We were so proud of ourselves for successfully navigating the chaos of the trains to return to Brussels. Granted, it is a short trip from Bruges to Brussels, but with our severe lack of navigation genes, we will celebrate where celebration is due. As we left the station, we felt great satisfaction when we instantly … More Belgian Odyssey, Part Eight: Fond Farewells
Good morning, Bruges! It was so nice to wake up in Bruges this morning with no agenda other than to follow our hearts. Every other day in Belgium has been spent rushing to breakfast, rushing to conference meetings or concerts, rushing to this or that. On this, our last day in Bruges, how wonderful to … More Belgian Odyssey, Part Seven: Savoring Every Moment
We got up very early on our last morning in Ostend, both of us the anxious to begin the next leg of our adventure- Bruges! Dan and I are the perfect traveling companions; it is so easy and comfortable- we just see life and the world in the same way. Travel can be stressful, so … More Belgian Odyssey Part Six: Finding a Soul Place in Bruges
Ostend is a wonderful mix of the very old and the ultra modern. Yesterday was our last day in the beautiful coastal city of Ostend. ClarinetFest has been an amazing and inspirational experience, and I’m so grateful to be a part of the International Clarinet Association, which has afforded me the opportunities to visit cities … More Belgian Odyssey Part Five: Out and About in Ostend
Our time in Ostend, Belgium, for ClarinetFest continues to be inspirational on so many levels. At the opening concerts alone I sat and listened to some of the greatest iconic players of our instrument, people that I listened to religiously as a young clarinetist for inspiration and to learn my craft by example. These men … More Belgian Odyssey Part Four: Beaches, Boats, and Bravos
We are finally here in the beautiful city of Brussels. Thanks to jet lag and a seven hour time difference (and because I’m a fifty-five year old woman and there is no air conditioner in our room) I am lying here awake and thinking through our first day. Already so much to process about the … More Belgian Odyssey Part I: Brussels and Melting Pots
Today was the day! All the preparations, all of the anxiety, all of the excitement, all of the neurotic packing, unpacking, and packing again…Belgium! Except that we’re in jammies with the critters here at Chez Gainey as I type this- and not on a plane heading to Copenhagen. While we were eating a snack waiting … More Travel 101: Plan B
A stormy day in the Magic City… One week from today Dan and I are headed out for a grand adventure- a trip to Belgium to attend the International Clarinet Association’s ClarinetFest on the coast in Ostende. We will also spend a couple of days each in Bruges and in Brussels, and then half a … More On Adventures Large and Small
The View from Here 