Skopje, Film City, Eagle Eggs and Harleys

Welcome back, folks! I hope everyone is keeping warm and has made it through the post-Holiday blues. For those of you who know my older brother Joe, he recently joined his wife Marzena in Green Bay where they are both now in practice. The other day... -10 F before the windchill. It was -3 F with 2-12 MPH winds for the game Sunday. All things considered, I'll take Kosovo! It has actually warmed up a great deal and the daytime highs have been in the high 40s to low 50s. The sun has made almost daily appearances, too. Two weeks ago, I completed another mission to Skopje, Macedonia for patient MR exams. This includes crossing the Southern border of Kosovo (technically Serbia as well) which can sometimes be a challenge. My roommate CPT Cuka created an international incident when he flew in through Skopje without a passport. The Army told him all you need to travel is your military ID and orders but then again, the Army tells us all kinds of things. The Macedonia Border Security Officers almost sent him back to Milan which was the connecting flight he came in on. They allowed him to enter, but the incident went up to the State department level. Bottom line: you need a passport, no matter what the Army tells you. This time we stopped at a mall which was quite nice. The had a currency booth to exchange Euros for Macedonian Denars. We did some browsing and bought several things for family and friends.

Mall in Skopje, Macedonia

Street in front of Mall

Yes, it is still Europe you know

Graffiti in Cyrillic- you don't see that every day

Vintage Yugoslavian car

Bečej is a town and municipality located in the South Bačka District of Vojvodina, Serbia

The following week, it was back to Pristina and Klinika Euromed for MR exams. They have the flouroscopy suite I needed to do an intra-articular shoulder injection before the MR. I said goodbye to all my friends there, as that would be my last mission to that clinic.

The lobby at Klinika Euromed

My interpreter Arben Limoni and the MR technologists at Euromed

After leaving the clinic, we went to KFOR Main headquarters in Pristina for lunch and shopping. The base is located on the southwest outskirts of the city at a location called Film City. This name comes from the fact that NATO chose abandoned warehouses that used to be part of a thriving local film industry as their command post. The site was the home of Kosovafilm, a film production, distribution and screening company in Kosovo. It was established on Feb 20th 1969 by Parliament of Kosovo nomination. Kosovafilm produced short movies, documentaries, cartoons and later feature movies. In 1971 the department of distribution was established: movies were brought with exclusive screening rights for all ex-Yugoslavia and Balkan. By this department over 200 feature movies and foreign production were distributed. This included such titles as Proka (a drama from 1984) and Pikniku (a comedy from 1985). More recently, Kosovafilm reemerged to produce the 2005 film Kukumi. In this first film from the United Nations Mission in Kosovo area, three inmates from a mental institution find themselves free when Serbian guards flee as NATO peacekeepers enter Kosovo. They wander the countryside encountering hostility from locals. One, Hasan, dreams of marrying another, Mara, and they travel to his bombed village only to have his relatives and villagers turn on them. Probably not available at Blockbuster in the States but interesting nonetheless!

Many of the major players who contribute troops to KFOR have a PX (Post Exchange) at Film City, so it a popular weekend destination for soldiers. This includes German, French, Italian, French, American, Scandinavian and Turkish PXs.

Shopping at Film City/KFOR Main

The French have to be different... it's a Boutique!

Lunch at the Italian Restaurant at Film City/KFOR Main

Me with Arben and CPT Waterman (ER nurse)

Another extremely popular pastime with KFOR soldiers is buying the knock-off watches outside the gate at Film City. There are probably 4-5 different shops, each with their own distinctive flair. To my knowledge none of the watches outside Film City are real, though you can get some pretty good prices on the real deal in Pristina. Some are darn good imitations, and others belong inside a clear plastic egg inside a gumball machine. Just ask the salesman though... they're all good, and on discount! Several of the docs before had bought them, and I am a sucker. I caved and got myself a Folex. Looks pretty good and works just fine, but I'm not fooling anybody. Have you ever seen an entire platoon of infantrymen in full "battle-rattle" each sporting a Rolex, Breitling or Omega on their wrist? Just come to Kosovo, my friends.

