Sacre Coeur - Sacred Heart of Paris

I was fortunate that my mom was in love with Europe and my dad worked for Japan Air Lines. We did a lot of summer travels all over Europe. My dad's job gave us such great deals that we only had to pay 10% of the airfare anywhere around the world.

I have been to Paris, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Copenhagen, Thailand, Holland, Mexico, Spain...you name it.

I think that what stands out in my mind are all the different people that we met. We never went on tour buses, only in Germany. We usually went by ourselves. My mom would buy those guide books and make up an itinerary. She just loved doing it.

Portuguese people love sardines, they are the bigger sardines, and they can debone it so expertly using a fork and butter knife. Paella was an awesome seafood dish in Spain that the guide of ours greedily ordered when my mom said that she would treat him to lunch. He ordered the most expensive thing on the menu!

In Mexico, we had a guide who had two daughters that my sister and I became pen pals with. I suppose that's why I like Mafalda the Spanish cartoon so much because my pen pal, Lizbeth, used to send me those stickers. I think Mafalda is to Spain as Snoopy is to America.

I put a picture of Mafalda on the top right.

Italy was fun but my grandpa got pickpocketed while riding on the gondola. My grandpa was 77 or so when we traveled there. In Europe, everyone gives tips and when my grandpa gave someone a tip, someone else was watching in the shadows.

Paris is absolutely amazing and breathtaking. You can look out of your hotel window and see everyone dressed to the tee. They all look like models or just people out of magazines. It's not that they spend a lot on clothes, they know how to dress it up by wearing stockings with a little fancy pattern, a scarf, a brooch, etc. They can take one outfit and wear it in so many different ways. They know how to accessorize with shoes, belts, and purses.

One day, I want to go back to Europe. I miss it so much. I know that France is cheapest in April. When you have the opportunity to travel to Europe, you should go! Travel, explore, do everything you can when you are young. When you get married or you have children, you aren't as flexible any more. :) I do know that one day when I save up enough money, I want to take my sons there.