The Last Entry

We had our group dinner in The Plaka tonight under the lights of the Acropolis. The vibe in the air was quietly electric. A few hours earlier we sat in a circle in a room at the hotel and shared memories. Sounds hokey, but it was not. Some of the stories we had heard before, but they sounded even better in this heightened forum. We also heard some confessional incidents that belong under the what-happened-in-Europe-stays-in-Europe variety. Afterward, we carried that healthy buzz to dinner. Now its late, and the Dreamers are ready to go home. If we can make our tight transfers--the girls in Atlanta and the boys at JFK--then the story ends, but the dream will . . . I guess this is getting hokey afterall. Let me finish up with more pictures. Props to Coach Hall for another successful trip. Thanks to Casandra Robinson for contributing some beautiful shots to the oeuvre. I wish Brad Dessy a safe journey throughout Spain and email me Brad with tips on Valencia. I'm back for three days, then off with family to South Dakota. Then in two weeks my family and I fly to Barcelona for a home exchange. I won't be blogging, however, so auf weidersehn and arrivederci.

Truly but wryly,

The Literary Vagabond

Rhodes

We're in Santorini now. Here are two pictures of the fun we had in Rhodes. The big news is that for the first time ever neither CHall or LV will represent in the finals of the Hearts tournament. Forest, Eric B., Liz., and Crista made it to the finals which are tonight. More later.
LV

Yale, Northwestern, and Stanford

We have many talented students on our trip, but I caught these three scholars in a pool in Rhodes. They have some worries coming up: Rachel, going to Yale, is worried about classes, Lindsey, is concerned about those cold Chicago winters, and Katie, is anxious about her yet unknown roommate. These three, based on their competent traveling ways, have nothing to worry about, in my opinion. They’ve been seen together often on the trip, and two of the three bought matching ankle bracelets in Mykonos. Guess which two?

Summer reading: Secular and Sacred

The arc of my summer reading has gone, not coincidentally, from pop trash detective thriller to Asian pop literary to high old world literary to sacred religious theology. On the plane trip over I started listening to an audio book by bestselling crime writer John Sandford called Invisible Prey. What an excellent way to throw off the mortal coil of the school year and swim in the hardboiled world of Lucas Davenport. By Bruges, he had solved the art theft mystery, and I was onto real reading with Haruki Murakami’s brand new—purchased in London—After Dark, a terrific midnight-to-dawn story of a college girl in Japan who missed the last train home and is forced to hole up at the all-night diner. Murakami said in last week’s NY Times book review that he learned how to write by listening to jazz music. This book—while not likely his best—has great rhythm and then, just when you’ve settled in to a knowing melody, explodes with spontaneously improvised solos. In Prague I purchased I Served the King of England by Milan Kundera’s favorite Czech writer Bohumil Hrabal. This hilariously bawdy communist-era tale about a busboy at the Golden Prague Hotel reminds me of The Confederacy of Dunces. Three for Three, I was. As we neared Ephesus and Patmos, I was preparing with Bart Ehrman’s Peter, Paul and Mary Magdalene, his historical take on these three New Testament giants. Ehrman, who is head of the Religious Studies department at the University of North Carolina, is a former Evangelical-turned-agnostic scholar with a very reassuring and calm voice who is an expert on the Gnostic, non-canonical books of early Christianity. You know, the books that did not make the original 27 of the Bible. His book on the Da Vinci Code is the most convincing because he can read Greek, Aramaic and many other ancient texts. He has interesting views--he does not believe Mary was once a prostitute, for example. While you might say he lost his religion, he has great reverence for any religious text.

So that brings us to Ephesus, and the incredible ruins we all walked this morning. Right now, incidentally, I’m sitting at an Osteria, on the Island of Patmos eating lightly fried small fish—am I supposed to eat the heads, too? People around me are—and drying out. An hour earlier some boys from our tour tossed me, salad-like, into the Mediterranean Sea. I felt good, because I had just walked up in 95-degree heat to the acropolis or rather the Apokalypsis, of this small island to St. John’s Cave—the one in which he supposedly wrote Revelations. So holy is this cave-chapel that every Pope, I was told, has visited. But let’s back up to Ephesus.

