It is not only the best of times and the worst of times, but the most packed of times. My father passed away three weeks ago. The eight weeks prior

Napoleon invading the city might have been quieter. As December 31st wore on – here, there and everywhere throughout the day came the sound of firecrackers. Beginning at about 7pm,

With the Vatican having cancelled on us, figuring out the last day of 2025 became a bit of a scramble. Over dinner last night, the kids and I determined upscale,

“Can you just stop reading the signs?” Ailyn asked crying. “We’re almost done, Sweetie,” I said. “But no, we need to look at the signs. It’s important, even though it’s

“I love Giselda!” Sennen said when we decided to head to our new favorite eatery for “breakfast” – which is for Ailyn and me is usually a decaf espesso drink

“This is the highlight of my day!” Ailyn said as she and Sennen held on to the handrail in the Naples Metro. They laughed and were silly – because we

Everyday, the kids learn something. “My big takeaway from Italy – they love orange (flavor)!” Sennen said while trying a pastry. Today, he was not loving the manners and crowding

“I’m feeling really overwhelmed and I want to leave and never come back to this square!” Sennen said in the Piazza Navona. One of Rome’s busiest squares in its already

At 1 pm, I decided to push for a walk. After waking at 10 and laying in bed until 10:30, I opened up the shutters, let in the light, facilitated

Although Christmas is not my holiday, I can embrace it in a sense. In a world where nothing seems to stop and everyone communicates constantly, taking one day out of

Today, for the first time, when buying some Christmas cookies at a small, but amazing looking bakery I transacted solely in Italian. Not that I speak it, but I seem

Sennen had an emotional breakdown over tuna. Not tuna salad or canned tuna, but an actual piece of fresh tuna. My moment of crisis was over laundry and the laundry

“A gondola full of Santas just went by our window,” Ailyn said relatively calmly. “Oh, there’s another, this one has elves too, I think.” I had just woken up a

“Oh man, it’s a pigeon fight!” Sennen yelled as Ailyn squealed. “Oh no, now it’s a pigeon-seagull fight! Oh, Daddy, watch out! Now there’s a dog in the mix! Here

As a child, the world seemed relatively binary. Things are good or bad, I like them or I don’t, people are nice or mean. Following the rules was good, disobeying

“I thought it would have only one canal and then a bunch of fingers you could go up and down to get to people’s houses, like the Lake (Westlake),” Ailyn

“When we fly a 787, we at least are on a plane that actually looks like this!” an in-tears Sennen said pointing to the airplane icon on the display screen

On a December day in 2012 – roughly the same as today I awoke excited ready to go to the airport and head to France. It was our “Babymoon” –

This is new! After fifteen years of my travel blogs being on Typepad, I was forced to make a switch. Typepad closed down and with the help of some Bangladeshi

The Kalitsounia – little Cretan cheese pastries often eaten for breakfast – are not as good at the airport business lounge as they are from the bakery that makes them

In a city of more than three million people, our neighbor – who had never seen us before – became deeply concerned about our welfare. We were sitting on the

At this point, the only thing keeping Sennen from refusing to board the ferry tonight is my explanation that my allowing him to remain here would make me an international

"I told myself I wasn't going to be Lion Dimitris and I wasn't going to be Donkey Dimitris – I'm just gonna' be Dimitris myself. But that doesn't work –

Like anyone who survives a storm, you learn the tips and tricks to be better prepared in the future. Thus, when the kids were given not two, but six commercial-sized

"Everything is so quiet…." I said to Andreas. "Yeah, the beach is full, it's a beautiful day and it's quiet," he responded. "It just seems weird it's so quiet…" Andreas,

The island of Samothrace in the North Aegean has the tallest mountain of any Aegean island – Mt. Fengari. Because of this, a Greek hippie population has developed on Samothrace

"I hate cruise passengers! They ruin our island!" Sennen said in an unusually long and harsh diatribe this morning. "I feel like everyone is here just to serve them. We

If our summer was a TV drama, today was the episode near the end of the season when lots of threads start to come together yielding resolution.  The round white

The day boat to nearby islands and beaches near Patmos may cost 40 euros per person for the day, but nothing better delivers the feeling of wealth. When at 1pm

Nothing reminds me of living in Bali like visits from Mohammad the contractor and painter. Most of the time, when I think of Bali, I think of the fragrant, gentle

In one room I had a kid shivering, in need of a blanket. In the other, one was madly pushing his way through a SaaS-based business planning questionnaire, trying to

After a little too much sun yesterday, Sennen was finally ready for a "rest day" – a day without a beach. It seems silly to consider non-beach days to be

