How To Annoy People In Los Angeles, California

Posted on April 1, 2014 by jaynezak

How to Annoy People In Los Angeles, California

“Los Angeles is a large city-like area surrounding the Beverly Hills Hotel.” Fran Leibowitz

Leave your turn signal on for ten miles. Drive very slowly in the fast lane.

Talk about how much better New York is and how more real New Yorkers are. Fill in any other state or country here.

Say that the acting business is all about luck.

Ask us about celebrity dieting, gossip, their fitness DVDs or their clothing lines. Most of us don’t care about them on the way up or the way down.

Tell us again that people don’t walk here. We haven’t heard it before. Add that our public transportation sucks,. We know that is why a lot of us don’t use it.

Which would be another complaint. The traffic is really bad for us also.
Yes we have traffic for no apparent reason at 2:00 in the afternoon.

Complain about the air pollution. We know because we don’t have good public transportation.

Ask us if we know someone more important who can read your script.

Take up the whole lane with your bike and don’t pay attention to traffic signs. (that means you Mandeville Canyon riders)

Name drop celebrities or ask us who we know.

Bring up juice fasts, vegan restaurants, or talk about how much better your Mexican food is. (unless you are actually from Mexico). My kids who were born and raised in Los Angeles are serious carnivores.

Bring up new age anything, psychic pet healers, yoga, Pilates. bar method, Scientology , Kabbalah, acupuncture, Tai Chi or ask about mercury in retrograde. Everyone does not like to talk about it.

Ask us if we drive to the gym. We do. Sometimes we go to lunch and pick up our kids in our workout clothes. I drive to walk my dog.

Tell us that you think that you look fat when you are thinner and more fit than we are.

Ask if the construction on the 405 affects us. It affects me every day and night.

Tell us there is no culture here. There is plenty but some of it you have to look for.

Insult our artists. Some of them matter. Some of them you have heard of. All of them are cooler than you.

Leave the movie theatre as soon as the film ends. We like to read the credits and see who we know on the film and we don’t like you walking in front of us when we do.

Talk really loudly on your cell phone in a public place about all the movie business related things you are doing. We know it isn’t true.

Say you haven’t had any work done. We know that isn’t true also. We are from LA and we are professionals at being able to see that.

Ask questions about surfing, skating or being blonde. We all can’t answer those.

Make comments about our weather. We live here because we like it.

Ask us why we wear jeans in nice restaurants. Because we can. We also wear boots, scarves, shorts and bathing suits year round.

Ask us why we wear Uggs and flip flops everywhere. I don’t know.

Ask us if we are ready for the “big one”. If you need to know, go on facebook. Every time there is a tremor everyone reports it – as in “Did anyone else feel that?”

Fly Safe,

JAZ

Top Ten Reasons For Going To Colombia

Posted on March 21, 2014 by jaynezak

Top Ten Reasons For Going To Colombia.

“It is not true that people stop pursuing dreams because they grow old, they grow old because they stop pursuing dreams.” Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Drugs (Im totally kidding but that is what you were thinking)
I have not been there.
I can practice my Spanish.
It’s the home of my favorite writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
I like living on the edge. (anyone who knows me is laughing right now)
I like going to places not everyone goes to.
I like the Americas –North, Central, South, Ferrara and Vespucci.
I hope I like the food.
I have all my shots and mosquito treated clothes from Burma in case I need that.
I like visiting my friends in Miami on the way back.

Adios y Seguia con Cuidado

JAZ

Things I Have Learned In Myajima, Japan

Posted on March 17, 2014 by jaynezak

Things I Have Learned in Myajima, Japan

“To be fully alive is to have an aesthetic perception of life because a major part of the world’s goodness lies in its often unspeakable beauty.” Yukitaka Yamamoto

The most famous site in Japan are the floating Torii gates of the Itsukushima Shrine on the island of Myajima in Hiroshima Prefecture. Actually the real name of the island is Itsukushima but people will know what you mean by Myajima (shrine island).

