In fact, Iraq is a very messed-up place. Iraq is the home to at least four culturally distinct ethnic groups who don't like or trust each other. I became aware of this problem soon after I arrived in Erbil, which is in the blue part of the map to the left. My 30-day visa-on-arrival issued in Erbil was valid only for the northern corner of Iraq, aka Kurdistan, shown in blue. Unofficially, I was able to travel to the yellow areas.

How Iraq ended up with this mess is due to its complicated history, religious conflicts and oil. I'll skip the history, theology and geology lessons, but please click here for a concise explanation of how Iraq arrived at its current political quagmire. (I like that word.)

For this blog, I'm going to focus on the present and on one small minority group whom I visited called the Yezidis, also spelled Yazidi or Ezidi.

First, here're a couple of snapshots of downtown Erbil. Friendly place. No war. One tourist (me).

Yezidis believe in one God, who created seven angels to protect us. Yezidis are descendants of Adam's first son − born before Cain and Abel. Yezidis pray facing the sun at dawn and sunset. They believe in reincarnation. Yezidis recognize Buddha, Jesus, Mohammed, etc as sons of God. Yezidis seek love and harmony with all living things.

Before you rush out to convert to Yezidism, you should know that you can't be a Yezidi unless both of your parents are Yezidi. Furthermore, surrounded by violent and aggressive neighbors, Yezidis have been the victims of many genocides.

There are only about a million Yezidis alive in the world today. About half of them live in northwestern Iraq ...

... and this is where the sad story begins.

I've passed through numerous checkpoints operated by competing militias. I've slept on floors in unfinished buildings. I've enjoyed the hospitality of people who have nothing, but give everything. I've heard harrowing stories told by survivors. In this blog, I'm going to share a few of these stories with you.

On August 3, 2014, ISIS massacred this family, killing 12 men, kidnapping 28 girls and women to sell as sex slaves, and leaving the grandmothers and babies behind.

Many of the girls and women were eventually repurchased from their captors. One branch of the family now lives in Bielefeld, Germany. Another branch was granted asylum in Oldenburg, Germany. Two days after I took this photo, one mother and her children were sent to Toowoomba, Australia. The remaining family members are still in a tent near Duhok waiting to be sent somewhere. This is what a modern diaspora looks like ... and this is why the Yezidis say that the genocide is ongoing.

During the occupation of Iraq by ISIS, some of the Yezidis took up arms to defend themselves. They were not one of the "official" militias funded by Iraq, Kurdistan, Turkey or Iran. So, they're particularly discriminated against.

These independent Yezidis are denied entry into Kurdistan. Their children cannot attend public schools. The UN and NGOs turn a blind eye to these people.

I spent a cold, windy afternoon on Shingal Mountain visiting these Yezidis, eating their yoghurt, rice and vegetables, listening to their stories, learning how they captured weapons and used them to kill ISIS militants. When I arrived at Sardashte Camp with 100 kgs of oranges, they were very thankful.

Over chai, the Muhktar (elder) of Hatamiyah told a hair-raising story to me and Amy L Beam of how he led his village of 600 through ISIS enemy lines at night, over Shingal Mountain to safety in Kurdistan.

The story of the Yezidi Genocide must be told far and wide. I've started a GoFundMe drive to raise money to translate Amy L Beam's book into Arabic, and later into Kurdish. These are the people most affected by this human tragedy who need to know each other's stories.

Please donate and help spread the word. For a donation of $40 or more, I will mail you a copy of The Last Yezidi Genocide in English. If you are ever in Iraq, you are invited to a tour of the Yezidi IDP camps. You will be warmly welcomed by everyone.

Useful links:

• A video introduction to this book
• An interview with Amy L Beam
• Amy L Beam's Facebook page
• Amy L Beam's email

(Note: There are no administrative costs associated with your donation. Except for the 2.9% fee that your credit card company will charge, every single dollar you donate will go directly to translating this important book.)

• Do people say hello to strangers?
• Do they like to have their photo taken − and then do they ask for a selfie with me?
• Are their clothing styles varied and colorful?
• Do shop owners invite me in for tea?
• Do cars stop for pedestrians in crosswalks?
• Are the policemen happy to give directions?
• Are the taxi drivers honest?

My road-trip from Dushanbe to Khojand via Iskander-Kul took me back and forth through the jagged Fan Mountains. My guide explained that these are merely Tajikistan's hills. The real mountains are the Pamirs.

In early May, my trekking opportunities were limited because the trails are still full of snow. The roads into the Pamirs aren't open yet either. July and August are peak season for hiking in the high country. Now that I know how easy it is to get a Tajik e-visa, I'm already thinking of when I can return for a longer visit. Tajikistan is a beautiful country. I'd like to see more of it!

Oh ... and did I mention that Tajikistan is not expensive? Transportation, housing, food and entertainment were all less than what I would've expected to pay.

As you can see from the photo on the left, on a sunny day, smoke from the candles and incense is illuminated by shafts of light from the stained glass windows, creating a ghostly and mystical atmosphere.

In one museum, I learned that the city's name comes from one of its oldest churches called Sveta Sofia, who was the goddess of wisdom and fate. Does this mean that people were wise to follow their fate and to settle here? There's a 24-meter tall monument to Sofia in the middle of the city.

By day, I played tourist, walking around, gaping at the beautiful old buildings and admiring the treasures in the handsome museums. When the museums closed, it was time to find a delicious meal − which was easy to do.

It's a good life!

I thought the name of this country was just Macedonia. But no. In February 2019, in order to avoid confusion with the province in Greece called Macedonia, this little country was required to change its official name from Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (abbreviated as FYROM) to North Macedonia. What a mouthful.

Alexander the Great and Mother Teresa would never have agreed to say "Hi, I'm from FYROM."

