Google Earth

Google Earth is one of my favorite internet musings. You can go absolutely anywhere in the world. It's the next step from the Atlas, but truthfully by "next step" I really mean next Universe. Who would've thought the "next step" would be so outstanding. I have always loved maps. I've actually had people become fearful and desperately mindful of the time when the question falls from my lips, "Where's your Atlas"... Replies range from the innocent and polite "Um... you know, haven't seen it in ages" to the more aggressive and blatant, "No. We cannot do this right now!" I just spent the last two hours with Google earth. I remember places well and my sense of direction is fairly strong so I can navigate myself pretty decently anywhere I go. I don't forget places very easily, either. I just spent a half hour in Munich (summer '03) retracing my steps from a walking tour a friend and I took of pertinent places in Hitler's rise to power. I visited the meeting place of our group's gathering and took a walk through some main streets to get to the main train station. Found the art store I liked there. Found the toy store I had the most random coversation with a woman in (we discovered we knew a mutual friend from New York - maybe I'll write about that tomorrow). I strolled to the BMW pavilion and took the above ground route to my host home in the more suburban area. I went to Munich tonight because of Google Earth.I also went to Prague. I found the Jewish ghetto where Franz Kafka was born and revisited my hotel. I found Jan Hus' monument and took a walk over the Charles Bridge to the Cathedral overlooking town because of Google Earth.I went to Moscow just for a bit and saw Red Square and St. Basil's. Jess, I have a funny picture of you in front of Lenin's tomb somewhere. I forgot to look for the IKEA I remember off the expressway leaving the city. I forgot to look for this on Google Earth.I went to Split, Croatia and walked through Diocletian's palace . Tried to go to Livno, Bosnia but the image was bad. I went to Krakow, Poland. I went to Vladimir, Russia. I went to Vienna, Austria. I went to Sudan and Kenya because of the book I just finished. On a more local level, I went to the spring of the Mississippi river and followed it home. I would like to revisit London and Dublin, Victoria Fall and Durban. I may visit Tokyo tomorrow. I may not. But I can.It takes seconds to cross and ocean and get somewhere other . My mind is gone in moments. It takes no time at all... thanks to Google Earth.