Hot, sweaty, schlepping chairs, a backpack and a bag of snacks, I was ill-tempered by the time we decided on our spot on the beach. It was blazing hot in

"You should rent your house!" my friend Maria from whom I bought the house said. I had reached out to see about meeting up with her when the kids and

"I'm driving!" Sennen yelled as we went 50 feet before he broke hard and we stalled out. He had successfully put the car in first gear and was almost shocked

"Sennen, we don't have a garbage disposal here. When you throw whole crackers into the sink, they can't go anywhere," I explained. "We don't?! I didn't know there was a

"The Internet's back!!!" I heard at about 7pm.  I don't know with any certainty since neither the phone company nor Manos the attorney responded to my queries, but I'm taking

"This is a perfect island!" Sennen said as we rounded the bend overlooking a west-facing cove on our way home from Agriolivadi. "This is the most perfect island of my

"Daddy, do you just like really humid places?" Sennen said as we walked out the door for the kids to go to work. I looked up and there was an

Our neighbor yells very loudly once per day for about 20 minutes. The building next door – to the left as you face our house – is mixed-use with a

"Daddy, stay here," Sennen said as he entered the basketball court. "Ok, go! Now! Go…" he mouthed as he motioned only a minute later, right after sitting on the bench

With a high of 88 today, it will be my, and our hottest day on Patmos thus far – and possibly of the summer. The humidity has dropped and heat

When my friend Jesiah and I began teaching and nurse recruiting in Taiwan in 2003, we found ourselves completely helpless. At least at that time, Taiwan was a thoroughly Chinese

I sat down on the steps in front of the house and acted all cool. The cats – Gingos and Ketchup – came over and I pet them. After my

Like clockwork and without prompting, every fourth day the kids want a break from the beach. These are "Skala days" or "in-town days". It's understandable there are only so many

When my French friend Bruno stopped by unexpectedly, he walked into a yard with two kids tossing treats at two cats and their aunt on a FaceTime call while their

"My hair is fantastic!" Ailyn exclaimed after her shower. "Look how smooth, and the ends curl so nicely – it's perfect!" This is a little like hearing an alcoholic rave

A three-year-old little girl stood at the front of her parents open-top Jeep Wrangler as they drove up the hill from Skala into the hills that lead to Northern Patmos.

"Yeah, we didn't need to do all that kvetching yesterday," Sennen volunteered this morning. He also recanted on his preference that next time we overnight in Athens. Waking up in

"Yay! Yay!" the crew member yelled while high fiving and putting his arms around the shoulders of both kids at once. We had stumbled our way onto Blue Star Patmos

The peace and calm I felt staring out the window at the Athens Airport watching an El Al flight pushback and taxi the other day – feeling Ziv and I

From the tranquility of the Aegean and Star Alliance business lounge, I'm watching an El Al jet pull back from the gate and depart for Tel Aviv – something that

"See, she could have told him there was a spike there. But she didn't. She let him almost fall. I think she hates her boyfriend and is hoping he'll die,"

"We have a cat named Gingos too!" Ziv said. I looked at him confused – thinking he was joking. But no, his family has three cats – one named Gingie

As can only happen in Greece, the ferry was running 20 minutes late getting to Kos where Ziv boarded it, but it arrived on Patmos 45 minutes late. Sure, it

I looked up at Hora, the hill and the giant, glowing moon and realized there was no point to going back inside. Often, I work at the the table on

"You don’t like to do dishes and you’re planning for company. I get it," my friend Cindy texted in response to a photo I sent her of how much stoneware

"I look at this and if it's full, I know it's going to be a busy night!" Eirini who owns Nektar, a Greek natural products shop near my house said

In the late morning groups of middle-school-aged girls headed to the ferry dock with rolling suitcases in tow – each group accompanied by one to two adults. Between twice and

So far, the art work in the house are paintings by Ailyn and Sennen – with more of then being Ailyn's. She loves art and initially, getting the chance to

I'm back! Not only did I enjoy a device-free day, but I learned some things. Lots of little things just from being more present and observing. First, I have no

Emily and I were sitting at the Serenity Pool at what was then the Four Seasons Aviara Hotel in July 2009. We were on vacation with her family – her

As soon as Winter Break begins, families leave Patmos. For most – or at least a large percentage of Patmians – Winter Break is an opportunity to take their vacations,

Almost a year ago my friend Leanne encouraged me to apply as a new writer for an online magazine for which she has been writing a column for years –

"Aeras!" the man who owns the Agriolivadi beach chair concession – aka Andreas' father – said to me. Thanks to Duolingo, I know Aeras is wind or windy. It was

