I Have Returned!

As my friend Erin mentioned previously, I, Tweets the passport cover, have returned from my whirlwind European vacation! I had a lot of fun, met some interesting people, and saw some amazing things. Here is a tiny part of what I saw of this very big world!

Seeing as I had never been out of Utah, I must give a shoutout to all of the time I spent in airports, Chicago O'Hare to be specific. I spent more time here then at any other stop I made. Flying is fun, but it sure isn't for Erin because she is a lot bigger than I am...that is, unless she is sitting next to interesting Parisian and German men on the international portions of the flights. But I'll let her tell you about that herself.

After a very long day of travel, I finally made it on to French soil. I wasn't jet-lagged at all (whatever that means, anyway) and couldn't believe I was finally here!

I saw many beautiful cathedrals and basilicas. The one called Notre Dame was particularly interesting because the first day I went to see it was the day of the memorial for the Air France plane that disappeared (which also happened on the same day I arrived). I saw a lot of Air France employees, the four buses full of family memebers of the victims, and President Sarkozy's motorcade. I also got to hear the beautiful singing coming from inside the cathedral during the service. I think Erin got a little video of it, and I'll remind her to post it later.

What's a visit to Paris without stopping to see this bad boy?! It's just like the pictures and it can be seen from many spots in Paris. The next time I see it, though, I hope I have my very own special tweety bird with me because it is very romantical.

People sure were making a big deal about this painting! I thought it would be bigger than it really was, but I'm just a passport cover so what do I know!

I saw a lot of art on this trip, mostly in Paris. My favorite parts of the Louvre were the sculptures - hundreds of them! But my favorite museum was the Orsay, which focused predominately on the Impressionist movement - Monet, Manet, Pissarro, Degas, Sissley, Renior, Van Gogh, Cassatt, and Cezanne (among others). I had only one hour in the Prado, so Erin did a lot of running me to on painting to another and no pictures were allowed...not that I had time to stop an take one anyway!

I wasn't sure what to expect in Spain, to be honest. But my favorite parts were probably the midieval walled towns. This one is above Toledo, one of the prettiest things I have ever seen.

Those Spaniards sure know how to build a Royal Palace. This one in Madrid has over 2,800 rooms! I only saw about 30 of them, and I was truly amazed.

Barcelona had a lot of interesting architecture next to a lot of shabby architecture. Sorry to anyone who is a lover of this city, but this chicken was not sad to fly this coop. It wasn't all bad, and in fact I saw some pretty cool things, but for the most "cosmopolitan" city (as one Spaniard told Erin pre-trip) in Spain, I was left hoping for more.

And what kind of twit of a passport cover would I be if I didn't mention the Mediterranean Sea and the costal towns that reside there. Erin was a putz and forgot her swimsuit in her suitcase which was packed on the bus, but it was still enjoyable to sit with the breeze blowing through my fabric while Erin soaked her feet and collected sea glass and burned her nose...man, am I glad I don't have one of those!

Of course, all good vacations must come to an end. I am already missing France and Spain and hope to return someday, but I am happy to be sleeping in Erin's own bed again. I guess there truly is no place like home!