Re-visiting Europe

Last night, my friend Ann came over for dinner. I have known Ann since I was 10 years old and she is a one of a kind friend. She wanted to see my new home, but actually came to talk about and see the pictures from my "European Vacation" this past Summer. Ann had spent two months traveling to 18 countries in Europe--on her own!--a few years back and was my biggest cheerleader when it came to me deciding to take a three-week tour through Europe this year.
Last night, as we ate manacotti and enjoyed a bottle of wine, I completely re-lived my European experience with Ann while sharing my (10 pound, amazingly beautiful and incredibly well done "custom-made by Allison") scrapbook from my trip.
I went with "The European Experience" group. The leader of the group, Joe Calwell, was the European History teacher at Saddleback College for 33 years...this was his TWENTIETH time leading this same trip. EVERYTHING was planned out for our complete pleasure and enjoyment--all the sites and sounds and aromas and flavors of each and every city on the tour...no getting lost, no wondering where or what to eat and no searching for bathrooms or places to stay!
Among MANYother adventures on this three weeks of pure joy and delight, we saw the Colosseum (and the Pope!) in Rome, Piazza San Marco in Venice, and The David in Florence. We took a helicopter tour of the Swiss Alps in Zermatt, Switzerland, watched the last World Cup game (Go Italy!) while drinking delicious beer at a tavern in Koblenz, Germany. We went in a Windmill and a wooden shoe factory in Holland, went to the Van Gogh museum and on a canal cruise in Amsterdam, had a belgian waffle in Belgium, and, on our last night, had a spectacular dinner in the restaurant on the Eiffel Tower!
Ann and I literally looked at the book for two hours last night. I did not dare tell her that I had over 1000 OTHER pictures from my trip on my computer (I took 220 in Venice alone!) Next time...
This morning I have a new excitement over the memories that I have from those incredible 19 days. I feel like I just got back! The recollections of that trip are among the best in my life--the sites, the countrysides, the monuments, the (UNBELIEVABLE) food, the wine, the music...and the WONDERFUL people who were on the trip with me--strangers to begin with--and now are friends who I am getting Christmas cards from.
The trip came at a time when I really needed a lift...and it did just that.
I think it pretty much brought me back to life...and each time I look at the pictures and tell the stories...I am revitalized...