and

there's nothing on tv tonight. As usual. How many days till Dancing? I don't count good, but it's on again in 4 days if it's on Monday. I don't even really remember for sure which days it's on. Lovely.

And then I heard something on BBC news. I've heard it before. Apparently, they mostly think Americans don't have passports and won't travel to Europe. The thing is geography, time and expense. I suppose that means that the things are....

We don't, as a rule, have as much vacation time as Europeans. People are lucky to have a week paid vacation a year. Two isn't totally unusual. I think they often have 4 to 6 weeks a year. With a week, subtract 4 days and there's 3 days left to visit Europe.

So that's geography, too. They're much closer to other European countries than we are. They can easily go to France, Spain, Belgium, Germany, GB, whatever, with only a few days. It costs a lot less than travel from here to there, as well.

The news mentioned all the vacation places in the U.S. that mirror vacation destinations in Europe that they enjoy. And it's true. People can go camping or go into San Fransisco, New York, Chicago, St. Lewis, Houston, etc for shopping, theater, museums, etc.

There's beaches, lakes, fishing, water and snow skiing, casinos east, west and south, I believe, and, well, stuff to do in lots of places.

People near the boarders often go into Canada and Mexico.

Europe is a dream destination for many people. And some go there as well as Asia and the tropics.

Oh. Don't forget Disney. There's one on each coast. And other amusement parks here and there.

I suppose Americans go to different states the way Europeans go to different countries. It's geography.

I think I said a long time ago, if nothing else, teach geography and Latin. Really. I mean it.