Flying into Paris on the eve of a national election makes for an interesting and perhaps more unguarded view of the French point of view. Think about how you feel, wherever you may live, when the outcome of a political election publicly reveals the extent of a problem you (the royal “you”) have been unwilling … Continue reading
2013: my Year of the Dog. Or better yet, Year of the Daisy. Daisy came into our lives in late spring as a stray, and quickly made herself one of the family. Having a dog has changed my life for the better. There’s no other way to say it. I’m so happy she found us. … Continue reading
I’m going to blog about my Marshall Memorial Experience writ large… one day, one month and one year after returning home.Of course, I’m sure I’ll have burbles of thoughts and insights in between, but here’s where I’ll take a holistic view of its impact on me (and with any luck, the world). Not driving for … Continue reading
In 1916 a writer for the National Geographic was struck by Salonica’s seeming indifference to the needs of the tourists who came on the trail of its past. “So little indeed has she yet taken in, as the remainder of Europe has so profitably done, the possibilities of a past that I was unable to … Continue reading
Although many decades have passed since the end of World War II, the last big war fought on Western European soil, it could be argued that memories in Europe run long and deep about the past, particularly as relates to why a totalitarian state should be avoided. Almost to a person, I’ve heard from people … Continue reading
From the land of inside EU politics to the former seat of the Hanseatic empire… our group of 19 fellows broke into three parts today, with six of us landing in Lübeck while the others went to either Berlin or Copenhagen. I will admit here that I was jealous at first of my colleagues going … Continue reading
Brussels hit the mid 80’s today and it was heavenly. The sidewalks were swarming with people in summery dresses and shirtsleeves enjoying ice cream or simply time outside. On my way to a meeting, I discovered Jubelpark, a gorgeous and huge park crowned by a triumphal arch that celebrates Belgium’s fiftieth anniversary. At the entrance, … Continue reading
Today I went to NATO headquarters, but all I can share with you in the visual sense is this photo from the parking lot outside of the entry gates. We checked our phones and cameras at the door. Last night, I attended a reception at the home of an American diplomat in the tony Uccle … Continue reading
Today we explored Antwerp, starting from the central rail station and working our way to the port. But first you should know that Antwerp is located in Flanders. Belgium is a Federal Parliamentary Democracy with a Constitutional Monarchy. This long string of words has real implications for governance. There is a bicameral federal legislature and … Continue reading
It’s hard to imagine how enormous this monument is. It stands, he stands, like a mountain, facing the Tidal Basin and with a killer view of the Jefferson Memorial. Finally, I am a tourist in my home city. I love it. I know just enough to get around and enough has changed that there are … Continue reading
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