I am in the Air France business lounge negotiating this tough little Euro keyboard, my final post of the trip. I feel lucky to have you, my readers following along as I have experienced this lovely country; it makes any new discovery of mine all the more fun because I […]
Today we woke up in Strasbourg and ended up in Colmar, about 30 minutes south. Alsace, we learned from our guide, is a distinctly proud identity. “People here say they are Alsacien first, then French, or in the years during the wars, German.” This territory has changed hands many times, […]
Today we got up early, it was a fitful night’s sleep and these German-style duvets that only cover a single bed leave big gaps where cold air slips in. I glanced at the clock at 4 am, then at 7 got the wake-up call. John Blanchette and I strolled the […]
It is a sunny and bright day in Strasbourg, the capital of Frances Alsace region. It is also Saturday, so the streets are full of shoppers and the canals full of boats. At the huge Notre Dame cathedral, we learned that in 1941, the city was evacuated; with the advance […]
I’ve settled into the Sofitel in Dijon, and after another classy meal, and all the email read, it’s time once again to share some slices of La France. I haven’t been in France since 1989, and it’s still got that same je ne sais quois–is it the narrow streets? The […]
After breakfast at Marc Meneau, I borrowed a bike to go out and see the countryside. I pedaled around a bend and into the small village of St. Pere, where trucks carefully navigated the narrow streets and forced pedestrians up onto the sidewalk. I rode over a bridge and out […]
I’m sitting in the Gare de Lyon in Paris, waiting for an 11:45 am TGV train. I arrived after a pleasant flight, watching a silly movie about a plague in Paris that was spread by fleas shaken off of dead rats by a misunderstood lad who watched his father plunge […]
I’m in the terminal at Logan with way, way too much time on my hands. I thought I should get here early, but this is ridiculous! So I’ve finished the NY Times, and there are many stories that are worth sharing. First was a piece by Matthew Wald about a […]
On the Today Show this morning, there was a funny segment with two television writers, one from TV Guide, who were opining about last night’s vote on American Idol. We joined the voters and said goodbye to the tearful Gina Glockson, who we grew to admire since she quit last […]
Scottish writer Ewan Morrison recently published a book about his experiences as a newbie Swinger. The book is called “Swung,” and philosophically explores the motivation behind people who choose to have sex with strangers. Here is how he reflects on the experience, after realizing it was not for him. “My […]
Immigration is a loaded word, and in Hazelton PA, the mayor is on the warpath against what he sees as the biggest problem the scrappy town has ever faced. But in a thoughtful column by Julia Vitullo-Martin in the Wall Street Journal on Saturday, a cogent argument was made for […]
The Eagle Killer has now faced justice. It’s all over the papers, Michael Zak Jr, who we wrote about back when he was arrested, is on trial this week for the downing of an eagle, as well as the cold-blooded murder of more than 250 other birds. “Hatchery Owner Detested […]