Last Day in Amsterdam

Yesterday we went on a boat ride on the canal and then found our way to an outdoor flea market-- great stuff and we had a good time looking around and shopping.  We ate lunch at the famous Hard Rock Cafe and then a little more shopping.  To end our trip we decided to have a picnic dinner in the Park in Amsterdam.  It was beautiful and the weather was perfect.  It was a great way to end this amazing journey.   When the girls went down for the night- Patrick and I had to take a taxi ride to the Red Light District (just to say we had been there)-- Well, it was diappointing to say the least -  more like a circus with girls in bikinis all over the place.  Rather sad in some places, so we found a nice little restaurant outside the crazy atmosphere and had a coffee and the most amazing cheesecake.  Good way to end our time here.  We are up early today to pack and head off to the airport.  We are ready to come home-- but we have all vowed to return someday.  Give us a few days and we will post more of our European Adventure on line.  Thanks for following and keeping us connected to home during our travels.  To all our new and old friends and family in Europe-- THANK YOU for making this trip possible and full of adventure.  Your kindness and hospitality was more than generous and you are all welcome in Birmingham -- anytime day or night :)  Wish us luck on the flight home-- no more trains so we should be good.  Much love --The Danley Gang

Amsterdam or BUST (literally)!

We made it!!! Only a few minutes late at that—We were wondering half way through the night if we would—again we had engine trouble with the train and had to move trains once (hauling all our bags and garb) and then the engine had to be replaced twice. We were on the Night Train from Randers to Odense and then on to Amsterdam. We had tried to stay in Randers longer, but this is holiday season and the trains were booked. We finally found a seat on this train. Which was fine, but we found a sleeper car that we had to share with two other people – POOR ladies. We brought in our load of luggage and their eyes almost popped out of their heads. Patrick and I knew that there was NO WAY we could spend almost 16 hours cramped in that little space. We talked with the conductor and she allowed us to move to a second class seat car. Patrick and I stayed in there while Blythe and Devyn stayed in the original car. It worked out fine. Sometime during the night when we dropped cars and picked others up- they dropped the restaurant car- so this morning when we woke up there was no coffee or food- but we managed just fine—well not really fine- but we bought coffee as soon as we could- so we didn’t kill the children before we reached Holland. We need to thank Bryan (he works for the rail system) and told us all about trains, he guided us to the right train and we made our connection with no problems- it was just the engines this time. I have to say we have been so fortunate to have found such great people to help us—Who knows without Chris and Bryan we would still be hopping trains around Denmark. We arrived in Amsterdam around 12:30 and spent the day getting settled, taking showers and then went to the Anne Frank Museum/House. It was great!! Very moving and something to see if you ever come to Amsterdam-but buy your tickets on line (thanks for the tip Melinda we walked in with no problems- the line was around the building and down the street today) This was on Devyn’s list for Europe-so another one has been checked off. We had a good dinner and then walked back to the hotel. We are looking forward to our next two days in Amsterdam -- tomorrow is the Van Gogh Museum and a boat ride on the canals. All I can tell you for sure is that there are NO MORE trains in our near future. Until later =The Danley’s

