We're here in Bruges after a long flight and train ride. We had a long and unplanned layover in Newark to fix some monitors that went blank. And those were monitors for the pilot to fly the plane, not video monitors for the passengers. It made for a really long night and flight. The wait was okay, but I could have done without the impatient Italian woman who almost pushed me down the aisle when we deplaned in Amsterdam.

On the positive side -- or for the things that were fun or funny . . .
I used a "Go Girl". And it worked. :-) No more sitting on those grubby airplane toilets after a long night of heavy use by the riders of the 747.
And on the train ride through Netherlands and Belgium I saw a fair amount of street art. Not tagging -- real art. Guerilla art or street art is one of my current interests. I hope to see more when I can get some photos.

Finally!

With three weeks worth of travel gear in these bags, we're almost ready to go. How many days can one wear the same clothes (down to the underwear)? Not a pretty mental image, but . . .
The alternative is to lug big suitcases around and that's a much unhappier thought to me.

So what's the big difference between traveling when you're 25 or 35 and doing it when you're our ages?? One of the backpacks is our pharmacy. Well, there's a little regular first aid in there too.

So here's to healthy traveling.

Getting ready is getting to be a drag. I'm ready for "getting ready" to turn into "going." I look at the piles on the guest room bed and I'm reminded of my mother. All those years of schlepping kids on trips from Iowa to Oregon -- it's amazing that she kept her sanity and enjoyed it. Her piles covered the dining room table with flashlights, maps, books (their Bible, of course), towels, bedding, and more. And I won't forget the potty jar. The last evening (they always left about midnight) she added sandwiches, rolls, fruit and drinks. The stories of how they fit all those kids into the car are hilarious as my siblings tell it. That was one of our Christmas 2011 conversations and Dad loved listening and nodding.

Before children, 1940.

Honeymoon, 1940

So here's to Mom (and Dad) as I get ready to go. May my piles mirror her piles, my preparation exhibit her efficiency, and my pleasure in the memories add to the enjoyment of it all.

Little Persian cardamom packages. Both cute and delicious.

There are ways to travel without leaving home. In Fresno, it is reported that there are 100 languages in the school system. With all those languages and cultures, Fresno (despite its reputation) can be an interesting place. Doug's co-worker in the chemistry department at California State University at Fresno is from Iran and he gave Doug some Persian cookies this week. They have an interesting shape and are full of cardamom. I've already given Doug the task of asking his co-worker the name of these delightful little things. They're small, but mind-bendingly delicious. I may never get to Iran, but Iran just came to me.

So this beautiful Sunday morning, before Doug goes off to the Sunday morning discussion group, I made some blueberry scones. A good Sunday morning treat. This afternoon, I plan to prepare my tablet for travel -- download some apps, update all the necessary contacts, use the Kindle App to see how it works, etc. I'll have to say though, that however great Kindle is for traveling (no more toting extra weight and filling the corners of a backback with books) I will still take along several paperbacks. For all it's convenience, nothing really rivals The Book.

So here's to fingers between two pages to hold a spot while flipping through a real book. Even when I travel. Or to misquote Monty Python, "The Book -- not dead yet."