With 240,000 people, Ephesus was the third biggest city of the ancient world. Roma was one and Alexandria two. Roman ruler Marc Anthony was originally from Ephesis and Cleopatra made a dramatic visit. Shockingly, the two walked hand-in-hand up to the opulent, marble-paved city center. Only 25% has been excavated, but it’s still a wonderland. This was our best tour of the trip and you can see the fabled ruins from the pictures. (I have to commend some travelers for always huddling close to our tour guides to soak up knowledge: these include Arwin, Kevin, Katie, Casandra, Shawn, Crista, Brad D., Daryl C., Eric W., Amanda, Carrie G. Candice, Emily, Rachel and April. These are off the top of my head. I know I’m missing some. Phewy.) Anyway, when Paul, formerly Saul, preached in the amphitheater of Ephesis, the shop owners organized against him. They attempted to boo him out. When that didn't work they arrested him. He ended up in Roma at the Colesseum where he was beheaded two years later, I believe. But the shop owners were not really against him or Christianity as a religion. They merely feared that if people converted to Christianity they would stop buying their statuettes of the Goddess Athena etc.

I'm just starting it seems, but my time at this internet cafe is running out. I apologize for sloppy spelling and proofreading. I'm writing at a torrid pace and plan to clean things up later in the summer. I have gone bck and added pictures and you should double back from time to time--if anyone is reading. It really doesn't matter one way or another. I enjoy having a summer project.

Wryly but truly,

LV

Corinthian Canal

We are on the Greek Island of Mykonos and the sun is setting on these dreamers and this lovely white-washed town. Many, many tourist, it's true. But anyone can find a lonely outcroping or crag to watch the sun go down. Our ferry ride to Greece went smoothly--everything is going smoothly now. This is an easy group, a high functioning group. Hall and I are lucky.

On the way to Athens, we stopped for Souvlaki as Bryant and Jennifer S. are showing to you. This was 110 steps from the Corinth Canal and I have two more sun-going down shots for you. Jennifer R. shows her smile--she's been smiling the whole trip. Crista S. and Natasha B. also are enjoying the view of this deepest of man-made gorges. Crist and I have been trying to figure out which monuments were named to the new Wonders of the World. News is hard to come by. We think we know six of the seven. The Coliseum, Great Wall of China, Stonehedge, The Egyptian Pyramids, The Taj Mahal, The Acropolis and what else? I hope it's Machu Picchu or Tikal. Let me know.

Oh, yes, here's one more picture of Liz with her MooShoo. We got into Athens late, and I think she was getting a little homesick. April and Cleo are listening to her talk to a stuffed cow. We stay so busy that most don't have time to reflect. But we all have those moments. I've had more than my fair share. Hey Barb, Maddy, Nora, Jake, and Louis--I miss and love you all.

Truly,

LV

Sumi and Gil

Darrell Sumi and Joon Gil have been collecting posters along the way. I’m very impressed. Anytime they go to a museum they look for an artistic copy of a classic painting or an artist's rendition of Florence’s Ponte Vecchio. I’m not usre how they are going to get them back unbent, but if they do, they’ll have a nice dormroom collection. Here’s a picture while we were waiting for the ferry that takes us from Ancona, Italy to Patras, Greece. Maerjon made it in the picture but Jeff Lee did not. Next time, Jeff.

LV

Caffe’ Sant Eustachio vs. Caffe Tazzo D’Oro vs. Peet’s

Michael Sin was one of three people to buy coffee beans at the legendary Sant’ Eustachio il Caffe in Rome. (Marcello and LV also came away with beans—and boy, do our suitcases smell good.) There are two famous coffee shops near The Pantheon--Caffé Tazzo D’Oro has a corner view of the edifice. Both have ardent admirers.. Both started in the 1940s using the first Gaggia Espresso Machines. Both have variations on espresso drinks, but adhere to the simple single cappuccino as the yardstick drink. Don’t try ordering a double cap.

Incidentally, few Italians will drink a cappuccino after lunchtime. They’ll step up to the counter order an espresso for 90 cents, grab a sugar cube, put it between their teeth, crank head back and slowly pour the black, oily demitasse contents through the cube into the mouth. That’s taking a shot of espresso, man. Men seem to come back three or four times a day. It is a beautiful, bittersweet taste and when you’re standing in front of the Pantheon it’s magnificent. Some say it’s the water, which arrives via the aqueducts; some say it’s the baristas; some say it’s the beans. I think it’s the atmosphere and tradition as much as anything. The Italians are never going to innovate or attempt to get the best beans possible. Synesso espresso machines made in Seattle are more precise than the best Italy has to offer. I’ve had a better cappuccino at Peet’s—and then an even better one at Monmouth Coffee in London. Don’t get me wrong: It’s worth the pilgrimage. But I am a coffee geek, maybe even a snob. That said, Tazzo D’Oro makes the best granita in the western hemisphere, using iced coffee crystals that makes for a refreshing but rich summer dessert. Just ask Drew, David, Nick and Aaron.