Hojen Hospitality

The next 30 hours we spent in Randers. The girls took a nap for a few and the adults stayed up to catch up and discuss our journey. Later in the morning once all the children woke up and reconnected- we spent the day touring Randers and visiting the town museum. It was so much fun to see the history of Randers. The kids loved the museum and we ate at the most amazing restaurant- a cute little café that is named after one of Randers forefathers. We got our first bite of true Danish delights. The fish was amazing and we all enjoyed the down time together. Later we returned back to their enchanting home—true Danish décor and the loveliest garden imaginable. The Hojens live right next to the church that Lisbeth is the pastor for – another beautiful site. It was complete with a beautiful veggie garden and a huge yard for the kids to play in. Lisbeth and Anders were perfect hosts – welcoming us into their home and spending the day letting us recuperate and get our feet back on the ground. We then sat down to a great dinner – made from the garden and enjoyed a guitar serenade by the one and only Anders—of course Patrick and Anders had to sample all the fine whiskey that they had and made a night out of deciding which one was the best. I went to bed- as did the kids. This was the first time I had shut my eyes in two days. Let’s just say it was a very peaceful sleep—We woke up yesterday morning to a beautiful breakfast made by Lisbeth (out of the garden again) and with this great Danish Rhye bread—it is like our white bread- a staple in Danish homes. The kids loved it and I am going to attempt to make it when we get home (I hope to do you proud Lisbeth  We then spent the day with the kids playing outside a fast game of soccer (football) kids against the dad’s – the kids won and Oskar was quite excited about this achievement. They also learned to play a Danish game called Kings and Castles (I think -correct me if I am wrong about that)—it was fun and Patrick is going to make one when we get home—it will be great for the lake Mom. It was a cross between horseshoes and croquet. The girls had brought Silly Bandz for the kids along with superhero Spiderman garb for Oskar. The girls loved the Silly Bandz and traded and researched all the different kinds on the internet. Denmark has now been introduced to Silly Bandz—they really are an international hit. All during our visit, the Hojens practiced their English and we tried to learn a few Danish words = Thank you girls (Anna and Ida) for making the visit so special for Devyn and Blythe. We then ate another authentic Danish lunch made by Lisbeth—Yes- all she did was cook while we were there—Thank you for the food ( a Danish tradition at the end of every meal)—I did laundry—That is a whole new story—her washing machine has 20 settings and was so high tech that I even called it wonderful—now for all of you that know me well- you know laundry is not one of my favorite things to do- but her machine takes 2 hours to wash and in true European style takes its time and washes like a pro. I told the Danley gang- these were the cleanest clothes they will ever wear. I know the Hojens thought I was crazy, but that washing machine did amaze me. Before we left, Ida gave a moving performance of Blowing in the Wind—watch out world Ida Hojen will be a star someday—I was moved to tears—her voice is amazing. Thank you Ida for the beautiful music! We gathered our things and got ready for our 4pm departure from the train. Everyone went to see us off at the station. It was fun to reconnect and share a little time, great food, music, and laughter with our Danish friends-we miss you already come see us soon-- next time we visit you we will fly to Randers—no more taking the train for the Danley’s-- Thank you so much-- love you all!

Destination Denmark

When I picked the title for this post I had no idea exact ally how appropriate that would be. We wanted to experience Denmark but we didn’t want to see the entire country in one day. We got on the train without a hitch—well that was the last time we could say that for the next 24 hours. The train was only a few minutes late- the trains in Europe are very efficient as I have said before—Well, the train had problems and had to be switched out- so now the train is 10 minutes late. In the end our train was 11 minutes late getting into Hamburg. Well our train to Randers was on time and even after the engineers said that it was ok we would make our train—we didn’t. We ended up getting a voucher to catch another train to Randers—of course we wouldn’t be able to meet the Hojens at the correct time and we didn’t have a phone so – the next few hours were spent finding food for the kids and searching for an internet connection to contact Lizbeth and Anders to let them know that we would be arriving not at 11 pm but at 5am—all of this in the Hamburg train station. During this process of switching trains with 6 bags and 4 backpacks we met a very nice fellow traveler named Chris—he was our angel in transit. He guided us through a ferry ride (Yes they put the whole train on a boat!) Quite interesting – we were able to find a better route than the one they had given us --- and we met our train connection- because now we were 45 minutes late and meeting our connecting train would be impossible- the kids were troopers. They were happy because on the boat there was a gift shop. They were able to occupy their time testing out makeup and looking around the duty free shop. Chris stayed with us for the rest of the night to make sure we caught the right train- THANK YOU CHRIS—we are forever grateful for your kindness and sincere concern about the CRAZY lost Americans traveling the rails with our haul. Hopefully we will be able to return the favor someday and you know you are always welcome in our home in Birmingham. Please come see us if you ever make it to the US again. After many hours on trains we finally made it to Randers and were welcomed with a true American greeting American flag waving and all—Anders and Lisbeth—we loved that—thank you. After such a long journey that is exactly what we needed to lift our broken and very tired spirits  You are the best. Randers would never be the same once we arrived!

