The last few days were very different. In fact they may be the stepping stone to more global changes which one way or another will affect all of us and especially those who love traveling.

We have the good news and the bad news.

The good news first:

The Athens 2004 events are almost over. The Para-Olympics will be over soon. The success was unprecedented and made all the people of the world proud and happy. The cost was astronomical and some sane voices are now suggesting that Olympics should now return to Greece forever. Maybe the Greek Government should offer to the United Nations a large area around Olympia and each country should invest in building the most amazing permanent facilities possible. This new Global Olympic Village should be built to avoid all the present problems that drive every hosting Country to bankruptcy and address issues such as: security, facilities, doping etc
I wish to extend a big thank you to all the people around the world who made this success possible:

• To the Greek Governments, both Nea Dimokratia and PASOK, the Athens 2004 Organization and all participants for the preparation and execution of this major task.
• To the Greek people who patiently endured the problems from years of construction and aged in anticipation of better days to come.
• To the volunteers from all over the world who came to help, to learn and to teach.
• To the spectators who encouraged the athletes and enjoyed their achievements.
• Finally and mostly to the tens of thousands of athletes who competed in fairness and Olympic spirit and without them this celebration of life and spirit would not have been possible.

In the last few days we all witnessed man's infinite inhumanity to his fellow temporary tenants of this planet. We witnessed crimes that most of us would never have thought possible. Listing a few of them:

• Twelve innocent people who traveled from their home country of Nepal for the sake of a few dollars wages required to feed their families, became the target of religious insane fanatics who took their lives in the most cruel and unjustified manner. There can be no justification for this crime and more innocent people will pay with their lives for these insane actions. The only purpose that these Moslem fanatics are serving is to fuel the other religious fanatics group. Pandora's box is now open.
• When these lines are written the news about the two Frenchmen is not out yet. Unfortunately I no longer believe in any Gods to hope or pray that the same fanatics will not conduct a second crime of almost equal magnitude. Unfortunately some innocent and decent Moslems will pay also for the simple fact of sharing a faith (in name only) with these fanatics.
• The events in Chechnya are still unfolding. What will happen there is fed by the same historic reasons that fed the present hate in the Middle East (Major powers past interventions and splitting the world in accordance with their economic interests). The same drama is unfolding: Innocent people are dying to serve financial and religious fanaticism.