To get to Myajima you take a ferry from Hiroshima. Anago (sea eel) is one of the famous regional foods of the Hiroshima area. It’s especially prominent around the area of Miyajima, and if you go to Miyajima-guchi where you catch the ferry to Miyajima Island, you’ll find several competing restaurants featuring anago.

I am not the only one taking pictures on the ferry as the Tori gates come into view.

Miyajima is believed to be the island where God dwells. It is said that Itsukushima Shrine is built on the coast because the whole island is God’s body and is sanctified. Itsukushima Shrine was built at the end of sixth century and modified to the present building by Kiyomori Taira, who came into power for the first time as a warrior in 1168. It is located in the sea and has a bold structure because the shape changes by the rising and falling tide. The orange lacquered shrine building, green forest and blue sea symbolizes the Japanese sense of beauty.

The island itself has been considered sacred. In order to keep up its purity, commoners were not allowed to set foot on Miyajima through much of its history. In order to allow pilgrims to approach, the shrine was built like a pier over the water, so that it appeared to float, separate from the land. It existed in a state between the sacred and the ? Not sacred? Damned? Ordinary? Others?

The shrine’s signature orange entrance gate, or torii, was built over the water for the same reason. Commoners had to steer their boats through the torii before approaching the shrine. When the tide is low, you can walk to it.

Retaining the purity of the shrine is so important that since 1878, no deaths or births have been permitted near the shrine. To this day, pregnant women are supposed to go the mainland as the day of delivery approaches, as are terminally ill or the very elderly who are near death. Burials on the island are still forbidden. I’m not sure how they control the birth and death thing.

It is both a Unesco World Heritage site and a Japanese National Treasure site.

Omote-Sando is the main street from the port to Itsukushima Shrine. There are a lot of souvenir shops on both sides of the street. You can enjoy souvenir shopping for artwork such as Shamoji, a rice scoop, wooden spoons, well-known Momiji manju, a bun with a bean-jam filling made from maple leaves, and other crafts.

The deer on Myajima are not shy about asking for food and water and just as cute as the ones in Nara Park.

There are many other temples and Buddha statues on Myajima. If you visit these spots you can really feel that Miyajima has been the object of worship for Japanese people throughout time.

Yo I sorano tabi o,

JAZ

Things I Have Learned In Naoshima, Japan

Posted on March 14, 2014 by jaynezak

Things I Have Learned In Naoshima, Japan

“You cant really say what is beautiful about a place but the image will remain vividly with you .” Tadao Ando

The small fishing island of Naoshima is an unlikely destination for globe-trotting art collectors and my most favorite place in Japan. Tadao Ando’s vision coupled with investments from a large benefactor join art, architecture, nature and life together in an amazing place.

An eccentric billionaire from Okayama and the company Bennesse that he runs, have been slowly transforming the island into open-air museums of contemporary art.

It is located 500 miles south of the Fukushima plant so no worries there. ( I did hear from a physicist who worked on it that it was a self-contained explosion and the radiation did not escape into the universe –but I’m a worrier)

Tadao Ando’s Chuchu Art Museum is entirely underground but doesn’t feel that way with light and skylights at carefully constructed angles. It houses the works of Claude Monet, James Turrell and Walter de Maria.

You are not allowed to take pictures in any of the museums. It is about being in the present moment and experiencing the art.

If you are not an art fan (though why would you come here if you aren’t? – it takes three hours from Osaka – Shinkansan (bullet train) plus two more trains and a ferry) you will like the James Bond “Man With The Red Tatoo”Museum.

One of the really interesting things about Naoshima is discovering art in surprise places.

Wandering around on foot will have you discovering outdoor sculptures and art exhibits sometimes cleverly disguised as children’s playgrounds and colorful gardens.

The pumpkins have become the image of the island. There is an Orange and a yellow one on opposite sides of the island. They were made by Yayoi Kusama an artist known for colorful, psychedelic patterns.

People are always taking pictures with them.

The vision behind the Benesse Art Site at Naoshima was ‘to create a physically and mentally rejuvenating haven”.

