What was your single favorite European travel moment for 2007?
Dec 21st, 2007, 11:09 AM
#23
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My first view of the Piano Grande in Umbria, near Norcia. What a valley! I could not believe such a place existed. It took my breath away and brought tears to my eyes. What a wonderful world we live in.
Dec 21st, 2007, 11:10 AM
#24
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Single favorite European travel moment - was in Switzerland when we stopped off on the side of the road to watch the Swiss locals bring the cows down from the mountain while on our way to Atzmännig.
Dunno if it's the second best moment, but a bit bittersweet - visiting the housing area I had lived in as a child in Germany.
Dunno if it's the second best moment, but a bit bittersweet - visiting the housing area I had lived in as a child in Germany.
Dec 21st, 2007, 11:13 AM
#25
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The medieval parade followed by the Palio d' Asti horse race in Sep in Asti. Here are a few shots to capture the moment--do not miss the final turn pic.
http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/show...172&page=3
http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/show...172&page=3
Dec 21st, 2007, 11:32 AM
#27
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Really, I couldn't pick just one either...a series of images comes to mind...watching the lights go on at the Eiffel Tower, the magic fountain in Barcelona, the underground concert in Mallorca, the villages in Costa Brava, the Parador in Cardona, the boys' choir in Montserrat...most of the trip was magical.
Happy holidays all!
Happy holidays all!
Dec 21st, 2007, 11:51 AM
#28
Two really...
In The Hague in April with my sister, both of us are huge Vermeer fans. We were hunting for The Girl With a Pearl Earring and got lured toward the wrong space looking for it, realized it, turned around and WHAM were face to face with her. We grabbed each other and gasped with delight. It could not have been scripted better!
And a long night in Rome eating a tremendous meal family style with two new friends I just met on tour at the Vatican and about a dozen local diners. What a fun, crazy and delicious night. (Rome has lots of wonderful, impressive sightseeing aspects, but this stands out as my favorite moment of the week there!)
In The Hague in April with my sister, both of us are huge Vermeer fans. We were hunting for The Girl With a Pearl Earring and got lured toward the wrong space looking for it, realized it, turned around and WHAM were face to face with her. We grabbed each other and gasped with delight. It could not have been scripted better!
And a long night in Rome eating a tremendous meal family style with two new friends I just met on tour at the Vatican and about a dozen local diners. What a fun, crazy and delicious night. (Rome has lots of wonderful, impressive sightseeing aspects, but this stands out as my favorite moment of the week there!)
Dec 21st, 2007, 12:35 PM
#32
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I agree with the American Cemetery at Colleville - it is breathtaking to see it for the first time. On a par with my first view of Mont St. Michel in the distance from a French county road.
But this year, it was on the Canal St. Martin boat tour - our first time, after many trips to Paris. There was a moment, waiting at a lock, and the water pouring in, as I stood at the front of the boat, when I was simply "there," having fully “landed” in the City of Lights on that particular visit. These unbidden moments are one of the most pleasurable parts of travel. They cannot be sought, and they cannot be prolonged, so I am most grateful when they appear.
But this year, it was on the Canal St. Martin boat tour - our first time, after many trips to Paris. There was a moment, waiting at a lock, and the water pouring in, as I stood at the front of the boat, when I was simply "there," having fully “landed” in the City of Lights on that particular visit. These unbidden moments are one of the most pleasurable parts of travel. They cannot be sought, and they cannot be prolonged, so I am most grateful when they appear.
Dec 21st, 2007, 12:45 PM
#33
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I can't narrow it down to a single moment. But one was similar to missypie's - sitting in a beautiful placa in the Barri Gotic of Barcelona, eat our first tapas and enjoying the people-watching.
Another special moment was in the tiny village of Monforte d'Alba, in the Piemonte, with the wonderful, friendly owner of the B&B we stayed at. He had driven us to a vineyard for a tour, and we were admiring the view over the countryside. I asked him something like, are you originally from Monforte, and he replied (in Italian), no, my birth village is over there, pointing to another tiny village, about one ridge over. His comment really struck me, and I've thought about it a lot. Just something about the Italian culture, and understanding how, to Giulio, he wasn't from "here," he was from a place that's only about 3 km away, but to him, that's an entirely different place.