Marksburg Castle

Today was our last day in Germany. We went to the Markzburg Castle about 30 minutes outside Koblenz. It was the only German castle to have survived intact throughout the centuries. It was just incredible. The castle was built during the Middle Ages and was once the center of a mining area. Today it is run by the German Castle Association. We were impressed by the dungeon and amour room. The girls were surprised by just how hard life would have been back then—and these would have been the lucky ones that lived there. We ended our time in Germany by shopping for some gifts to bring home and making sure everything was packed for our journey to Denmark tomorrow. Thank you Germany for a wonderful time—

Germany

We finally made it to Germany. We dropped our rental car off in Metz- and caught our train without any problems- or so we thought. Just as the train was leaving for Luxembourg Blythe looked at us and said “I left my camera in the back seat pocket of the car”  Well the train was moving and there was no way we could get off- Patrick and I debated on going back, but we would miss the last connection to Koblenz our final destination- (it wasn’t our first choice of towns- but it is holiday season here so you take what you can get). We got to our hotel in Koblenz and called Alamo in Metz. Needless to say the conversation was a little hard, and all we knew was that they found a camera but it didn’t sound like hers. So I once again called on Isabelle (one of my French cousins) to save the day. She has solved all our problems and will pick up the camera and send it to us. What would we do without her? Back to Germany—we got to our hotel and it was a new hotel that is very modern and the girls love it- lots of bright colors and cool art work all over the place—so we went from a historical French chateau to IKEA home— Koblenz has turned out to be wonderful. It is a very old city that has some very cool things to see- It is at the point where the Mosel and Rhine Rivers meet. There are castles all over the place. Today we went up a cable car to one of the oldest castles in Germany 1000 A.D. We rode the cable car up to the fortress and ate at the restaurant at the top. They are renovating the fortress so it is closed right now- they are hosting a big Botanical Festival in 2011 and are preparing for it all over town. Patrick was very happy to finally get his bratwurst and beer. It was so much fun to sit up there overlooking the city and watching the boats go up and down the rivers. We even got pictures of the differences in the water from each river (that was pretty cool). Tonight we did laundry (we had to have clean clothes) and picked up a gift for Tucker—HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY TUCKER!! Sorry we couldn’t call you yesterday- we miss you and will call when we get home. We are heading to another castle tomorrow and then some more shopping before heading to Denmark to visit the Hojens. We have had a great time in Germany—great beer, nice people, beautiful castles. That is what we came for so I would call it a complete success.

Europe is Going Green in a Big Way

Of course the Danley’s – well at least Patrick and I couldn’t go through Europe without looking into their green or eco-friendly technologies. Europe is GREEN with a capital G! We have seen They take this seriously. Everywhere we go we see people recycling centers, a very cool eco-art studio, and wind power all over the place. The US has a lot to learn from the Europeans. recycling everything- from glass drop off stations in even the most remote areas of the countries, to wind power stations all over the country side. People riding bikes and driving small diesel cars, and WALKING everywhere. Their transportation systems are so much more advanced than ours. You can get just about anywhere here on a bus, train, boat, or bike. It makes you realize just how far we have to go. We have taken pictures of the strangest things- I’m sure they think we are crazy taking pictures of trash containers and glass recycling stations—you should see some of the looks we get—not to mention how embarrassed the girls have gotten at times when we stop and take picture after picture of a trash can 

Concentration Camp

On our last day in Metz we traveled to Natzweiler-Struthof. It was a concentration camp during WWII. Located in the mountains of France. The drive to get there was amazing. We went through a protected forest and winding roads to the top of the mountain. There in this most beautiful landscape the greatest human tragedy occurred. It was very moving and upsetting. We walked the camp in silence with all the other visitors – all trying to imagine how 50,000 people could have been forced to occupy such a small area. When we told the girls that was like all the people in Vestavia in bunkers on this small 3 acre area- then they realized how horrible it was. All of the barracks except one that houses a museum have been torn down. The SS officer’s quarters, the gas chambers, and the crematorium are still there—it was just awful. I think we all imagine what it is like, from the stories and pictures from the books we have read- but until you actually walk through one of the camps and see the scale of horror that took place can you really understand. It is a day none of us will ever forget- nor should any of us.

