Postcards from Europe: A Few Favourite Memories from Our European Adventure...

Greece:

Our first stop Athens was wonderful but our first introduction to the tourist boom hitting Europe, certainly a lesson in patience dealing with the crowds.  Probably the highlight was a small area under the Acropolis called Plaka - beautiful small twisting streets and lane ways with little restaurants perched on a set of stairs or under perfectly maintained trees in a cobblestoned courtyard.  Live music and swarms of people walking through this maze of streets all under the Acropolis.

Next was Milos where we had a slight hiccup with being denied our rental car because silly me didn't read the fine print and only had a digital copy of an international licence - luckily there were plenty of other places willing to turn a blind eye to that.  Our highlight was hiring a boat for the day with a skipper who took us to tiny beaches, limestone caves and hot water vents bubbling up from the sea floor then we went to dinner that night right on the water's edge as the sun sank over the horizon. 

Such a perfect day.

Italy:

Our first stop in Italy was a small villa outside of Siena in Tuscany.  This had been rented a by a friend who was turning 60 (this was our original excuse for our European vacation).  This really was a lazy few days, basking by a pool overlooking vineyards with just a short 20-minute walk to a small walled medieval town.  Our highlight here was a dusk e-bike ride throughout the county side stopping at some small villages along the way.

Next was Roma! 

Easily my wife Vanessa's favourite stop.

We were staying near Trastevere which is a stunning area full of great bars and restaurants but was also in walking distance to most sights in Rome.  To me the highlight was the food, we didn't have a bad meal, every mouthful was so delicious, and the wines were so light and lovely.  One of my clients had given me a list of restaurants in Rome and it did not disapoint - wow!!!. 

For Vanessa it was Vatican City but also just the complete granduer of Rome, the Romans didn't do anything by halves, everything was so massive but absolutely beautiful at the same time.  

Prague:

This was the big surprise for us.  I had heard amazing things about Prague but until you get there you just don't realise just how stunning it is; just like walking into a fairy tale. 

Amazing gothic Catherdrals and the astronomical tower, the Charles Bridge and the Prague Castle.  My highlight here was actually going to a concentration camp that one of my clients had been in during WW2; having all her memories made more real by our visit was something I'll never forget, a truly humbling experience.

Paris:

This is my favorite city in the world (apart from Sydney of course), I am lucky enough to have visited Paris quite a few times and it never fails to disappoint.  Vanessa loved it but it's a very different city, where Rome, Prague and most of Athens is walkable, Paris is much more spread out, and while we still did our 20,000 steps a day, we did a lot of Metro travel - so much fun once we figured out how to navigate our way around. 

Our favourite place was Versaille which is about a 30-minute train ride out of Paris. 

The sheer size and opulence of the palace certainly makes you understand the French Revolution; people starving after years of drought and pestilence while the nobility lived in such extraordinary luxury. Also, a great history with Napolean and the signing of the Treaty of Versaille ending WW1.  

Another highlight was a picnic we had in the gardens of the Louvre. We went to a small foodie street (once again recommended by one of my clients) and here we picked up a fresh baguette, olive, fruit, berries, an amazing double brie and some prosciutto - very romantic.

After a wonderful few weeks away, I'm enjoying being back to work and seeing my clients again.

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