After a few days of my being back, Christos my neighbor and operator of Cafe Mostra in front of my house finally asked me in the Greek-lish we seem to

In business, the trend towards outsourcing and off-shoring has been going on for years. I've had overseas software developers, researchers, writers, assistants, marketing teams and customer service people work for

"Honey, I want you to come out and have a bagel," I heard in the background.  Swimming in the still aquamarine waters of Livadi Geranou Beach, small sailboats littering the

If you ever want to get through the airport quickly in Bali, carry a baby. Maybe you have one, maybe borrow one. But a baby – even a toddler –

One never knows how the day will go on Patmos. Some days are uninterrupted landscapes of time to enjoy and others sneak up and surprise you with events and happenings

My friend Alex recently asked a group of people what their source of truth is? What is their go-to when they research an issue where they can stop searching because

Sometimes Patmos feels a little like living in Westworld. Every day, the same people are doing more or less the same thing and when I see them, we have the

In the middle of a pedestrian-only shopping street in Athens, a roughly 60 year-old man with scraggly shoulder-length salt and pepper hair sat on a bench along the planter box

I didn't need to see the giant cruise ship anchored off-shore to confirm its presence. Walking out my gate Cafe Mostra will packed with 65+ year-olds in tourist garb and

I just spent a half hour on a single DuoLingo lesson – the longest I have ever spent. Most of the time, I do a lesson in 3-12 minutes depending

The first day is always the hardest – in a very relative sense. Blue Star 2 pulled into Patmos at 2:30 am, meaning I got into the house at 2:40

"We had one prime minister," my driver said, "he had 57 houses! 57 houses! He took money from Europe. The money came to help farmers, but did it go to

Once the kids were born, work travel became a special treat. A night or two alone in a nice hotel room, flying without managing an entire situation – it was

Since getting the house in Patmos, I've come to realize, this blog has split into something along the lines of two stories. One being the story of buying and creating

The Lufthansa Group – Lufthansa, Austrian and Swiss – flies out of Athens each morning practically in formation. Four flights (Lufthansa has Frankfurt and Munich) all depart in about a

"What's this foreign guy doing here?" I believe the grocery checker said in Greek.  "He has a house here and has been here for the holidays," I'm relatively confident a

The island may have been quiet, but the skies were clear on New Year's Day, meaning the vibrant red sunset Chocklokas Beach is known for would still be open for

A boat pulled up in the harbor – a small schooner – with Santa Claus. Apparently he doesn't reach Patmos until December 31st around 5:30 pm. Like a Santa-prirate, he

"Are you satisfied with your life?" a friend recently asked me. "No! Absolutely not," I blurted out. I'm living a life that is shaped in large part by the fallout

At a quarter past midnight, the last ferry for four days left Patmos. Most likely, it brought some additional food inventory for the supermarkets. The gasoline boat made its final

On Sunday evenings in April and May 2022 I found Patmians sitting at tables at all the outdoor cafes in Skala, having coffee, ouzo, wine and chatting. From it, I

"The installation might cost you 100 euros, maybe 120 or 140 if you have stone, you can ask Dimitris," Costas explained. " But maybe it might cost you less –

"Everyone comes in the summer and sees how beautiful it all looks – all the white and the shining windows," Stefanos who rents the motorscooters said pointing at the houses

In a rare treat, yesterday was not only Christmas, but the first night of Hanukkah – something any Jew in the Western World outside of Israel can appreciate. After lighting

"So it's like cream?" Manolis asked me. "Well, yes – like cream and milk, but also with eggs and nutmeg. Americans, British, Germans, maybe Australians – they like to drink

"Doesn't it feel like a movie set? I doesn't feel real," Michelle said as we walked home the other night. Matheus said the same thing about Patmos feeling like a

From a 737 crossing the Pacific, Sennen wanted to play an archery game. We took turns shooting targets via our devices and chatted on iMessage. Meanwhile Ailyn texted me the

The rabbit hole kept going deeper. First we learned Andreas who manages the beach chairs at Agriolivadi's father was in a terrible accident when he was younger because he left

The temperature rose and the wind began as the storm approached. Like clockwork, the rain began at 11pm. Ketchup and Gingos – the cats on the porch – had to

I don't get the sense my children feel like they miss out on Christmas or that they're different from the majority in some negative way. If anything, Sennen and Ailyn

Living on an island in Greece isn't all a vacation. Michelle and I both work – primarily in the evenings when the time aligns to US, and particularly Pacific working

"After tomorrow, everyone will leave. This island will go from 3,000 of us to 1,000," the nice young waiter from Ktima Petra whose name I sadly don't remember told us.