Chateau d'Alteville

Have you ever pictured a chateau in the French country side? Well, we stayed in the most amazing place while in Metz visiting family. Set in the country between two villages sits Chateau d’Alteville. Owned by the Barthelemy family for generations. It is a 150 year old chateau with picturesque views and the most amazing family that takes care of you. David and his family roll out the red carpet for their visitors. We loved it so much we stayed an extra day. The house is amazing. Part of the chateau was built in the 1500’s and still has the portal holes that were used to protect it against invaders. The house has a rich history- occupied by David’s family for generations- it was once home to David’s great great grandfather that was a general in Napoleon’s army. He won a battle for Napoleon in Italy and in return Napoleon gave him a huge painting that now hangs in the salon. The house was also taken by the Germans during WWII and David’s grandmother was forced to leave with her 7 children. Thankfully the house was not destroyed, but they left the Germans left their mark for sure. The rooms were perfect- just like you would think. Cozy, warm, and full of history- in our room we had a painting that was painted in the 1800’s. The girl’s room had a canopy bed and was full of beautiful antiques. For breakfast each morning we sat down to the traditional French bread, homemade marabella jam, coffee and great conversation with travelers for England, Holland, and France. It was a real treat. David’s family all help out during the summer months so we were able to meet some of his nieces and nephews. The swans on the lake and the sun rising over the hills were breath taking. David was also an incredible wealth of information and helped us get our train tickets straightened out when we kept getting kicked off the internet by the Eurail people—Thank You David! If we ever come back to France (which we hope to do someday) we will definitely stay here again. It was so close to my family and a great get away after being in the hustle and bustle of Paris. Devyn and Blythe both wanted to move in  Of course they had a dog and cats  Thank you Barthelemy family for all your hospitality- we loved our time together.

Schweyen

Today we went to the village of Schweyen (population 350 and growing :) This is the village where my ancestors are from- and I still have relatives that live there- but we are related to most of the town. The village is a story book town- it is only 500 meters from the German border. During the WWI and WWII the village was occupied by the French, Germans, and American armies at different times. In WWII Schweyen was destroyed by the troops, but later rebuilt. My family gave me 2 volumes of history during our visit --in French of course-- I have vowed to take French lessons and one day read the books- I think I may have set the bar a little high- the books are quite extensive. They even have a picture of my Great great grandfather and grandmother in the book- The day was cool, but the sun came out and warmed everything up. We met everyone at Leon and Jeannine’s home for lunch- Jennifer and Thibaut joined us for the meal. It was lovely. Again, they rolled out the royal treatment for us- we have been treated like kings and queens for sure-- we had another 5 course meal (each part of the meal accompanied by it’s own special wine). Let’s just say by the end of the day not only were Patrick and I stuffed so was the rest of the family. Again, it was just like being at home during a celebration. Food, Fun, and Full of Life-- Colette and Isabelle once again translated for us, but as the day went on we were all starting to understand each other more and the girls were really starting to practice their French. They named all the fruits and vegetables in Leon’s garden :) (a little joke). We then walked to the cemetery where I was able to see all my ancestors graves- very touching and amazing to see so many Buchheit names- This is where I came from-- this very place-- and all these years later here I am to see it and experience where it all began-- it is very hard to describe. We then continued on to the church. Very beautiful and Rene and Leon gave us the history. We then walked over to Jean-Marie and Evelyne’s home for more champagne and a special cake that their mother made every Friday when they were children. The girls were in heaven -Evelyne has 7 cats-- so you all know where Devyn was. Jean-Marie we want to thank you for coming back from your Berlin business trip to see us. Thank you to all the cousins for the most amazing time- we were so honored and felt so welcomed by everyone -- They all send their love and greetings to Mom, Nancy, and MaryLavon and they can’t wait for the 3 crazy sisters to come back to visit again. I hope that some of the French cousins will be able to visit us in the USA one day and we can return the hospitality. We ended the day with a trip to the highest point in Schweyen to visit the Notre-Dame de Fatima, a beautiful monument that Leon and Jeannine care for. While looking over the French country side into Germany we said our good-byes-- it was one of the most incredible experiences of our lives- We will forever hold these two days in a special place in our hearts. To the rest of the US family- you must come to this place one day and see for yourselves how truly special it is. Tomorrow we are staying in Alsace to catch our breath and plan our next few stops on our trip -- watch out Germany here we come...I can’t imagine this trip getting any better. I will post again in a few days. Hugs and Kisses -- The Danley’s

