Well, I'm back in the States after a month over in Europe. I love to travel, but it is always nice to get home. However, I already feel the stress of what I need to accomplish this summer-ah!
All in all, it is very different to travel with people rather than solo, let alone with family. I think we did pretty good all over Italy. Then to be able to meet up with 5 of my best friends in Paris for a week is icing on the cake. Here are some of my favorite moments:
My mother's fan supply(4 total), especially the one attached to a bottle of water for misting, in Italy.
Aunt Karen calling people "Madame"-Isn't that French?
Getting lost in Rome and ending up in a suburb at 1 in the morning and Aunt Karen saying to the bus driver, "I'm not getting off this bus." She eventually gave in and got off.
Morning breakfast on our terrace in Positano.
"No Soup For You"-Sheila being waved away from the counter, "Too complicated" he said, for asking too many questions while she was trying to order.
The Traveling Wilbury's minibus.
Aunt Karen looking for the World Cup games, "Futbol?"
Nyle keeping calm while driving the Wilbury's around the countryside of Tuscany with two backseat drivers trying their hardest to keep their mouths shut.
Running through the streets of Paris, in the rain with Lesley and going over a grate blowing up air, "My shirt, my skirt" she yelled as she tossed me her umbrella that was now inside out.
Becky giving some of her sandwich to a gypsy. Later, "I'm hungry, I shouldn't have given the gypsy my sandwich."
"GW" which stands for "gypsy watch"-we would say it when we put our bags down to take a photo.
"Oui Oui Magnifique"-I will never forget our call out to make sure we had our entire group.
The look on Becky's face after climbing 200+ stairs up the Arc de Triumph.
Lesley nearly losing her skirt, "Lesley your skirt is falling down." Lesley, "Oh no" as she calmly pulled it up.
The Parisians enjoy walking around naked and being "active" and the 6 Americans couldn't believe their eyes, watching a show out of the bedroom window like it was a movie.
Walking around the Louvre at night, after Becky insisted it was a university.
Any and all gypsy jokes. "Do you think I could pay a gypsy to carry my bags? Do you think I could pay a gypsy to carry me?"
Charlie's "The Paris You'll Never See" all-inclusive tour-a la, we got lost and Charlie said, "Well it's the Paris you'll never see."
"Double Trouble" Lesley and Becky in the same dress at Versailles.
Being "punked" at the store in Paris with only Extra Small and Small sizes. That boy worker was so pleasant when I came into the store but now I know he was thinking, "Oh you Americans don't fit in our clothes but enjoy looking, hahahahaha-fattie."
Me having a pee emergency-friends surrounding me at a tree on the Champs Elysee while I peed in a bottle, then Charlie yelling, "Police."
Charlie figuring out at the Arc de Triumph that the tube of the urinal was not connected, "I'm peeing on myself." hahahaha
Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical-end is story. Brilliant!
Big Mama I and II-oh the night train. I might be over that experience in my life. Some things come with age and I think the couchette night train experience has officially been retired.
What an amazing adventure I just had for the last month. My credit card and checking account balance prove that I had a great time, or at least spent enough money to have had a great time. But it is all worth it to spend two weeks with my family in Italy and two weeks with friends in Paris and London. Who gets to do that? How lucky am I? Very, I will say, because it is hard to find a family willing to travel together or 6 friends who get along so well that they can travel together and experience different cultures. What a wonderful feeling. Everything from the Italian pasta to the Parisian cheese and pane au chocolates with wine, wine, and more wine tossed in there made for an incredible month in Europe.
What is next, I don't know, but I know it will be an adventure. Stay tuned....
1 comment:
Thanks for the trip idea and helping us make it a reality Matt. We all had a wonderful time and will remember the special moments forever.
We had some good laughs and enjoyed each others company - most of the time anyway. Family, I love you guys.
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