Benesse House is a unique facility that combines the functions of both museum and hotel.
Four hotel facilities—Museum, Oval, Park and Beach are available. All were designed by Tadao Ando.

James Turrell presents light in itself as art. The museum has three of his works.  Open Sky can be viewed at anytime, but a special sunset viewing is also available.

He makes large rooms and space where light itself becomes the object. You actually step inside his art. It cannot be described, it has to be experienced.

Minamidera is a new structure that pays homage to a temple formerly at this site, which was a spiritual gathering place for the community. It was designed by Tadao Ando for the size of artwork by James Turrell inside.

The Art House Project is really cool. There are eight houses that have been turned into art installations. This interesting concept successfully fuses the history and culture of the island with contemporary art.

It is a bit like a scavenger hunt trying to find them on the island. If you get lost, follow the cool arty looking people, not the fishermen.

Naoshima is an island that fuses ancient traditions with modern creativity. This blend of styles is due to Tado Ando’s and his insistence on using traditional materials in ultra modern ways. Art, Nature and Japanese food – my three favorite things.

Thanks Anna. We had such a great day!

Yo I sorano tabi o

JAZ

Ten Most Dangerous Countries Not To Visit Right Now

Posted on March 10, 2014 by jaynezak

Ten Most Dangerous Countries Not To Visit Right Now

“Hitler didn’t travel. Stalin didn’t travel. Saddam Hussein never traveled. They didn’t want to have their orthodoxy challenged.” — Howard Gardner

I was thinking about the countries I would be most afraid to travel to. I decided to look on the internet at other people’s lists. Many countries were the same – the usual suspects, unstable governments, high crime rates, drug cartels, terrorists, kidnappings – all things that could ruin a vacation. There were a couple of surprises. Russia and the United States were on a few top ten lists. The reason is that we have enemies. We invaded countries and had a major terrorist attack. We have gangs, crime, drug problems and random, crazy shootings. There are people from peaceful countries that are afraid to come here.

The list of dangerous countries changes with economic and political stability. I’m not sure of what the time limit is but when a certain amount of time passes and nothing terrible happens, people start traveling to a country on the danger list again. They are not in order because the order changes based on acts of violence. Some of these countries have been on this list for a very long time.

1. Syria If you are in Syria, you should leave immediately. Kidnapping of foreign nationals, terrorism, polio and ongoing military clashes make it an extremely dangerous place to be at the moment. Thousands of people have already been injured or killed. If you insist on going, travel with an armed guard. If you are stopped, they will assume you have picked a side and you could be executed.

2. Afghanistan It is probably not a good idea to travel to Afghanistan especially if you are from a country in the NATO Alliance. The Taliban has issued a threat against every citizen of these countries. The American government has pretty much issued the same travel advisory about Afghanistan. There are a few tourists but keeping them safe is difficult. Some of them have not come back. Afghanistan has spectacular scenery. There are snow-capped mountains in the Hindu Kush and Pamir ranges, Buddhist monuments and Islāmic temples,. No one knows if it will ever be safe for tourism because it is ten years after the international community has come in and it is still unsafe.

3. Iraq As the cradle of civilization, Iraq has always been a pilgrimage site. The lack of security, daily bombings, shootings, and unstable infrastructure make it very difficult to even get a tourist visa. The few western tourists that come to Iraq, travel with an armed guard in an unmarked vehicle. They try to blend in and not call attention to themselves, and are stopped at many checkpoints. The violence seems to be getting worse so the small tourism that they do have will soon decrease.

4.Venezuela There is no travel advisory for Venezuela other than avoiding the Colombian border. There are violent street demonstrations, kidnappings and armed robbery. It doesn’t help that Venezuela has one of the top five murder rates in the world. (Jamaica’s is higher and they have plenty of tourists) A friend of mine who travels with the World Athletic Organization said that he never felt fearful except after landing in Venezuela. It felt like anything could happen in that country. Chavez shut off the internet the weekend he was there. Whatever improvements the Chavez government brought to Venezuela, tourism wasn’t one of them. The situation has improved since his death, but due to crazy monetary policies, it is hard to attract foreign investments and even tourists. Venezuela has the Andes, the Amazon rainforest, the world’s tallest waterfalls and an amazing Caribbean coastline but they have a lot of damage to undo before there is even pre Chavez tourism.

