Local trips to Bulgaria and Transylvania

Last fall I took a 3 day weekend and drove to Sofia, Bulgaria to visit my friend/colleague who is also a nurse practitioner working in the same job as me. She joined a few months before me and is a PNW'er, so we clicked almost immediately years ago in a class on rural advance medical care. Sofia was similar in many ways to Bucharest, but had its own character. We took a day trip out to the Rila Monastery a beautifully preserved site in the mountains. We also did a walking tour and checked out the newly found Roman ruins that have been discovered buried deep under the city while building their new metro system. Super cool!

A week later I took a trip with the Bucharest Hash group to Transylvania for the annual Halloween Hash. It was a BLAST! I helped set the trail for the main run with CrashTestDummy (or more blandly known as Stuart). We stayed up late that night drinking and dancing then did the hangover hash Sunday morning (which entailed a 15 minute walk in the woods behind the hotel and then circle for some morning beer drinking...luckily I had the excuse of having to drive, so I got water), before driving back to Bucharest. Such a great group of people. It was a beautiful setting with all the leaves changing. I don't have pictures (thank goodness), but I was given my Hash name at this event. So as is tradition, I was doused with beer and flour on a chilly October morning and am now known as Cup N Cough.

Beer Stop!!

This Halloween Hash event has been happening for years with people coming from all over Europe to participate.

Back in Baku

I was recently reminded that I wasn't updating my blog, so I thought it was about time.  I cannot believe it has been 6 months!! My excuse - I have been busy enjoying life. I have traveled to Stuttgart, Amsterdam, Sofia, Lugano, and a bit around Romania (and back to the US in February, but that is so boring :).  See, much too busy to write. Oh yes, and I finished my doctorate at the end of March. So, now I have no excuse. No more homework to keep me from posting my adventures.

Since I am back in Baku (Azerbaijan) I will post my photos from my first trip in September last year. This is a lovely city with a rich history. Have you ever read the classic novel Ali and Nino by Kurban Said (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_and_Nino)? I took the Ali and Nino tour by a local historian and it was so interesting to learn the history of the story and the politics of the time. My first trip here was to cover the medical unit since they had a long gap between permanent providers. I am back currently to mentor the new provider who is a great PA from Oregon. It is so nice to be back.  This is a former Russian territory, so everyone speaks Russian, which feels odd walking around.  It is also a very wealthy country - oil money.

Took a day trip out of the city and we went to the "Mud Volcanos" bubbling mounds of mud

The famous Flame Towers that light up at night. They are quite impressive/beautiful. This is the view outside my hotel window.

The hotel I am at is at the edge of the old town with winding streets, within the intact medieval wall (renovated) and old style architecture with the common window boxes seen above. Really nice for strolling around.

The Azeri people are lovely, gracious and hospitable. The clinic staff too me out to lunch and no matter how I protested they insisted on this amazing meal and paying for all of it. I am thrilled to be able to come back to work with them again.

The view to the Caspian Sea from my hotel room. There is a lovely boardwalk stretching for a couple of miles. This city has so much to offer. They just had the Formula I races here and the street you see was part of the track.

Thanks for your patience. I also need to change the back drop of the blog since I am no longer hitting the books. See you next time!

Thanksgiving dinner

I cooked my very first complete Thanksgiving dinner this year.  This was the first year I have been at a post that I wasn't invited to at least two different dinners. I miss the small, tight-knit communities of my posts in Ouagadougou and Bishkek. Here in Bucharest, people are more spread out and self-sufficient. At first I was a little sad and nervous about pulling off an entire meal, but since I love to cook it ended up being an amazing day. One that I will likely choose to do again with or without invites to others' turkey dinner.  Yes, I could have just skipped it, but Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and I think it is important for Otto and I to keep up the tradition. Plus, it his only time of year for him to get turkey, dressing, cranberry, and pumpkin pie. I will admit, I didn't cook a whole turkey...fortunately here turkey is very accessible and you can buy breasts already cleaned and ready to go from the market.  I brined it overnight (because that is what google told me to do!) and wrapped it around the stuffing. I found some great recipes from different sources on the internet - I even made my own crispy, breaded onions for the green bean casserole. I tried a new brussel sprout recipe where you grate them and then flash cook them - yum. I also made broccoli for the boys since I am the only one that loves brussel sprouts.

Otto invited a couple of his good friends over for the meal. One of his friends, from Romania, had never has a Thanksgiving meal and his other friend hadn't had a proper American turkey dinner. It was nice to share a part of our culture with Otto's friends. I only took a couple of photos...to prove I had cooked.  The other very satisfying thing is that Otto loved the food - he asked if I could make a Thanksgiving dinner again, but before thanksgiving :)

Catch up. Summer tour in Bucharest

I hope to restart more regular post to the blog next year.  I just finished my last regular class for my doctorate. I have one independent study class next semester to finish up my project. I am so excited, no more 100 pages of reading/wk, no more weekly posts to the class discussion board, no more papers formatted using APA.  I feel like a new person. The only problem now is I am so used to being busy with school after the past 2+ years, not sure what to do with myself :)

Over the next couple of months I will try to catch everything up. Since the summer, I have traveled to Baku, Azerbaijan, Sofia, Bulgaria, Brasov in Romania, Lugano, Switzerland, and a quick trip to Germany. In a couple of days Otto and I go to Amsterdam for a few days. Yes, I lead a hard life!

