WELCOME TO 2-2-2 TUESDAY
Here are 2 Cultural Highlights, 2 Quotes, and 2 Brief Stories for you to enjoy.
Inspired by Italy and Slovenia.
2 Cultural Highlights
1.
Venice is Sinking!
Imagine you are a resident of Venice, Italy. This means you don’t have to worry about stop lights or staying in your lane as you drive to work. Why? Because they don’t exist in the world of boat traffic, which is your main form of transportation. On any given day, your commute includes dodging boat taxis, gondolas, and speed boats.
The Venetian water world is fascinating with 117 small islands connected by bridges and waterways. But there are drawbacks.
First of all, even on the most hot and humid days, it’s illegal to swim in the canals.
That may sound harsh, but there are at least a few good reasons for this law. The most obvious is the intense, dangerous boat traffic.
The most poignant deterrent to swimming in the canals is the water quality. Centuries of the human waste have been dumped into these canals. Take a minute to let that sink in, and you’ll quickly dismiss the urge to even dip your feet in the water. Unfortunately, that’s the ironic reality for the locals: They live in a hot environment surrounded by water where they cannot swim. Fortunately, there are at least a few great swimming beaches located on islands farther away from the canals.
There’s an even bigger noteworthy downside to living in Venice: Many homes flood with some frequency. In fact, many first floors of structures in Venice are uninhabitable due to salt water damage and corrosion.
Compounding this problem is the fact, that Venice is literally sinking. Fortunately, the rate of sinking is only about 2mm per year. Let’s hope that doesn’t accelerate.
At this point, there’s probably no need to hit the panic button. Most scientists tend to mark 2100 as the earliest year the city worst case scenario of a sunken city.
On the bright side, multiple projects are underway to prevent flooding and keep the city afloat.
2.
Slovenia Is Rising:
There aren’t enough superlatives to describe the nature in this Slovenia. Up above, Slovenian Alps feature stunning mountains towering in the sky. You can enjoy an endless supply of pine trees, crisp air and singing birds. From below, trainquil turquoise lakes shimmer and reflect the surrounding magnificence. Lake Bled was one of the most beautiful places I’ve been able to swim.
The history of Slovenia joining the EU to improve the life of its inhabitants is just as inspiring.
EU membership boosted Slovenia’s economy through increased trade and investment opportunities. It improved citizens’ living standards, healthcare access, and provided freedom to work and travel within the EU. Additionally, it enhanced security and stability, ensuring a safer and prosperous future.
Slovenia’s path to joining the European Union can be traced back to its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. The country made significant progress in aligning its legislation with EU standards, which ultimately raised the quality of living for its inhabitants. In 2004, Slovenia, along with nine other countries, became a full member of the European Union, marking a milestone in its history.
Farah and I enjoyed learning about the specific feats of so many Slovenians whose determined spirit contributed to the country’s success.
Our favorite story features Andrej and Marija Štremfelj (Kranj, Slovenia) became the first married couple to conquer Everest, back in On 7 October 1990.
2 Quotes to Consider
- “First say to yourself what you would be. Then, do what you have to do.” – Epictetus
- “Knowing how to look is a way of inventing.” – Salvador Dali
2 Brief Stories
1.
Ping Pong Humble Pie:
Have you ever gained confidence only to have it ripped away moments later? I’m guessing you answered, yes. This is part of the human condition, right?
While this scenario has repeated itself in my life countless times in countless ways, the most recent ping pong experience was fairly entertaining for a small crowd of hostel guests.
Minutes after feeling good about my skills in a casual game with Farah, I stood across a table tennis super star. Mikkel, a 55-year-old Nigerian, took me to table tennis school.
There were clues of my inevitable downfall way before we even started playing. He took out his custom paddle, wiped it down with a special solution, and laced his table tennis shoes.
You may be wondering as I did: “There are special shoes for table tennis?”
Yes! Apparently so. They are made by Butterfly, the most popular brand of the sport.
He then examined the ball Farah and I were using, chuckled, and exchanged it with a ball from his bag. Meanwhile, I stood on the other side of the table, bare foot, with a silly grin on my face.
Thank goodness my life didn’t depend on this game, because it felt like I brought a knife to a gun fight. I spent the next thirty minutes chasing balls around the room.
Needless to say, he obliterated me with spins, power, precision, and technique. Usually, I’m competitive when it comes to sports, but I couldn’t help but laugh as he destroyed me. It wasn’t competitive enough for me to get upset with my performance.
I wasn’t surprised to learnt hat Mikkel had a history of winning countless international tournaments. He and his wife were actually visiting Slovenia for a an international tournament featuring the best table tennis players in the world.
Despite my embarrassing defeat, we had a lot of fun! He taught me a lot about the game. In the end, it was a blast experiencing the skills of a true specialist and expert in his craft.
2.
You Cannot Train For This!
It’s 3:40 pm. You only have ten minutes until departure, and you’re about to embark on a four hour train ride. You must not miss this train, because it’s the last of the day! In order to prevent a “hangry” wife, you must find food. Fast!
That was, more or less, the internal focused dialogue going through my mind a few days ago.
It was a daunting task, because the train station in Kranj, Slovenia had no food service. The closest option was a restaurant/bar about a football field away. I ran to it as Farah stayed back with the bags.
As I arrived, it was clear there were no grab & go options. Bummer. Fortunately, a waiter noticed me huffing and puffing on arrival, and offered to help. He could sense the urgency and adventure in this situation. He wanted to participate.
He explained he could make toast or pizza to go. I looked down at my watch. 8 minutes until departure. Hmmm..”Let’s go with toast!,” I exclaimed. He then rushed to the kitchen. I stayed behind at the edge of the restaurant with the train tracks within my view. I was ready to sprint away if necessary.
I looked down at my watch. 5 minutes to departure. Then 3 minutes…
With 2 minutes to spare, he came back with a box of toast. He offered to include a drink since I handed him more than enough money. He then started to list options, and proudly explained the bar carries over 450 beers. “No time for this!,” I thought. The clock was ticking. I told him to pick any drink that would be the fastest to grab.
90 seconds left.
Without even looking in the box, I simultaneously thanks and paid him. We both laughed as I ran sprinted away toward the train station where I found a justifiably worried wife.
The train arrived and we stepped on laughing at the situation.
Apparently, we are currently cross training for the Amazing Race.
Thanks for tuning in to 2-2-2 Tuesday!
If you have any feedback, comments, or suggestions, we’d love to hear from you. Have a wonderful week.
– Zack and Farah
