More memories anyone?

Arrived in Zermatt, Switzerland at night. The next morning we drew back the drapes and there in the distance was The Matterhorn" in all its glory against a clear blue sjy!!

Sitting on the steps of the Venice trainstation at sunset, waiting for the train (that was late of course)that would take us to Munich, and then we were going home. Someone was playing Simon and Garfunkel songs on a guitar, bottles of wines were being shared among all of the people that were waiting. Beautiful frozen moment in time for me.

Exploring Sarlat (SW France) with my son and wandering into a very, very old church where the choir was rehearsing <BR>a capello. It was a frozen moment in time - we knew that someone wandering into the church 500 years ago (or even 900 years ago) might have heard the same sounds that we did. Awesome!

Thanks to all of you for sharing such wonderful memories with the rest of us. <BR>Mine include: <BR>1. First sight of Eiffel Tower, at night. Awesome enough, but then, on the hour, all the millenium lights began to twinkle and the crowd around us just oohed and aahed like they do during fireworks. <BR>2. Pamplona, during the Running of the Bulls. Yes, it's a drunken party for 7 days, but filled with young people, old people, babies, dancing in the streets, comaraderie and good humor. There's a spirit that's difficult to describe. <BR>3. Racing through the streets of Stratford-on-Avon with my teenage daughter to pay homage at Will Shakespeare's grave at Holy Trinity Church. We only had a half hour to get there, see the church, and get back to the bus in time, and it was worth every breathless moment to share the experience together. <BR>4. Stonehenge. Just rising up out of nowhere on the Salisbury Plain. <BR>5. Pulling the curtains apart at a motel in France to behold the abbey of Mont St. Michel right there in front of us. We stayed up for hours to watch the afternoon and evening light change, and see the abbey lit up at night. <BR>6. Other fondest memories: Hawaii--Maui, Diamond Head, Volcano National Park, anyplace at all! Capri. The Colosseum. Old Havana. The Alhambra. Castles in Spain. Bath, England. Oh, I've got to go and pour through my photo albums! Thanks for reviving these fabulous memories, folks! <BR>

Like many others, I'll never forget my first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower. Knew I was in Paris, had seen it coming in at night and appreciated its lit beauty, but the first morning, rounding Avenue Suffren and seeing it come into sight, so close, so HUGE... I suddenly couldn't believe I was actually in Paris. <BR> <BR>Seeing the Trevi Fountain on a warm October night. Strolling with everyone else, eating gelato. I can hear the sound of the water even now. <BR> <BR>Windsor: Sitting in Nell Gwynne's with my husband and daughter, having tea. We had taken one of those quicky four-day weekend jaunts, held hands and ran through London! During that tea we laughinly reflected on all we'd seen and done so quickly, and I was filled with such happiness at our good fortune at being able to do this together--and really loving each other so much. <BR>Thanks for asking!

This thread makes me very nostaligic. In 1964 with a copy of "Europe on $5.00/day" as our guide my friend and I took off for a 4 month trip. We Eurailed around stopping wherever and whenever the moment took us . It was a marvellous time, every time we turned a corner in what every country we were in,we bumped into a piece of history. Most memorable the Eiffel tower with all the lights on at night. St. Mark's Square and when we arrived in Innsbruck it was cloudy and rainy and suddenly the sun came out and the mountain view was breathtaking. We met wonderful people and never encountered any problems. I also remember my first view of the Mona Lisa very mixed emotions!! <BR>My husband and I are going to Munich and surrounding areas in October and I hope to experience that wonder of new things again with him. <BR>I throughly enjoy this forum it's like having a wonderful personal travelogue each time I log on!!

My first trip to Europe - standing under the archway of a church on a plaza in Salzburg to escape the rain that had just begun. A gifted music student was also there playing Bach's "Aire" on his violin as the old church bells tolled and horses clip-clopped across the cobblestones. Though I have wonderful memories of many other subsequent European trips, the simple beauty of this moment is indelibly etched in my mind and heart. And to all who posted their replies to this lovely question, thanks for YOUR memories!

we had just travelled 4 hours on narrow windy roads to monterosso in the rugged cinque terre region of italy.we had expected white sandy beaches but found grey pebbles instead.we had expected warm sea to swim in but was faced with 18C temp and chilly waters. as we sat to rest our weary souls 4 little boys in white briefs came to play. they were challenging each other to see who could throw pebbles furthest into the sea. there we were complaining about the pebbles and the weather and there they were,four little boys naked but for their tiny white briefs, throwing pebbles into the sunset without a care in the world.

we had driven to glen nevis, a beautiful valley on the foot of ben nevis. it was filled with pretty flowers, highland cattle and wooly sheep. after driving for 2 hours we arrived at the end of the road where a short walk brought us to a hanging waterfall. there i plucked a daisy and put it in my pocket. later while we were in the cable car on the way up ben nevis it started to snow! this was in may mind you, so i took it as a sign from heaven, went down on one bended knee and proposed to michele with the daisy from my pocket. <BR> <BR>later i found out from the locals that it snows year round in scotland...