5. Somalia The situation in Somalia is getting better after a twenty year conflict. A traveler still has to travel with armed guards. The first tourist came to Somalia a couple of years ago. He was retired and visiting all the countries in the world and wanted to check Somalia off his list. At first, no one believed that he was a tourist. The story made all the newspapers. It is a beautiful country with fantastic beaches and the hope is that there will be peace, tourism and economic stability with this new election.

6. Pakistan Tourism in Pakistan has definitely been declining over the last twelve years. But the mountain climbing community was undeterred. Five of the world’s fourteen highest mountain peaks are in the Gilgit-Baltistan range, which includes K2, the second highest mountain in the world. Last year the Taliban killed ten climbers at the base camp of Nanga Parbat. The mountain climbers who bring so much revenue to the region, stopped coming and that loss has been staggering. The US government feels that we are at risk for random attacks from Al Qaeda, the Taliban and other militant groups throughout Pakistan. The British government advises against travel to Pakistan due to random terrorist attacks and violence.

7. Sudan is the third largest country in Africa and has been affected by civil war for the last forty years. Seeing the Blue and White Nile River and camel market at Khartoum sound appealing, but the recent indictment of Sudan’s president for war crimes and the killing and starvation in Darfur might make it a less than perfect travel destination. Southern Sudan is considered extremely dangerous due to bandits and terrorist attacks. There is a general threat of terrorism throughout the Sudan and tourists should avoid protests, demonstrations and anywhere there are large gatherings of people. The Australian government asks that people reconsider their need to go there due to violent civil unrest and kidnappings.

8. Democratic Republic of Congo is one of Africa’s most interesting countries. Travelers want to see the Congo River, volcanoes and gorillas. The area is plagued with extreme violence, instability, kidnappings, robberies and warlords. The travel advisory is don’t go unless you have to or unless you are Anthony Bourdain.

9. Libya is in a state of political instability due to a weak provisional government replacing the Gaddafi regime. There is still fighting between armed militia groups. If you are already in Libya, stay away from large public gatherings, demonstrations, and sites of civil or militia conflict. As of January 2014 the assassination campaign that was mainly targeting Libyans has now begun to affect foreign visitors. It would not be a bad idea to postpone your travel plans to Libya unless of course you are Anthony Bourdain.

10. North Korea I had trouble picking my tenth country. I couldn’t decide between Iran, Egypt, Burundi and North Korea. They are all good choices for dangerous. I went with North Korea because they have nuclear weapons and they make it very difficult to visit. Going in and out of the country is hard and you could be “detained” as an American for the slightest negative remark. This makes it difficult for someone like me without a good filter. Arbitrary arrest of Americans is common. Walking around without your guide can get you both in trouble. Talking to North Koreans without permission can get you all in trouble. It’s never a good idea to travel to a country that America has recently severed diplomatic relations with if you happen to be American.

Writing this I felt real gratitude to my grandparents that I never met for getting on that boat and coming to America. I appreciate the freedom, comfort and privileges of living here that I usually take for granted. Things aren’t so great with our country right now but maybe the message in the mess is that we are lucky enough to have the opportunity to do better.

Fly safe,

JAZ

Temples of Nara and Kamakura, Japan

Posted on March 6, 2014 by jaynezak

Temples of Nara and Kamakura, Japan

“Just as treasures are  uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom  appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze  of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of  virtue.“   Buddha

Buddhist monks were in Japan as early as the third century and came along the silk road. The official date was 552 when a Korean delegation arrived with monks, nuns, statues and sutras. Acceptance as with any new thing was slow. But the ruling class took up the faith and encouraged others to join. (I guess that is what Christian Science and Kabbalah hoped Hollywood would do for them)

Buddhism has had an enormous impact on the art and culture of Japan. Japanese Buddhism is the search for fulfillment and ultimate truth, not in any transcendental sphere, but within the structure of secular life, neither denying nor repressing man’s natural feelings, desires or customs. Many traditional arts such as garden design, tea ceremony, flower arranging, and even martial arts developed into the forms they have today because of the religion.

