Enchanting Europe

L and I are back from Paris, and I cannot stop thinking about it. For the past few days, I have reliving it by writing this blog, typing long emails, talking about it with my friends and family and tagging our online pictures.

My flight to Paris from Baltimore was very eventful to say the least. I got delayed by more than 12 hours...it was really awful. The book I was reading "The Accidental Tourist" turned out to be an ominous sounding title after all. We stayed that night in Paris which was close to the Eiffel Tower, went to see the Eiffel Tower, by sunset. The next day, we went to Rome, and were floored by the Colosseum, the Roman ruins and the Pantheon. Truly unforgettable! These ruins cover a massive area, and it is not hard to imagine the kind of life the Romans lived. Palatial gardens, artistic temples, and the larger-than-life orgy that they led on a day-to-day basis.

The next day, we went to St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, and explored the small neighborhoods and squares in the evening. We went all the way up to the dome at St. Peter's, even saw the tiled mosaics on the dome. Really extravagant and an amazing architectural feat. What was kind of disturbing was the fact that most of the bronze, gold and marble used in the Basilica and the Sistine Chapel had been plundered from the Roman forum, the Pantheon and other pagan symbols. Sistine Chapel was really awesome, and I'm glad I took the audio guides for the explanations. There are so many parables woven into "The Last Judgement", "Genesis" and other Michelangelo frescos, that L's Sunday school teachings would not have been enough:)

Paris was a totally different experience; we hit the usual touristy spots – the Louvre, The Pompidou centre, Montmartre neighborhoods, Notre Dame, Hotel De Sully, Place Des Vosges, the Isles…I still cannot get over the fact that there was history at every corner, every square, and yet the locals seemed untouched by it all. After all, they're Parisians right?

I absolutely loved the idea of the "piazza" in Rome and the "places" in Paris. Highlights of the trip were delighting in the concept of a "caffe" bar in Rome, the inevitable "Made In China" Pinocchio keychains, gawking at the wonderfully dressed people in Paris, discovering small courtyards in the inner alleys in Rome, going all the way up to the top and enjoying the breathtaking vistas of Paris from the Georges restaurant on top of the Pompidou and enjoying the fabulous food, wine, gelatos.

We're still soaking in this unforgettable trip, and are bashing "America" for not being even close to Europe...the faux Corinthian columns adorning the office buildings and churches here are so passé.

I will try to cover each place in detail in the next few days.