i get so moved. this is the besovec mountainridge that lead home east to skopje. it means i'm just one hour away from our family estate. this ridge always marks the end of a journey for me. and the beginning of my return to my homeland - the republic of macedonia. what is the saying? in order to return you have to go away. well, that's me.

okay. next picture is our mainhouse, taken on the only sunny day in skopje in december, i think. luckily the indoor pool was done and ready.

next picture is nadime, amanda from trieste and also irina slutskaya a local friend not to be confused with the famous iceskating ballerina, of course. we are at the skylight lounge, the owner calls it that, because the roof will fold back at the push of a button. nadime is sending a big toast to amanda whose dealer called to say her paintings at the exibition in rome had all sold out! a fantastic achievement.

yes. the holiday went fine, it was great to hear stories from all corners of europe. the danes were here with their northern wits, morten and jakob had bought 'presents' in liege that we were fortunate to try out because uncle goran is head of a militarybase south of the city.

the romanians were there also - anton, grigore and ionel - acting accordingly in their gypsy ways with their instruments. and the americans and russians, especially timmons and georgio, two old embassy lions - well, they got in on as always with cold war jokes to everyones amusements.

now tomorrow, at the embassy back in geneve, i'll have 1.000 mails to roam through before catching a late flight to strasbourg for what's next for european culture in the 2010's.

a happy new years to all!

lukasz