Back to Civilization

Hello All,

For those of you who haven't heard from me in a while and were wondering why, this is my attempt to bring you and everyone else up to speed on my mid season travels. How I can summarize the amazing trip I just took I am not quite sure, but why not give it a shot...

Yesterday I landed back in Belgium after 6 weeks of travel... a trip that took me from Belgium to Croatia (and through parts of Bosnia Herzegovina), back to Belgium for a 2 day stint and then by van through France, Spain, Portugal, back across Spain to Barcelona before hopping on a plane to Sicily and then heading up the western coast of Italy/Amalfi Coast and finishing up in Rome/Vatican City.

The trip lasted 43 days... Holly Cow (best if read aloud in a Harry Carry voice)

Who the hell would schedule such a break in the middle of a baseball season you may ask... Leave the impossible and balakalijk (ridiculous) baseball happenings to the Belgian Baseball Federation.

Not counting our 2 day intermission in Belgium, we went to 7 countries (Bosnia Herzegovina now holding the "coolest place I can say I have been if it comes up in conversation" award)

During the insanity I survived running the Encierro (better known as the running of the bulls), spent the wee hours of the morning in Sevilla's police station where I almost wet my pants (no I was not arrested... even though I was treated like I had been), almost crashed our rental van in Biarritz, France, foiled a pickpockets attempt to take my wallet in Lisbon, saw the tattoo speedo guy in Barcelona... twice, and still couldn't help but stare (http://www.odditycentral.com/pics/naked-in-barcelona.html), climbed volcanoes in Sicily, and said "when in Rome" in Rome.

This is just a small list of highlights that will be described in greater detail in the following writings, which for the sake of not getting carpel tunnel syndrome, will be done in installments starting with the first day right now (the croatia portion can be read about in my last few posts)...

The Crazy Hat Trip Begins... In the Cantina for a 4th of July sleepover:

After our game in Hoboken on Sunday, July 4th Bart, Troy, Rachel and I got dropped off at the Brussels airport to pick up our home for the next three weeks... a Volkswagen Transporter named "La Zino". After finding out that Bart was not the rich engineer that he claimed to be and didn't have enough credit to put down the down payment for the van, we had to call Bram back to the airport so I could get my card to use (Yes, I am a high roller). Our trip hadn't even started yet and I was already getting honked at by angry drivers and yelled at by an angry French speaking lady as cars were piling up behind Bram's car as I riffled through the trunk trying to get to my inaccessible wallet. This may have been a negative "Damn! We are off to a great start" moment for many other travelers, but for me it was the perfect kind of ridiculousness to start a trip that would include debauchery and shenanigans at every turn.

To be continued tomorrow... check back in for more