Outside the shop where I got my Folex

All good... and on discount, just for you!

Do you really think Rolex would allow a franchise on this street?

This guy said, "I don't set prices, I just work here." Right....

The last picture was taken in an effort to illustrate the air quality in Pristina. The issues are the power plants which are obsolete and use 40-year-old coal technology. They belch ungodly amounts of pollution into the air and create this unique sulfurous smog you really have to see (and smell) to believe. Good news is, you can pass gas (if needed) and no one will notice.

I had noticed on my last time in Kosovo that many of the older ethnic Albanian men wore this distinctive white hat that resembled, well... an egg. As luck would have it, I was lamenting the fact that I did not have one when our interpreter Bennie gave me the scoop. The hat indicates that these men are "Sons of the Eagle". Not just any old eagle, but the double-headed beast from the Albanian flag. And where would a son of an eagle come from, children? An egg of course! Hence the traditional ethnic Albanian headdress. They are quite literally, eggheads.

Traditional Ethnic Albanian "Son of the Eagle"

Honorary "Son of the Eagle"

Yes Katie. It's mine... it's coming home... and it's going in the livingroom!

I know that on an earlier posting I promised pictures of the famed "Kosovo Harley". There are actually too many variants to list, but here is a little potpourri:

Picking up some groceries

Just running some errands

The original "Kosovo Harley" Sweet!

Well, that about wraps it up folks. Just thought I would leave you with a few views of Camp Bondsteel over the past few weeks. Didn't get hassled by the MPs this time, either!

Sunday at Camp Bondsteel

Sunset looking out the ER door

Mount Duke watching over the aviation hangers at twilight

Muller out.

Blackhawks and Dragons

Happy New Year! By now the parties have ended, the resolutions have been broken and just about everyone goes back to work tomorrow. I will admit I broke my resolution... I was planning to eat breakfast everyday this year but overslept and missed the DFAC on the 2nd by 15 minutes. At least there's 2009!

My New Year message to my wife, Katie

The new year started as cold as ever, with several days in the single digits. By now we have each accepted our fate and pretty much layer-up to survive. Thank goodness we work in a climate controlled hospital. I really have to hand it to the infantry maneuver units.

Silent Night, Freezing Night

Typical Army truck known as a "deuce-and-a-half"

Hi Mom!

Sunset over the frozen tundra and Mt Duke

This week, I was wandering down past the EMT department and witnessed the Air Ambulance crew preparing and executing a training exercise. The Blackhawk was idling outside, so I thought I would try my hand at some video and incorporate it into my blog. Here goes...

BlackHawk idling on the pad

Crew preparing their "patient" for flight...

BlackHawk casualty loading

BlackHawk Liftoff!

Today, the weather decided to give us a break and went into the 40's. Balkan heatwave, baby! We went to church services as usual at the South Town Chapel. As the weather was so nice, following the service we decided to search for what we thought was Bondsteel lore (i.e. urban legend). Currently, there are battalions of both Polish and Ukranian soldiers living and operating out of Camp Bondsteel. We quickly located the Polish headquarters and confirmed the story. Myth Busters has nothing on us! Ssshhhhh! Mums the word. Please do not tell anyone that we located the secret office! I know we take liberties with our Polish friends, but this was too much. I figure we can send it to Leno, as he probably needs material more than ever right now. As the temperature rose above 0 degrees Kelvin, the snow was again amenable to packing. CPT Johnson (our ER doc and newly-minted DCCS) created a new masterpiece that put the Al Qaida snow rabbit to shame. It's a snow horse... dinosaur... dragon... of sorts. I was impressed with the creative use of our residual icicles. Yes... I know. It's either time to go home or increase my medication. Hi ho, silver. Stay Warm, Muller out.

I TOLD you they were dangerous...

