Tag: Travel

Exploring Contemporary European Man in Szalay’s _All That Man Is_

February 13, 2026

The book All That Man Is by David Szalay has short stories about European men. The stories unfold chronologically from April to December, the first story starting with the youngest man, who is 17, and each subsequent story featuring an older man, culminating in the last story, which features a man who is 73.

The book has nine stories, starting with two students sightseeing in Berlin and Prague, followed by a young Frenchman vacationing in Cyprus. The subsequent stories are about a university student and his girlfriend driving ftrom Oxford, England to Poland; a bodyguard with his boss and the boss’ wife from Budapest working in London; a Danish journalist digging up dirt on a politician in Amsterdam; an English realtor selling condos in the Swiss Alps; an Englishman living on the Croatian Riviera; a Russian oligarch trying to commit suicide on his yacht on the Mediterranean, and a retired British diplomat living in Italy.

The stories center on white, heterosexual European males traveling or living in a country other than their home in Europe. Does this group of characters represent what it means to be the typical European man today, as the book’s title suggests? I think the author is exploring whether these men collectively illustrate a modern archetype.

I really enjoyed the book. The stories are compelling with well-written plots and fascinating characters whose problems feel real. The smooth language is punctuated by dialogue, balancing longer passages introducing the characters and describing the localities.

Some events are quite funny, as in the story where a married woman in Prague tries to seduce a young, shy boy and ends up sleeping with boy’s friend. Or, when the oversized girl and Bernard put the mattress on the floor in the Cyprus hotel in order to accommodate their lovemaking. However, the author never mocks the inept subjects. Instead, he uses gentle language to describe their frailties and haplessness.

A recurring theme in the stories is the lack of, or search for, meaning in life. This led me to question whether Szalay portrays contemporary European men as lacking purpose, ambition and opportunities, focusing instead on vacations, drinking, and sex. Through these motifs, the book prompts us to ask: Is this what defines the European man today?

An interesting writing craft the author uses is leaving the stories hanging at the end, with no conclusion about what happens next. For example, when the student finds out that his girlfriend is pregnant, he assumes an abortion will solve the problem, while the girlfriend absolutely refuses to do so and wants to keep the baby. The story ends without the reader knowing what happens with the couple. Another example is the Russian oligarch who wants to commit suicide but does not know how to do it. Again, the reader is left with uncertainty about what happens in the end. I found the stories with uncertain conclusions entertaining, leaving the reader to speculate about potential ends.

The stories are realistic; the plots are familiar. The book In Praise of Older Women came to mind while reading the first two stories about young men and older women (Stephen Vizinczey, 1978). The realtor story recalled brochures for ski chalets in Canada, and the story of the Hungarian woman in London reminded me of Central European girls brought to the US for prostitution. The Danish minister’s affair with a married woman is typical of politicians’ scandals. Such familiar situations made the book feel genuine to me.

The short stories also reminded me of Alice Munro’s work, such as Runaway (2004). However, in contrast to the women who suffer in Munro’s stories, the men in Szalay’s stories end up the losers. For example, Murray, retired on the Croatian Riviera, is chasing validation of his masculinity by going after a barmaid, and when losing her to a Dutch friend, he goes after the barmaid’s mother, not upscale choices by any standard.

If Szalay’s stories attempt to define the contemporary European male, I wonder about their lasting relevance. As Europe’s demographics change, will the image of the European man in this book remain accurate or become outdated? The book was short-listed for the Man Booker Prize, and I found it thought-provoking and enjoyable.

Finding Travel Partners: Lessons from Ottawa West Probus

February 6, 2026

I was disappointed attending an organizational meeting for a travel group. The Ottawa West Probus Club decided to establish a travel interest group. A volunteer arranged the meeting to discuss what we should do. We met in a cold church room with no coffee provided. A poor beginning for me. On top of this, only five people showed up, including me. A very inauspicious start, when we have two hundred people in the Probus Club.

Right off the bat, someone mentioned privacy concerns. She took exception to the spreading of personal emails; I assumed she was referring to the invitation to this meeting. I wondered how difficult it would be to organize a group without using email today. Should we use a phone instead and call each participant? Would that be time-consuming? The same person also expressed a dislike for people taking pictures when the lunch group meets.

After this curious discussion of privacy issues, the organizer asked what we wanted to get out of this meeting! Since this was the second meeting of this group, and since only I and another person were new, I thought the purpose of this group had already been established. But no, the agenda was wide open.

I suggested three options based on experience: holding monthly meetings with travel slide shows, inviting guest speakers from travel companies, or organizing group trips ourselves.

These options were not what the organizer had in mind; she explained that this group would serve only as a “travel dating” site, where people with similar travel interests would be introduced to one another. And once such a group coalesced, they would handle travel arrangements like flights, hotels, and tours. Ok. But why is such a service needed?

Well, she explained, people do not like to travel solo and look for company. Family or friends, I assume. The assumption is that people do not find family members or friends available to travel with and look for travel companions with similar interests, likely members of the Probus Club.

