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I was reading Ralph Waldo Emerson & Alan Ginsberg and listening to The Fogs, Peter, Paul and Mary, Bob Dylan, The Stones, The Dead, The Airplane, Hendrix, Doors, Cream etc. in the 1960s. There was also the War in Vietnam, human rights movements going on, growing opposition to the War and lots of other things in the air. As I found my way through all of that and took a stand on important issues I became one of the 2% of young Americans between the ages of 15 and 25 that formed the Hippie Movement, a subgroup of the 1960s counterculture which ended in 1970s with the end of the War.

In 1970s after the end of the Vietnam War, America became probably the gayest place on our planet. It was like a wild party with lots of music and celebration. But in 1980s things changed. I was also feeling burned out, somewhat depressed and later became unemployed. So, I moved to Europe, which by coincidence become the place to be in the 1980s and the new Millennium. There, I witnessed the Solidarity Movement, fall of Communism and the tearring down of the Berlin Wall. I also witnessed the formation and expansion of the European Union that I like to call the "United States of Europe".

I hope that perhaps the EU or United Sates of Europe and the North American Union would one day join and create a Transatlantic Union. After that, a World Union or a new United Nations would be possible with Asia and Africa. Yes, we're on the frontiers of a new age that began in 1969 (though some financial illuminatis may say that it was earlier). So lets move on in that spirit of peace, love and freedom (to do what makes one happy) and lets forget about past grievances that may still divide us. I am full of faith in our human spirit and believe that it will always be able to overcome those who may try to take it away from us. So, I do not share the same fears others may have towards the unification processes.

Below are some of my photos from those years. More photos are in my photo albums/ galleries.

My first guitar. Chicago 1966

I bought my first guitar in 1966
with money I got for Xmas.

Paul McCartney and his first guitar ("The Beatles Anthology").

In 2003, I found out that Paul McCartney's first guitar
was also the Blues & Jazz "F" hole type like my first guitar.
Later, I also found out that he wanted to become an English Teacher.
That's another coinsidence because I've been teaching ESL abroad for years.


By 1969 my guitar looked like this when I hit the road.
Finally, I sold it in Europe when hard pressed for cash.

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