Nara was the first permanent ancient capital of Japan.There are many Unesco World Heritage sites in Nara.

Many of the temples are in Nara Park.

The Toda-ji temple gate is the entrance to Toda-ji which is considered to be a very important temple in the Buddhist world.

Toda-ji Temple presides over the park and is the world’s largest oldest standing wooden building. It was constructed in 752 and houses a Daibutsu-the largest Buddha in Japan.

The hanging bell of Nara though not the oldest or largest or heaviest is still quite impressive.

Hokkedō, also known as Sangatsudō is located at the eastern edge of the Tōda-ji complex. Hokkedō is the oldest building in the Tōdai complex.

It is said that Buddha came to earth on the back of a deer. The Sika Deer are considered to be messengers from God and run free in Nara Park. They are very hungry messengers from God and if you start to feed them you will be surrounded by many aggressive ones. ( but of course everyone does)

We stop at a teahouse before going to more temples.

Kofuku–ji Temple built in 669 and dismantled was moved to Nara in 710. It features a five-story pagoda and many Buddhist treasures. Today only a handful of the temple’s 175 buildings remain standing, most of which date from the 15th century. The five-story pagoda is the second highest pagoda in Japan.

Kamakura is a small city and a very popular tourist destination. Sometimes called the Kyoto of Eastern Japan, Kamakura offers many temples, shrines and other historical monuments. In addition, Kamakura’s sand beaches attract large crowds during the summer months. (Mt Fuji is in the background. It is good luck to see Mt Fuji)

The Great Buddha of Kamakura (Kamakura Daibutsu) is a bronze statue of Amida Buddha, which stands on the grounds of Kotoku-in Temple. with a height of 13.35 meters. It is the second tallest bronze Buddha statue in Japan, surpassed only by the statue in Nara’s Toda-ji temple. ( indoor Buddha statue above)

The statue was cast in 1252 and originally located inside a large temple hall. However, the temple buildings were destroyed multiple times by typhoons and a tidal wave in the 14th and 15th centuries. Since 1495, the Buddha has stood in the open air. This is the destination even the Obamas had on their Japan bucket list.

Jufuku–ji is the oldest Zen temple in Kamakura. Although very small now, in its heyday the temple used to have as many as fourteen buildings. Myoan Eisai was a Buddhist priest who was brought to head the temple after it was built. He was credited with bringing Zen Buddhism and green tea from China to Japan.

A little Zen Buddhist Luck. (Japanese love luck. Who doesn’t?)

The main shopping street is Komachi-dori. It is a tiny alley with both authentic and touristy crafts and Japanese food. Snack your way around the pickle shop (radishes, carrots, seaweed, anything) and pick up exquisitely wrapped chestnut candies in the confectioner’s shop. (charcoal store)

Hachimangu shrine is the most important shrine in Kamakura. The shrine is dedicated to Hachiman, the patron god of the Minamoto family and of the samurai in general. The shrine is reached via a long, wide approach that leads from Kamakura’s waterfront through the entire city center, with multiple torii gates along the way.

These are two different days. Nara and Kamakura are different cities. Kamakura is forty minutes outside Tokyo. Nara is an hour away from Osaka. After a long day of temples, you can enjoy the local Japanese custom of sleeping on the train home.

Yo I sorano tabi o,

JAZ

Things That People From Other Countries Find Strange About America

Posted on March 1, 2014 by jaynezak

Things That People From Other Countries Find Strange About America

“We hold these truths to be self-evident.” Thomas Jefferson , The Declaration Of Independence

It is strange that the poor people are fatter than the rich people.

Tourists from other countries are shocked at the large size of the portions, all you can eat buffets and the amount of food that we waste.

Mcdonalds hamburgers (the quintessential American symbol) look so much better in the pictures then they taste. It is the same with Hershey Bars and Kit Kats. I hope they don’t try cotton candy.

