Regardless of my recent medical adventure, I will be traveling to Europe
on schedule.  I have a few more museums to confirm visitation dates and
then I can publish the schedule on the FML.  A number of people have
already contacted me about stopping for ferret visits, which is as
exciting to me as getting to prowl around in some of the world's oldest
museums.
 
What I can say is I will at least get to visit a collection in Morocco,
so I can see first hand if the reports of ferrets in the country are
true or not.  I've already got some surprising answers about ferrets in
that country that I will share when I return.
 
If I can afford the time and transportation, I will check out the reports
of feral ferrets on some of the islands in the Mediterranean.  Likewise,
I have some quite interesting first hand reports I will share on return.
 
One thing I have lately become convinced of is that there is little or
no way skull characteristics alone can determine the origin of ferret
domestication.  The people at the ferret symposium in the Netherlands get
to hear these results first, but I will share them with the FML when I
return.
 
It is not too late for people in Europe to ask me to stop.  I would love
to meet you, see your ferrets, let you laugh at my strange mannerisms and
attempts to speak your native tongue, and try out some of your exotic,
native foods.  As long as you are near a train station, I am pretty sure
I can make it on my pass.  Some of my confirmed stops will be Amsterdam,
Angers, Berlin, London, Madrid, Paris, and a collection in Morocco.  If
everything works out, I will test at least 2 collections in Germany, 3 in
France, 1 in Spain, 1 in Morocco, 1 in Austria, 4 in the United Kingdom,
1 in Denmark, and 1 in Poland.  So, if you live in or near those areas,
or a rail line from those areas are near you, I am happy to drop by.
Show me your ferrets and let me brag about them for you!
 
The trip is going to be hard, but the data will be wonderful and more
than worth the work and effort.  If you live in Europe (or want a
vacation), please attend the first ferret symposium.  It will be worth
it!  And if you can't make it, drop the good people at Stichting de Fret
a line congratulating them, offering a donation, or asking about the next
one.  You can help make a difference.
 
Bob C:  [log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 4672]