Audge

I went on the trip of a lifetime.

I have dreamed for as long as I can remember of what it would be like to go to Europe. It has had this pull on me, drawing me in and never letting go.

Well, that time finally came.

And I'm forever changed.

I could sit down for days and talk to you about how I felt and what I experienced and tiny little details that no one else will ever care about but me. But let's just say Europe was more then I could have imagined.

So, I'm going to do my best to give a good summary of everywhere I went, with a few details. If you want real details, you'll have to ask me in person and we'll sit down with some tea and chocolate and have a grand ole time. :)

Disclaimer: I will say that I loved every single place, because well...I did love every single place. I loved all of them for different reasons. So, if I sound a bit repetitive, just smile and continue. :)

Amsterdam

Fresh off the plane, we drove straight to Amsterdam and just immersed ourselves in the beauty of it all. This was the first exposure to Europe, and gosh....it had me in raptures. The tall beautiful buildings, the bridges, the canals, the smells, the people, the bustle of the streets. I was INSTANTLY in love.

So here's what we did through these couple of days:

• Corrie Ten Boom House: Go HERE to read about what it is. I absolutely LOVED it, being a major history buff, especially WWII. 
• Keukenhof Tulip Gardens: Basically the most BEAUTIFUL tulips and flowers you'll ever see. Never have I seen so many of them. The smell was divine. 
• Beach: We had to make a stop at the Atlantic beach and wave across to the motherland. I LOVE the beach, and between the star fish and waves it was pretty great. :) 
• Canal Tour: We did what I've actually wanted to do for ages. We toured the city via canal boat and it was LOVELY. That city is just so beautiful and quaint. We got to see so much of the city merely because they have waterways EVERYWHERE. 
• Windmills: Obviously we were in Holland country so he HAD to see some windmills, and they did NOT disappoint. We got to see how the traditional Dutch shoes are made, try delicious cheeses, see how a sawmill works, and eat in a pub (literally). Oh how I loved these things. 

Moment: One of my favorite moments was that first day we were walking through Amsterdam, and I just had this sudden realization that I was in Europe. I was walking across a bridge and the sun was shining and I just couldn't really believe where I was. It was incredible. I felt like a part of me was becoming alive that had been dormant for so long.

Fun Fact: Obviously bicycles are a HUGE thing in Europe, but in Amsterdam, it's literally THE thing. Roads are tiny, so bike transport is just sooo much easier. Because of this fact alone, this city became my top choice to live in. I feel I would just fit right in.

Pictures: Here's some of my favorite pictures from this stop.

Pretending to be tulips...because why not?

Anne Frank Statue

Corrie Ten Boom House

Look how GIANT that bulb is.

Paris

Oh, Paris. What do I even say about you? This was magnificent in a whole different way. They were right about April in Paris, it's absolutely breathtaking.Oh, how it loved me back.

Summary:

• Bike Tour: We started in the best way possible to be introduced to this city, we rode bikes through it. For 4 hours. And oh how we loved it. Our tour guide had a goatee and was British, but knew everything about the "Frenchies" as he called them. And we would "DOMINATE THE ROAD" in the best way possible. 
• Louvre: After the bike tour we got a short time in this gigantic museum. Fun Fact, if you only looked at every single piece for 30 seconds in that museum, it would take you 12 days to go through it. Can you believe that? Needless to say, we only touched a small portion, but what I saw moved me. There were paintings I wanted to just stand in front of all day and discover it. The sculptures were amazing, and even just the rooms things were displayed in were beautiful. Oh, how I love the arts. 
• Eiffel Tower: We saw this on three different occasions: on the bike tour, that night to see it sparkle, and the next day to walk up it. I'll talk about this more :) 
• Arc de Triomphe: GORGEOUS. Scariest round about in the world. But beautiful architecture that I couldn't believe I was standing under. 
• Notre Dame: Man, those stairs. This building was incredible. The view spectacular. And the bells almost haunting. 

Moments: There were so many moments I loved here. The first would have to be when we were riding the metro that first morning and we suddenly turned around a building and all of the sudden the Eiffel Tower was smack dab in front of us. It was like my heart stopped. In that moment, the world became a little bit brighter. :) Sitting there in all it's glory, we suddenly knew we were in Paris.

Another that night when we saw the Eiffel Tower sparkle. I had been really excited about this already, but the moment those lights started, it's like...there was literal magic in the air. I couldn't understand it! I will never forget that moment.

The last one I'll share is simple. On our last little bit in the city I finally heard my accordion player playing La Vie en Rose. On a bridge corner, while getting gelato. It was.....perfect. I felt complete, and that Paris had done it's job on me.

Oh Paris, how I dear you are to me.

Pictures:

Delicious carbs and dairy.

Waiting for Notre Dame in style

Part of Napolean's Apartments

Just before seeing it sparkle, with our bartered souvenirs.

First french pastry on top of the Eiffel Tower

Glass floor on the Eiffel Tower

On top of the Notre Dame with my cute Emma

My first gelato. shaped like a flower. Everything about this was heaven.

This concludes Part 1 of our program. Tune in next week for the 2nd and final installment of An American in Europe.