January 12, 2020

Hi Everyone,

One of my favorite quotes of Erma Bombeck is, “When you start to look like your passport photo, it’s time to go home.”

My month of rambling is coming to an end and there’s been no epiphany, though my faith in humanity has gotten a booster shot. Travel is just so good for that. People mostly are so kind and helpful and that just does not get talked about enough. I want to write a day by day description of this trip with all my observations; I love reading stuff like that in travel magazines. I won’t do it on my phone though, so plan a winter’s day when I get back to Maine.

My flight from Porto to Brussels was late so I missed my train to Anthwerp. I sent a message to my host saying I wouldn’t arrive until nearly midnight and was worried about it being so late and getting into the building. It was just a room in someone’s apartment I was renting for the night. When I arrived at the nearly deserted train station ( gorgeous building) and crossed the street to the apartment building, there was my host, standing outside in the cold, waiting to make sure I could get in. Most people are truly, truly good.

I’ve got more of those stories I want to tell, but there are some other things I’ve been wondering about: 1. Who buys luggage at an airport? I found myself wandering through luggage displays, always looking for the perfect travel bag, and never, ever see anyone buying one at an airport. Why would you? They are not less expensive. Would you carry all your stuff in a garbage bag then pack it at your gate? Really. What is the marketing strategy here? 2. Who wears all the perfume they sell at duty free? Does anyone even wear perfume anymore? Shelves and shelves of this stuff that makes me sneeze as I’m forced to walk through the displays on my way to my gate. Again, I keep thinking someone must buy this stuff, but never see anyone actually doing so. Booze yes, perfume? Never seen it.

Today will be spent with friends and tomorrow my flight back to New York. My high school reunion in Puerto Rico has been relocated since the earthquake and I’ve got some sorting out to do there. That poor island. I feel like going anyway and seeing if I can help. TBC

Love to all,

Linda