Bangkok

Thailand

November 12, 2023

My Dear Friend,

I recently exchanged correspondence with Michael G., an old, old American friend.  Mike and I went to kindergarten together in the Bronx.  We attended each other’s Bar Mitzvah.

Mike is troubled by current events in Israel and Gaza. 

Mike expresses the historical perspective that is commonly held by Jews of our generation. For Gaza he blames Hamas.  He is angry with the youth and their demonstrations at universities in the United States.  He is fearful of the rise of antisemitism.

Mike writes, “It is a shame that in the last years of our lives we must deal with Covid and now antisemitism at a scale larger than anything since World War II. “

In frustration Mike confesses, “I have no answers.”

Despite our different viewpoint on some issues, my old friend still holds me in high regard:

Mike asks, “Jan, what do you think should be done to save our world?”

Jomtien Beach

Chon Buri Province

Thailand

March 6, 2023

Hello,

The current selection of our Travel Book Club is The Border by Erika Fatland:

A Journey around all the countries that border Russia: North Korea, China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Norway and The Northeast Passage.

The Book is divided into four sections: The Ocean, Asia, The Caucasus and Europe.

For The Ocean, please click on the image above for my photographs of Kirkenis and the Northern Cape of Norway, and the Svalbard archipelago at the western edge of the Northeast Passage.

Jan

Bangkok

Thailand

March 10, 2023

Hello

Even an experienced traveler like author Erika Fatland becomes exasperated with the inflexible restrictions in North Korea.

In Kazakhstan she was totally blocked from visiting the Russian-controlled Cosmodrome.

Erika loses her patience with the traffic in Ulaan Baatar. She is much happier in the wide-open spaces of the Gobi and the mountain regions of central Mongolia.

As a native Norwegian, the frigid temperatures of ice- bound Harbin, China must have been no problem at all.

Ms. Fatland reminds us of sage travel advice: “When visiting Asia you need two personal characteristics: “Patience and a Sense of Humor.”

Jan

Jomtien Beach

Thailand

March 16, 2023

In The Border: A Journey Around Russia, Erika Fatland outlines the history and current disputes in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia.

In addition to the capital cities Baku, Yerevan and Tbilisi, Erika visits the disputed areas of Nagorno-Karabakh, South Ossetia, and Abkhazia.  The disputes seem intractable while local populations try to survive.

During more stable times my own visit to the Caucasus was filled with beautiful scenery, and generous people.