To Dream or Not To Dream

There is no question

I doubt there’s anyone that will dispute that Covid has impacted travel. Cancellations, rescheduling, modifications. There is one thing, however, that Covid hasn’t been able to derail. And actually, Covid has expanded this facet of travel.

I’m talking about dreaming. Dreaming of future trips, planning trips, and remembering the joys, laughter, and now-remembered-as-funny-mishaps of past trips.

This is probably what has gotten us through the last two years. We know we’re going, we’re not sure where (yet), and we don’t know when (soon). But, as I always say, planning is half the fun.

And that’s what People LIke Us has provided during these trying times — a way to dream,  explore, and plan from the couch.

I often find myself scrolling through the PLU homes.  It’s fun to see what others are highlighting to “sell” their home to possible new friends. “The pleasant countryside is right out our door.” “Metro lines just a 5 minute walk.”  “All the amenities a 5 minute drive.” The great outdoors. And, what seems to me to be the biggie…The Beach!

I love to use the PLU filters to find new favorites for my list. Three bedrooms. Check. Nice bathrooms. Check. Bakery nearby. Check. Walkable. Check. Friendly, independent cat that doesn’t need to much care. Check.

As I explore, I begin to learn more about where I might want to explore. So many listings provide insight on local treasures that I would never know about except for  PLU. I recently learned of a new museum in Paris that I can’t wait to visit…its collection showcases the colorful, cool, and sometimes macabre history of fairs in France. And, I hadn’t even thought of visiting car museums, but I now know that there’s a geographic triangle of German engineering where I could see the Mercedes or Porshe museum. And being from Michigan - the Detroit area, aka the Motor City — visiting a car museum is a good idea!

Dreaming of all the wonderful places we want to go, and the people we might meet, makes me recall wonderful memories from prior trips. And there are many!

Perhaps one of my favorites is the time we were in a little Breton crêperie in Paris on the Isle Saint Louis. We were seated at a table for two, which is just inches away from another two-top. We order our crepes, and begin visiting, enjoying some cider. In a few moments, a couple from Germany is seated at the table right next to us and they order. My husband and I pass a few more minutes in pleasant conversation.

Then, the waiter and owner - and possibly the chef - arrives and delivers with a flourish two plates to the German couple. Within seconds, all five us realize that those plates belong to our table. The waiter quickly returns to the kitchen, and, just as quickly, returns to our table, delivering the same two plates with the same flourish. We all laughed, sharing the common bond of humor. And with a nod, they wish us “Bon Appetit!”

One day soon, we hope to visit that crêperie again. To see new museums, hike the mountains, swim in some lakes, buy fresh produce at the market, explore local grocery stores, ride bikes to a castle, and make new friends. So here’s to daydreaming about travel. And learning more about our wonderful world.

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Shawn & Bill

Travelling group
Retired
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