I was 3 weeks in Turkey, a great holiday. Would like to have another 3 weeks.
But it’s off to Montreal for the Canadian Gymnastics Championships.
Category: gymnastics
Cluj, Romania
I traveled to Cluj (pop 300,000) because I’d never been to Romania. And I’d never been to the European Gymnastics Championships. I stayed at the excellent, inexpensive Retro Hostel.
Cluj-Napoca, commonly known as Cluj, is the second most populous city in Romania …
Today, the city is one of the most important academic, cultural, industrial and business centres in Romania. Among other institutions, it hosts the country’s largest university, Babeș-Bolyai University, with its famous botanical garden …
Romanian friends told me I’d like Cluj. And I did. Very light traffic. Easy to walk.
A University city full of funky Bars and Coffee Shops.
The green spaces are excellent. Especially along the river. Every day I walked Central Park to and from the arena. Walking the banks of the Someșul Mic River also excellent.
It was snowing when I arrived. And snowing when I left a week later.
I’d hoped to go hiking in the nearby Apuseni Mountains but it was still too early in the season.
The main graveyard was close to my hostel. Remind me to be cremated.
European architecture still impresses me. And statuary.
The prettiest Church I saw.
I was sick with some sort of lung congestion all week so did not do much aside from Gymnastics and walking the City.
With very little appetite my only local food was this massive fresh baked street bread. Walnut and sugar.
back in Bermuda
I’ve returned to the triangle 🙂 where I’m helping out the Bermuda Gymnastics Association.
Temperature today 15C / 60F.
Rick on web since Jan 19th, 2000
My first site was I-NeedtoKnow.com. Now defunct. That domain name cost me $75 / year, back in the day.
who is this good looking guy?
With all the hair.
From the Altadore Gymnastics Club 50th reunion.
Altadore’s 50th Anniversary Reunion
Organizer Maria Jamieson asked me to speak about my 22, 23 or 24 seasons (I’m not sure) at Altadore Gymnastics Club.
Here’s my slideshow from that talk.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
We had a surprisingly good turnout. Best of all, the club founder Jim McLuskey made it. It was Mr M who hired me as Men’s Head Coach in 1980.
Rick is downsizing
What, you ask? A smaller backpack?
ALL my cassette tapes, reel-to-reel and VHS are headed for Value Village. A few CDs, as well. Software. Old electronics.
Even that romantic mix tape. 
I’ll donate at least 75% of my old clothes. Less is more. 🙂
related – my philosophy of Voluntary Simplicity
Bermuda photos
I visited for about 7 weeks over two trips in 2016.
Bermuda Gymnastics had invited me to consult on all aspects of their Federation.
more photos
farewell Bermuda
I’m heading home for Christmas.
But I’ll be back. For sure.
living’ in Flatt’s, Bermuda
In Bermuda for 2 months, I’m staying most of that time in a basement suite near Flatts Village.
This is where Mark Twain stayed on his many visits.
Four of us are staying in Kelli’s house up the hill over Harrington Sound.
Tourists come to Flatts for the Aquarium. And sometimes stay for one of the restaurants. The scenery is great: beautiful pastel colored houses, picturesque fishing areas, palm trees.
The highlight for me is the changing of the tides under the Flatts Bridge.
One night we had dinner at a new restaurant called Village Pantry. I had brisket and banana bread pudding. Delicious.
We shared a bottle of 2012 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.
Rick McCharles 