Just a quick update on likely the most harrowing experience I'll have on this deployment. Today started out well, and after waking I enjoyed the Dec 2nd service at Faith Lutheran Church in Arlington VA, sent to me on CD by Pastor John Bradford. I then went to the South Chapel and joined Chaplain Gustefson's 11:00 AM service. This was followed by the usual DFAC lunch and obligatory aimless wander through the PX (Post Exchange... forward operating base version of Wal-Mart). Bought some flavored water, it was a big day. As we neared the hooch, we spotted a rather large white rabbit smoking a Marlboro Red next to one of the fortified concrete bunkers. He looked different than the usual CBS (acroynm for Camp Bondsteel) bunnies we have discussed. Our risk assessment was low, so we approached with caution. After a brief friendly exchange (he spoke English, but with a sort of "Fargo" Northern Plains accent... possibly Canadian). Our guard was down so we decided to take a picture for our album. As I was posing with him, he whispered "I'm a highly trained Al Qaida operative, I know were you live, and I want the homemade cookies your wife Katie sent and a pound of uncooked carrots or else..." Instictively, my limited Army combat training took over.

I drew my sidearm and growled "Listen here you vermin terrorist white-devil, I know exactly who you are and I'm onto your friends, too. You can have my ID, you can even have my weapon, but Katie's cookies are where I draw a line in the snow!" In a lightning fast display of trickery and rabbit-craft that would have made Harry Potter proud, he disarmed me and brought me to my knees. By this point my so-called comrades had retreated to the nearby bunker trembling in fear. I contemplated the headline next week "Promising Army Radiologist Killed with his Own Weapon by Al Qaida Rabbit." I wondered if I'd be remembered as a prophet, as I often warned the command staff of the potential dangers of these creatures and predicted my demise at the paws of these cotton-tailed assailants. As I was preparing for the worst, out of nowhere one or our special operatives took him out with a single shoulder-fired missile.

SSG Jake McGrew (call sign "Squeakers")

I cannot show you the aftermath, as the images are classified. Suffice it to say I'm alive with only minor first degree burns and moderate right sided hearing loss. I also caught some shrapnel in my left calf (one of his evil buck-tooth incisors lodged under my skin) which was easily removed by our surgeon. I'm on prophylactic meds for rabies, tularemia and distemper though.

I am thankful to be alive, and pray for a better start to 2008. Be safe, friends and countrymen. It's a dangerous world out there. Happy New Year! Muller out.

Merry Christmas from Kosovo!

Merry Christmas! It's roughly 6:00 PM here in Kosovo which means it's high noon on the eastern seaboard. I hope everyone had a happy and peaceful Christmas eve and a wonderful Christmas morning. Last night, CPT Gustafson (the chaplain for one of our infantry units, Task Force Bayonet) performed a beautiful 23:00 Christmas Eve candlelight service which we enjoyed immensely. He followed this up by delivering an equally stirring yet joyful 11:00 AM Christmas day sermon. This was of course, followed by one of the most debaucherous and decadent meals the Army has ever served. The DFAC (dining facility) was decorated like a Broadway play. While in the serving line, I asked for dark meat and was handed what appeared to be a large leg bone brimming with meat. The taste was slightly peculiar but quite good. Though I'll never be entirely sure, I have a suspicion I had a hearty serving of jackalope. I feel fine right now, but do have this uncontrollable hankering for raw carrots... Here are some scenes from the last 48 hours:

"Santa" gas attendents at a local filling station

COL Hicklin (DCCS - Deputy Commander fo Clinical Services) with Santa

Entry into the DFAC

Dessert Bar

DFAC Nativity scene

DFAC Santa scene

MAJ Miranda (flight surgeon) on the left with friends

Medical Supply, Medical Maintainence and Veterinarian Services

SGT Brown (x ray tech) with folks from Sick Call and Optometry

Command staff (far) and Docs (near)

Table Decorations

My Christmas Dinner. I'm really full...

My mystery leg bone (almost done)

I hope you and your families enjoy a peaceful, safe and Merry Christmas Day!

Until next year, Muller out.