Meeting our French Family

Today we arrived in Metz on time and got our rental car. Isabelle one of my French cousins met us at the train station and led us to Creutzwald. Thank goodness she was there - we had a time just driving the car - we would have never made it without her. The French country side is like pictures from a movie. Each little village we passed was perfectly manicured and covered in the most beautiful flowers. Once we arrived at the home of Roger and Louise we met everyone else-- what can I say but it was HOME. Mom the girls said it was like being at your house- full of love, laughter, and lots going on- and it was. Everyone was so nice, and we were able to communicate just fine- my cousins that are my age all speak some English and several of them speak very well- Eric, Isabelle, Colette, Sylvie, Evelyne, and Mirelle THANK YOU . Our understanding of French is getting much better and their English was super. We spent the afternoon exchanging gifts, photos, and stories about the family. It was a very special day. We ate foie gras (delicious), amazing local cheeses, coq au vin, and drank many wines from the Alsace region. We also learned a very important French custom --you must ALWAYS empty the glass completely before you get more- and NEVER mix wines, always have two glasses on the table-- Hey I think that is a great custom-- The desserts were not only delicious but also beautiful- all homemade and some with special fruits (mirabella) from Alsace. All regional food from the area of France where my family is from- I’m stopping by the store before we leave to pick up this very yummy pasta (spaetzle) that is only made in this very small region. We ate, and ate, and drank and drank-- all the while the children played and talked - everyone was Blythe and Devyn’s age- they were able to sit and talk with the use of a translator on the I-Touch and a big French dictionary (what would the Buchheit grandparents think about that :). By the end of the day they were all talking and friending each other on Facebook- (we all thought that was pretty neat). Now another generation is connected and will be able to continue this family tree. The afternoon is hard to describe, because it was so wonderful. I know our grandparents would be proud that the family is still a part of each others lives. For Patrick he felt very at home and as usual overwhelmed by all the commotion-- just like at the lake. He met a friend in Alain, Sylvie’s husband. They were so much alike- and had fun joking at the table. Jeff-- the girls said he reminds them of you- funny and the life of the party. We took the traditional family picture on the bridge in Roger’s backyard and then we then went over to Rene and Marie-Louise’s home for more wine and an amazing history lesson on the family. Rene has traced our family back to the 1500’s -- and the family has worked and lived in this one area of France for the most part. Let me just say that I have 53 pages of genealogy to bring home with me- Mom, Nancy, and MaryLavon we have lots of reading to do :) You will all be amazed at what he has done. From Adam Buchheit there have been more than 500 children, grandchildren, great grand children, great-great grand children, etc... We are quite a large family-- and so alike in so many ways. Mathilde and Alain came over for a quick visit a few more laughs and family stories-- and then it was time for us to leave so we wouldn’t get lost on our way to our hotel in the dark- Chateau de’Auberville. A castle and fort built in stages from the 1550’s to the 1750’s in the French country side-- again just incredible. We can’t wait to see it in the daylight. Thanks to Eric for working the GPS system we made it without too many U-turns :) You know American’s can’t follow directions. Tomorrow we will be meeting more family in Schweyen. The actual village where we are from- a total of 350 people and we are related in some way to almost everyone there. Today was a day that we will cherish the rest of our lives. It was the perfect day! The Danley’s

Good-bye to Paris

Now that is better :)

Yesterday was our final day in Paris. We spent the morning at Notre Dame which was incredible. The girls thought that the cathedral was magnificent. The stained glass windows and the arches were so overwhelming- Devyn took more than 100 pictures - and we were there just in time to hear a choir practice for an up coming concert- that was very special. After Notre Dame we ate lunch in a lovely little cafe across the street. Blythe ordered hot dogs (she was quite surprised by her order)- it was a entire bagett covered with cheese with two sausages inside- it was very yummy and she said she wants to make those kind when she gets home-I guess we will bring a little part of Paris back with us. We then went shopping for some great Paris souvenirs and then went back for a quick rest before going to the Eiffel Tower at dusk. We met some very interesting people while in line for tickets. Several backpackers one from New York and a nice couple from Belgium. She was completing her PhD in the study of Roman coins (now that is being specialized). We then went up the tower and took another 300 pictures. While we on the observation deck the light show began-- what more can I say - as you can see by the picture it was just beautiful. We made it back to our hotel on the Metro without getting lost (which was a plus) and packed for our train ride to Metz. Our day was a complete success- and Paris has been more than we expected.

