Traveling Fool

Phil Collins, check, Adele, check, Mousetrap, check Missing: Last seen Paris Get the e-book: Oh, You're a Vegetable

After the bombing in Manchester the other night, after a concert at an arena, I had a couple friends express their concern for me. I heard them, and I'm not taking this lightly, but I'm not changing my plans; if the performers change their plans, that's another story. I'm not terribly brave, and I don't think I'm a fatalist, and I'm not naïve, but I do think traveling and experiencing new and different things is a powerful balm for the hate and vitriol that is out in the world. I want to go to Barcelona, London, Amsterdam and Paris and meet people, see things for myself, and, maybe, let them see that Americans are not just what is shown on television. That may happen, it may not, but I won't know unless I go. So, check here for updates. In a month, I will be in Edinburgh, visiting a college friend and eating vegetarian haggis (well, that's still up for discussion) and maybe trying on kilts. By the time I get to Edinburgh, I will have been to Barcel

A few from the skyway helped make this a little clearer (at the time, anyway), but this was for the Hotel Seville. Another mystery - Tomesby? Hotel, another skyway view A view from the 40th floor, down by the river - the Northwestern Consolidated Milling Company Elevator A (that's a mouthful). I keep telling myself I'll walk down that way during lunch. One day...

Last summer, I wandered around Minneapolis looking for pianos , which was so much fun; then in the autumn, I was on a quest for decorative manhole covers , and that fun, but frustrating since several had been removed due to the neverending construction on Nicollet Mall. This winter, I made up a new challenge, looking for lost mittens and hats; it was entertaining, but didn't really fill my artistic soul. So, I decided to focus on the art around and above me. Some of the photos are just advertisements on older buildings that I've been looking at for years, and bring a certain amount of je ne sais quoi. (I have no idea what is happening, but the layout of the photos is goofy, sorry.) Does that say McDonald Bros. Bldg? Rosenthal Furniture on N. 5th St. Behind Rosenthal, the old Pickled Parrot sign (restaurant long gone) Nate's Clothing, 1st Ave., 92 years in Minneapolis, but not anymore $14 a week is a great deal, across from Target Center Minne

Oh yeah, I'll be waiting all right. For five more weeks, and then, it's off across the ocean. I've been waiting to get my tickets to the Adele concerts I'm attending, and finally, one of them arrived today. That was fast, because they were just shipped last Thursday or Friday. This will be a most excellent adventure. Cue the music: "Hello...". Isn't that a delightful package? I've never gotten tickets from Ticketmaster this nicely wrapped.

It is a little more than a month until THE TRIP. Plans continue to shape up, in fact, I have spent ENTIRE weekends planning, unplanning, re-planning and wishing I had another few weeks. I don't think I planned this much for my mega six week trip around the world. Maybe I did, I can't remember last week, much less ten years ago. Some of the things I have 'accomplished' from my lazy girl recliner: booked a ticket to the Anne Frank House, booked a walking tour in Barcelona, early entry into Familia Sagrada, made a list of Agatha Christie sites in London that I hope to see. I used to fly by the seat of my pants; who needs to plan, I would think. It's much more fun to be spontaneous. I don't totally disagree, but I don't have the luxury to be willy-nilly, and hope I get to the right place or see what I want to see. I have an average of 2 1/2 days in each city and I want to make the most of them, so, I'm planning more and booking more arranged tours, with the