My Trip!

Well, believe it or not I am blogging again! I accidentally created this picture when I downloaded Picasa, and I fell in love with it! It's my trip in a nutshell! Do you think I should stop now? Well, even though Megan did a great job, I thought I would share some of my favorite things and my take on things as a tourist. Meg and Greg have been there long enough to be pretty much locals.

I had a great time, Megan and Greg were absolutely the best hosts, I never cooked except my oatmeal and an occasional sandwich or salad. I did do alot of dishes because they waited on me hand and foot. Greg was even sick and cooked. There apt. is very small, I was shocked, but it was weird, after I was there a few hours it didn't seem so small. The people Megan works for were gone for two weeks so that gave us time alone at night which was necessary all around because of the tight quarters.

This was our life if we weren't actually at church, or sight seeing, we were walking as fast as we could to get to the next tram, train, or plane. The pic that has no one in it is my favorite view while waiting for the tram.We averaged over 20,000 steps per day. The average person is lucky to get around 5000-8000 per day. One day we got 28,500 steps!! Crazy, but a real eye opener. Here I am 52 years old, and in good shape, but none the less my knees hurt on occasion and for a while every day. In Europe, walking like crazy, my knees never hurt. I have decided all over again, walking is the best exercise and that we were MEANT to move! Normally when I go on vacation or visiting, I gain 7-10lbs, I lost 2.4lbs! Crazy!

The thing I love best about Europe is the old buildings! I couldn't get enough of them! I would stare and stare. Each country has it's own unique style. Belgium was interesting in that it is kind of divided in half, one half is mostly Dutch, and therefore Dutch architecture and the people speak really good English. The other half is basically French and therefore French architecture, and they speak almost 100% French with almost no English. Brussels is a combination of both. This is very Dutch, I didn't keep the French look, but imagine New Orleans Square in Disneyland and you have seen the French look.

The thing I loved about Gent and Brugge, both in Belgium not far from Megan and Greg's was the canals! They were everywhere, I loved them. Brugge in the 1100 or 1200's was the biggest city in the world! It is so tiny it would shock you. But it had 38,000 people in it. I loved walking down the canals imagining the people living there. I could just see them, it was all very real to me, even when we were lost and Megan was going crazy, it was still fascinating to me.

We had a great time in Milan, by far our favorite store was ArmaniDon't we look like models!? I think so. :-) It was the most inspiring store I have been in in a longgggg time. It made me want to come home and sew. The clothes were the most beautiful clothes I have seen in years. I wanted to touch and did everything I saw. We went to one other store like it by a different designer that I also loved. I cannot remember his name, the lady didn't pronounce it very well, I wished I would have written it down.

This next pic is for you Danielle and probably Rebecca too!Another fun thing was how in the heck Amy snuck over and did Graffiti in the Tram station. The amazing thing is if you are familiar with Amy's handwriting, it looks just like this!

The Olive oil and vinegar store, Megan didn't do it justice, it was a party all unto itself, I couldn't get enough samples. Check out all the stuff in the background,I wanted to buy a ton, but knew there was a weight limit on my way back and this was the first place we went after I got there!

One of my favorite things I have decided about Europe is all the Squares. They have these big open spaces with no streets running through it and it is a giant square with buildings surrounding it, go figure why I like them so much. I remember loving them the first time we went to Europe. I could sit in them forever. They are huge. Here's the one in Brussels.It's amazing how much of our life is centered around food! Of course this is only the times we took pics and the times we were out and about. There were many other tasty times also!!

I have to say something about the supposedly botanical gardens even though Megan already said it, just look at this amazing edifice in the background, we couldn't fit it all in my camera all of it wasted on indoor theatres, what a shame! They could learn from us Americans in Washington DC huh Rebecca?

Last but not least some of my favorite pics, enjoy!The market you see above was like many everywhere!Mc Donalds Amazing!

We sat in front of this Cathedral and ate several meals and just sat, it was beautiful. This was on our walk in Megans forest.
This is how I truly felt in Brugge that day. I was so happy and at peace, it was wonderful.

Chocolate!!!! We walked back to these signs to take this pic, we had walked about 5 minutes back towards the station and realized we hadn't take pics. We had so much fun eating and picking out chocolates we had to have a picture in front of the sign. Even though most of my candy was for others, I like Megan ate way to much of the candy I bought for Steve and I!Last but not least, I loved thisone!!
It was a great trip, I felt blessed to be with Megan and Greg, to have time off from my BH job, and time to just think! Thank you Steve, Megan and Greg!!!!