Tuesday, June 23, 2009

EUROPE HIGHLIGHTS

If you want the stories and highlights (the stuff that can't be told through pictures,) read below. If you want the pictures, you can go to this link and get the 200+ set. Just feel grateful we edited down the original 951 pictures we took to this more manageable set. picasaweb.google.com/alisaerin/EuropePics

SAN FRANCISCO?
  • After sprinting a mile through the airport, we missed our connection on the way out of the states and against our wishes spent the day in downtown San Fran
LONDON
  • Hotels went from Fantastic to Abysmal, in that order, as we hopped one stop to the next. Each one a notch lower than the next.
  • Drizzled on us our first night in London and it felt so appropriate that I couldn’t be sad. Had an amazing rainbow just behind the Tower Bridge following the rain.
  • Naps, advil and diet cokes got us through the days
  • Front row tickets to see Les Miserables. They were practically spitting on us and I loved it. Almost cried about 47 times.
  • Bought some Antique Dickens Book from Covent Garden Market. They looked really cool, so we bought them and now they sit on our shelf.
PARIS
  • After ordering our train tickets in French, I embarrass myself by saying “Gracias.”
  • Home sweet home – had a strange “coming home/homesickness” feeling the whole time we were there.
  • Crepes, baguette, more crepes, french fries, more baguette
  • Packed all our stuff for the 2 week vacation in one REI backpacking backpack and a smaller, school backpack. Had to do laundry in the sink twice during the trip, ring everything out and hang it all over the hotels.
  • Walked about 12 miles in the am one day to get around Versailles and out to Marie Antoinette’s Hamlet which was the first of many irritably hot days
  • Ran into a high school friend in the Louvre. He hasn’t been back to Paris since he graduated either. So completely random.
  • Witnessed a 45-minute full on make out session in the Tuilleries Garden. May have gone on longer but the gag reflex wouldn’t let us take anymore. Also we had a train to catch.
  • Took the night train out of Paris with 4 strangers in our room. B & I had the top of the 6 bunks and slept in a pool of our own sweat. It was lovely.
  • Train Connection MIRACLE – night train got in late and we had a connecting train. Jumped out while the train was still moving, sprinted with ALL of our gear from the last car of the train and jumped ON to the next train as it was pulling away from the station. It was amazing.
CINQUE TERRE
  • Gorgeous views and a fun hike
  • I bought the world’s largest map of Italy so I could follow along as we rode the trains. I think Brian was a bit embarrassed.
VENICE
  • Some sweetheart gives us his waterbus passes for free (about $24/ticket), in our excitement, we get on the wrong waterbus and take an hour detour past cruise ships and warehouse looking buildings to get to the main square.
  • Heat wave starts and the number of stories I tell from here on out that involve me being a sweaty mess goes up to 100%
  • Ran from A/C store to A/C store and ended up buying some sweet Venetian Masks. This picture is beyond embarrassing, but the mask is pretty sweet.
  • Stopped by an internet cafĂ© to learn that Kris Allen is our American Idol.
  • Took the train to Florence and we were in the only car on the train with no A/C. Enter sweating Ali along with lots of sweaty, smelly Europeans. Brian had a crazy cat lady come sit next to him and let her cat walk around on our table. I couldn’t stop laughing. We are not cat people.
FLORENCE
  • Arrived in Florence late, after the long travel day with no A/C and crazy cat lady to realize we’ve misbooked our hotel and there’s “no room in the inn.”
  • Brian unleashes one of the best quotes of the trip, “Seeing the world is hard work.” Amen. Then again when you have views like this - it's hard to complain.
  • Desperate for Mexican, (Brian, not me) we found a burrito type kebab place and ate there for 3 of our 4 meals in Florence.
  • Rented Honda Scooters and cruised into Tuscany to see the vineyards. One of the best things we did the whole 2 weeks. Scorched our arms and gave us awkward tan lines for the rest of the trip. So worth it.
  • Got totally lost on the scooters trying to get back, ended up on the freeway with no clue what we were doing. Brian rode up to my side to scream, “GO FASTER!!!” as cars were whizzing past us.
  • Didn’t die. So count it as a success.
  • Got royally screwed over by some Gelato place and spent over $20 on a few scoops of the worst tasting Gelato in all of Italy
ROME
  • Most ghetto hotel in the whole world. Our room was a storage closet turned hotel room, no windows and reeked of smoke. Couldn’t lift my arms in the shower without hitting the doors and the water would vary without being touched between scalding my skin off and ice water. The room did have A/C though.
  • Brian cranked the A/C down to below freezing and we tried to sleep with a sheet. Somehow in his sleepiness, he couldn’t figure out how to warm it up or turn it off and assumed it was broken as my teeth chattered away. After not being able to sleep all night and requesting he try again with the remote, he loving said, “Do you want to sleep in your coat?” Dear Husbands of the world, no one WANTS to sleep in their coat. The answer to that question will always be no.
  • So sick of extreme temperatures and not wanting to sweat in my jeans another day, I wore Brian’s camo shorts and looked like a boy but was so worth it.
  • Lara Fisher (one of my BFFs) and her sister Shannon went to Rome on vacation 6 years ago. Shannon met Leo, a Vatican City researcher and Rome tour guide, and she basically never looked back. Thank goodness they were willing to meet up with us!!! They know absolutely everything there is to know about Rome and stayed with us an entire day showing us around. Talk about GOOD PEOPLE - we love these guys.
  • Watched the Manchester vs Barcelona game and had drunken Barcelona fans singing all the team songs the entire next day.
  • Ran into someone from work. In Rome. 3 times in one day.
  • Took 951 pictures and carried the tripod almost everywhere we went. Brian did an awesome job and got some fantastic shots.