Yiamas – closed. Nektar – closed. Seahorse – closed. Mostra – closed. The shop that sells cosmetics and creams – open. Stelios – closed (!) Alas – closed, but maybe

In certain popular global destinations, it’s easy to forget people can be tourists in their own country. The idea that Americans explore the vast and beautiful offerings of our own

"Daddy don't leave…." is like a bullet to the heart. Sennen rapid fired in spurts for two days.  Even though we have three weeks where he and Ailyn are in

The first blog, Our First Year Everywhere, chronicled the journey of a newlywed couple as we traversed the world as digital nomads (not yet a term at that time) for

"Daddy, I heard some other Americans today," Ailyn said a few days ago. "Oh, that's nice – did you say hi?" "No! I don't want them here." "Yeah, we don't

Just when it seemed like we made it through the craziness of a Blue Star ferry boarding on Patmos – the mass of people pushing onto the boat, the madness

For every Alpha there must be an Omega. Today we woke to our last day in Patmos and as far as Sennen is concerned, apropos of Patmos, this is the

Just as Theologia said, the church bells all over the island rang in unison in the early morning. Today begins The Dormition of the Mother of God, or Orthodox Assumption.

The landscape of southern Patmos is confusing. In the small valley surrounding Grikos Beach there are smatterings of unfinished construction, new construction and abandoned hotels. On the very upper hillsides

Mohammad already knew the spots on the right side and back of the house that needed paint repair. Houses in Patmos aren't just painted, but covered in thick layers of

From 6 to 8pm, Skala was a sea of people. A few locals, some island visitors and a LOT of cruise passengers. Just trying to get through town to do

When the sun rose on a college all-nighter, you had a choice: get some rest or make a great start of the day, using those early morning hours to your

Like a 1950's salaryman, the Patmos Star leaves the island everyday at 9am and returns about 5pm. The locally owned and operated boat is something between a working ferry and

A little less than two years ago, I had wanted to have the kids with me in Patmos for the second half of summer because the island has a lot

My mom tells the story of how her mom and her aunt used the same disciplinary punishment on their children: standing alone in a dark closet for a few minutes.

"I like the lifestyle here better, but I have all the people I love at home, except two," Ailyn succinctly explained. That right there is the conundrum I feel every

Madonna once said, "Life is a mystery, everyone must stand alone." Some of the most profound words of her career.  At one point, humans mostly saw the world as enchanted.

Despite thousands of years of existence, there is not a bedrock common consensus on the number of Greek islands. Counts range from 1200 to 6000 – depending on how you

Our family has become very Greek. We stay up late, sleep late, eat late and aren't in a particular hurry about anything. We also eat Greek food and swim in

"An Italian customer even told me, 'Sorry, we're the worst guests – I know!'", Tassos told me. This is Tassos the waiter at Alas grill – the island's best gyro

"I love Patmos! We are so lucky to be here!" Sennen said as he returned from the bread bakery with a loaf for the day's sandwiches.  "What makes you say

Most days I hear, "Gingos…. no Gingos…. Gingos!" as a sleek orange striped tabby slips in the front door.  Gingos – like Ginger, but with the "er" replaced with "os"

"Daddy, can we cuddle?" Ailyn asked last night while sitting on the sofa, about to start a movie to wind down her night. While not an unusual request from Ailyn,

"Double donkey wins!" Ailyn exclaimed as she came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel.  The very salty water of the Aegean is murder on poor Ailyn's heavy, but

"You know, I tell everyone, people from Germany, England, France – they pay thousands of dollars to come here and stay and go to the beach – even just for

I should have seen it coming. Five days ago I walked outside and Christos at Cafe Mostra called me over. In Gree-glish he told me Michaelis the gardener has a

Yesterday, the north wind returned to Patmos, dramatically reducing the sweat factor. The wind in Patmos is like the shade in Bali – it can make a shockingly dramatic difference.

"Maybe there will be a French versus Italian flight on the beach!" Sennen said.  Ailyn had suggested that the numbers of French and Italians around the island are rising, meaning

"It's very weird and hurtful that you have this person who means everything to you and then one day, they're just somebody that I used to know," Matheus said of

"It's Boat Day!" Sennen said as he popped up from a still sleep. The alarm on my phone had just gone off and I walked over to his bed to

He arrived in the night – five years after he was last here. Matheus, our beloved au pair from 2018 and 2019 was with our family on Patmos the nine

"Hi, I'm so sorry to tell you, but last time where you were here, when you had thee eggplant and feta, you forgot to pay when you left," the waitress

