At nighttime in Venice, you get the metaphysical sense that time has stopped. It feels like being emerged in the scenery of an immense noble theatre, where a never ending and everlasting play is being performed.

Every night people gather on the banks of the Nile for a walk. The place is especially crowded under the bridge, which is in front of the Hilton hotel and the archaeological museum. On the shores of the river there are many boats decorated with colorful lights, used as floating discotheques. Their owners call to the passers-by with loudspeakers, enticing them to take a musical boat ride. The boatmen’s voices mix with the Arabic music, creating an atmosphere of total cheerful chaos.

They built parks, painted houses, demolished unauthorised structures and turned the city into a field of architectural and chromatic innovation. Colourful skyscrapers are constantly being built, as if there is an unofficial, open architectural competition in play. Τhe modern buildings are surrounded by popular neighbourhoods, with their local bazaars and old apartment buildings. Even those, however, have been spruced up in good taste.

A small percentage of the Muslims of Albania belong to the Bektashi community, which used to be based in Constantinople (Istanbul), until Kemal Ataturk drove them away because they denied removing their cassocks. After their persecution in 1929 they were transferred to Tirana, where they built their tekke, a place for spiritual retreat and character reformation, something like a monastery.

The first person we met entering Albania was Baschkim Bountla, who works at a taxi rental agency at the airport in Tirana. He usually introduces himself as Giannis (John) when he is speaking to Greeks, because that's the name he was given when he used to work in Greece as an economic immigrant.

Hama city is located in the middle of the road that connects Damascus to Aleppo. The Orontes River that crosses the city moves the huge wooden wheels that bring water used for irrigation in gardens and orchards of the area. Modern pumps though, are more effective than the old, sluggish means of the past. That is why only ten of the thirty wheels existing in the Middle Ages are left.

Beirut is a fragile multinational and multi-religious city, a place often in turmoil. Wars have been raging for decades in Lebanon, while huge geopolitical games are being played by the Great Powers. The conflicting political powers in this country are so many that unequivocal political approaches are practically worthless. In an attempt to generalize, though, there are two main movements in Lebanon, the pro-western and the Arabic.

Hyderabad is a town with a population of 4 million people situated in south central India. It is the capital of Andhra Pradesh province, an area twice the size of Greece. This area is the biggest princely state of India and British conquerors allowed it to be ruled by the local sovereigns, without interfering directly. Its most impressive feature of the region is its geoformation, with big rocky formations scattered around many small lakes, as if meteorites had fallen from the sky.

"One night I felt sick and had to go to the hospital of Paris near the Seine, for precautionary measures. The doctor who examined me was not only very kind but very pretty as well. She spent quite some time with me and showed real interest in my problem. While I was waiting for my examination results we exchanged some pleasantries and she expressed her love for Greece. She told me that every time she meets Greeks she has a pleasant feeling, because we are considered impulsive people. She showed special interest in me to a point she excited me and made me wonder".

"I don't go round, the world revolves around me. I feel ecstasy; I don't care about anything, like there is no one around. This activity helps me become more ethical. Just like the old dervish song says, the world is a sea of fire. And love is to fall in it".

Richmond Park in southwest London is the largest and best organised park in the world. It is vast, spreading over an area of 10,200 acres, and it's been untouched for ages, as no human intervention has been allowed. It was first enclosed in 1637, whereas many of the trees that stand until today were planted 500-600 years ago.

The Albanians of Kosovo express their gratitude to the Americans in every way, because thanks to them they were relieved of the Serbian domination and were able to form their own state. In every city and village, and especially in the capital Pristina, there are replicas of the Statue of Liberty and giant posters of President Clinton, whose name has also been given to highways and avenues.

Driving in the desert is difficult, as scenery remains unchanged for miles and roads are often covered with sand that is moved by strong winds. Cars also suffer in the desert, due to running in high temperatures. This is why travellers feel relieved when they encounter a sign of human existence in the vast, burning horizon unfolding in front of them.

London is filled with vast parks and meadows. No one has ever dreamed of infringing them or profiting at the expense of the environment and its residents' quality of life. It is the only city of the modern world where people can come in direct contact with wildlife. Deer, squirrels and foxes roam about neighborhoods and are comfortable enough to be handfed by people.