It is not prestigious to drink a lot of alcohol here. There is contempt for people who must drink a lot to be drunk. To drink excessive alcohol on a regular daily basis is to be an alcoholic.

Non-smokers seem more important than smokers in the U.S.

Most Americans do not carry cash. There are many payment options if you want to buy something. It is not an option to say you have no money.

If you come from a third world country and go into a supermarket you will be amazed at the many different brands of dog food . For some it is that we don’t feed our dogs table scraps but have special dog food.

We have many complaints about our educational system but foreigners always comment on the free high quality sports facilities, theatres and musical programs that we have in our schools. (if they haven’t been cut yet)

Americans are casual. The use of first names very quickly and with people who are above you (like your boss) is very odd to those who come from countries that don’t have this kind of familiarity.

In many cities, it looks like Americans have a lot of free time on weekdays. It appears that we use this time for long lunches, jogging, bicycling, tennis, reading, writing, going to movies and volunteering.

Cultural diversity is something we take for granted until we go to a country where everyone looks the same. When people come here it is one of the first things they notice.

Cars cars cars. Everyone has at least one car and uses it for short distances.

American manners with cars are really good. You must wait at an intersection, follow the speed limit and obey all traffic rules. It is interesting how many countries don’t follow these rules.

The United States looks big on a map but people don’t realize how big it actually is until they get here. (I felt the same way about Australia)

Foreigners are either surprised at how easy it is to buy a gun here or how nice it is to never have been shot at – depending on what country you come from.

It is odd to see people carrying around bottles of water on the street in a country that has drinkable water.

Walmart and Cosco are always a big shock to foreigners from countries without Tesco, – how big, how cheap, how much stuff we buy that we don’t really need. It was a shock for me too – so many different random things in one place.

Americans do not share their problems with everyone. Serious problems are for friends and relatives only. Sharing of positive emotions is correct for people you don’t know very well. There are many cultures that find that strange.

Also we shake hands upon meeting someone for the first time. We don’t hug, we don’t kiss on both cheeks (unless we are really from a country that does that or want to pretend we are). If we don’t know you, there is no other touching. Remember that one country’s customs are another country’s pepper spray.

When Americans visit their relatives, they often stay in hotels. This would be insulting in many countries.

Most Americans do not like it if you show up at their house uninvited.

There are many car seat regulations here for babies and young children. This is hard for people coming from third world countries where many don’t have cars to understand.

You can’t purchase alcohol here till you are 21 but you can buy a gun at or join the army at 18.

Parents can get arrested in the United States for physically punishing their children and don’t have that kind of accountability in many countries.

Bribery is illegal in America.

Americans smile if they are not from New York. Foreigners must be ready to smile in each and every situation. People from countries that do not smile have to learn to smile at people on the street, in stores, policemen, acquaintances etc. I had to learn that coming from New York.

Americans can make mistakes and fail and it doesn’t matter. The American philosophy is “Let’s try anyway.”

Any more?

Fly Safe,

Jayne

Ten Mondays Of Santa Monica Sunsets Taken With My Cell Phone

Posted on February 24, 2014 by jaynezak

Ten Mondays Of Santa Monica Sunsets Taken With My Cell Phone

“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.”Robindranath Tagore

I have an appointment in Santa Monica on Monday afternoon. The parking lot got very expensive and annoying. I started to park one block away on the street. This is what I saw when I came back to my car on these last ten Mondays or this is what I was missing by parking in the lot.

When I am traveling I always remember to watch a sunset. In my real life, so many things get in the way. I need to remember that this amazing event happens every day.

Fly Safe,

JAZ

Fifty Favorite Books That I Have Read On Trips, On The Beach Or At Home

Posted on February 19, 2014 by jaynezak

Fifty Favorite Books That I Have Read On Trips, On The Beach Or At Home

“Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them.” Lemony Snicket

How does a book make the favorites list? I remember it. I have a really bad memory if it stays with me, it stays forever. I want a book to take me somewhere I haven’t been before, another time, another place, another pair of eyes. There are books that have taught me something and changed how I see the world. Some of them I have read more than once – under the covers with a flashlight. I identify with certain characters. There is this wonderful moment in reading where you think “You feel that way too? I thought that I was the only one.”

