home and gone again

boarding another plane tomorrow.

back in about ten days.

how small we are, how big the world.

take care, all.

back in brattleboro

with its misty autumn mornings

a fond farewell to bruges

city of mystery, history, and dreams

the windmills of bruges

stout little soldiers ever watchful on the berm

bruges at night

a glimpse of the illuminated clock tower from our hotel room window

displayed in the chocolate museum of bruges

charming tins adorned with portraits of the royal family

from behind the clock's face in bruges,

we gazed out over the wind and rain soaked landscape

swans ornament the canals in bruges

white pillows of grace afloat in a bed of rippled glass

weary, wet, and footsore visitors to bruges

may still delight in the city

under the canopy of a horse-drawn carriage

in bruges

around every corner

such stunning surprises

await the intrepid walker

such lovely lace

can be found in bruges

amazing bruges

please indulge me over the coming week in a series of images 

taken in the timeless city of bruges

paris: the grand finale...

 delectable moments

 arching moments

 moving moments 

 iconic moments

 profound moments

 pyramidal moments

 matrimonial moments

 alley cat moments

 stone-tender moments

 medieval moments

 private garden moments

 long, sweeping moments

 canal lock moments

pere lachaise moments

au revoir, chere paris

wild life on the streets of paris

 in a dress shop on rue d'aboukir

 in the shadow of the louvre

 on pet store row, across from the pont neuf

 outside a montmartre cafe

on boulevard saint-martin

the street entertainers of paris

 notre dame

place de furstenberg

sacre coeur

sacre coeur

montmartre

paris, the city of flowers

 memorial flowers in the city hall,

 colors of seduction on the busy streets,

 orchids tended by a spirit as enchanting as amelie,

 flowers in a child's hand as she walks in the rain beside her mother,

 flowers in restaurants,

and  in rain sodden gardens,

and adorning windows everywhere.

the cathedrals of paris

 islands of peace,

 comfort,

serenity.

we arrived at our paris hotel, the royal aboukir, at sunset.

 stepping out of the tiny room

 onto the tiny balcony

i thought, "this alone would be enough."

arrived in heathrow

no photos allowed there.

we stood like sardines in a can,

at least a thousand of us, waiting to be cleared through customs.

 then rush, rush to saint pancras station

 where we waited and waited for our fast train to paris,

the city of love.