In 1963, a major earthquake leveled Skopje. Still under the influence of the USSR at that time, the city government opted to rebuild the city with a utilitarian and efficient style called Brutalism, under the direction of an architect named Kenzo Tange. The result of Tange's work was a dramatic cityscape which reflected the streamlined look of the 60s. Click here to see what Skopje used to look like.

In 2010, Skopje's government decided that it was time for a major makeover. They refaced many of Kenzo Tange's buildings, and built 20 new buildings and 40 monuments along the river. The makeover is staggering and a bit bizarre. Now, instead of looking like something from the 1960s, Skopje looks like something from 60AD.

This city is a walk-through art gallery, museum, restaurant and casino. Totally kitsch. I'm not sure that Mother Teresa or Alexander the Great would approve, but the city had to do something after the earthquake in 1963.

Fortunately, some parts of Skopje have not been made over in Romanesque style. The old Turkish bazaar still has the narrow cobblestone streets and colorful shops that it had in the Ottoman times.

Kosovo's odd status creates an awkward travel conundrum. If you enter Kosovo from a country other than Serbia, you cannot continue into Serbia because you'll be deemed to have entered Serbia illegally. With this in mind, I had to plan my travel in and out of Kosovo carefully.

Now, there are boulevards named Bill Clinton and George W. Bush (spelled Xhorxh Bush). Even Bob Dole has his own street. American flags are flown everywhere. One of the most common names for girls under 20 is Hillary.

When Kosovars found out that I'm American, I was given VIP treatment. I happened by the archaeological museum at the Prizren fortress. At first, I was told that the museum was closed for renovation. But everything changed when the staff heard my American accent.

Kosovo was an easy place to visit and a hard place to leave.

From World War II until 1991, Albania had almost no tourism. The few foreigners who managed to get visas to come here were watched carefully and treated like spies. Bribes were expected. Bags were searched. Hotel rooms were bugged.

All that has changed now. With new roads and hotels, Albania is about to become a tourist's delight. I was impressed by what I discovered here.

State-owned stores have been replaced by restaurants, cafés and private enterprises. I only spent 24 hours in Albania's capital but it was a fun and friendly day.

My main reason for visiting this country was to see the Albanian Alps, also known as the Accursed Mountains.

Did you know that Albania has high mountains, crystal clear mountain streams and real wilderness? I sure didn't. It won't be long before this secret gets out.

I spent three days and nights in the old city of Kotor. Like Dubrovnik − but smaller − this city was one of the treasures of ancient Venice.

Also like Dubrovnik, there are lots of tourists here, especially when a cruise ship is in port.

What I found was a lush country with picturesque towns and happy people. This is a delightful country, well worth a visit to see its heritage and enjoy its hospitality. I'm reminded of an old adage: You can never know what someplace is like until you go there.

During his 37-year reign, Tito managed to hold together Yugoslavia's seven diverse provinces. Yugoslavia survived for 12 years after Tito's death, even hosting the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo.

Then, in 1992, everything came apart.

Meanwhile, in parks and on boulevards, there are banners protesting against the provinces that broke away from the former Yugoslavia. Serbia still doesn't recognize Kosovo as a country.

Serbia has its own version of history, too. In Bosnia, at the Sarajevo Assassination Museum, I learned about the Serb who started World War I. In contrast, the World War I museum in Belgrade explains that the war started when Austria invaded Serbia, with no mention of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a Serb.

This is a very pedestrian-friendly city. The city's center is a huge pedestrian zone of about 1 square kilometer. The main street, Knez Mihailova, is lined with ornate 19th century mansions built when Belgrade was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Knez Mihailova has been named one of the most beautiful pedestrian zones in Europe, and is a common meeting point for Belgraders. Full of restaurants and cafés, it's a great place for striking up a conversation with someone at a nearby table or just people watching. I confess that, in my three days in Belgrade, I spent about twelve entertaining and relaxing hours here. What a great place to discuss the world's problems and to formulate solutions!

Sunset view of the Sava and Danube Rivers from the Belgrade Fortress

With sunset over the Danube, I'll end this long chapter. I've seen 7 countries in 25 days. If I'd been traveling through a single country, e.g. Yugoslavia, I might feel as though I'd done a pretty good job seeing the whole country. Instead, I feel as though I've barely scratched the surface of seven remarkable and unique nations.

Travel here has been easy. Prices are low. People are friendly. English is spoken almost everywhere. Since it's not summer yet, I haven't worried about finding a seat on the bus or a room in a hotel. I love traveling spontaneously, without booking tickets or accommodations in advance. That's how we all bummed around Europe 40 years ago. It's wonderful that there's a region where this travel style still works.

The only thing that bugged me about the Balkans is that everyone smokes everywhere. Many restaurants don't have non-smoking areas. This will all change when − and if − these countries join the EU. By then, more tourists will have discovered the Balkans ... and maybe then the Balkans won't feel like "old Europe" any more. This is true for many parts of the world, which is why I frequently give this advice: See the world now, before it all changes!

Here I am in Madeira, one of the four Macaronesian Archipelagos. This is a stunningly, beautiful island: A delightful place with historic buildings, cobblestone streets, fountains, plazas, elegant hotels, manicured gardens, beaches with palm trees, warm sea breezes, impressive mountains, friendly folks, great food, and famous wines!

5 million years of volcanism has created a breathtaking landscape. In the 500+ years since Europeans first came here, sturdy trails have been built to link different parts of the island. There's a paved road to the top of Pico do Arieiro (elev 1818m). From there, a well-maintained trail goes 7 kilometers to Pico Ruivo (elev 1862), which is Portugal's highest mountain.

Now on to Brazil, which will be a new chapter in my continuing travels.