Europe post cards

Have you ever had a memory of either a person, an experience, or a scene that has stuck into your brain and you can’t get it out? That is how my brain feels after my recent trip to Europe. If I were a computer, I would have crashed with all the memories and experiences Europe has brought (along with the 5,000 pictures we took). The good thing is, I can always retrieve the memory.

It is hard to put into words my experiences. Europe was something diferent, something new. The culture is different for me, I was nervous at the start (I thought I almost had to buy Oscar de la Renta just to fit in with the fashionable French people). I had goosebumps before we lef the Philippines. But I have to say that I had an absolutely wonderful time and I had the time of my life. The places we went to—Amsterdam in Netherlands; Brussels in Belgium; Paris, Lourdes, and Versailles in France; Barcelona in Spain; and Rome and Venice in Italy—were such amazing places, and I hope (and will try my best) to post on them individually in the future.

Let me share the best memories I made during my 19-day stay in these five countries. I will start with my most favorite places.

10. Roland Garros Stadium, Paris, France: Being a tennis fan, I didn’t pass the opportunity to go to one of the major stadiums in the tennis world. And even if it is the “territory” of Rafael Nadal (I am a Federer fan, so you must know how I feel about Nadal), I trooped to the Rolad Garros stadium, venue of the French Open. It felt good to be in a place you only get to watch on TV…but I hope the next time I go there, I’ll be watching Federer win the French Open.

9. Flower market, Amsterdam, Netherlands: I like flowers, and the flowers at Amsterdam were beautiful. Their color was so vivid, they were in full bloom, and everything was alive! Tulips, which we rarely see here in the Philippines, were beautiful…and so were the other flowers. I really enjoyed looking at the different flowers!

8. Basilica di San Paolo (St. Paul’s Basilica), Rome, Italy: Of all the churches, I liked the structure of this one. This one tops my list! The ceiling was absolutely fantastic. My neck ached from looking up…but it was worth it!

7.  La Ramblas, Barcelona, Spain: La Ramblas is a long street full of activities and people. What I liked about it is that it was full of life…there were stores, real-life statues (the ones that come to life), and so many people. It was fun just walking the whole stretch!

6. Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain: I didn’t prepare myself for this one. This is a WOW church. Gaudi was certainly gifted and talented. He has a very different, distinct style (and I’m liking it!). The church was certainly something you wouldn’t forget. The construction of the church (started in 1882) continues up to the present, and they say that even if construction goes on for the next 50 years, it still won’t be finished. At any rate, finished or not, Sagrada Familia was a sight to behold.

5. The Louvre, Paris, France: I’m not really an “arts” person, but the Louvre did impress me. Not only were the artwork impressive, but also the museum itself was extraordinary. It was really worth going to.

4. Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain), Rome, Italy: If there’s something so different than what I expected in this trip, it would be this fountain. I thought that Trevi Fountain was small, I didn’t expect it to be that big! Nevertheless, it actually one of my favorite in Italy. The place, despite the many people, seemed to me as serene. Of course I tossed in three coins (peso) for three wishes. Hope they come true!

3. Arc de Triomphe, Paris, France: The first time I saw Arc de Triomphe, it was across the street. I thought “It’s smaller than I expected, but definitely much, much more better than I expected.” I didn’t want to leave the place! I don’t know what makes me attracted to it…maybe even just its structure appeals to me. One thing: It’s so beautiful at night!

2. Grand Place, Brussels, Belgium: As the name suggests, the place was really grand. When Gel (my sister) and I first entered Grand Place (which is a plaza), our eyes almost popped out and out mouths were literally open. All we managed to say was “WOW!” The buildings were simply beautiful. The plaza was full of people, and it helped that there was a celebration the day we were there, so there were singing and dancing…and free beer! It was so much fun!

1. Eiffel Tower, Paris France: Need I say more? The first time I saw it, my heart palpitated. It was beating so fast I thought I was having a heart attack. The Eiffel Tower was so majestic. I couldn’t believe how beautiful it was. We were also in luck because, in a very rare occasion, it was color blue, in celebration of the presidency of France in the European Union. It also blinks every hour, on the hour, for 7 minutes. The blinking made it very beautiful. Words escape me…it was simply a magical moment.

 The Eiffel Tower at night

The blinking Eiffel Tower

Europe is really a wonder ful place, and it doesn’t take much to appreciate it. I really enjoyed jumping from one place to another…my eyes and memory were full! It was wonderful!

Next time, I will be listing the most memorable experiences I had. After all, Europe is all about the experience!

Au revoir for now!