Oops!

My adventures in Europe are coming to an end as tomorrow I fly back to the states and make my way back to Ely, MN.  Visiting some of Europe’s most popular (and populated) cities makes Ely seem even further away.  But as Dorothy says, “theres no place like home” and I always love returning to my home and my family and my puppy Molly.  Not to get too tangential, but I have been in close contact with Michael through this time and receiving “Molly updates”.  Our little sassy-pants continues to abound with love, zest and an independent spirit.  As predicted, she loves to chase deer and explore (a little too far).  More on that later though.

London was fantastic! Highlights….so many to list!  Let me remind you that Barb, Max and I arrived from Minnesota having spent the last 4 months in the deep freeze.  So to see the budding growth and color of the renowned English gardens was almost a sensory overload!  Nothing we couldn’t handle though.  I have an affinity for daffodils and seeing them abound brought about big smiles!

Our Canadian hosts/friends (now living in London); Rich, Jenn, Brendan & Lauren Arthurs, treated us to their wonderful home in Kew and pulled us along through many sites, tube stations and taxi rides.   Henry VIII’s Hampton Court Palace was our first site and a  tough act to follow, however the Tower of London seemed to top the charts for us all (especially the kids what with stories of heads being chopped off and the like).   At the Lyceum theatre we saw the stage performance of “The Lion King” which exceeded expectations and and dazzled the eye!

Oh, I haven’t even mentioned the food yet.  Phenomenal Indian Take-away. They deliver it on bicycles!  Mouthwatering Thai food with its sensational green curry chicken.  Of course we had a “pub-night” sans kids and lets just say that I can see why the folks in the UK and Ireland love their pubs.  Though hardly a beer lover, I dare say I drank the best pint of Guiness I have ever had!

Speaking of pubs, I found one called “The Sussex“.  Which in a way is no surprise, but seldom do I see my name in the USA.  Ah, good to be back in the motherland!   Sussex is actually an area (county) south of London and evidently very beautiful.  I’ll need to save that for my next trip to the UK when I spend some time in the English Countryside.

Suffice it to say, we had amazing food experiences in London one of which was Jennifer Arthurs home made scones with clotted cream and home made lemon curd. Is your mouth watering?  Mine is!

No trip to England would be complete without a proper High Tea which Jenn treated us to at the Pretigious Dorchester Hotel.  So prestigious in fact that while trying to photograph the insanely beautiful floral arrangements, the concierge gently suggested I “not take any photography as some of the guests do not like to be photographed”.   Hmm, makes you wonder what they are trying to hide.  No pictures from the Dorchester, sorry.

Other cool places…Buckingham Palace (just days before President and Mrs. Obama arrived!), jogging along the Thames river every morning, seeing Mini Coopers EVERYWHERE and wanting one now more than ever!   Westminster Abbey (blew my mind), “shopping” at Harrods department store (that place is like a museum only things are for sale…if you can afford them!). Just a fantastic time with friends and so fun to see Max and his good buddies having such a great time together.

It was a memorable cultural experience for all of us and in particular for Max as this was his first trip overseas.

Taking the Chunnel to Paris was a thrill!  Only 2 1/2 hours with comfortable second class arrangements plus food!  Judging from how good the train food is and how poised the French train attendants were, we knew we were back in the land of class act!

We rendezvous-ed with our sister Janet at our rented  apartment which was tucked away in the busy little neighborhood of Ile de la Cite (actually on an island) just 2

blocks from Notre Dame de Paris.  What followed were days and days of walking, walking, walking and visiting all corners of the inner parts of Paris.  The food, the food, the food it is SO DARN GOOD in Paris.  Max ate a Crepe everyday and loved them all.  His favorite was Crepe avec chocolate, banana and whipped creme!  The kid was in heaven.  Okay, so was I because I have been on a chocolate binge (all my life) throughout the trip and Paris was a veritable “chocolatier-progressive-sampling-experience”.

Of course we went to the Eiffel Tower and soaked up the view and grandeur of that amazing monument.

Luxembourg gardens were a wonderful reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the city.  For centuries,

children have come to the gardens to sail the miniature boats in the central fountain.  This was such a thrill for Max.  We went back twice!

The Arc de Triomphe is wrought with history and stories.  If that Arc could talk….oh boy!