First off though I wanted to share some more photos of Bucharest. This summer, after living here for a year, I finally did the free walking tour with a colleague at the Embassy that had recently arrived. I highly recommend it. I did a similar tour in Sofia that was great. It is usually run by college students who are practicing their English. Although I have been to all the places we went to on the tour, it was very interesting to hear the history.  One interesting fact is that Michael Jackson is loved here.  He came here for the first major concert by a US star in the early 90's after the fall of Ceausescu (communist leader in Romania 1967-89).  The funny side note from the tour is that many people came from all over the world to see the concert and purchased tickets for Budapest, not Bucharest. So, when they went to see the concert, they got a big surprise!

Here are some photos from the old town area (Lipscani) which is a great pedestrian walking area with lots of shops, restaurants, and old buildings.  Also a photo of a modern statue in front of the music hall.

Check back again for more...

Holidays in the US = my friends!

The best, best thing about my summer vacation home is reconnecting with my friends. They keep me grounded and it is as if I haven't even been gone a whole year.  I missed a couple of visits with good friends this year - extra time was needed hanging out with my mom. I love you gals, thanks for everything!

The OHSU ED NP crew. BFF!

Okay, that first photo is from a few years ago, but here is some of the crew at our annual summer gathering. We haven't changed a bit

Just like fixing a bike tire...just bigger.

Biker girl. Got to take a ride up to the mountains in LA with Julie and her friend. It was hot (I thought my boot was on fire at one point), but super fun. Nice to be riding in back with someone who has tons of experience. Thanks James!

Happy girls, hanging in LA

Crazy hot in J-Tree, I think we are both a bit sun-mad!

'SUP

Back in PDX on holidays.  Can't rave enough about this city.  I went on my annual camping trip with my dad to the Metolius River area, near Sisters. I think this will be our new summer camp destination. Unfortunately it wasn't close to Bend so we could not do the usual brewery tour (with Boneyard being the highlight), but still very scenic and peaceful.

Now I am in Hood River, another spectacular spot which highlights the amazing beauty that surrounds us in the Pacific North West. I am staying with a friend in White Salmon, which is on the Washington side of the Columbia River. We had such a great w/e. Yesterday we hung out with another friend and did some urban hiking and shopping in Hood River - a little wine tasting thrown in. Today we did a 'real' hike at Coyote Wall and then we went down to the river to do some stand up paddle boarding (SUP). Sadly, I do not bring my camera with me when I travel to the US, so here are some images from the internet.









Hood River is a great spot about an hour east of PDX. Full of active, healthy people, but small community feel.  And some good breweries...we are in the PNW after all.   Close to the city (PDX) and the mountains (Mt Hood). This is high on my list of possible places to live once I retire.  This is the land of kite boarding, wind surfing, biking, hiking, living the good life, etc...

Croatia - part 3 (finally)

okay...it has only been 2 months ago that I took a road trip from Bucharest to Croatia (mainly Split). It was a memorable trip.  We did a big loop, driving first north overnighting in Belgrade, then through Zagreb and the second night we stayed at a campground just outside of Plitvice National Park. We hiked around this spectacular park the next day and then headed to Trogir, just west of Split, where were were super lucky to have the use of a friend's apartment for the week. We did day trips from Split over the next 6 days, including a couple of days of climbing.  It is so beautiful there with the crystal clear blue water and lazy beaches. Unfortunately it was just a little bit too cold to swim.  We hiked and ate and shopped and checked out the Roman Ruins. On the drive home, we took the South route through Mostar and Sarajevo in Bosnia and then through Serbia again and the tip of Bulgaria.  So in a 10 day period we traveled through 5 countries - only in Europe. As usual, I wish we had more time because for all the driving we did on crappy one lane highways (except some of the N route), we should have spent at least 2 weeks away.  Otto's dad was with us on the trip, so we can check off another successful vacation with one of our favorite travel companions!  I know, I know...pictures please already...

Plitvice National Park - land of the waterfalls. Serene walk through a magical landscape.

More cascading waterfalls in Plitvice

Central square in Split - former Diocletian's Palace from 4th century AD - yes, that is old. It is in really good repair. Love this stuff!

Another view from the central square in Split.

Clearly I could not get enough pictures or capture the magnificence of a 4th century AD palace

From the top of the bell tower at the Trogir Cathedral.  You can see that beautiful blue water in the distance. Only in Europe can you climb on poorly protected, sketchy steps at your own risk to the top of church bell towers. Way too much liability in the US, it takes away all the fun...

Trogir Cathedral doorway. Very famous sculpted entry (Romanesque style) by a 13th century artist Radovan. Very elaborate...sorry the photo isn't that detailed.

This is my favorite photo and the most memorable day.  Can you see the 14th century fortress to the left of the photo, well, we were climbing just below it in the gully that is middle and right of the photo. It was one of the coolest places I have ever climbed being in the shadow of a castle.

Another waterfall wonderland near Trogir. Krka National Park. We came here for a quick look and hike after our day climbing below the fortress.

So, if you were ever wondering if you should take a trip to Croatia...the answer is absolutely. Everything about it was great. Okay, the only thing that made us a little crazy is that they do not have a clear ferry schedule. We wanted to take a day trip out to one of the islands just off the coast of Trogir but the ferry schedule was very confusing and then when we went to find the ticket office, it was no where to be found.  Oh well, next trip.

That is is for my series on travels in Europe.  I am headed home in a couple of weeks for a month in Portland and the surrounding areas visiting family and friends. Need to start planning my travels for the coming year!  I am told Venice, Garmish, Amsterdam, S France, a drive to Greece, Black Sea Coast, N of Romania to see the painted churches.  Need to quit my job so I have time to enjoy all the things to do in my back yard! Otto and I will be going to Switzerland to visit a couple of schools he is interested in going to for his 11th and 12th grade.