Blog | May 24, 2012 | 2 Comments

[things I will and won't miss about Europe]

This is just for fun – take a break and share your thoughts with us. Have you traveled overseas recently? What did you like, and what were you glad to leave behind? Here’s my list.

Things I won’t miss in Europe.

Toilets. I can’t say any more except that I was in four countries during this trip and it never got any better.
Weather. I think they ration sunshine in order to drive more people into their bezillion museums. (There’s one on every corner.) But maybe all that green landscape is worth it.
Heavy coins. They have destroyed most of their forests (like we have) and maybe they just don’t have enough paper. If so, they ought to make their coins mostly aluminum or tin like ours.
Driving on the wrong side of the road. If I try to get in a car at the driver’s seat one more time, just slap me. I spent a whole day on a tour bus and never realized that the guy talking was also driving the bus. I thought it was the other gent, who apparently was just along for the ride.
Bread, butter, cheese, and shortbread. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. My bad – I OD’d.
Prices. Is it the exchange rate or is it just me?

Things I will miss about Europe.

Architecture. Inspiring and amazing buildings everywhere you look, from ancient to modern.
Cafes and pubs. It’s not the food and drink, but the social nature of life: people taking time for conversation and refreshment with friends, family, colleagues, or even strangers.
Walking. Those who know my history of bad falls know I never take walking for granted. I also live in a very suburban neighborhood with rather boring scenery. So being able to walk in such beautiful places was a double treat.
Small book shops. I’m sure there aren’t as many as there used to be, but their continued presence in Europe underscores our own loss.
Cathedrals. I like big churches better than museums. I love to light candles and offer prayers. There are no answers but my mind is always calmed for a brief time afterward.
My dear friend, Lucie. We’ve been separated for 26 years now, but every couple of years, we can see each other, as we did on this trip. In the early years, there was no Facebook, no email, and no cheap international phone rates. Sometimes, we miss reading those thin blue airmail letters. But mostly we’re grateful for the many improvements in communication “across the pond.”