My Word with Douglas E. Welch

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Chiesa di Santa Maria del Carmine, Milano, Italia

Rosanne and I had stumbled upon this 1446 church a few days earlier on our wandering, but I returned on my way to a second visit to the Orto Botanico (Botanical Garden) in Brera.

This morning, though, I took the opportunity to stop, order a caffé (espresso) and a chocolate croissant, and just sit people watching and taking in the architecture of the church and the art in the piazza.

I was on my own on this visit, but it is one of my favorite memories of the trip. Even alone I found Milano to be friendly, welcoming and very livable. I felt more comfortable there than perhaps any other European city I have visited besides, perhaps, Bath and Leeds in the UK. London is fun but can be a bit too much after a few days.

When out on my own — and not looking a bit Italian in any way — I found it fun to joke with the wait staff at restaurants and museums. They would always start out in English and then expressed surprise and pleasure when I spoke Italian — even my first-grade version of it. Just another way I came to feel comfortable. Joking with everyone and generally having a great time.

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Where are your favorite travel surprises? Share in the comments!

Chiesa di Santa Maria del Carmine, Milano, Italia

While the exterior of this 1446 church is fairly plain, the interior is amazing. The light and shadows effect on the architecture are so dramatic is almost, literally, takes your breath away. We stepped in from the bright sun on a hot afternoon and it was like entering an entirely different world. The temperature dropped 10 degrees and it took several minutes for our eyes to adjust. We had entered from a side door, so we didn’t get the full effect until we moved up the enter aisle and took in this view. 

This is one of those photos that you easily remember taking. Unlike some, I believe that photography doesn’t take me out of the moment when I am Travelling, but rather makes my memories more vibrant and concrete when I return home. 

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* A portion of each sale from Amazon.com directly supports our blogs
** Many of these books may be available from your local library. Check it out!
† Available from the LA Public Library

What is your favorite season? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Autumn Color on a Historic Campus

Stephens College, Columbia, Missouri

There is always something special for me about walking a college campus — whether is is old and historic lime @stephenscollege or fairly modern one like Cal Poly Pomona — where my son attends and my wife teaches.

College campuses always carry a sense of growth and opportunity for me. The energy, and often, lack of aged cynicism, reminds me of the younger person I once was. There can be a bit of melancholy too, though, as I am confronted with all those plans that didn’t quite work out and this I abandoned for more life-necessary work. 

Of course, I am sure some of my rose-colored memories come from the fact that college is where I met @drrosannewelch on the first night of my Fall Semester. Events like that are sure to color your thoughts for a lifetime. 

Still, no matter how young the students start to appear — (When did colleges start accepting junior high aged students? 🤪) — or how old it makes me feel, I’ll still carry a special feeling for college campuses and the hope they carry. 

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A small piece of Sicily in our California Home

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* A portion of each sale from Amazon.com directly supports our blogs
** Many of these books may be available from your local library. Check it out!
† Books available at the LA Public Library

Hmmm…I think I recognize these people. 

My sisters Donna and Denise and me in about 1966-67.

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