Tagged With: Traveling
Overheard conversation in a post office in Paris
I order a dozen stamps at the post office counter and then Melanie and I walk off to stick them while the Lad pays. “Always the same, eh?” the post office man commiserates. “Ze woman orders, ze man pays.” “Indeed,” says the Lad. “A woman in Paris,” says the post office man, lost in a … Continue reading
Sleepless in Prague
On our last night in Dublin we went to visit Oscar Wilde, or anyway his statue. Unfortunately the park was closed for the night when we got there so we could only peer at him longingly through the bars. I wonder whose melancholy duty it is to lock Oscar up again night after night. Now … Continue reading
10th Century riddle seen at the Book of Kells exhibit which sounds like a Michael Ondaatje poem
One of my enemies ended my life Sapped my world strength afterward soaked me Wetted in water,…Set me in sun where soon I lost the haurs which I had. And then the hard knife edge cut me…Fingers folded me and feather of bird traced all over my tawny surface With drops of delight,… Then for … Continue reading
“And you’re all so nice!” “That’s because you’re not Iraqi.”
“You’re American!” said Frederick’s friend Sofie. “Yes,” I said. “Sorry.” “All the Americans I meet are always apologizing,” she said in amazement. “Good,” I said. “Hey, how did you learn such good English?” “Well we get it in school,” she said, “but I also have watched a lot of Sally Jesse Raphael and Married With … Continue reading
Lions and tigers and the equality that arises when every chimp gets exactly the same sized banana
This morning we got up early like virtuous folk and went to see zoo animals. Nothing like a zoo animal to make your problems seem small. As at any zoo, the people turned out to be the lamest exhibit. We watched a series of people leaning over the penguin tank and petting the penguins one … Continue reading
He said “Ich bin ein Berliner,” so I ate him.
For a long time I have secretly believed that the monstrous appetite which earned me the nickname “Piggy” was overstated. This nickname began when I went to Europe with Michele and Nuala just after high school. I thought it arose from a misconception about my appetite, which appeared to be enormous simply because my companions … Continue reading
Showering with German fashion models and other travel titbits
I finally mailed some postcards today, after a two week delay due to laziness about visiting a post office. It made me more appreciative of Michele who sends me postcards even when she just goes away for a weekend. I start to wonder what will happen if she dies before me. Will I get a … Continue reading
Not a story about bikes
While traveling I love just everyone, and have even developed a beautiful friendship with Allen’s mice, Hank and Gwen. We can tell them apart because Gwen, fortunately, wears a small bow around one ear. Although sometimes Hank puts it on instead, the little scamp. They live in the kitchen and get into everything except the … Continue reading
Amsterdam
Last night we rode from an anarchist squat where Allen sometimes works to a bar across town, seven of us on five bikes. I rode on the back of Brookie’s bike and all across the silent town we rode. The trees and buildings and canals light up with small white lights and we ride an … Continue reading
But it was Anglican, not Catholic
Some moms might worry, when a daughter goes off to foreign parts with her young man, that the daughter might turn to excessive drug use or weird French sexual practices or, you know, come home with a shaved head. THE Moms, however, knows that she doesn’t have to worry about those things (anymore) with me. … Continue reading