Author Archives: jollenl

On my noble quest to see every major Egyptian collection in the world, the Rosicrucian Museum in San Jose was a must-visit. Now, the museum itself is tied to a somewhat quirky sect that’s into alchemy, but thankfully, the founder was also obsessed with ancient Egypt. Result? A surprisingly impressive collection of artifacts housed inContinue reading “San Jose, California”

Ah, Christmas in the Netherlands—where the festivities begin so early you wonder if Santa accidentally set his calendar to Dutch time. But wait, hold your eggnog, because Christmas here starts with another old white-bearded dude, not from the North Pole but… from Spain? Sí, mi amigo, you heard that right. Sinterklaas, a.k.a. Saint Nicholas, a.k.a.Continue reading “St Nic”

I love Las Vegas. Yes, it’s fake, overpriced, and marinated in a thick cloud of cigarette smoke, but there’s something about the vibe that keeps me coming back. Maybe it’s the unpredictability—a place where Elvis impersonators might share a slot machine with a billionaire or your Uber driver doubles as a philosopher-santa. Case in point:Continue reading “Racing Las Vegas”

Writing and publishing a book is no small feat—it’s a journey that begins with an idea. Mine was to create a step-by-step atlas for veterinary reconstructive surgery. The project began during my university years, when I worked with four students who meticulously documented surgical procedures. Together, we compiled these into a book titled Reconstructive SurgeryContinue reading “New edition to reconstruction book”

My friend has a story for you, and it’s a masterpiece in airport absurdity. It all begins in Santiago, where passport control is apparently a dystopian experiment in patience. The electronic kiosks? Strictly for Chileans, because heaven forbid foreigners speed things up. Instead, they’re herded into a line so long it might have its ownContinue reading “Chile T-Shirt”