Batch 27 — The Great Sojourn — theNOSTOMANIAC.com

160 - Tunisia Timeline

circa 1100 BC - Phoenicians settle the north African coast. The city of Carthage, near the site of present-day Tunis, becomes a naval power.

146 BC - Carthage falls to the Romans.

439 AD - Vandals invade; Roman buildings and artefacts are destroyed.

600s - Arabs conquer the territory of present-day Tunisia.

909 - Berbers wrest the region from the Arabs. 1600s - Tunisia becomes part of the Turkish Ottoman empire, but has a high degree of autonomy.

1800s - French and Turkish designs on Tunisia force it to tread a careful path…

Batch 27, Tunisiaby Mr. Nos T. O'maniacJanuary 4, 2023Tunisia

159 - Shrooming and Looming (Telc - Prague, Czech Republic)

Want to love Prague? Stand on St. Charles Bridge at 6:30 a.m. on a clear morning. Want to hate Prague? Stand on St. Charles Bridge on a warm sunny day around noon. It felt a rock concert where the band’s a no-show, the general theme at all points of interest. After 10:00 a.m. you'll pretty much be dry-humping the person next to you while savoring the view.

The “adventure factor” continued to wane the longer I loitered in Europe. I’d become sluggish and soft, unduly influenced by all that civilization and convenience. I didn’t have to carry around my own shit tickets (i.e. toilet paper), people generally understood what I said, and I was only bewildered 30% of the time…

Batch 27, Czech Republicby Mr. Nos T. O'maniacJanuary 2, 2023Czech Republic, Prague, Telc

158 - Holocaust Memorial Jamboree (Berlin, Germany)

No one else seemed to be on my wavelength, which led me to question the validity of my perception. Signs on the ground along the memorial’s edge did encourage quiet within the columns and cautioned visitors against leap-frogging the stelae. Security personnel reprimanded a few hoppers, but admonitions almost seemed half-hearted at best, related more to safety than respect.

While sipping coffee at a rooftop café overlooking the memorial, I asked a waitress (from England) her opinion. My viewpoint never occurred to her. Another friend told me the “tombstone” interpretation is one of many. Sure, but it’s still a Holocaust memorial, right? I suppose it is in a public square open to all twenty-four hours a day, and…

Batch 27, Germanyby Mr. Nos T. O'maniacDecember 28, 2022Memorial to the Murdered Jews in Europe, Germany, Berlin, Holocaust

157 - Cruising Berlin (Berlin, Germany)

Be who you want. Do what you want. Don't judge. Don't fret about being judged. Fascinating history. Well-maintained public areas. Plenty of attractions for Johnny Tourist and his clan. Exotic nightlife.

Still, one could get the sense Berlin is almost too cool for itself. A bit of xenophobia lurks in the shadows, which, I suppose, is unavoidable when folks from all over the world come to express their individualism. Throw a rock and, chances are, you won't hit a native Berliner. It was (is?) a city transforming itself, although no one seemed to know what it was transforming into.

On the subway, I saw a woman with the left side of her head sporting a short green hairdo, while the right sprouted a dreadlock Medusa-esque ensemble. Tattoos abounded, and if it was possible…

Batch 27, Germanyby Mr. Nos T. O'maniacDecember 22, 2022Germany, Berlin

156 - On A Whim With Grimm and Kim (Bremen, Germany)

I needed some psychological R&R. With a place to crash and a borrowed bicycle, I had free rein in this quaint city at the mouth of the Weser River. My chosen form of sloth was sipping coffee in Marktplatz to the tune of accordion/guitar street music while engaging in a favorite past-time: people watching. In between appointments at Starbucks (I justified my visits to this paradigm of American capitalistic globalism by free Wi-Fi), I did a bit of shopping (it was time for new Underoos) and some aimless cycling through the town center. Relaxation and rejuvenation. Thank you, sir, I’ll have another. The frequent rain did little to blunt my blissful existence. Kim’s prowess in the kitchen made for a delightful end-of-day punctuation, a delicious repast between friends…

Germany, Batch 27by Mr. Nos T. O'maniacDecember 14, 2022Germany, Bremen

155 - Happiest Place On Earth (Copenhagen, Denmark)

On to Denmark. Why Denmark, you ask? Who wouldn’t want to see the happiest place on Earth? Year after year, the Danes sit atop the happiness index. I’d been there before and could attest to its congeniality, though my exposure was superficial at best. And when you’re visiting your five-foot-ten-inch blonde Danish girlfriend, what’s not to love? Though our affections fizzled, we kept in touch. I was in the throes of an existential crisis (insert link) and reached out for a sympathetic ear. She invited me to visit. I was hesitant and thought I could sense the same in her voice. My gut advised against it. My hormones overruled. I’m a moron. Thankfully, I had a backup plan…

Denmark, Batch 27by Mr. Nos T. O'maniacDecember 8, 2022Copenhagen, Denmark