“Travels to a Different Time” : 2July1974: Do I Choose the Vodka, Girls and Party Option? Doing Business on the Black Market

To my surprise flying to Bucharest from Bacău is cheaper than the bus! So I bought a ticket for $2 leaving later in the day. My ticket on Tarom is a simple piece of cardboard saying Bacău-Bucresti. I head back into town to grab some breakfast but the line-ups for bread and meats were incredible.Continue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 2July1974: Do I Choose the Vodka, Girls and Party Option? Doing Business on the Black Market”

“Travels to a Different Time : 1July1974: Bacău, Romania: Diary Disaster: East German Circus and Propaganda Film: Dirty Glasses

I am slowly recovering from hell. I lost three weeks of diary to the rain. Like a turkey I set up my tent at an angle on a hill and it rained and everything in my tent was soaked including my diary. The receptionist at the campground tried to cheer me up and showed meContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time : 1July1974: Bacău, Romania: Diary Disaster: East German Circus and Propaganda Film: Dirty Glasses”

“Travels to a Different Time” : 19August1973: Getting Stared at by the Provincials in Bonn and Ending up in Philadelphia

Woke up in the hospital with all limbs intact. Tidied up and Michael arrived and Heidi shortly after with some breakfast. Heidi had to be in surgery in another hospital some 4 kms away so we drove her there. Michael took me on a tour of Bonn and after we met Heidi for lunch atContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 19August1973: Getting Stared at by the Provincials in Bonn and Ending up in Philadelphia”

“Travels to a Different Time” : 18August1973: Heidelberg/Köln, Germany: Woken up by Shrieking Elephants and Screaming Tropical Birds: Overnight Stay at The Hospital Hoping to Avoid Amputation

I was woken up today by shrieking elephants and squawking birds as the hostel is by the zoo! I phoned Heidi in Köln and Michael answered letting me know that Heidi would be working at the hospital all week-end. Got picked up by an American soldier with Iron Butterfly’s “In- a- Gadda -da -Vida” blaring.Continue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 18August1973: Heidelberg/Köln, Germany: Woken up by Shrieking Elephants and Screaming Tropical Birds: Overnight Stay at The Hospital Hoping to Avoid Amputation”

“Travels to a Different Time” : 17August1973: Heidelberg, Germany: The German Militaristic Character? Getting Thrown Out of a Bar

Up early to avoid the rush of the bright eyed and bushy tailed Europe on $5 and $ 10 a Day crowd. I get bad vibrations from this place. They seem obsessed with order and precision at this youth hostel. I feel like I am in military barracks and somewhat like a caged animal. ButContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 17August1973: Heidelberg, Germany: The German Militaristic Character? Getting Thrown Out of a Bar”

“Travels to a Different Time”: 16August1973: Sinsheim and Heidelberg, Germany: Lots of Beer and Food at Sinsheim

Up at 9 to bread, honey and coffee for my German friends and lemonade for me. Three hours on the road and we were in Sinsheim where most of them lived. We had a big meal of sausage and potatoes with beer. Germans drink gallons of it! We went to the family brewery for aContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time”: 16August1973: Sinsheim and Heidelberg, Germany: Lots of Beer and Food at Sinsheim”

“Travels to a Different Time” : 15August1973: Bled to Munich: Mega Ride with My German Friends: Pizza and Beer in Munich

The hitchhiking Gods have been extra special to me today. Up at 5:30 for a hot shower and then gobbled down breakfast and thumb out by 7 a.m. Half an hour later picked up by the German kids that had taken me to the ferry to Hvar in Yugoslavia and asked me to join them.Continue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 15August1973: Bled to Munich: Mega Ride with My German Friends: Pizza and Beer in Munich”

“Travels to a Different Time” : 13/14 August1973: Two More Days in Bled, Yugoslavia

13August1973: Firming up Return Date: Running into My Homies From Bulgaria: After breakfast went with Lynn to the post office to make a call to Overseas National Airways in Frankfurt to see what our return dates to North America would be. For me it looks like August 20th. I made some mushroom soup for lunchContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 13/14 August1973: Two More Days in Bled, Yugoslavia”

“Travels to a Different Time” : 12August1973: Bled, Yugoslavia:  Birthday Soccer Game and My Dirty Old Man Cough: The Dirty Looking German Girls

Woke up to my 18th birthday. Legal drinking age and more responsibility blah blah blah. I figured out that I have had only 4 birthdays in Canada. This is my third successive birthday in Europe. Will there be a marching band or my favourite meal with a birthday cake? Dream on intrepid traveler! Well aContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 12August1973: Bled, Yugoslavia:  Birthday Soccer Game and My Dirty Old Man Cough: The Dirty Looking German Girls”

“Travels to a Different Time” : 11August1973: Bled, Yugoslavia: Travelling on the Cheap; A Russian Sprat Man

Often I am asked how you can afford to stay in Europe for three months every year. The main reason may be that since my sister works for Overseas National Airways out of Kennedy Airport in New York I get to travel for free. Of course you never quite know where you may end upContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 11August1973: Bled, Yugoslavia: Travelling on the Cheap; A Russian Sprat Man”