13 comments:

Tauna said...

Wow! I didn't know you were trekking through Europe. So fun. Brought back memories of when I went but I would LOVE to go back with Chris. Chris asked, "did you actually go to the Barcelona Manchester game" I could sense a little jealousy.

Jeninator said...

so was it worth it to see Marie Antoinette's Hamlet? I sooo want to see it! I read a book about her and it talked about her little hamlet a lot. Glad you finally got the picts up. :)

Susan said...

Aaahhhhh...thank you so much! Brought back lots of fun memories. Winged Victory is one of my favorites, too. But now I think I might like the elephant more.
Lovies! Aunt Susan

Angie Fellows said...

What an amazing trip!!! I'm so jealous!! I had to look through all of the 200+ pictures and they brought back so many fun memories. I can't believe you ran into Russell Memory- very cool. We'll have to talk- I want to hear even more details. Love you girl!

Angie Fellows said...

Your hubby sure got some amazing shots. I LOVED all the sweaty Ali, awful hotel, and train stories. I think it's so awesome that you guys went and trekked through Europe.

Karene said...

What an amazing trip! So happy you had a good time.

Lacy said...

I am so jealous. Looks like your trip was so much fun. Glad to see you guys are doing well.

Caroline said...

oh man, looks like such a fun time! what good memories! you're a good story teller, Ali. My favorite line, "Dear husbands of the world..."

Meggie and Russ said...

Oh MY Gosh! This has to be one of the funniest posts EVER! I pretty much laughed out loud by myself through the whole thing!! If you ever go back can we PLEASE go with you just for entertainment purposes! So the question of the day is do you guys want to come visit me before of after I have the baby, I am nice I gave you two options. I miss you!!!!! (Hey, you could bring Ash too and it could be a reunion but you HAVE to bring Brian because I love him even though I don't know him=)

Christine said...

Yay - I've been waiting to see these! Looks like you guys had such a fantastic time!! Can't wait to see you guys this weekend!

Dave and Anika said...

great pictures and stories. best part was the "gracias" comment. loved it!! miss you guys!! up for seconds when we can go?

Mike and Kelly said...

Sounds like a wonderful trip! I rarely get time to look at blogs, but it is ironic that I met with a financial planner this morning and he asked what we wanted to do after I retire. One of the things I mentioned was travel! We hope we can travel to see you in California before then! We would love to have you travel to see us anytime also!

Megan and Mike said...

I haven't checked your blog in so long! I'm so jealous that got to travel everywhere. It looks like you guys had so much fun. I am still sad that our hubbies haven't hung out. We need to find a time to. Call me next time you are in Salt Lake. Miss you!