LIBRARIES – A Necessary Stop On Any geezerTrip!

If you travel, you need to stop at a library wherever you are. Libraries serve senior travelers. This is written from the Main Branch of the Smithtown, NY Public Library. Yesterday, I was at the Huntington Station, NY Public Library.

There is free WiFi. You can sit for hours and write about your trip without being disturbed. And, you can do it from  10 in the morning to 9 at night; and, frequently on Saturdays and Sundays. There are also computers  and copying machines. If you have your own i-pad you can access the library WiFi.

There are magazines and comfortable chairs. There are toilets, drinking fountains and parking.

There is local information so you can see what is happening where you are.

At Smithtown Library, pick up a copy of the monthly “Inside Your Library.”  For example, in April 2015, I can attend an Estate Planning Seminar,  a Seminar on “Affordable Home Buying on Long Island,” yoga, tax prep, numerous book discussion groups, movies, history lectures, a writer’s group, exhibits, and cooking classes. The Cinco de Mayo, South of the Border Cooking class, is today for $5.00 and you get to sample the results.

All the libraries that I have been in have used book sales. Here you can get paperbacks for 50 cents and hardbound books for $1.00. There are also magazines and CD’s. When traveling, you can pick up a half-dozen books, read them and donate them when you are finished.

Most libraries also have genealogical information and ties to the local historical societies. If you want to know who you are and where you came from, check out the library. In Albuquerque Public Library Main Branch, the entire second floor is devoted to genealogy, complete with thousands of books and a dozen computers that you can use for free. You can even access Ancestory.com for free within the library. And, the librarians who work the second floor are knowledgeable on researching your ancestors. An added plus is that members of the NM Genealogical Society and The Albuquerque Genealogy Society hang out there and love to help a newcomer find a person in their past.

If you have grandchildren, take a look at what libraries offer for kids. Story telling, classes, etc. If you are going to entertain a five-year old, the library is a great place.

If you travel, and even if you don’t, a library is worth a visit; especially if you want to find out about your past or if you are looking for interesting places to visit in your present.

Finally, old people have problems. They are frequently afraid to seek advice. No one wants to admit to driving problems or the possibility of cancer. A library, especially an out-of-town one, is a good place to check out your problem anonymously. You might attend a seminar on cancer; or hearing problems; or financial planning. Find out. Ask the librarian for books/information on “your problem,” and do a little research where no one knows you.

AN UNUSUAL, HISTORIC, PUPPET THEATRE IN SICILY!

Star of Teatro Dei Pupi SicilianiIn Syracuse, Sicily (Italy) I attended a performance at a small puppet theatre; about 30 seats. The performance lasted an hour and was interesting because of the work that went into making the puppets, the skills that the puppeteer need to manipulate the puppets, and the historic nature of the theatre.

It was a simple theatre; wooden seats; small stage; and, the puppeteer came out after the performance. It was in Italian, so my deafness was not a problem. It was one of those out-of-the-way things that makes trips interesting/

This was on a Rick Steves Tour of Sicily and was one of many events that I would not ordinarily come across.

The tour took all the seats. Each puppet was controlled by sticks and each had a person operating it. The puppets were about three feet tall.

If you have grandchildren and room in your bags, there is a shop:

Shop at the puppet theatre.

There are only a few of these theaters left. If you get a chance, visit one.

For more on these theatres and other locations in Sicily see: Teatro Dei Pupi Siciliani.