I agree with her opinion. It is a challenge to find friends or family to travel with, as preferences for travel differ—some enjoy cruising, while others prefer five-star hotels. Our nascent travel group aims to connect Probus Club members with similar travel interests and preferences.  

The idea of traveling in a group with local people made me think of what we used to do. We used to arrange our trips and travel with a backpack, just the two of us. We looked forward to meeting local people in faraway countries, tasting their food, whether spicy or not, and learning about their culture. Getting lost on our way was always a highlight, a learning experience, and I thought we were enriched by such unanticipated adventures.

I am not sure that I want to travel with our Probus friends; in fact, traveling with a group often limits interaction with locals. Guided tours are efficient for planning, but limit opportunities to engage with locals. Some prefer arranged trips, while others enjoy planning their own trip.

I left the meeting with no information on the next steps. But it has become clear to me that the organizer should explain the idea for this travel group in the Probus Club newsletter. And that there should be a structure in place to allow people to sign up for trips of their choice.

Considering all this, I left the meeting seeing limited value of this travel group for our Probus Club. But I give full credit to the organizer for trying to get this group off the ground.

Note: Probus is a worldwide organization run by volunteers. It is a non-profit organization for semi-retired and retired professionals and businesspeople, with no political or religious ties.   It started in the United Kingdom by a Rotary Club.

The Allure of Discovery Trips: Why We Travel to Discover

February 5, 2026

We travel not just for leisure, but for discovery. At a recent lunch, friends talked about the journeys they hope to take before age or health makes such trips impossible. This made me wonder: why does traveling hold such appeal? I am not thinking of holidays or beach escapes, but of trips to countries unknown to us—adventures I call discovery trips.

Discovery trips offer a sense of freedom. Packing minimally—a suitcase and a backpack for daily excursions, I leave behind daily commitments. Far from home, it feels liberating not to worry about bills or routine chores like taking out the garbage. In unfamiliar countries, every day offers discovery: meeting new people, sampling local dishes, observing architecture, and learning to navigate local buses. Conversations with locals often become both enjoyable and necessary as we find our way.

Travel also offers an education. Seeing things with new eyes becomes inevitable. The visible poverty in India, for example, places North America’s general wellness into sharp relief. Comparing Ottawa’s traffic to maneuvering through downtown Dhaka, Bangladesh, showed me how minor our own traffic woes are in comparison.

Before these trips, I research our destination. After returning, I expand on what I’ve learned. I once knew about the Indian caste system in theory, but witnessing it firsthand deepened my understanding of its implications.

The memory of an incident at Kolkata’s airport remains vivid. A well-dressed man suddenly placed his suitcases in front of ours as we waited in a long line for x-ray inspection. My temper flared, and I pushed his suitcase aside, firmly telling him we had arrived much earlier than he had. He made no argument—perhaps because we were foreigners. That experience prompted me to return home and delve into the history and evolution of India’s caste system.

There was also the night our hosts in Dhaka took us to their favorite restaurant. When they ordered goat brains during a period of mad cow disease in England, curiosity mingled with courtesy. We ate. The dish resembled scrambled eggs, though spiced differently.

Each trip required us to set aside our Canadian routines. We engaged all our senses with local culture, cuisine, and people. I took no notes at the time, yet I now realize that relying on memory allowed me to reflect and better recall details that differ from our own way of life.

Understanding Misinformation on U.S. Travel

January 30, 2026

Amazing how much misinformation permeates reality today. My coffee buddy told me not to enter the United States because I’ll have trouble at the border. I told him I am going to visit friends and family in the Carolinas and Florida, which triggered a long rant from him about why he does not visit the US these days. To cut a long story short, we had no trouble at all at the border. The official at the gate wished us a good trip south after a brief, friendly conversation.

Why did my friend have a negative impression of travelling south? He must have seen too many headlines about border agents harassing tourists, read too many articles on the internet about tight immigration policies into the US, and probably seen too many digital media videos on how US immigration agents manhandle travellers.

Confirming the bad publicity surrounding travel to the US, I met a Dutch fellow in the Everglades in Florida who said that travellers from Europe must hand over their cell phones to US immigration officers for a scan of their digital accounts to see if anything there reflects negaitvely on President Trump. If any such messages are found on their phones, they may be banned from visiting the US for a couple of years, he told me.

In our conversation, I learned that he has a condo in Naples that he has not been able to rent due to the significant decline in visitors this year that he attributed to the current US official position towards foreigners and visitors. I read recently that there is a proposal to launch a search program for critical views of Trump on the digital accounts of US visitors, but it is not in effect yet. This type of misinformation is pervasive and spreads by word of mouth.

Misinformation also happened in my family. When we travelled to Florida years ago, my mother, who lived in Vancouver, British Columbia, warned us against swimming off the coast of Florida for all the crocodiles there. Well, there are no crocodiles where we traveled. I do not know where my mother obtained her information.