It was very hard to pick only fifty. My favorite books from many different stages of my life are here and in no particular order. If you missed reading any…..they are good.

The Master And The Margarita Mikhail Bulgakov (Russian)

On The Road Jack Kerouac (American)

Purge Sofi Oksanen (Finnish)

The Chosen Chaim Potok (American)

Love In the Time Of Cholera Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Colombian)

Gone With the Wind Margaret Mitchell (American)

Swann’s Way (In Search Of Lost Time) Marcel Proust (French)

To Kill A Mockingbird Harper Lee (American)

One Hundred Years Of Solitude Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Colombian)

All Over But The Shoutin’ Rick Bragg (American)

Snow Orhan Pamuk (Turkish)

The Fountainhead Ayn Rand (American)

The Prophet Kahlil Gibran (Lebanese American)

Atlas Shrugged Ayn Rand (American)

Don Quixote Miguel de Cervantes (Spanish)

The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald (American)

The Stranger Albert Camus (French)

The Giving Tree Shel Silverstein (American)

Diary Of A Young Girl Anne Frank (Dutch)

The Old Man And The Sea Ernest Hemingway (American)

The Kite Runner Khalid Hosseini (Afghan American)

For Whom The Bell Tolls Ernest Hemingway (American)

The Unbearable Lightness Of Being Milan Kundera (Czech)

Middlesex Jeffrey Eugenides (American)

Siddhartha Herman Hesse (German)

The Things They Carried Tim O Brian (American)

Life Of Pi Yann Martel (Canadian)

The Sun Also Rises Ernest Hemingway (American)

Zorba The Greek Nikos Kazantzakis (Greek)

A Heart Breaking Work Of Staggering Genius Dave Eggars (American)

The House of The Spirits Isabel Allende (Chilean)

Catcher In The Rye J.D. Salinger (American)

The Gulag Archipelago Alexandr Solzhenitsyn (Russian)

Good Night Moon Margaret Wise Brown (American)

Wild Swans Jung Chang (Chinese)

Tuesdays With Morrie Mitch Albom (American)

The Painted Bird Jerzy Kosinski (Polish American)

The Prince Of Tides Pat Conroy (American)

Man’s Search For Meaning Viktor Frankl (Austrian)

Slaughterhouse Five Kurt Vonnegut (American)

War And Peace Leo Tolstoy (Russian)

Metropolitan Life Fran Liebowitz (American)

The Razor’s Edge Somerset Maugham (British)

The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test Tom Wolfe (American)

Anna Karenina Leo Tolstoy (Russian)

The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Nighttime Mark Haddon (British)

All Quiet On The Western Front Erich Maria Remarque (German)

The Mambo Kings Sing Songs Of Love Oscar Hijuelos (American)

If On A Winter’s Night A Traveler Italo Calvino (Italian)

Chronicles Of A Blood Merchant Yu Hua (Chinese)

Please recommend some of yours.

Fly Safe,

JAZ

Things That I Have Learned In Eastern Europe (or the former Soviet Union)

Posted on February 11, 2014 by jaynezak

Things That I Have Learned In Eastern Europe (or the former Soviet Union)

“The salvation of this human world lies nowhere else than in the human heart, in the human power to reflect, in human meekness and human responsibility.” Vaclav Havel

I have traveled around Eastern Europe a few times before I was a blogger or ‘photographer’. This was not one trip. It was earlier in the tourism stage of these countries and I’m sure things are a lot different now. This is what I remember.

There is something not warm and fuzzy about being in countries of the former Soviet Union. Especially countries that sent so many innocent people to concentration camps before that. The vestiges of communism are still there. The first thing you notice in Budapest and Prague is that people don’t smile. (a train in Budapest)

“If you need directions, ask young.” Most of the older generation do not speak any English. The young are trying to be modern. But they have missed the sixties, seventies and eighties. The music went from folksongs and communist anthems to rock and roll. The results are sometimes odd. Same with the clothes.