Another special moment was in the tiny village of Monforte d'Alba, in the Piemonte, with the wonderful, friendly owner of the B&B we stayed at. He had driven us to a vineyard for a tour, and we were admiring the view over the countryside. I asked him something like, are you originally from Monforte, and he replied (in Italian), no, my birth village is over there, pointing to another tiny village, about one ridge over. His comment really struck me, and I've thought about it a lot. Just something about the Italian culture, and understanding how, to Giulio, he wasn't from "here," he was from a place that's only about 3 km away, but to him, that's an entirely different place.
Dec 21st, 2007, 12:55 PM
#34
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Drinking hot spiced wine and sailing down the Danube at night watching the lights of Budapest from the top deck of our riverboat.
The "I can't believe I did it moment" - renting a bathing suit and going to the public baths in Budapest and sitting in a hot pool outside on a cold day.
The "I can't believe I did it moment" - renting a bathing suit and going to the public baths in Budapest and sitting in a hot pool outside on a cold day.
Dec 21st, 2007, 12:55 PM
#35
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Buying amazing sandwiches of incredible creamy buffalo mozzarella and spicy salami on fresh foccacia at Volpetti and taking them up Avantine Hill (stopping to look at St. Peter's through the keyhole) and devouring them in the orange grove park with the most amazing view of the Rome before us.
A close second was St Marc's square at sunrise, empty except for me and my husband and a lot of pigeons. Then we walked through a million tiny streets to a little cafe and sat outside sipping our cappuccinos as the locals came and went and Venice woke up. Heaven.
A close second was St Marc's square at sunrise, empty except for me and my husband and a lot of pigeons. Then we walked through a million tiny streets to a little cafe and sat outside sipping our cappuccinos as the locals came and went and Venice woke up. Heaven.
Dec 21st, 2007, 12:57 PM
#36
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Seeing my first real Enzian (an alpine wildflower) on a hike in Switzerland. . . and having my whole family there with me to share the moment (and many more wonderful moments on the trip).
They grow right on the ground, so I had to lie down in the grass to get a full-frame shot with my macro lens. Now our photo album has a shot of my son taking a picture of me taking a picture of the flower. All surrounded by that gorgeous Swiss scenery, including the fearsome Eiger and snowy Jungfrau in the background.
They grow right on the ground, so I had to lie down in the grass to get a full-frame shot with my macro lens. Now our photo album has a shot of my son taking a picture of me taking a picture of the flower. All surrounded by that gorgeous Swiss scenery, including the fearsome Eiger and snowy Jungfrau in the background.
Dec 21st, 2007, 01:11 PM
#37
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My DH and | had just travelled to Chiusi from Rome by train. A new experience in Italy for us. Not only had we gotten on the right train, our rental car was waiting for us just across the street from the train station, our new GPS was turned on (and worked!)and we were on our way to Montepulcino. We arrived at sunset at the most charming apartment with a view over Tuscany. The wine was unpacked, the fire was lit and all my hopes for a magical experience in Tuscany were fulfilled.
Dec 21st, 2007, 01:52 PM
#40
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Being at the top of the Windsor wheel (like the London Eye but maybe a third as big and situated in a park next to the River Thames where it is much smaller in Windsor) with just my sister and me in our pod and looking out over the very misty and drizzling English countryside and the swans down on the river and up at the castle and down at the train station and over at Eton and ... you get the idea. Lovely, just lovely.
Or maybe it was standing on the Hungerford Bridge with my sister, and we were looking toward Big Ben waiting for it to sound off 10:00 p.m. and her getting misty and saying she would never have seen any of it if I had not taken her to London.
Or maybe it was standing on the Hungerford Bridge with my sister, and we were looking toward Big Ben waiting for it to sound off 10:00 p.m. and her getting misty and saying she would never have seen any of it if I had not taken her to London.
