Where Globe-Trotting meets Beach-Combing
I love cheap seats at the opera! Chris and I had fun seeing the worst opera I’ve ever seen in my life last September for his birthday. It was all bad—the sparse sets, the inconsistent accents, the lack of character development… we left early. Then, after Christmas, we flew into Vienna just in time to…
One of the best things about having kids is seeing them enjoy the things I enjoy. One time the kids complained about a museum we were headed to and I explained that because we go to museums together, when they grow up they will enjoy museums. “Hey!” Isaac said, displeased. Once in a while they’ll…
Dawn broke softly over calm waters. Boats floated on the pearly-peach North Sea, suspended in a shimmering swath of color between the darkness of the depths and the blue-white of the early morning sky. Within hours, Chris, Isaac and Eloise were stepping on English soil for the first time. Fluffy white sheep still wrapped in…
The huge Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp’s city center was finally open today! It’s been under construction every other time we’ve visited the city. Chris had today off and we were just wandering about, so in we went. Peter Paul Reubens is a famous Flemish artist. He has a house nearby that we visited…
My mom, the kids and I were scheduled to meet my dad in Canterbury two years ago and spend a long weekend in London while he was there on business, but we all know (exactly) what we were actually doing two years ago—a whole lot of lockdown. Between Brexit and covid, it hasn’t been possible…
Belgium in February and March is one of the ugliest places I’ve ever been. Belgium in April is nothing short of miraculous. Everything transforms from wind-blasted grimy greige to translucent, glowing, shimmering, color-saturated life. Belgium in April is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. Last week, in tears, utterly frustrated and stuck,…
It’s spring break! The news is heavy and dark lately, and we talk about Ukraine, NATO, nuclear war and refugees all the time. A friend shared good news with me recently and I felt encouraged for weeks! In the same way, blogging about our trip is forcing me to think about something besides what we’re…
