Well-Traveled

Friends, hello.  I'll be brief, because let's face it, I didn't come to Europe to do the things I do at home (i.e. spend too much time on the Internet).  Just here to give a quick update and post a few photos. 

We had layovers in Chicago and Dusseldorf.  I slept for most of our stay in the Dusseldorf airport (where the woman who came over the PA had a very seductive German voice...bordering on inappropriate, methinks) and the subsequent flight to London.  First, can I just say....I LOVE LOVE LOVE London.  Two days was not enough - I did not want to leave at all.  Josh has, at times, mentioned the idea of getting a job in London after he finishes school (I don't recall for what purpose); I was hesitant before, but I'm all about it now.  Yes, Josh, let's get a ridiculously overpriced flat in Kensington/Southwark/Notting Hill and furnish it entirely from Ikea...you can get a work visa and I'll stay in our flat and have a baby or two.  As soon as the kids have British accents, we can go.  Aren't I silly?  I love this little fantasy, though.  Time will tell, no?

Caught the Eurostar to Paris...whilst in the Chunnel I marveled that somebody figured out how to build a train tunnel under the freakin' English Channel.  Really?  And so many years ago?  How does that even happen?

In Paris, I was very anxious about pickpockets - Josh later lamented over-warning us about it.  It was more of a challenge, not knowing much French and having the sense that they're not all that crazy about us.  But you look around, and you think, "Come on, French!  We've done a lot for each other over the years!  French and Indian War?  WWII?  Statue of Liberty?  C'mon, let's be friends again!"  Nobody was rude to us, but there was certainly a note of impatience at some places.  Saw some beautiful things and woke up an hour after checkout time at the hotel.  Oops!

Now we're in Heidelberg, Germany, staying with Josh's cousin Joel and his family.  It's been so relaxing having more space in a house with home-cooked food and a hospitable family.  We're setting out today, hopefully hit up an H&M for some cheap clothing basics (Josh forgot his hoodie and one of my bra straps mysteriously shredded to nothing...hmmm), and I'm told we're having some cheap, fantastic Indian for lunch.  Here's a few photos, compliments of Elizabeth...because Laura made a couple of tragic mistakes.  First, I forgot the USB cable for my camera.  Second, I accidentally deleted ALL my photos the second morning in Paris while trying to delete just one.  I had a little meltdown on the Tube platform, but I'm over it.  So here you go - 

Okay, we're rushing off and it wasn't going well, so I'll come back to that later.  Cheers, mates!  Guten Tag!