"Daddy, is it okay to be us here?" Sennen asked while we waited at the departure gate. "What do you mean, Sennen?" "Is it okay if people know we're Jewish

One thing I can say for my kids – they are equally comfortable getting going upscale as they are keepin' it real. They can happily eat street som tam (Thai

When I heard Sennen proclaim, "This is almost as nice as Singapore Airlines!" I knew we were going to be fine. At ages nine and eleven, Sennen and Ailyn are

Published again! The kids and I will be traveling all day, but here's my first digitally published column in many years – just released today for your reading pleasure:  

Being home for two days is like falling being back and nowhere all at once. Suddenly, I'm checking mail, making calls, running errands – but I have no food in

Until this year, I have spent zero time in Germany. Not that I'm protesting or have a problem with Germany. I believe Germany has become a positive force in the

"Trip to Greece" read the manila file folder the couple in front of me pulled out. From it they drew the itinerary they shared with the lady at the Lufthansa

On December 31, 2003 my friend Jesiah and I finished work in Hsinchu, Taiwan and headed to the Taipei Airport (which is actually in Taoyuan) to celebrate New Year's in

"Tomorrow is very busy. Very busy. Many customers coming. Three cruise ships. No four cruise ships! You want these, better buy today." This is the slightly cleaned up version of

My waiter and I got into a disagreement. I asked for the menu in English and he insisted the Greek menu was in English. While in one sense it was

There's a remote ghost town in Utah that for a brief moment was the most important place in the world. Promontory Summit, known in 1869 as Promontory Point, was where

"How has Patmos dealt with the refugee situation?" Alex asked me as I led him on a FaceTime tour of Skala. "Well, they really haven't. They didn't really let them

Christos summoned his best English. "Where is the woman?" he asked. "She is gone?" and made a sign of an airplane taking off. "Yes, she went back to America," I

The midnight Blue Star ferry to the Dodecanese is filled with vacationers. Many Greek, but of course a variety of other nationalities. I heard a lot of French last night.

Professor Jared Diamond of UCLA asks (among other things) in his book Guns, Germs and Steel why the Spanish conquered Mexico instead of Montezuma leading a navy to Spain and conquering

Thomas spotted me as I passed through the town square, got up, shook my hand and gave me the two cheek kiss. Emily and I used to stay at his

Five weeks of a motorscooter rental costs me about $450. This is my second year of having a house here and it struck me that $450 might be better put

In any small town, certain people are a nexus – the people through which the lives of others and their information flows. On an island, this is especially true. Notably,

"How is your day?" I asked the girl at Ta Kardasia,  as she got my chicken bougatsa from the case. "It is not great. It isn't terrible. But it isn't

Today is July 1 and officially, I am no longer the President of Temple Etz Chaim. I've graduated to Immediate Past President for the next two years. What does an

Heading to the grocery store, I turned the corner and there was Mohammad smiling. We greeted one another and he told me how he's so busy, he's working everyday now.

There are few reasons I would get up at 8am on a Saturday – but having my house cleaned in a place like Patmos where arranging a cleaner in summer

Greece's relationship with water is fundamental to its being. The flag of the Hellenic Republic (modern Greece) is Aegean Blue. In the Ancient Greek Pantheon of Gods, Poseidon – God

"Beware Dog in Psychoanalysis" one sign read in French. "Beware, enervated cat," said another. Door after door in Hora had these quirky French signs about the dogs and sometimes cats

"Has it sunk in that you have this house in Patmos?" Michelle asked last night. I paused because the answer was surprisingly unclear to me. "Escrow" closed in march 2023

I knew it as soon as I turned the corner out of my house. It's the most awkward thing that happens to me on Patmos – the sound of Hebrew.

Turkey is the second largest NATO ally offering the alliance military support only second to the United States. Despite Europe's ambivalence about validating Turkey's claim to being a European country

The sun shines bright over Bodrum, Turkey. The water sparkles as Bodrum Castle stands tall against the Marina. The all-white town takes its cue from the Cyclades and to a

I have kept a travel blog for fourteen years now. It has come in four incarnations – three I share widely, one that only a select few were given access.

