Countdown: three weeks until Barcelona

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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 Barcelona (my first time) and Paris for two Phil Collins concerts, testing my college French. And, I hope to have made it to the top of Notre Dame, after climbing 387 steps. I have been training every day at work for over a month, I'm now at 22 flights of steps a day up, and 22 flights down; on a good day, I might actually do 44 up and down (only because I do 22 in the morning, and forget, and then do 22 in the afternoon).

The plan is for me to blog on the trip, and I will do my best. You can also follow me on Instagram @tbacker2000, #Europe2017.

Ooh, check out this book. What a great idea :)

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