Travels with a Humble Narcissist

Are you willing to suspend disbelief? Or, more accurately, do you believe in magic? I watched and listened as many people of various nationalities become mesmerized by the young French magican working his space next to my table. The crowd alternated between suspicion and amazement as he worked his slight-of-hand. At the end, though, they…

The most remarkable thing about Prague isn’t the churches, or the number of bars & restaurants, or even the insane fairytale buildings & architecture. The most remarkable thing is the ease of getting around this crowded city on public transportation. Trams, buses, Metro, street cars, trolleys, scooters, carshare, bikeshare, you name it. Everyone rides it.…

Among the innumerable talents of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, one of the most overlooked was his remarkably successful chocolate shop. You might ask yourself: “Mozart had a chocolate shop in addition to composing over 800 works of music during his short 35 years of existence on this planet, including (but not limited to) his performing for…

I time traveled recently. I did it at the Schönbrunn Palace yesterday and again today at my hotel room in Vienna. I went back to a time in the past. Both of the buildings were built at a time of opulent wealth. High ceilings. Guilded moulding. Painted portraits. Long dresses. Arranged marriages. Epauleted military uniforms.…

What’s their story?  Are they together but they had a fight? Is one just selfish and always angry and the other one is tired of putting up with that boorish bear-havior? Is it about one of their cubs or is one hogging the den and hoarding the honey? Perhaps they just two Bears passing in…

You know it.  You are walking along a perfectly fine, well-lit street.  You approach an opening and peer to your right or left down a dark narrow lane. You catch a glimpse of something moving in it or perhaps you just see something that draws your eye . . . down the DARK ALLEY. What’s…

The two dragonflies dart here and there appearing to chase one another.  They are of a shade of iridescent blue like I have never seen before. They are performing some sort of ballet with the river as their stage and the sound of the water as their orchestra. Hovering and then zooming off. Just skimming…

Most people like direct flights. None of this connecting in distant cities. None of this delay and trouble. I think it is an American thing. We only have so much time to travel and we want to get on with it. We think “Let’s get to the good stuff.” I, on the other hand, love…

I am not sure of the exact time. Perhaps there is no exact time. Maybe it depends on the place. But at some point, just like the rest of us, no matter how big, or the amount of energy or wealth it possesses, the City gets sleepy. I love sleepy time in the City. The…

At two airport lounges (one in the US and one in London), I have encountered the airport robot. It (not sure of the robot’s pronouns) is quite unassuming and efficient. It quietly goes on with its work of circling the lounge area and bringing bins of dishes back to the kitchen. It is very polite…