"Oh, you have a house here! Have you been studying Greek?" asked the nice Turkish lady who runs the vegan restaurant and juice bar. "No, not really. I just pick

"You see, maybe we have a fight. I get angry at you. I think you're not such a nice guy. Maybe I see you walking and I don't talk to

I looked at the dishwasher in the middle of the kitchen and like Popeye the Sailorman I couldn't stands it no more. Yesterday was the day the dishwasher issue was

All I wanted to do was run errands. There were things to buy, a man to see about some legal paperwork, information about possible travel to Turkey to get from

Monday began with a knock on the door. Mohammad the contractor (a term I use as a catch-all because he also paints, does carpentry and seemingly other odd jobs and

After 33 hours of travel during which we had intermittent airplane sleep followed by about a four hour "night" and a very full day of errands and touring the island,

We got off the ferry at 12:45 am and hauled our bags through town toward my house. Michelle mentioned she was hungry and while I at first thought maybe we

"This is what happens when you fly an American carrier," I thought as we entered Gate C20 of O'Hare Airport.  The din was palpable. There was a fifty-something-year-old blonde woman

For my kids, it's the day before the last day of school. Sennen graduates elementary school this year! It's a big deal and he's very ready to move on to

"I want to go out! I want to walk in the City of Sound, Mr Johnston!" yells Emperor Puyi a fifteen-year-old who has not been beyond the walls of the

Within ten minutes I had a marriage proposal and a business proposal that may really have been both. Massage ladies rove the beaches of Ko Samet offering a variety of

A girl I knew had a fling with a Ko Samet fire twirler. She was about 25, Caucasian from Canada and working temporarily at the TEFL school I was attending

After settling into my beautiful hotel room, I went down to the beach. Because it was 5pm, I didn't come prepared for swimming and a day of beachgoing. All the

Bangkok doesn't hold much place in the American consciousness  - or even the zeitgeist of the western world. Our news rarely reflects Thailand at all and other than vacation, there's

"I like pineapple, but this juice is not good," said the masseuse who stopped to take a sip of her beverage and a quick break from working on my upper

Traveling with children meant revisiting familiar places around the world. When taking a 15-month-old, or a six-month-old and a two-and-a-half-year-old internationally, the adventure seemed to be the kids far more

Not many people will tell you they're going to Thailand because they don't connect with their house. But I will. Since moving into the very nice three bedroom, two bath

Mr Montefiore lived  - and died – in our apartment building in Cannes (The Montefiore). When we heard noises coming from the lower floors, but didn't see anyone else staying

Sennen's questions came like rapid cannon fire. By the time we even got in the line for 1:30 reservations, my head was spinning and I had a headache. I shouldn't

Paris woke to rain. The sun doesn't rise until about 8:30 anyway and with rain, it felt like the darkness continued for an extra hour. Sennen was determined that this

In the past 36 hours, we have visited every tier of French cuisine from boulangeries to street snacks to cafes to brasseries to haute cuisine. The experiences and takeaways have

Ailyn will graduate high school just after her 18th birthday. She'll take one to two years off school, "because I've been in school my whole life and I think I

"I love taking the Metro. The train is a great way to get around. It adds to the trip!" Sennen said on the Metro as we made our way to

Buying the Hop-On-Hop-Off BatoBus day-pass felt like some kind of a defeat. I'm the kind of traveler who hates to feel like a tourist and generally focus on experiencing the

"This is not what I thought Paris would look like…." Ailyn said with a mixture of bewilderment and disappointment. "Sweetie, this is definitely Paris! Look around at the style of

“So, we all learned something here today. We each can take responsibility and do better in our parts," I said outside the phone accessories and repair shop. "Sennen, you understand

"Daddy, my water smells great now," Sennen said offering me to smell his drinking water we had picked up from a convenience store a half hour earlier.  "What do you

I don't know about you, but I've had a helluva' a year. It's been a year of divorce, negotiations, court, having my kids only half the time and being a

While Christmas is far from absent in Cannes, it is a fraction of what we experience in America. Some shops have Christmas sales and certainly chocolatiers and bakeries have Christmas

"I'm a Cannes boy!" Sennen said as we headed into the fromagerie. Throughout the day he kept saying how much he likes Cannes – from the beauty, to the walking

"It hasn't really hit me that this is France," Sennen said over a continental breakfast at a nearby cafe. "I mean, there are building and streets, but I don't know,

"Daddy, let's hold hands in the car – let's hold hands in France!" Ailyn said after we got into the private van that took us to our Cannes apartment. An

The thing about planning an international vacation is that we tend to book far out and have no idea what will actually be happening in our lives at the time

$4000. I thought for sure it was a mistake. Maybe it was just Singapore Airlines. I checked Travelocity to see other airlines. It was no mistake. $4,000 roundtrip for Los

Intentionally or not, certain physical (and of course emotional) places become hubs in your life – places you find yourself over and over again. For me, one of them is

"No here…. water too much, maybe 5 inch…" Christos said walking into my foyer, pointing to the brown stone floor tiles at the edge, by the wall. He looked deeply