The subject of how much people are misinformed is discussed in a recent book by Hans Rosling, entitled “Factfulness”. The author conducted numerous surveys worldwide on people’s opinions and knowledge about common topics such as population size and growth. The author concluded that people are ignorant, less than thirty percent were the correct answers in his surveys.

Rosling describes numerous reasons for people’s ignorance; for example, people tend to project the future based on straight-line projections. The world’s population doubled or grew from four to eight billion over the last fifty years. Projecting the doubling of the population over the next fifty years would bring the world’s population to sixteen billion by 1976. The author’s projection, based on economic, family formation and fertility trends, projects the world population peaking at around 11 billion people.

Rosling’s work is data driven. He cites statistics from many sources (such as those from the United Nations) supplemented by the surveys he has conducted. I am not sure that data and surveys together provide an adequate picture and would suggest that, in addition, direct observations may help shed light on reality. For example, if you watch the major TV channels today, you cannot avoid seeing the chaotic environment in Minneapolis. So, you may jump on the idea that Minneapolis is typical of the entire US. But the US is a big country, and life goes on without federal agents interfering in most places.

We traveled in December to North Carolina, Florida, and Tennessee, and have not witnessed any civil disruptions. Stayed a few days in Winston-Salem, Durham, and Charlotte in North Carolina, Orlando and Everglades City in Florida, and Decatur, Tennessee, and had a great time meeting friendly people. Real-time experience defies what you see on TV.

I am not saying that my experience provides an accurate picture of what is going on in the US. What I am saying is that, in addition to what you see and read in the media, it should be complemented by other sources of information, including personal observation and common sense.

And reflecting on my view of life in the US is but a small part of reality. We traveled in a few cities, met a few people, and I’d be the first to admit that my observations are limited in number. But what I learned is that what you see in the media is just one part of the big picture, and the best way to find out what is going on is to travel, to gain a better picture of reality.

Ordering Made Easy: Exploring Architecture and Interior Design

January 13, 2026

I tried to purchase coffee on the order screen at McDonald’s yesterday. After three attempts at pushing the wrong buttons, I got it right. But it took more than twenty screen taps to get my simple order. To start with, choices were “here or takeout”; then pick one item from dozens of food and drink options; then “hot or cold” from numerous drink choices; then coffee size – three options; then what to put in the coffee; and then pay on the screen or at the cashier. I mean, I could have ordered it verbally by saying, “Small black coffee, please.” Four words. No matter. The screen works for all orders, and the more screens there are, the more people can order simultaneously.

I still prefer to speak with someone when ordering; I prefer a social interaction. As a result, I often end up at Starbucks or Tim Hortons, where one must order by speaking with a barista or server.

Surprisingly, there were many middle-aged people at this outlet next to Algonquin College in the early afternoon. I expected more students instead. And the people occupied the seats around the perimeter, sitting at tables for two and four, leaving the large communal tables in the middle of the restaurant empty.

Yes, I read that McDonald’s new interior design, called Luna, was developed by an Amsterdam consultant. According to the architect, the design concept encourages socializing, saying hello to people, and facilitating conversations. That is the theory, although I did not see people greeting each other and engaging in conversations.

The Luna design concept features large communal tables that are high and surrounded by barstools, as well as smaller tables around the perimeter. There are 10 or more stools around each large rectangular table. I did not see anyone sitting at these tables. But the furniture design and the colors were pleasing. The walls are painted brown, interspersed with grey accents. According to the designers, it is a subdued atmosphere with no bright colors.

And I did not see a children’s play area, a space I had seen years ago at many McDonald’s outlets. Clearly, McDonald’s moved on to cater to an older clientele. It may be a response to demographic changes, or the older age group may be financially better able to eat there.

I remember the original McDonald’s, with its huge Golden Arches to catch drivers’ attention on the highway. Then the company decided to blend the architecture into the residential areas, perhaps encouraged by zoning bylaws, coming up with the Mansard roof, which blends into the neighborhood. And now, the buildings seem to be simple rectangles, with the logo still intact and small Golden Arches along the fascia. These buildings could just as easily be office buildings, such as medical or insurance businesses. I saw how easily these McDonald’s structures could be converted into offices should the neighborhood’s demographics change and the outlet lose business.

I like the new interior designs, though not so much the exterior; the buildings are boxes with dull colors. I don’t know how the designers arrived at designing such boring buildings. Did they envision a plain, innocuous look that would correspond to the challenging economic and political conditions of the last few years, combined with the recent Covid pandemic?

However, I find McDonald’s an attractive stop on the highway, as their food quality is consistently good and they have kept their menu items up to date to satisfy regional tastes. For example, they offer sausage gravy in the southern states. I always look for sausage gravy, a favorite of mine, and I had some at a South Carolina McDonald’s that was excellent. Now, I am not commenting on the nutritional value of their food; that is a different issue.

I make stops at McDonald’s whenever I’m traveling on the highway. But it is certainly not equal to home-cooked meals in terms of nutritional value or compared to a comfortable home environment. But boy, is it ever tasty to chomp into a Big Mac with fries, occasionally? Despite the calories and fat!