Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's day to the two mother's in my life;
The mother of my children, and the mother of me!

Thanks for all you've done.

Last Month's trip

I've been a bit busy and remiss in posting. My new schedule has me going back and forth to Georgia (the country), regularly, and I realized on VE day that I hadn't published anything since before my last trip.

So, last month, in addition to working, and going to a Handel Opera, Radamisto (I've never done Baroque Opera before- so it was something different) I did a day trip with two friends to a the Davit Gareji Monastery Complex, also a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The place is hewn from the rock, starting sometime in the sixth century. It sits out on a lonely escarpment right on the border with Azerbaijan. When you walk the back side of the mountain to see the old caves you actually cross the border once or twice. Anyway out there in the middle of no where, in a cave, is a great place to contemplate your relationship with God, but it also sits on the path from the Mideast and Central Asia toward Europe.

The Mongols, Tamerlane, the Persians and the Bolsheviks all did their best to put the smack-down on the site, but still it's there. Experiencing a bit of a resurgence as well. When we there a bus full of German retirees were volksmarching their way through the complex.

VE Day!

Victory in Europe, sixty-seven years ago today, or yesterday (7 May) if you were a Commonwealth country or tomorrow (9 May) if you are part of the former Soviet Union (FSU). The 7th was the act of surrender in France, while it was ratfied on the 8th. Not sure why the Soviets thought it was the 9th...I think it has something to do with time zones though (or maybe it was the kickoff of the cold war?).

Anyway, happy VE day, the end of tyranny and facism in Europe! Seems funny while looking at the International news. Putin 'elected' as president (with Medyedev back as PM), Hollande is President -elect in France with a decidely nationalist agenda (with Merkel of Germany warning the new President not to try to renogotiate the austerity deals), oh and a facist group springing up in Greece gets a seat in their parliment... good times.

Oh, and all this during a economic slwodown... anything sound familiar about this?