Most organized Greek beaches have little wooden walkways along them to help escort you over the sand or pebbles more easily.  I discovered these pathways are cheap and easy to

Anyone who met me during college knew one of the brightest spots in my life were a set of boy-girl twins on Mercer Island, Washington. Every Sunday I left the

Patmos is alive with the dissonance between its religious and secular life. An energy fills the air – but it's not always clear what it's about. For Patmians, today is

"That is racist, sir! We are all the same! I have the same blood you do! You know that? I have the same blood you do! I just wanted to

Human beings are designed to be resilient. Research has shown that a trauma or major life changing event shocks our brain into something of a "reset" that lasts six months

"Hey, sorry – can't talk right now, I'm walking into yoga. Can I can you back after?" I said to my colleague, Laura. Friday's the one day of the week

Kostas from Expert, the electronics and appliances shop called. The oven and cooktop they had been expecting came in and he knew my contractor for the kitchen counters had recommended

"You have to be imaginative! Think of how you want the bathroom to look! It can look however you like!" Fauco said with excitement.  In a blue linen shirt, khaki

"You made a good choice!" Stavros told me, "Buying a house on Patmos is an excellent choice. And you have a very good location." Stavros was born to a Greek

I had heard about it years ago – back in 2010: the secret dinners and parties of Hora. Both an Italian guy on a day boat and a British professor

"Daddy!" Ailyn exclaimed over FaceTime. The kids finished their twelve days of camp and we could finally talk again! Bursting with smiles and energy, she told me all about camp,

By and large, the west side of the island is windy and the east calm. The most popular beaches are sandy, wide and on the east side. They have fantastic

Stelios' Gelateria and Cafe is one of my favorite places to work for reasons ranging from sentimentality to their kindness to very reasonable prices. His music generally isn't – some

At around 5pm, yesterday, Christos from Cafe Mostra and Michaelis the Gardener walked into my yard and called me out. Michaelis inspected the yard in the way a potential buyer

Every teacher brings a little big of themselves to what they do – which can be for better and for worse. The teachers we love bring something great about themselves

Lulaki means lilac in Greek, but has become the term for the blue paint used on doors throughout Greece and as trim and accenting in the Cyclades and the couple

Whether it was George Michael who brought the Greek male aesthetic to the mainstream or the Greek male aesthetic took a cue from George Michael, I don't know. Born Georgios

On Thursday, the North Wind came and changed everything. The stagnant, humid heat that had encompassed the early week and even to midday Thursday was literally blown away and has

In the course of our lives, humans on average encounter or have meaningful exchanges with about 80,000 other humans. At any given time we can sustain stable relationships with about

"For this one," one of the furniture delivery and assembly guys pointed to my bed frame, "Can we come next Friday to finish?"' "But this is my bed…. I've been

My house is oddly positioned. Beyond the garden and what we'll call a "lawn" in the front, there are two small buildings: one for Cafe Mostra and the other for

Not knowing what to expect, I threw my travel yoga mat, a mat towel and a microfiber sweat towel in a backpack and headed out the door into shockingly steamy

I kept thinking about it. The boy did nothing wrong. On paper, he was polite – and genuinely well-intentioned. If I played back everything he said, there was nothing wrong

Just as we were almost done – only one last item to carry out – Mohammad noticed a one-euro coin on the foyer floor. He kindly picked it up and

The Chris Cafe in front of the Chris Hotel is one of the most trendy on the island. Well located with a view of the harbor and beyond, it has

Matt, my divorce attorney helps me with things like letters, stipulations, negotiations and hearings. Mike, my company's attorney reads and writes contracts and advises on various potential business situations. My

A friend of mine from high school who is not "outwardly" gay came out toward the end of college. He told me once that a difficult part of being gay

"Only turn the key to the first click – not the second. This is very important," Stefanos explained. It was his only slow sentence. The rest were given quicker and

From the back of a well-worn Mercedes taxi, it looked harrowing. The driver used classic maneuvers I can only assume are taught in some kind of a Greek Taxi Driving

The other day, the kids were making fun of Daniel Tiger and Mr Rogers – saying they couldn't believe they watched those and what dumb shows they are. I told

"They have some funny short reels in Canada!" Sennen said laughing hysterically at whatever he found on the Toronto Airport iPads lining the countertops in the gate waiting area.  This

I have two homes. As I was figuring out the four or five days of clothing to take with me back to Thousand Oaks, it hit me that I have

"Daddy, I'm just sorry you guys can't do anything today," Sennen sweetly said as he laid down on the sofa. "Sennen, that doesn't matter. We've done everything there is to

"So, remember when I told you I used to recruit foreign nurses to come work in the United States? Well, when I did that, I got to sit in on

The kids and I are getting a lot of continuous time together. Unlike home, they don't have their own routines and worlds – although they are sort of developing them.

