Snapping into reality after dreamland

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away. Anonymous


It's always nice to return to your own home, your own bed, and your pets after an extended vacation abroad. That's exactly how I was feeling as Marco and I finished up our 2 week venture in London and Paris last week. On the down side, being back is also a lot of work. Getting used to your schedule again. Catching or maintaining a cold as you travel back into your country. Getting pissed off at the many arrogant and stupid Americans in the market for thinking they're entitled to everything.

Yes. I again feel a sense of disgust for my own people. I do understand that not every American is like that. My friends are a great example of international courtesy and open mindedness. But the people I bump into, the relatives I am supposed to relate to, and the restaurants I eat at all exhibit the things I despise the most while living in this country. Eat as quickly as you can so your waiter can turn the table and make more money. Forget about the conversation or dining experience. Eat as quickly as you can, and don't even think about taking a walk down the sidewalk because it's unheard of. Just sit at home and put on the extra pounds.

Perhaps it sounds harsh and cruel, but there's a reality to it all. While in Paris, I watched that 25% of Americans are now overweight. That's an alarming statistic. Is that the American Dream?

Let me settle in and stop ranting about my country for a bit to enjoy the memories that my beautiful and amazing Marco and I shared while in Europe. Let me start by saying that my top ten list probably needs a little adjusting. The problem with doing sooo much on vacation is that you tend to forget, unless you journal every day. I normally would do that, but by the time our daily adventures came to a close, we were so worn out we needed a bed to crash on.

I would definitely add Greenwich, known for it's establishment for the east and west longitudinal lines and prime meridian, to my list. It's simple. History and science were made there. It's a place where the entire world changed at the discovery of one astronomer. I even had the chance to stand in both the east and west at the same time! So I can probably make this a tie with either number 9 or number 10 on my list. If you get technical and say that makes 11, then we can just remove Stratford and take it to number 11 instead.

The rest of my entry will tell it's own story in pictures and captions. Disfrutate.

Here I am standing in both the east and west along the prime meridian. Marco stayed back at the flat feeling sick :( Below shows the longitude of Buenos Aires and Montevideo.


Above: A view of an Oxford library. Below: William Shakespeare's birthplace in Stratford-Upon-Avon


Passing through a London tunnel during a Jack the Ripper tour. The picture turned out rather haunting. It was constantly raining all but one day while we were in London, which is why Stonehenge was a bit miserable, as shown below. We were soaking wet!

But we did find the time to enjoy a lot of things in London, including the Fairy dish liquid we found in our flat. We had to take pictures with it, of course.

Without a doubt, the best part of the trip was Paris. There was a sense of magic and fantasy mixed in with romance. It was particularly amazing to experience the Bastille firework display at the Eiffel Tower.

The presence of the magnificent tower was jaw dropping, as you can see above. However, ascending the tower did not exceed its breathtaking beauty from the ground. Hundreds of thousands of people, including ourselves, came out to enjoy the celebration.

You can see that many spirits showed up as well. All these orbs completely absorbed all my photos during the fireworks. But it was also a romantic occasion.


Waiting for us around every corner was a different story, and we found something very warm and calming about that, despite being in a large city. Something about Paris feels small. Notre Dame was a chance to explore a bit of history I've always dreamed about. Then the views of the Siene were just as spectacular.


The best was the art work found inside the heart of the Louvre and Musee d'Orsay. Seeing original Impressionism pieces felt like time had stopped.



But obviously, the true time stopper was the Louvre itself. From the outside-in, it dazzled my imagination and fantasy of past and present. What an amazing palace!


The lovely Venus de Milo below.

Someone did forget to mention the homo-eroticism involved at the Louvre.

Of course, the Da Vinci pieces weren't all that bad either!


Her eyes really do follow you from every angle! This was so cool, especially since my grandparents had a print of the Mona Lisa in their living room when I was growing up.


Some of the not to be missed moments came at the end of our stay in Paris, particularly L'Arc de Triomphe. Its views were more inspiring than those from the Eiffel Tower. Plus, we conveniently stayed in hotel a block away from the arch.


Of course, we couldn't leave the city without paying homage to the bohemian Moulin Rouge, located in the stunning Montmarte district.

The journey may have ended, but the memories remain in a cherished spot for both of us. It was romantic, exciting, exhausting, adventurous, and educational. I hope I have captured as much of London and Paris in writing as I did with my return to Buenos Aires and Ushuaia last year.

I cannot believe how much I've traveled in the last year. Revisiting Buenos Aires, seeing Ushuaia for the first time as well as Montevideo, then New York for New Years, and now London and Paris is a tremendous amount of traveling. Thankfully, I do it for pleasure and have a home to come back to.

The world is the best teacher. As I always say, cuando seas tu mismo el mundo es tuyo.