, the countries that used to be Yugoslavia, then into Bulgaria, Romania and ending here in Budapest, Hungary. It's just a quick spin to give you a feel about these great places with all kinds...
Caves at Postojna, Slovenia
Yes indeed. Once again I went to place I'd never heard of before. Talk about not planning your trip ahead. Even so, it's the surprises en route that sometimes surprise the most. This cave, or perhaps these caves expresses the scene better, go for some 20...