We got back this past weekend, but I have been fighting jet lag since we got back, ugh! Fortunately, it wasn't this bad going over!
It was a whirlwind, it was extremely fast paced, but boy did we get to see a lot!
We were in London, Brussels, Amsterdam, Karlsruhe/Germany, Lucerne, Innsbruck, Venice, Rome, Montecatini, Nice & Paris!
We had such a fabulous time and we couldn't have asked for a better tour group, we laughed and enjoyed each other so much!!
It's just amazing how different all the countries are from the people, landscape, architecture, etc..
We had two 1/2 days of rain in London & one day of rain in Rome, but great weather otherwise!
The only bad thing. Paris unions went on strike two days before we headed there and we were scheduled to go on a first class TGV train ( 5 1/2hrs) from Nice to Paris. They were only running 2 trains the day we went and we had to go 3 hours earlier and we didn't have reserve tickets for that time.
Well in France, once you are on the train, they can't ask you to get off, but you have to move when people who do have reserve tickets come on.
So most of the group either shared seats or some stood for 3-4 hours!! It was the train ride from h*ll, but it was our only choice to get to Paris!
Unfortunately the strike canceled our excursion to Monte Carlo/Monaco, which broke my heart!
It was the reason we picked this trip over another.
I really enjoyed all the areas we went, there is just so much beauty & history to be found everywhere. I would love to go back and travel more through Germany, Austria & Switzerland!
I think almost everything looked the way I had always imagined. I think the only thing that really took me by surprise, I thought certain landmarks were out a little ways or more secluded. Not right in the middle of the city and so visible. (i.e. Rome ruins, Buckingham Palace, etc..)
Food is sooo expensive, especially Paris! We paid 6 Euros for a diet coke (they call coke light) which is over $8!
I actually lost 1 1/2lbs while I was gone, I was so shocked!! I certainly ate enough gelato, chocolate & macaroons!
I think what is so amazing is just the history. Seeing things that are a thousand, two thousand years old. It's surreal. I can remember walking through the Forum & colosseum in Rome and thinking it looked like something Disney would build!
We all said that a lot on the trip how so many of the homes & buildings looked like Disney villages.
It was an awesome experience that I feel blessed to have shared with my Mom. It was a long time dream!