Spotlight on Michael Sin

Michael Sin is a quiet young man with a sotto voce voice who will invariably surprise you with his cultural wherewithal and his ability to soak up city idiosyncrasies. He really knows cars and car makes and models and styles and engines. Others on this trip also know this--evidently, the Audi A5 has been spotted—but can they also cook? Michael can. Let’s call him the Gastronomic Car Enthusiast. Or the Gourmet Mechanic.

Taking advantage of his apartment kitchen in Florence, Michael made bruschetta for his roommates. He went to a farmer’s market and bought bread, buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes, olive oil, and arugula. He toasted and presented it to them--plus a few girls--while they were playing hearts, preparing for The Big Cruise Tournament. Reviews were overwhelmingly positive.

Here’s a picture of Michael in front of the coliseum. Thee coliseum.

Rome in a Day or The Tourists Have Landed

Thirty-eight of us went to Rome. We spread out and devoured it. Or vice versa. The tourists have descended upon Rome, I am afraid. I have gone for the last four years and each year it’s more crowded—lots and lots and lots of people. Some weathered the long lines of The Vatican and others bolted. It was hard to escape the heat, but, alas, the heat, this year, was not insufferable.

I met some dreamers midday at the Pantheon and we walked to the Coliseum. A tour leader most lead, I suppose, but I’ll admit our path was not a straight line. We took some interesting narrow streets away from the throngs until we arrived at The Forum. We actually had such a pleasant walk and talk about nothing and everything that our Roman Holiday will be molto buon memorable. These were the students with whom I walked: Paige, Amanda, Skyler, Reina, Jennifer S., Daryl, and Emily. Michael, and Daniel caught up later.

Truly but wryly,

LV

Some pictures

Yes, I realize I haven't said much about London, Brugge or Paris. You'll have to ask your son or daughter about The Ice Bar, the bike ride to Sluice or The Louvre. Instead of retreading let me throw down some pictures. We have some extraordinary photographers on this trip. I wish I could use their pictures, but they don't have SD cards. I'm talking about Brad Dessy's urban shots of the Venice canals, Bryant DeRoy's nature shots of the Belgium countryside, and Marcello Calcagnotto's artistic Monemartre pictures. But I've got a few tooa nd here they are.

I'm also mindful of the fact that not everyone has shown up yet in photos and not everyone has been mentioned. but I'm keeping tabs. It'll happen.

Truly,
LV

Firenze and Roma

Well we're in Florence at our favorite hotel of the whole trip. This is a family-run Gothic classic with real art on the walls and real genuine service. Massimo and daughter Sara run the place with Italian zeal, hearty laughs and compassionate attention to the patron's needs. Nico, Daniella, and Jimmy have been working here every year we've come. They are as loyal to us as they are to Massimo. However, Sara is the blessing behind the bustle of 56 dreamers trying to navigate the winding streets of Firenze. She directs them not only to The Duomo, Signoria Square, and The Statues of David--there are two copies also in town--but to the train station, the laundromat, the ATM, and cheapest grocery store. I didn't get one of Sara, but here's THall and Massimo and also Nico serving us the best cappuccino Florence has to offer.. The third pic is the The Albion Hotel. If you come to Florence, by all means stay here.

Tomorrow morning I'm taking many kids to Rome. Yes, we'll see Rome in a day. This is not an official agenda item. It will cost each 66 Euros for the round trip train fare. We think the dreamers are doing OK with money, but they'll be pinching in the last week.

Truly but wryly,
LV

Spotlight on Steven Suh

Steven Suh is one of the more popular dreamers this year. He is easy going, friendly, politie and funny. He seems to be having a great time and enjoys the group dynamics. Nothing seems to phase Steven. His wallet slipped out one of his pockets on the coach and Leto, our Italian bus driver, was nowhere to be found to retrieve it. We were in Prague and Leto wouldn’t be needed for a few days. Steven was without money for 40 hours but he was not miffed. In Salzburg he got a bloody nose while playing hearts at the Augustiner. Later, in Venice he dropped three fancy merano-glass gifts and two broke. But he took it in stride. That’s just the way he is. For some reason he got the nickname The Grey Bear.

One night I heard some loud thumping above my room and went to check it out. Turns out The Grey Bear was wrestling five other guys at once. They were laughing and having a swell time. C Hall and I have since put an end to Hotel Room wrestling, we think. Steven later said it was the craziest fun he's had because he pinned 'em all. (I personally doubt he could beat Kahnke). He said his favorite city so far has been Prague because he had his dancing shoes on at the 5-story disco.

