gina

I love the open-ended questions on this forum. Reading another posting made me curious: What are your really great European memories? Not just a beautiful place, not just a great hotel, not just where you ran into someone you knew, but what memories will you forever cherish? My favorite was my daughter's utter astonishment at the pigeons in St. Mark's Square as she fed them and they landed on her head and arms. Fortunately there was film in the camera. Tell me yours!!!

Mavis

Great question! My husband and I were travelling through France and spent a few days at a place in the Pyrenees called Capvern-les-Bains. I've tried for many years to remember the hotel, but can't. What I haven't forgotten was how romantic and special the place was and the way my husband and I just seemed to fall into the rhythm of the place. One night we watched French couples dance to music in a tiny square with lights draped from the trees. We didn't dare intrude, but it was just as romantic cuddling in the dark and watching. Whenever I feel particularly tender towards my husband that evening comes back immediately. <BR>

Paul Rabe

Thirty years ago (i.e, LONG before "Saving Private Ryan") I stood at the military cemetery at Omaha Beach; and thought about the courage and sacrifice (and, given the nature of the evil they were up against, the necessity for both) of the hundreds of soldiers buried there. It was an emotional experience that brings tears to my eyes even as I think about it now.

Anneke

I will always remember the very first time I breathed European air. I was just finsihed with the year before my last school year and went to Germany for a 6 week exchange program. The whole idea of going to Europe was so romantic. The day before our plane left they had snow storms and when we landed the whole world was white. I will never forget the moment I walked out on to the plane's stairs, saw the world white around me and breathed the cold air. Magical. You must know how young and inexperienced I was when even an airport could impress me !!! <BR>

esiders

In 1996, three of us spent 5 days in Madrid. Our first night there, we met some Madrileños who introduced us to their friends and to Madrid's infamous nightlife. We partied and went on "club crawls" that lasted until 6:00 in the morning! For the rest of our time in Madrid, we hung out with these people and as a result saw very little "tourist attractions". What makes this memorable is that we barely speak Spanish and with the exception of 1 person who lived in NYC for some time, our new friends spoke very little English! Yet we were able to cross the language barrier and enjoy ourselves. Some people would say we wasted a trip to Madrid because we didn't go to The Prado or some other cultural event. I disagree…we can always go back to see The Prado, but we can NEVER go back to the good times we had!

Sherrie

One of the fondest memories we have taken home with us from our recent trip in Sept. to Paris began by reading a Fodor's Travel book on Europe. They mentioned a Music Festival that is held at the Chateau Versailles only two times a year. After checking the web sight for Versailles I discovered that we would be arriving on the very date that the Festival would be held. I called to reserve our seats and they said we would have to pick the tickets up at the Virgin Megastore on the Champs Ellyses that day. We arrived in Paris 5 hours later than we expected and had quite a time running through the Metro to get to the Virgin Megastore and then back to the Metro to the train station to Versailles. But in the end, it was well worth it. We will always remember that night. The music, the singing, the costumes, with horses, the carriages were exquisite. They depicted the lives of King Louis XIII, XIV, XV, and XVI along with Madame Pompador and Marie Antionette. The fountains were lite and they displayed scenes on the screens of water. And at the end of the life of each character, they had beautiful fireworks displays that were outstanding. What a night at Neptune's Basin! It was something we will always remember from our trip to France. <BR>

Rod Hoots

One of our great memories also involves Venice. On a rainy afternoon, we went to the Fenice opera house hoping to get tickets although everything was sold out. As we stood at the counter, someone returned two front row seats to a great performance of "La Boheme." When we returned to our hotel, the Bauer Grunwald, the regular restaurant was closed and they were serving in a tiny room above the front entrance where we could look down on the street and see the people walking by in the rain. It was a cozy, romantic "great memory." <BR>