Dear readers,
I started 2011 close to my birthplace, IJsselstein in the Netherlands, and I will finish this year in Serbia, travelled more than 18000 kilometers, dreams came true and dream collapsed, as it is like every year, but this year more dreams came true then collapsed actually.
When I was standing this year on the 2725 meters high Mali Triglav in Slovenia and former Yugoslavia was lying at my feet I still cannot describe the feelings I had at that moment. It was a moment of conquer, but also a moment of defeat, for I did not reaching top of Triglav.
Less than a week later I stood on a hill above Dubrovnik in Croatia and saw how the Adriatic Sea got a gold color, because of the sunset, and at that moment there was nothing any more I could wish in my life.
A week later, after having travelled all the way from Slovenia, I reached, together with friends, the top of the 2721 meters high Nidže/Kajmakčalan on the Macedonian-Greek border-. And together we honored the victims of the battle of the First World War, fallen 95 years before, on this mountain top.
In a week I will be in Serbia for the 3th time this year and I will end this year on “Trg Republike” in Belgrade to welcome 2012 with my friends over-there. But I will, of course, think about you: my family, my friends and acquaintances for everything you have done for me.
This friendship and peace is nowadays not a certainty anymore, so we as citizens of this world should continuously keep working on our friendship, understanding, peace and stability. I will continue next year to do all my efforts to work on this.
I wish you a Merry Christmas and all the best for the New Year!
Yours faithfully,
Fabian Vendrig
Nova Godina
Mnogo sreće I bezbroj snova
nek vam donese Godina Nova,
a sve ono što mržnju stvara
nek odnese godina stara!
My Christmas &New Year card , click to enlarge.
Below: on Mali Triglav, Slovenia,3th September 2011, alt 2725 meters
Below: Dubrovnik,Croatia, 8th September 2011
Below: Nidže/Kajmakčalan,Macedonian-Greek border, 18th September 2011
