My Trips

Going along with my previous Post (about going to places where there is Violence or War) I have been to those kinds of places and had to do lots of research and planning beforehand.

(Picture: I took in Belfast, Northern Ireland in June 2010.

 Each Neighborhood looked similar to this one.

This one has the Red, White and Blue of the British Flag with words like Loyalist to show that it is a Protestant Neighborhood and that Catholics are not welcomed or safe entering there.

The Catholics have a similar thing in their Neighborhoods although they use the Green, White and Orange or the Irish Flag with words like Republican to show that it is a Catholic Neighborhood and that Protestants are not welcomed or safe entering there.)

I went to Northern Ireland in June 2010.

We had hired a Driver from the Republic of Ireland to drive us around the Republic of Ireland, into Northern Ireland and then back through the Republic of Ireland.

That meant we had hired a Catholic Driver with Republic of Ireland License Plates (ie. Catholic) so people would be able to know right away.

People in Northern Ireland are still divided between Protestants and Catholics even though The Troubles officially ended in 1998.

The People of Northern Ireland can tell if a Stranger is Catholic or Protestant by: their First and Last Name, the District they Live in, what kind of Pound they use to buy things (using English Pounds and Bank of Ulster Pounds means you are Pro-British and a Protestant while using Bank of Ireland Pounds means you are Pro-Ireland and a Catholic.)

I had no desire to tell anyone when we were in Northern Ireland if we were Catholic or Protestant. I simply said we were American.

By the way I was born, raised and consider myself to be Catholic.

I had to hush my Dad up several times when he would tell complete Strangers that his Grandmother was Scots-Irish since that automatically meant she was a Protestant.

Think there weren’t any issues while we were in Northern Ireland for those several days (2 days in Belfast and 1 day in Derry/Londonderry – officially the City is called Londonderry and only Protestants call it that while Catholics call it Derry) think again.

There was a 300 lbs. bomb found in Belfast the day we left the City to continue through the coast and to Derry/Londonderry.

It was left by the Protestants who were mad that the British Prime Minister had Officially Apologized for the British Government and British Military’s Role and Decades-Long Cover-Up of Bloody Sunday in 1972 which targeted Catholics.

 

I went to Russia 5 times (Visiting as a Tourist in 2000, 2001 and 2003 and Living there as a Student in 2002 and 2004.)

Back then there was no War in Ukraine (that started in 2014), but they were fighting in the 2^nd Chechen War from 1999 to 2009 and there were lots of Terrorist Attacks throughout the Country (including the 2002 Theater Hostage Taking and the 2004 Belsan School Hostage Taking.)

I did go to see a Musical (“Chicago’) in Moscow a few months after the Nord-Ost Hostage Taking and knew where the Emergency Exits were just in case.

I knew I was entering a potentially dangerous Country and so every time I went to Russia I had different plans on what to do if there was a Hostage Situation, a Bombing or I had to flee Russia (I had maps and Cash in Dollars always with me in my Messenger Bag so I could flee overland to safer Countries like Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia or Ukraine (which was safe at that time.)

I never had to use those plans though.

 

I went to Israel and the Palestinian West Bank (as I already said) in 2017.

Before I went to Israel I carefully researched and planned everything for my Sister and I on how to stay safe in case a War started while we were over there.

I looked up all the different Public Air Raid Shelters in all the Cities we would be visiting in Israel and the West Bank.

I learned how to say "Where is the Air Raid Shelter" and "Where is the closest Hospital" in both Hebrew and Arabic (I already knew it in Russian - which is the most widely spoken Language in Israel after Hebrew.)

There was no War when we entered Israel (I would have cancelled the trip if there was) but a War did start 3 months after we left in December 2017.

 

I went to Mexico in 2003.

Because of all the Drug Cartels and Gangs there kidnapping American Citizens for Ransom I had plans on where I should and should not go to and tried not to be the “Loud American.”

 

I went to Cyprus in 2007.

Cyprus has been at War with Turkey since Turkey invaded and occupied the northern part of Cyprus in 1974.

I didn’t expect any issues in Greek Cyprus and I didn’t have any, but I had a trip scheduled to Turkish-Occupied Northern Cyprus and so had some Back-Up Plans in case the Land Border was closed and I was stuck in Turkish-Occupied Cyprus (you can only fly to/from Turkish-Occupied Cyprus by going through Cyprus.)

I had Cypriot Pounds, Turkish Lira, Euros and US Dollars to help if I needed it.

The day I was supposed to go to Turkish-Occupied Cyprus the Tour Company cancelled the trip as I was standing waiting for the Bus so I never went up north.

 

I went to Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montengero in December 2010.

Even though the Wars in the Former Yugoslavia ended in the 1990s the People there still don’t trust the different Ethnic Groups and Religions.

When my Mom and I went to Bosnia and Herzegovina I knew the Bosniaks (the Muslims), the Bosnian- Croatians (the Catholics) and the Bosnian Serbs (Orthodox Christian) keep things segregated between them (Schools, their Language, etc.) so I also knew that there could be violence at anytime.

I didn’t plan on a Full-Fledge War erupting while we were there, but I did plan on Riots and other acts of Violence to erupt.

Luckily none did and the People of Bosnia and Herzegovina that I encountered were some of the Friendliest and Most Helpful People I have ever met.