+Bonjour Bruxelles+: I'm all over the map

I've always had a fascination with maps.

When I was a kid we had these old, plastic, place mats that were nautical maps of the Maine coast.

Between the dribbles of applesauce, tuna melts, and chipped beef I would stare and stare and imagine what it would be like if I placed myself right. there. They weren't particularly colorful but they were an awesome orientation to mappery.

Years later, in search of a clever gift for my husband, I grabbed a couple of his father's old roll-down-teaching maps, from his years of teaching history at Cranston East High School.

I framed the pre-WWI map of Europe. It still hangs in our dining room. Serves as an excellent conversation starter, day-dream-instigator, and where-would-you-like-to-be initiator.

And recently I purchased some world map place mats. They come in a tablet of 30, of New York, London, Tokyo, and Paris.

I doubt I'd let a plate of mac'n cheese be placed upon these....but you never know. It would be cool and I would love my kids-any kid-to ask about these locations, ponder what it would be like to live there, look for the funniest named street, etc.

I recently stumbled upon this website....and I marvel at the ingenuity of the work and use of maps.