If the small beach by the harbor in Skala is the community water hole for locals, Campos Beach is the resort swimming pool for tourists – both domestic and foreign.

"This is the soap I want next," Sennen said pointing to a fragrance of body wash he hadn't tried before. "And this is the soap I want!" Ailyn followed with

"You guys can go inside, you don't have to stand here with me," I told the kids. "No, we want to stay," Sennen said. Ailyn backed him up. They were

"Lampi has tsunamis! The waves at Lampi are like tsunamis!" Ailyn has said many times. Lampi and Lefkes are two of the few usable beaches on the west side of

Frenzy. For the past 18 hours I've been in a frenzy trying to nail down the right selection and order for new beds and mattresses. Two nights ago, my mom's

"It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important" – Chapter 21, The Little Prince What is the value of time? What is

Greece is sun and seas – air and light. Summer in Patmos feels more like Disneyland than reality – a magic place that's almost hard to believe is real. Friendly

"Daddy, where is our house? Can you find our house from here?" Sennen asked "Give me a minute, it's not easy. Ok, I see the Kastelli and Victor's house –

“You seem to know everyone!” my mom keeps saying. Until now, I didn’t realize how many people on Patmos I know. I suppose between four separate trips totaling the equivalent

“If someone doesn’t like Agriolivadi, they must have called 50 feet off a building onto their brain!” Ailyn said. ”Yeah, if someone doesn’t like Agriolivadi, they are seriously depressed,” Sennen

Sennen awoke at approximately 6:45, went outside to check if Gingos (the kids' idea of a Hellenized version of Ginger) the cat at the food they left out for him.

"So you will work for me in the mornings and I will pay you for your help…." Eirini said. "Ok, when is my shift?" Sennen asked Sennen received his first

"Welcome to Greece!" my mom said as we headed through the jetway. "I've been here before…" Ailyn said – forgoing the necessary welcome and getting a laugh from the rest

Some places – no matter how far flung – mysteriously feel like home. Why do we connect with some destinations and not others? What is it that makes a place

What would you do with only one day left in Borneo? It's almost a magical problem to have because how many of us get any days in Borneo? If you've

It has been years since I’ve done one, but the most difficult kind of blog post is a summary for an extended period. How do I take four days and

"I can't believe this is how we're spending the first day of 2023!" I said as we walked along a narrow road leading to the Sarawak State Legislative Building and

One of the most important phrases we can offer in life is "I'm so happy for you." The older I get, the more I realize how important it is to

Sour, Sweet, Bitter and Spicy – these are the flavors of marriage in Chinese custom, and therefore the flavors that a groom and his groomsmen must experience as part of

If America is a young country, Singapore is a baby. Prior to 1965, Singapore had never been a country and prior to 1819 when the British first identified Singapore as

Jews often say that you can travel to anywhere in the world and when you enter a synagogue, the services and prayers are familiar enough to follow along and join.

I sailed through pillars of clouds and flashes of light regularly – sometimes every week or two, sometimes as long as a couple of months apart. The skies and seas

"Where are you headed?" asked the 60ish ostensibly Dutch man as I climbed in the speedboat after hurling my backpack into it. "Back to Bangkok," I said and heard all

Reading and writing require me to be in a certain headspace. The monkey chatter of my mind as to quiet enough to absorb, formulate or share cogent thoughts. Sometimes I'm

"Everything on the island is more expensive. Buying anything here costs three times as much as on the mainland. That's why I go to Ban Phe for all my shopping.

At one point yesterday, I was worried I wasn't decompressing well enough. I also worried about whether I was maximizing my enjoyment of the beach, if I was swimming a

The weather has been surprisingly cool. Neither breezy nor stagnant. Not cold, but not the humid swelter common enough to the beaches of Ko Samet. Apple Weather swears the temperatures

My Aunt Roberta once introduced me to a book on the idea that places in our lives become an extension of our psyches – part of who we are. We

Every city has its rhythm and style. Angelenos – at least pre-pandemic – get their coffee and hit the highway. New York's streets are a mass of humanity every morning.

The plane had stopped at the gate and everyone was standing up, grabbing their bags and filling the aisles waiting for the door to open. That was the awkward moment

I turned the bend and was suddenly surrounded by Indian passengers and the smell of Hermes. The International Terminal at SFO has the same clean, high-end duty free concourses of

Every trip on every blog – and this is now my fourth – has begun with the pre-travel rundown. So here I am, a little more than four days before