The travelers were so fascinated with the country that they wanted to learn more about it and so started a book club. They meet monthly, except summers and December, in members' homes. People come and go and most are Saratogans.

Hanging in there are Aiko and John Tauchi, Art Okuno, Marge and George Bunyard, Marty and Joe Clevenger, Helen and Ralph Metcalf, Marilyn White, Betty Thompson and Joan Gomersall. Virginia and Bob O'Reilly of Los Gatos are also enthusiastic members.

Next book they'll be reading is Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami. Joan Gomersall is the book group's contact.

In other Gomersall news, Joan has recently co-partnered with her son, Tim, and his wife, Dawn, to open a Sylvan Learning Center in Eureka. Tim has two master's degrees in psychology and worked on the Hoopa Indian Reservation near Eureka before starting up the Sylvan Center. He is the sixth of the seven Gomersall offspring.

FIVE PERFECT DAYS: A travel article written by Saratogan Tessie Young was published in the April 11 issue of Travel Weekly, an online publication. The title is "The Perfect Itinerary: Living it Up in London" and it describes what to do and where to dine to have five perfect days in the Brit capital.

Included is a secret tour of London through Lewis Day Chauffeurs and making sure to have one take-out meal at Harrod's Food Court. Other time-honored destinations are the British Museum, Westminster Abbey, changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace and tea at the Ritz.

Young works for Peak Travel in Willow Glen and has been a European specialist for 20 years. The Cotswolds area in England is one of her favorite destinations. She and husband Phil have been seen biking throughout Europe, as well as employing other forms of transportation on their travels.

FULLY FLAGGED: Saratogan Ruth Bauer is a loyal follower of the Olympics and has a cache of flags to prove it, which she flies at the appropriate times if she isn't out following the action in person. But she also collects other flags as well. She has a closetful--one for every notable holiday through the year.

Thus you will see flying outside her Saratoga home the Irish flag on St. Patrick's Day, the Mexican flag on Cinco de Mayo, the French flag on Bastille Day, and the California flag on Admissions Day. Well, you get the picture. And flying alongside on all these occasions is, of course, Old Glory, who wouldn't miss a chance to wave.

ART SHOW: Sales from the art sold at the Saratoga Rotary Art Show brought in 10 percent more than last year, estimates art show chairman Gordon Case. It should be more than $500,000 for the art sale alone. Saratogans Sidney and Helen Yee won the raffle, which was a three-year prepaid lease on a Mercedes or $10,000 in cash. The Yees chose the car.

Over the past 30 years, Rotary has given back to the community $1.6 million. Some recipients of that money--EMQ Children & Family Services, Hope Rehabilitation Services and the Fire Safety Council--manned booths this year and described their respective missions. This is the 30th year for artist Steve Hamilton, whose steel birds inevitably sell out.

LISTEN UP: May is Better Hearing and Speech Month and Los Gatos Audiology is offering free hearing aid consultations to celebrate the month and raise awareness of these disorders. Ellen Mosher is the director/owner and the office is at 430 Monterey Ave., Suite 3, Los Gatos. The phone is 408.354.1312.

If you frequently ask others to repeat themselves, if you understand people better when they are looking directly at you and if you lose out on group conversations or have a ringing in the ear you may be one of the 28 million Americans who could be successfully treated, Mosher says.

DANCE FORCE WINNERS: Saratoga Dance Force Teams won distinction in recent competition. Team 1, 12- to 15-year-olds, includes Julia Hoegel, Kelsey Berryhill, Chelsea Sabella, Samantha Sawicki, Jennifer Chiu, Elissa Barton and Dominika Pietrzyk.

Dance Team 2 are ages 9 to 11, and members are Dani and Allison Bruno, Kelsey Massoglia, Noelle Summers, Talia and Raven Sisco, and Sanji Shukla. On Team 3, ages 6 to 8, are Nina Harris and Sonia Harria, Lexie Barr, Christina Creamer, Lauren Mattson, Angel Mikl, Kate Sawicki, Maddie Bailey and Natalie Lemire. Kathy Welch is director.

TO JAPAN: To further study Japanese culture, one may apply for a Gomersall scholarship, which honors Ed Gomersall, a former president of the Saratoga Sister City organization. The contact is Denny Alff at 408.741.0422.

TO ITALY: Interested in a trip to Italy and Sicily from Sept. 17 to Oct. 2? Then call Ed Porter at 408.867.0872 or Peter Marra at 408.741.1551 of Sister City.

Got a tip for Saratoga Sampler? Send email to maryanncook@earthlink.net.