As the person who posted the original message, I want to thank all of the people who have shared their memories not only with me, but with countless others. Please let's have some more wonderful memories! <BR> <BR>Muriel <BR> <BR>

One of my favorite memories occured on my 1st trip to Paris. We rented a car and drove to Mont St. Michel. It was deserted (OK, it WAS around Christmas and cold and damp.) You could almost hear the ghosts. We were literally the only people in the abbey. Incredible! I wrote about the experience and am proud to say it was published. <BR> <BR>Go there, but only "off season"

This one is easy. <BR> <BR>It happened on August 18, 2001, in the Pre Catalan restaurant. This was my first foray into a big ticket restaurant. I was supposed to be treating another couple who have repeatedly hosted my peripatetic daughter at their apartment in Paris. <BR> <BR>We ask for the check. <BR> <BR>The magic moment was when the waiter informed us that the elderly gentleman at an adjacent table had picked up the bill. <BR> <BR>Can you imagine? All we did was talk with him a bit. He was very nice and turned out to be a retired general and very well known in France, although I had never heard of him. <BR> <BR>I have no expectation that anything like this will ever happen again.

As a child slipping on the rocks headfirst into Loch Ness – my parents thought I was going to drown – I was scared the monster was going to get me! <BR> <BR>Later – the singing and smiles on children’s faces in a school in Senegal – discovering a mosaic while trekking in Turkey – sitting alone in an amphitheatre in Aspendos – first site of the harbour on the island of Symi – getting lost at night in Lisbon – first sight of New York and Fireworks in Sydney Harbour etc. etc. etc. <BR> <BR>And looking forward to many more - hopefully!

Hi Muriel, <BR> <BR> I immediately think of two fondest memories. The first is watching "Blithe Spirit" at the Minack Theatre. It is an outdoor theatre at the tip of Cornwall in Porthcurno. You can see porpoises jumping while you watch a play from the cliffs above. <BR> The other memory is the first time I stepped outside in the snow after taking a train to the top of the Jungfrau. It was the end of May and the weather further down the slope in Wengen was in the 70's.

There are so many, but this perhaps is my fondest: <BR> <BR>My first trip to Europe in 1973. I was performing as part of a 6-week USO tour - on US and Army bases throughout Europe mainly, in Italy, Belgium, and Germany. As a special event, we were asked to sing for a regiment of the Italian Army in Bergamo on New Year's Eve. We sang outside, on a makeshift stage, dressed in the skimpiest outfits you can imagine, given the climate. Snow was falling, and at the end of the performance, all the Italian soldiers pulled out a rose and put it between their teeth and cheered us with "Brava! Brava!" I thought I was going to swoon.

Watching Fonteyn and Nureyev dance the pas de deux from Swan Lake in the courtyard of the Lourve on a cool summer evening........ah...........

My sister announced before our first trip together "I hate museums", but I dragged her to the Louvre. Three hours later, I said "lunch time, let's go eat". She answered "okay, but can we come back this afternoon?" <BR> <BR>My mother standing on the Pont des Invalides watching the fireworks on Bastille Day. <BR> <BR>Walking into the American Cemetery in Normandy with my sister, and the two of us silently crying at the enormity of it all. <BR> <BR>

Two memories -- being at the top of the Eiffel Tower at midnight and meeting newlyweds that had run out of film. I had my camera and took a photograph of them and mailed it off to them when I got home. They were so appreciative, even got a nice note in return. <BR> <BR>Same trip, two weeks later. Although I ended up in a minor accident in Amsterdam and on crutches, my friends slowed down to keep pace with me. When we arrived in London, I told them to go off on their own and sightsee as I had been to London about a dozen times by then, and would be happy just going to see some shows. Rendezvoused with another friend from the US and went to see the matinee performance of "The Prisoner on Second Avenue" starring Marsha Mason and Richard Dreyfuss. My friend is a dead ringer for Richard Dreyfuss. After the show we were chatting outside to decide where to go for an early dinner before going to see the evening performance of "Saturday Night Fever" and out walks Richard Dreyfuss who did a double-take when he saw my friend. He took us out for an early dinner and drinks. Meanwhile, my touring companions had a great time in Stonehenge.