Here's two pics--In the first he's seen with Justin Suh, another excellent traveler.
Cheers to Steven Suh.

Salzburg ist Gemutlichkeit

This morning 50 out of 56 kids rented bicycles and are either headed to the mountain the Austrians call Untersberg or are tooling around the Sound of Music do-re-me streets. The other six are hiking. As mentioned before, we love it when these kids get up and challenge themselves. They think they have free will, but it is the city, three days new, that wakens them. The smaller cities embolden a sometimes-false confidence in the girls and a faux braggadocio in the boys. Fine. Let them feel capable. But we are in Hansel and Gretel country. This city drops crumbs.

Salzburg counts as a small city. It is lovely. It is safe. It’s gemutlichkeit. It beckons and whispers, “Explore.” Kids sense the zeitgeist of the city and comply unwittingly to the 500 year old sensibility. My view, as I type, is your view. What do you think? You will not rot in your hotel room today. The river knows your name. The Augustiner calls your bluff, and the fortress carries you up into exulted heights.

Last night Emily, Maerjon, Cleo, Kevin, Daryl, Eric W., Bryant W. and Lonnie K. experienced the dulcet sounds of a string quartet plus a piano in this fortress, called Hohenstein Schloss and today many more will go. Who’d a thunk we had such a highbrow group? They dressed up, ate dinner and fell into a lovely sleep--no trance—as the musicians finished with the piece de resistance Mozart number, “Eine Kleine Nacht Music.” – Oh, those Deutschlanders sure do the internal rhyme well. My favorite “I licht dich nicht.” = I like you not. (OK, I like the sound not the sentiment.). Anyway, you know this Mozart vignette. It goes like this: dump, da dump, da dump da dump da dump . . .(now accelerando) dump de dump de dump de dump de dump. Brrrumpta da dump de dad a da, Brumpta de dump de dad a da.” I doubt it was as good as the performance we witnessed two days ago in Salzburg Altstadt. A man playing Ravel’s Bolero on water-filled wine glasses mesmerized us. I had to explain to the kids why this piece goes on and on—17 minutes, in my memory. They were not old enough to know the movie 10 with Bo Derek and Dudley Moore. Sorry if I’m corrupting their youth.

I don’t have a picture of the concert but this group (plus Daniel L.) was lucky enough to have dinner in Paris at the historic Chartier with Coach Hall and LV. Here are some pictures. It looks like Kevin is watching the waiter draw pictures on the tablecloth, but he’s merely sizing up the math. I guess those Parisan proportions were not enough as they all crossed the street to nab the vender’s crepes.

Coach Hall has made this Europe trip for 12 years in a row and he has his favorite “Magic Crepe” stand in Paris as well as his “Magic Bosna” stand in Salzburg. The way he describes the wunderbar taste of each bite at both places elicits ohhs and ahhs and long lines. The price is right and the taste is, again, gemutlichkeit. ( I’m not sure what gemutlichkeit means but it is my favorite German word and alternative-country, bluegrass singer Robbie Fulks uses it in his song called “I’m Gonna Take you Home (and Make you Like me).” I'm quite certain it’s the first known use of the word in a country music song. Per my waiter: use it when a group of friends is sitting around and having a nice conversation. Es ist Gemutlich. Put the omlaut over the u, too.

It’s 2:35 now and the forecasted rain has held back. The bike-dreamers shall survive. Yesterday was a beautiful warm day. After our glorious tour of the Salzburg Mines and Hell Bruin, the castle with trick water fountains, we broke up into bosna groups and many ended up at the Augustiner to play cards. In the pictures, notice Liz Liz dodging the surprise water guns. Her body language captured the unsuspecting fun of the day.

We have more kids playing in the hearts tournament this year and are practicing—and practice they need—for the real tournament on the cruise. The Augustiner Church has a beautiful food court and garden. The Marzen they serve has religion trapped in the tiny carbonated bubbles escaping upwards. At one time we had five tables of hearts going—and the snitzel wasn’t bad either. LV, merely studying the obvious tendencies of the players in his group, let Forest win, with Eric B. and Erik K. tying for second. Coach Hall shot the moon twice in a dramatic comeback win over Tyrone, Brad and Amanda.

This just in: rain and pictures from Untersberg featuring Casandra, Shaun, Kevin, Aaron, David, Matt M., Erik K, Brad G., Colby and Nick.

Truly but wryly,

LV