1945

Bob Heath is one of our '45s living outside the United States, specifically near Lyons, France. Nan and Bob Joy visited him there and enjoyed the food in that capital of gastronomy. Joy reports that Heath, besides eating, leads a balanced life of playing tennis and taking courses at the university. Heath is especially knowledgeable about the Vercors Mountains, which were the center of the French Resistance fighters during WWII. He guided the Joys on a tour of the region's high limestone cliffs and deep valleys, penetrated by spectacular roads and tunnels, and exhibiting many emotive memorials to the Resistance.

Frank Aldrich returned to the Ardennes region of eastern Belgium "for one last look at where we found ourselves in the winter of 1944-45," and where he and his accompanying brother were accorded an "overwhelming" reception by the citizens and the present-day Belgian Air Force. Frank's note left out the reason, which was supplied by HankBarker: Frank's B-17, hit on a mission to Cologne, had crash-landed there. For a finale, the French hosted the Aldriches for a three-day stay at the Cercle National des Armees in Paris.

When Kitty and Bob Cate traveled from Sante Fe to Tucson to celebrate their 47th anniversary, they were captivated by the city, the university, the cultural life, and the exotic desert environment. So they bought a house and within two months were resettled in Tucson. Bob is writing his memoirs and seeking a good publisher. Kitty continues her consulting role with the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, planning an exhibition on carnival celebrations around the world. This project took her to Recife, Brazil, last year to study their Carnaval.

Jane and Tom Yates took off to Europe the day after the fall mini, to London, then to Paris on the chunnel train, by overnight sleeper to Rome (with champagne in the diner); finally down to Naples and southern Italy.

Italy. Judy and John MacDonald's fall trip was to the Dordogne area in SW France. John says that the region is loaded with beauty and antiquity, chateaux, Roman ruins, cave art 17,000 years old and good wine at $2.50 a bottle.

Peg and Harry Hampton's '98 travels included, incredibly, three Elderhostels and three family reunions, ranging across the lower United States to Germany, Italy, and Alaska, and concluding with a celebration of their tenth anniversary on Thanksgiving Day in Bermuda. "Just keeping the travel industry happy," says Harry.

All you world travelers know to beware of national stereotypes, but try this just for fun (it was given to me by a European travel guide): HEAVEN is where the police are British, the cooks French, the mechanics German, the lovers Italian, and it is all organized by the Swiss. HELL is where the cooks are British, the mechanics French, the lovers Swiss, the police German, and it is all organized by the Italians.

Don Sisson, P.O. Box 1317, New London, NH 03257; (603) 526-6749 (h); (603) 526-4292 (fax);

Frank Aldrich visited Belgium, where his B-17 crash-landed in 1944. DON SiSSON '45