Europe and ME

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In 1992 when our good friends told us that their son was getting married in Copenhagen, we were sad that we wouldn't be sharing their happy occasion with them.  We met the future bride when she and her finance were visiting from Israel and attended our annual July 4th party that year, and later at their engagement party.  It was almost a joke that we would fly all the way to Denmark for their wedding.  When we spoke to our friends, they would occasionally mention it.  We joked around, but at one point we started thinking "What if we would really go?"  Then it became "Maybe we could fly over to the wedding."

When we started thinking it would be so wonderful to stop over in England to visit with our friends, the Jarratts.  And then, hey, Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam are so close and on the way to Denmark.  We finally started thinking about really going to the wedding.  Well, to make a long story short . . . hahaha . . .forget that!  Me no can do! 

Europe 1993

Our vacation was incredible!!!  We landed in Paris.  I just never imagined how much we would love being there, walking around, seeing the old buildings, the street signs, the cobblestone streets, the marquees, the subway, the Mac Donald's, the people . .. EVERYTHING!!!  I can't possibly tell about everything we saw, but believe me . . . it was INCREDIBLE!!!

Then we drove on to Brussels.  It wasn't quite as thrilling, BUT . . . we went walking after checking into our hotel.  We walked down the street which was similar to streets and stores here (except for the prices:  vcr could be 17,000 BEF, a camcorder, maybe 33,816.71 BEF, other stuff in the window was like 78,000BEF).  We weren't ready for what we saw when we turned a corner.  We started walking into a huge "square".  We were awe struck!!!  Picture this huge square surrounded on all four sides with wonderful hundreds of years old ornately decorated buildings.  The buildings were covered with gilded statues, some of which were decorated with smaller statues.  Nope, you just can't even imagine, unless you've been there!

The next afternoon we left for Amsterdam.  I don't think I'll tell you about the car problems we had.  hehehe  Let's just say we DID get to Amsterdam . . . much later than we had planned.  When we arrived there, we, of course, couldn't find our way to our hotel.  So what else is new?  After going back and forth through this long tunnel under the water, we enlisted the aid of some German teenagers.  It was a bit hard to get the three of them in that tiny car, but they did help us find our way. 

Our room, in this 300 year old hotel, overlooked a canal  . . . beautiful!!!  You hear about the canals, but you don't really understand their charm or that of the 300 and 400 year old "houses" that line them.  And the boats . . . so different than any that we see here.  We don't DO canals here, so the boats would be different.  Of course, there are windmills, but not many, like one would expect.  But bicycles . . . who would ever imagine soooo many bikes?  I can't describe the feeling, strolling along the canals and seeing the sites.  The tours that we took, brought us to areas which were very different from Amsterdam, but each area had it's own special charms.  And then there were the polders.  Oh how I love polders! 

Getting to Copenhagen was an experience in itself.  We left from the old train station in Amsterdam.  We boarded an older train . . . and went to our "private" compartment.  Well, we THOUGHT it was private till this older German couple came and sat down.  These people sat, smoked and stared straight ahead.  Oh geeez, we thought, "What a LONG ride this was going to be!"  Another couple came in and we talked and talked and talked till they had to leave. Now we're alone with that other couple.  Oy!  Well, something happened . . . maybe we were wondering about our transfer, and they answered it for us?  Damn, if they weren't the nicest people!  We talked with them the whole way to the transfer and then they led us to where we were supposed to board the next train! 

I found the station at Hamburg to be scary, people all rushing round, soldiers with guns, me having to go to the bathroom with Deutch Marks . . . and Lenny leaving me alone with all our stuff for way too long! 

We boarded the correct train.  It was a brand spanking new train!  We were in first class and the people were all very friendly, BUT wait . . . . the train is stopping!  What is going on?  Back and forth, some bumping around . . . hmmmm?  What gives?  Well, part of the train was unhitched and put onto a boat headed for Copenhagen.  It was a miracle that we were on that part!  Nobody told us about that!!!

Copenhagen, old buildings, but kind of new looking at the same time.  Wait, it's cause EVERYTHING was sooooo clean!  Beautiful! 

We were dropped off in front of our hotel.  We lugged our seven bags with us into the front door.  When we got in, there was no lobby; nobody to be seen anywhere.  Here we are in a strange city, in a hotel with no lobby and nobody to ask questions, with way too much stuff to lug around.  We knocked on a door to get information.  All we got from deep inside the room with the door still closed was "Nein"!  It was decided that I'd go find a phone to call our friends and Lenny would guard our possessions. 

No sooner did I walk outside then two gentlemen who were walking past, asked if I was going to stay at that hotel.  I said yes, but that we couldn't' find anyone to check us in.  Without hesitation they told me to go up to the second floor, find a red box and take out an envelope with our names on it.  There would be a key to our room in it.

I went and told Lenny.  Now, I stay to guard the bags and he jogged up to the second floor, found the red box, opened it, and found the envelope.  He jogs on down to tell me.  Next he jogs past the mezzanine up to the 5th (kind of 6th) floor.  As he was looking for our room he comes to a locked door in the hallway.  He tried the key.  It worked so he proceeded on and found our room.  He then jogged down to get me and our luggage. 

Now after laughing about the goings on, we started up the stairs, this time carrying all our stuff.  I was laughing so hard that every few steps I took, I dropped some of our stuff.  Lenny had to come back down to retrieve what I had dropped and he still passed me up.  We finally got us and all our stuff up to our room.  I was way out of breath and drenched with perspiration.  I thought this is the time to call Barry and Ariella.  They have to get the full impact of what we went through. 

I called huffing and puffing.  Barry laughed, but invited us to WALK over to Aviva's parents to join the huge group for dinner.  Their son and daughter-in-law would meet us.  They did, and it was a wonderful "reunion".  We were hugging and laughing.  Then we walked and talked . . . and walked and talked . . . and walked and talked . . . . .STOP!!! How far is it to this place?  Oh, just to that next corner and turn right and we're there.   Ok, I'm relieved now.  So we walked and talked to their building and then . . . we started going up the stairs and up and up and up . . . STOP!!!  How many more floors do we go?  Well, our "guides" were told not to tell us anything in fear that we wouldn't come. 

Now we meet this huge bunch of people with me huffing and puffing and sweating AND LAUGHING!!!  We had a wonderful time! 

The wedding was incredible - and the longest wedding we've ever been to.  Most everything was done in English, from the ceremony to all the entertainment throughout the reception.  We met, and re-met, many wonderful people!  We left the wedding early . . . around 1:00AM!!! 

We left the next evening on a train headed for our last destination  - London.  The train . . . NO way would I be able to sleep on a train.  I "tested" it for a bit . . . I WAS GONE!!!
 
 

Europe - 1996

Arriving home after our 1993 trip to Europe with TONS of photographs, and FINALLY getting them all stuck in albums, I made everyone look at them so we could keep reliving our wonderful vacation.  When showing the albums to Lenny's brother and our sister-in-law, I said "Wouldn't it be fun to plan another European vacation, but this time you guys come with us?  Let's do it . .. three years from now?"  The rest is history!

We left our house in van and got to LAX by 5:00AM.  We were told to arrive two hours before our flight time.  Well, we got there and there were no people to check us in.  We were too early!  We waited and waited and waited!
 
 

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