We meet again, and under unusual circumstances.  I am reminded of the Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times.”  Here we are, in very interesting times.  Unfortunately.  Welcome to Series 7 of the travelogue.

So things have … become “interesting” … since we last met.  Our last trip together was to London and Oxford.  Feels like a lifetime ago.  I daydream about that trip during quiet moments.  It is a clear bookmark in my mind the last time things felt normal, the last time I felt the freedom travel gives.  Really, the last time I felt any unrestricted freedom of movement.      

We were supposed to meet again for Italy.  Mom and I were going to Orvieto.  I was going to talk about its history, the town’s modern economy, and how these small cities are emptying out of young Italians, coupled with the usual photographs.  I also thought about doing another series on a trip to The Turks and Caicos Islands, where I could juxtapose the beauty of the island chain with a really in-your-face racism that exists in the Caribbean.  Then the world shrinks to the size of an apartment or a house.     

Now most of my industry colleagues and friends are out of work and will be for the foreseeable future.  I am filled with sadness and anger at their untenable situations.  I feel impotent.  To be told what I do is not essential, if indirectly, is a gut punch that hurts still.  People are getting sick.  Many will die, or they will have life long health consequences.  We all sacrificed a lot collectively this Spring, only to now witness a second wave rising larger than the first that shows no sign of peaking.  A U.S. Passport, once a symbol of near limitless freedom of movement, is now useless.  We are unwelcome in most of the world.  Even New York State would prefer if I leave not to come back. 

What a curious time to take a trip.  Yet, here we are.  Actually the deposit on the house we’re staying in is nonrefundable.  So we might as well go.

I don’t normally write about my trips to Blowing Rock.  I’ve been going for so many years, it hardly seems newsworthy.  It’s not a very sexy destination either, like New Zealand or Latvia.  However, given the circumstances, I thought it’d be nice to share a place I know and love, along with my usual commentary on the peculiarities of humanity.  The High Country of North Carolina has only a little bit of humanity … but a lot of peculiarities.  At the very least, it’ll be nice to receive pretty pictures from a community seemingly untouched by this virus.  

If you’d like to come along, do nothing.  You’re all set.  Trip starts in about a week.  If you would like to unsubscribe, there is a link below.  Also in the same footer is a link to review (on the web) past series.  I made a list of past trips below that are available should you be bored and, I don’t know, stuck in one place for an extended period of time.  If you would like to change the email address this goes to, I can do that for you manually.  You are welcome to forward these posts to anyone you wish, or I can add them.  (Just make sure you have their permission.) 

As in trips past, if you see a picture and want a digital copy, let me know and I will send it to you.  If you want a printed copy, that’s fine too, but there’s a cost to print and frame it.   

I hope you’ll join us.