One blog is not enough for Chicago

So many great shots of Chicago. This is me in the Millenium Park, with the wonderful Frank Gehry pavillion and the sculpture by Anish Kapoor. Wonderful city.

What a relief to be out of DC

Here I am in Chicago, which is so much more fun than DC, with much better dressed people all over the place. But the best thing is the buildings! Great ones everywhere. Wild.

All Hallows Eve

Everyone here in DC seems to be getting very excited about Halloween - lots of houses are decorated, and pumpkins are everywhere. Very cute.

DC is for ME

Having fun in Washington, staying at Gavin's place for about a week. His wife, Peggy, and I are posing outside the White House after visiting a few galleries. We are giving the McCain-Palin a challenge - the Lamb-Adlington alternative. Luckily, I will have left the US by election day.

Happy Mother Teresa Day: 19 October 2008!

The years certainly roll around quickly these days - here we are on 19 October, celebrating another Mother Teresa Day, at least in Albania, where she is the country's favourite daughter. As if you did not know, 19 October is the day in 2003 that she was beatified by the Vatican. One more miracle to go!

Southern Albania

We went for an adventure down to the southern coast of Albania - just near the Greek border - to investigate land registration in a more pleasant environment. Perfect weather and great scenery - we even managed to do some work.

Social transformation thru land registration

The Albanians are ahead of the World Bank in promoting land registration - or at least that is how the translator explained the mosaic in the central square of Tirana, the capital of Albania. I am not sure where the weapons fit in. Maybe they are mini-theodolites. Interesting outfits for land titling, too.

Nice old buildings in Sarajevo

Sarajevo is full of interesting old buildings - Turkish, Austrian, 20th century. Here are a few I liked, plus a headstone from the Ottoman period. Lots of funny little streets too in the old part of town. Next stop: Tirana, Albania.

Schemes of Old Town, Sarajevo, Bosnia

Here are some shots of the Old Town in Sarajevo - the bit from the Turkish period (for about 400 years starting in 1500). Lots of little interesting shops, a maze of streets and passages, and some good coffee.

Kiev is so lovely

Kiev is a wonderful city full of gorgeous churches, public buildings and parks. We are staying in the middle of town, so it is a short walk to these beautiful buildings.