** Now of course the Eiffel Tower has not fallen down- import difficulties-- but you get the point.

Waterloo and More

Sorry we didn't post last night- welcome to the wonderful world of European technology. We have had a tough time with anything modern :) Anyway, we are still having a great time. Today was our last day in Brussels we leave in the morning to go to Paris. We have LOVED Brussels. The people are very nice and the city is amazing. Yesterday we spent the day once again on a money search-- we can't wait to get to Paris and cash in all the $ -- Living day to day on a few euro has been tough, but on our search we found some great places- so I guess it was meant to be. We went to a beautiful open air market- thousands of vendors-- I mean thousands. Flowers, food, fabric- you name it they had it. It was so much fun. We finally found money and booked a ticket to Waterloo (which was the whole point of our quest to begin with). We made it to a little town of Wellington and then took a bus ride to Waterloo-- We just happen to arrive on a day when they were have a reinactment of the battle. Everyone loved it-- Patrick especially-- Blythe said the cannons were TOO loud. We also met a nice gentleman from China, that we rode the bus with- it is so fun meeting all these people from all over the world. We then made our way back to Brussles before night fall and found another Turkish deli to grab a bite before bed.

Today we spent our day just touring the places we didn't get to see yet. We went to the City Center-- AMAZING!! The buildings were built in the 1500's and they are still in use today- it was so beautiful. We spent the day just walking the streets and searching for that perfect trinket to bring back home-- of course we had to stop several times for chocolate and a few beers-- We have had a great time here, met some great new friends, and have all vowed to come back again someday-- with only euros in our pockets of course-- Will check back in a few days with you guys-- we have a big day of travel and a BIG suprise for the girls tomorrow when we get to Paris---- Until then we miss you all and wish you were here with us.

The Danley's

Awesome time to be had in Belgium

Today began with a yummy breakfast at our hotel and then on to our B & B. Lovely old home (150 years old)- great family from Madagascar are our hosts. They are wonderful and the rooms are jolie/beautiful. We are having a great time. We went to the museum of fine art today and saw a Rembrandt and a big sphere made out of beetles- not the singers the real insects-- as you can see in the picture-- very cool. We then went all over town trying to convert money- because US dollars are worthless here (of course) and it was a bank holiday (of course) but finally the nice lady at the Best Western felt sorry for us and gave us some Euros Yea!! We will always stay in Best Westerns from now on. We also met some fellow Yanks from Louisiana. It was nice to have someone to speak English with- they were also fun people. The day ended with us eating at a Turkish Pizza place- yes they make amazing pizza. Patrick ordered some type of meat pizza- we couldn't understand them and vice versa--we aren't sure what kind of meat it was-- there were several pictures of cats on the wall -- so watch out Louie and Zac -- daddy ate the whole thing :) We are now back at our B and B and are enjoying our Belgium chocolate and getting ready for bed--We are off tomorrow to Waterloo- our first train ride -wish us luck-- it will be yet another adventure for the Danley's. We will check in soon. Much love - the Danley gang

BRUSSLES IS BEAUTIFUL

We made it! Boy what a long plane ride, but the girls were real troopers. We got here about 8:40 this morning and our bags made it with us- that was a great surprise. We cleared customs and met our limo to the hotel without a hitch. We were exhausted- so we rested a while and then took an afternoon tour (hop on hop off) in a double decker bus. It was fun, but it is cool here and the girls were freezing and needed food-- so we cut our tour short and found a good American burger-- We needed that more than you can imagine after 20 plus hours of travel-- we will wait for tomorrow to test out the local cuisine. Our hotel is in the center of everything. The Cathedral of St. Michael is right across the street. Devyn has already taken over 200 pictures. After only a few hours here, we have fallen in love with the people and sights of Brussels- a great first stop on our trip. We will check in again in the next few days, but for now the adventure is great!-- The Danley's

Last Minute Packing

Of course the Danley's have never been known for being very organized- and it shows! We are finally putting things in suitcases-- Hopefully everything will be sealed by 7pm tonight. If we don't have it yet-- we will just wing it. Thanks to our more organized family (Mom and Roy) and friends (Willard's and Clancy's) we have all the essentials-What would we do without you all? Thank you for all the suitcases, luggage tags, converters, etc... Keeping us on track has been a full time job for many of you - we will update again tomorrow during our travels- wish us luck --We feel like the Griswolds

Ready, Set, GO!

We are all getting excited about our trip and the countdown has begun-- only 7 days. We have our tickets in hand, and are packing for our 20 days in Europe.