Shopping streets were emerging like Vaci street in Budapest with chain clothing stores where once there was State Grocery no.19. Things cost more and consumerism has definitely hit these countries. Keeping up with their neighbors is harder these days. There is still a lot of black market profiteering. But slowly a middle class is appearing. (tagging in Budapest)

After the fall of Communism, Eastern Europe was faced with the problem of what to do with all those Lenin, Marx and Engels statues. Several of the finest minds of the time got together in St Petersburg in 1991 to thrash out the quandary and it was decided that every city would display them in their very own tacky sculpture park. There is Fallen Monument Park in Moscow, Memento Park in Budapest and Grutas Park (known as Stalin’s World) 130km south of Vilnius. There are Museums of Terror in many of these eastern European cities showing their treatment in the time of the Soviets. (Statue Park in Budapest )

Lithuania was my first Baltic Country.. During the Holocaust around 95 per cent of the Lithuanian Jews were murdered, the highest percentage in Europe, many by local collaborator-killers. There is a Genocide Museum in Vilnius in the old KGB headquarters. It was occupied by the Gestapo during World War Two for the deportations and later the Lithuanians suffered there under Stalin. In Eastern Europe I found the Lithuanians the most friendly and most open to talk about stuff. I wasn’t prepared for that. It is hard to understand. ( a street in Vilnius Lithuania)

Trakai castle surrounded by Lake Galve is about an hour out of Vilnius. All the brides come on the weekends to take photos. There were many because if you don’t get married on a Saturday, the neighbors start counting the months.

Palanga is the busiest summer resort in Lithuania and the traffic on a Sunday proved that point.

Riga, Latvia has the largest collection of Art Nouveau buildings in Europe. This is designed by Max Eisenstein (father of filmmaker Sergei.)

Rumbala, which is 10 kilometers outside of Riga, is where 25,000 Jews were murdered during WW2. Rumbala and Babi Yar (in Kiev, Ukraine) were the two biggest massacre killings in Eastern Europe until the death camps. This was the only Jewish Holocaust memorial in the original Soviet Union.

Parnu, Estonia is an elegant beach town with depressing Soviet architecture.

Estonia is between Latvia and a ferry ride to Finland. ( 43 miles away, yes I was there) The influence of their Nordic neighbors is very noticeable, in the spelling, the food, and the design. Talinn, the capital of Estonia is a blend of a historical Baltic city and cool Nordic food and fashion trends. The former KGB headquarters are now the Hotel Viru. I did major shopping and eating here. The Wall Of Sweaters is fun for everything wool and located on the old city wall by the Viru Gate. The leather stores from Italy have better prices here. (Talinn, Estonia, cathedral of Alexander Nevsky, sweater wall)

Prague is considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I have been there twice. It is called the Paris of the East. There is culture, history, five-star restaurants and hotels. The Charles Bridge connects the old town with the Mala Strana and is one of the most iconic structures in Prague. (Art Museum and Charles Bridge)

The Jewish Quarter dates back to the thirteenth century. The Old New Synagogue is the oldest synagogue in Europe in Gothic thirteenth century style. It is in use today. The Old Jewish Cemetery was established in the first half of the 15th century. it is one of the most important historic sites in Prague´s Jewish Town. The oldest tombstone, which marks the grave of the poet and scholar Avigdor Karo, dates from the year 1439. Burials took place in the cemetery until 1787. Today it contains some 12,000 tombstones, al though the number of persons buried here is much greater. It is assumed that the cemetery contains several burial layers placed on top of each other. (Prague Cemetery)

Leadership in these countries has not been great. Decades of totalitarian rule damaged the way people in power think and behave; and the harm has not been repaired.

The mindset of the younger generation is everything anti Communist or anti the time of the Soviets as they say. Under Communist rule, the State was responsible for everything – even for little things. Today people must make decisions and take responsibility for them – not an easy task for those who have been raised to follow, not to lead.

Fly safe,

JAZ