These are all such great memories! phillyboy, you really know how to paint a mental picture :)

Most of my best holiday memories are from outside Europe but my favourite from my European holidays is:

My perfect day onboard the Hurtigruten Vesterålen - a stunning sunrise that lasted for a couple of hours, sailing through the Vesterålen islands in the sunshine, and then sunset through the Raftsundet, whilst enjoying really fresh salmon sushi on deck. All topped off by a spectacular 4 hour display of the Northern Lights. Truly a day to remember.

We saw the lights more often this year than I did on my own last year, but that was just such a wonderful day with the lights as the icing on the cake.

Here are my favorite visual memories:

-gazing down at the sea and town from a higher point in Positano;

-gazing down at Ephesus from the high entry level;

-seeing the Andes on our Argentina trip;

-experiencing the snow-capped mountains in Austria;

-crossing Waterloo Bridge with hundreds of men in bowler hats
in 1966.

Pat

What an absolutely wonderful thread. Thank you ahiddenbird for starting this. And thanks to all the posters for sharing their wonderful memories. The stories help me to remember some of my own favorites as well as give me ideas for future memories to be made.

My all time favorite was in early July 2004. A group of six 50 something women who had know each other since college met for a week in Provence. I had made a 8:30 reservation at Chez Bru when it was still located "downtown" Eygalieres. We had a round table on the terrace in front of the restaurant in this charming village. Being foodies, we settled in for a long evening of course after course of food and wine parings sharing & passing. The food and wine were extraordinary. Those wonderful European swallows were swooping overhead, cicadas were humming a Provencal tune. All was simply divine. As the evening set in, the sky turned the most extraordinary cobalt blue. Without a cloud in the sky, the stars emerged & just gleamed. I happened to look up and saw the full moon just peaking out from over the restaurant. We all sat back in our chairs, looking straight up and admired Van Gogh's Starry Night for quite some time, quiet for once and just soaking it in. It was one of those OMG, I can't believe I'm here experiencing this. We continued our meal outlasting every other patron and didn't leave until after midnight. By the end of the night both Bru and his wife were sitting at our table enjoying after dinner drinks with us. The food, the wine, the company and a Van Gogh night! Ahhhhh.....

On a trip to France in 2006 while in the small village of Albas in the Lot I had the following meeting with a local. (copied from my trip report at the time)

I am an early riser, and it is my custom to leave quietly and take a walk. I did this in most places we stayed during or trip. On my first morning in Albas, I was walking through the town square when I was greeted by an elderly lady sitting at the bus stop. She greeted me in French and I responded, "Bonjour." She then started speaking to me in rapid French, none of which I understood. In the best French I could muster I responded, "Je ne parle pas francais", I don't speak French. She continued on never missing a beat. Not wanting to offend by just walking away, I stood there nodding my head occasionally asking, "Parlez-vous anglais?" She would nod in the affirmative, but continued on in her non-stop French. This went on for about 10 minutes, until her bus arrived. We bid each other, "Au revoir", and as the bus pulled out of the square, I could see her waving goodbye to me. I don't know if she was a little off, lonely, or just friendly, but she made my day.