I was recently hospitalized for four weeks in Budapest for a serious emergency surgery. There were numerous experiences to record in my blog during this time but because of the remnant effects of the anesthesia, it is often difficult for me to determine reality from my vivid imagination. One, though, is certain when my nurse Etta required me to wear pajamas citing in easily understandable English “No nudie in hospital!”
Tag: Barry Day
Exploration at Aquincum – a Roman Empire Outpost
In a few months I will have lived in various places in Europe for four years. My explorations have spanned geography from the Iberian peninsula in the west to the mountains of Transylvania in the east. One thing is consistent in every location, the Romans have been there.
The vastness of the Roman Empire is difficult for me to comprehend. In the history of mankind, their story is relatively recent. Even so, I find it to be more than a simple curiosity. And such it has been in my exploration of Aquincum, the Roman provincial capital of Pannonia Inferior. Aquincum is a treasure trove of antiquities such as the limestone statue of Nemesis, the goddess of fate, created in the 2nd century.
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Asheville, North Carolina – The Weird City Wannabe
Recently I and my brother and his wife visited Asheville, North Carolina. Asheville is a beautiful “Southern” city situated on the edge of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in the western part of the state. There are aspects of Asheville that are quirky or strange. However, I don’t think it has yet demonstrated sufficient quirky qualities to truly be considered “weird.”
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Images of Love on Valentine’s Day
Over the past few years I have traveled throughout several countries in Europe. Along the way I have been snapping photos of those showing their affection. My plan was in contemplation of posting the photos for Valentine’s Day… the day we think of love, whether good, bad or none at all.
This story is about the photos… those sharing their love in public. I did ask for people to let me take their photo (and use it in the blog) and once I explained what I was doing, almost everyone agreed.
I hope you like seeing the photos and that they bring nice thoughts for you and a smile to your face.
My Roman Wall Exploration in Lugo, Galicia, España
Having lived in Andalusia in the southern part of Spain, I was aware of history of Phoenicians, Romans, Moors, historical events related to the Reconquest, etc…. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when traveling north to the Galician city of Lugo.
Journeying all day by train, olive trees gave way to evergreens and flat land became more extreme with high hills, small snow-capped mountains, and very rocky terrain. My observations, although interesting, were not my motivation to go to Lugo, however.
I had learned about the 1700 year old, completely intact, Roman city wall constructed in Lugo. The wall is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it was my principle attraction to the city.
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Exploring Phoenicians, Romans and Other Civilizations in Cádiz, España
I find it fascinating that through remnants of past civilizations, archaeologists, sociologists, and historians can piece together, interpret, and explain how our ancient ancestors lived and impacted present civilization. Today we record so much about our history and what’s happening in our lives. But in many cases in the areas surrounding the Mediterranean Sea we still seek to reveal the mysteries of great ancient civilizations.
Throughout my explorations in Europe it has been easy to see that the Romans have been there! And I have only scratched the surface with my stories about Pula in Croatia, Tuln in Austria, Ljubljana in Slovenia, Cluj-Napoca in Romania, Cordoba in Spain, and in Malta.
I was delighted that I found not only remnants of Roman society from the 1st century BC in Cadiz but also excellent artifacts left by ancient Phoenicians beginning in the 6th and 7th centuries BC. This story is about my memories of the Phoenician settlement of “Gadir,” the Roman town of “Gades,” the Moor city “Qādis” (Arabic from which the name Cadiz is derived) and “Old Town” Cadiz.
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My Mole Misadventure
When I was beginning my working career my parents and others tried hard to understand exactly what I did. As I made several noble attempts on numerous occasions to describe what a computer programmer’s work entailed, there was no comprehension of it… and subsequent promotions made it even more difficult.
Finally, in desperation I agreed with their thought that I really worked for the CIA and was using “computer programmer” as a cover. They found that to be much more acceptable even though the company I worked for and my occupation had nothing to do with “the company” (as the CIA is often referred to) or being a spy.
However, a few years ago I was a “mole…” but not in the context of espionage. This is my story about an incident I had in the former Yugoslavia.
Eating Acorns on the Iberian Peninsula
I am a very discerning eater as many will tell you. As you may know, my ancestors have descended from nobility where they roamed the hills on the Iberian Peninsula and flourished by foraging for their (and my) favorite foods.
To this day our feasts include rare delights and delicacies appropriate for our station in life. This is my story about my family’s life in central Spain near La Alberca.
Peeing to Sounds of The Blue Danube Waltz
My blog exploration adventures are presently followed by people in 56 countries. During the past two and a half years, my regular readers know that I like to write about interesting aspects of my life during my travels. Sometimes my topics get a bit personal. Even though I have readers, I remind myself that I write this blog for myself and I try hard to not offend anyone.
In past stories I have reflected on the effects of apricots in “Are You Regular?” and the potency of wines while lamenting in “One Too Many.” In the spirit of the song “Dance to the Music,” I present my story, “Peeing to Sounds of The Blue Danube Waltz.”
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Holocaust Remembered at Mauthausen and in Vienna
How do I write a story with a theme that is intensely horrific? How can I grapple with remnants of history and do it in a way that makes sense of an extremely painful period of human existence?
How can I write a story with full knowledge that it will be incomplete, inadequate, and certainly more deserving than the feeble words I present?
It is with these questions that I write a story that I have avoided for two years even though I knew I wanted to write it. This story is about my exploration of the Mauthausen Concentration Camp in Austria and Vienna’s “Nameless Library” Memorial to its 65,000 Jewish victims of the Holocaust.
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Barry's Adventures Following Retirement 