Presidential Road Trip

Yet another story from the Eyjafjallajokull (ay-yah-FYAH-lah-yer-kuhl) Files in the New York Times yesterday.

Neil MacFarquhar of the Times speaks to Estonian President Toomas H. Ilves about his return from Turkey.

“LONDON — When President Toomas H. Ilves of Estonia arrived in Turkey last week, he had prepared for a state visit — one state visit. What he got, courtesy of an erupting volcano in Iceland, was more like a presidential road trip — nine countries in four days — evoking the sedate diplomacy of a bygone era.

Mr. Ilves left Istanbul on Sunday. On Monday he ate an impromptu dinner with President Boris Tadic of Serbia. In Poland, he stopped to lay a wreath on the fresh tomb of President Lech Kaczynski. In between, he and the Estonian first lady got their coffee and gas at convenience stores.”

Read the full piece here.