Oh, I see! moments
Travel Cultures Language

Recovering Our Awe of Nature

by Joyce McGreevy on May 11, 2020

A sunrise in Ireland is awe-inspiring, a reminder that noticing nature every day reflects a cultural attitude of valuing the environment. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

When had we last watched the sunrise?
© Joyce McGreevy

What Does Nature Need Us to Notice?

Have you noticed it? While life in self-quarantine has restricted our movements, it has also unleashed our senses. As the range of our territory has contracted, our attention to the environment has enlarged.

We’ve had to slow down to the speed at which a flower grows, and now, something has begun to blossom. In moment by “oh, I see” moment: we’re regaining our instinct for the awe of nature.

A sapling in blossom in Ireland is an awe-inspiring sign of spring. a reminder of our instinctive need to notice the beauty of nature. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

In Ireland, a moment of attention blossomed into awe.
© Joyce McGreevy

We’ll Always Have Paris

by Meredith Mullins on May 4, 2020

We’ll always have Paris.
© Meredith Mullins

Travel Inspiration in Times of Change

“We’ll always have Paris,” said Humphrey Bogart, melting hearts as he stood on the Casablanca tarmac and said a final goodbye to Ingrid Bergman.

That memorable film line became a metaphor for a cherished time that remains in memory no matter what the future brings. Such a thought seems particularly relevant now . . . in times of COVID.

Those of us who live in Paris—or who seek travel inspiration from the City of Light—take these words literally and metaphorically. We will always have Paris.

Virtual Traveler— A Journey of Note

by Meredith Mullins on April 13, 2020

The New York Philharmonic pays tribute to front-line healthcare workers. (Watch below.)
(Courtesy of New York Philharmonic/YouTube)

The Healing Power of Music and the Performing Arts

Much of the world has been “sheltering in place” for a while now. Some of us have lost count of the days, and, in fact, might not even be sure what day of the week it is.

Our exotic travel consists of taking the garbage out or exploring a closet that we haven’t visited for years.

As a result of this change in our daily life, we are becoming expert virtual travelers—happily wandering the rabbit hole of the Internet.

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