My favorite quote of all time is from T.S. Elliot -

"We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time"

I have traveled around the world for almost 30 years in business. I have logged over 10 million miles with American Airlines. I have learned through my travels that no amount of academic study can substitute for being on the ground. On many trips I have brought my wife. In turn my children and my parents. Our family legacy, which we will eventually leave, is to not stop exploring. Life is a journey and only can be appreciated by an insatiable appetite for risk and learning.

My wife is a great writer. I am not. Most people who read my blogs tell me they have to get beyond the style, to find any semblance of "wisdom". And that it takes me an average amount of two hours per daily blog is humbling.

To show my readers my wife's writing skills and how fast she can write, I am embedding her email to a fairly large following of her trip from last night. Her writing style, even when she is in a hurry, makes someone feel they are actually seeing a distant place themselves.

I am also including another picture she sent. Please note, that the Bosnian War was fought in parts of Montenegro and Croatia, where my wife and her friends were willing to visit. This is what the U.S and NATO was fighting for. So that the people of this region could someday live in peace, after years of being unified under Tito, and then violently breaking back up into historic regions.

Good Afternoon "Dobar dan" in Montenegrin!

Friday we had an amazing tour in Montenegro.  The heat was excessive with the high at 105 plus humidity.  Our bus, or coach as the locals say, was air conditioned thank goodness!  Our jouney took us up into the hills to a final height of 5000 ft above sea level.  We visited a farm where they made smoked hams, wine, honey, cheese and very good bread!  It takes about 6 months and two weeks to make one smoked ham, but after tasting the ham, I can say that it was well worth the time that it took.  I bought a hand made red wool coat from the farmers wife while we were there.  And of course, I found kitties to pet and take pictures of!!  The country side was beautiful!  On the way up our road had a total of 25 switchbacks, or hairpin turns, I got a few pics of those.  It was not a drive for those with a fear of heights or narrow roads.  There were a few places where the road was so narrow that two vehicals could not pass.  At least twice we had the trucks that were heading toward us, having to drive in reverse until they had backed up far enough to get to a wider section of road and we could go passed.( I think that I got this on video)  This was a slow process and we covered a couple of miles this way with a log truck in reverse!!  Lots of cliff like road sides. On the way down we went a different way so we could pass through 2 other towns.  This road was regular highway! Our guide was great about filling in the history of the area while we drove.  Kotor is the only Fjord in The Baltic's.  Our Captain also informed us that it was the longest and deepest as well.  It took 2 hours to get out to the open Adriatic Sea from were we docked. 

Saturday we spent the day in Croatia.  Our port city was Split, which is considered to be a more Roman influenced city.  The next city we went to had more Greek influence, and the last city was more heavily influenced by The Venicians.  Who, by the way, seemed to have gotten around quite well.  It seems as though every place that we have gone the Venicians spent 2 to 300 years in power.  Again our guide gave us great historical background.  Croatia is a "sport" centered country, they love their futbol team!  Our guide Raffiella also reminded us that Croatia gave us Tony Kukoach!  The Croates are a very proud people, who are willing to fight to keep their identity.   They are not yet part of the EU, but fear that they will be in the next few years.  Their currency is the Kooner.  The exchange is approximately 7 euro to 1 kooner or 5 US $ to 1 Kooner.  We went to an old settlement in the country to sample more Ham, bread, wine and olive oil.  There is a law that states that each household is allowed to produce their own wine and olive oil.  In fact, a young man who wishes to marry must have 10 healthy olive trees that are his, to prove that he will be able to support a wife.  Houses are multi generational, parents grandparents and sons and there families live in a multi level home.  Girls must get married and live with their husband's family.  

We are heading to our last activity port Koper, Slovenia. Our tour there is to visit a horse farm for Lipinzaner stallions, and to also see a performance with the horses.  Almost 11pm my time, so I'm headed to bed.  My room mates are both already tucked in.