Dear Diary...

Okay...so it's been a bit crazy around the Metz household as of late...I should have posted this weeks ago. Well...better late than never eh?

Our UK/European trip was spectacular!!! Here is a brief listing of what we did each day.
If you want to see more pictures visit us on Facebook. I have an album titled "It's a UK/European Vacation: Metz Style"

Fri Aug. 31 – Toronto To London
-Mom and Dad drive us to the airport (saves parking!)
-11:50pm flight is delayed…great
-slept for most of the flight (or at least that’s what Ryan tells me)…we did get a hot meal (1/2 way thru)…so what’s that? Dinner? Lunch? Breakfast?

Sat. Sept 1 – London
-took us an hour waiting in line to get thru customs! (at least at Canada’s Wonderland you get to ride a roller coaster at the end)
-found our way to Cindy and KJ’s (my cousin’s)…they have such a cute flat!
-had a drink at their local pub…a great way to ease ourselves into London life.

(With Cindy and K.J at their "local")

Sun Sept 2 – London
-we had the yummiest breakfast…scones with double cream and lemon curd…just divine!
-explored London…saw Buckingham, Westminster Abby and Big Ben…did some shopping AND found some souvenirs.

(Buckingham Palace)

Mon. Sept 3 – London
-toured the Tower Of London…saw the crown jewels, the beheading block and it’s legendary ravens…so cool!
-lunch at Pret A Manger. Canada NEEDS to have this sandwich chain!
-Evening: Pub crawl…4 pubs and LOTS of drinks! (and crisps!)

Tues. Sept 4 – London to Paris
-took Eurostar train to Paris…through the chunnel. We sat across from a couple…she was super sweet and he was a complete JERK!
-arrived in Paris without a clue how to get to our hotel…other than it was near the Eiffel tower…so we fought like cats and dogs…
-walked circles around the Eiffel tower…eventually found our hotel.
-booked a tour to Versailles and walked around the Louvre…absolutely breathtaking!

Wed. Sept 5 – Paris
-Palace of Versailles tour…oooohhh I want a palace! AND just for the record: Louis XIV who built it was a complete DIVA…even using a leg model for his Royal portrait. Can I have one too?
-toured Notre Dame
-dinner out (I had the BEST lasagna!)

(Versailles: Hall Of Mirrors)

Thurs. Sept. 6 – Paris to Rome
-up at 5am to make it to the airport…um…ya
-arrived in Rome without a clue how to get to our hotel…fought like cats and dogs.
-found our hotel and we were so tired we napped from 5:30 – 9:30…then tried watching TV in Italian…and fell asleep again!

Fri. Sept 7 – Rome
-took an English speaking tour of the Coliseum, Circus Maximus, The Emperor’s Palace and Old Rome…completely AMAZING!
-did laundry…ate gelato…and pizza
-found a store that sells cheap wine…approx. $3.00 for a bottle.
…make mental note to buy more…

(Our daily "When in Rome" ritual: Pizza and Gelato)

Sat. Sept 8 – Rome
-toured the Vatican City: St Peter’s Basilica and The Vatican Museum (where the Sistine Chapel is)…breathtaking! (had to wait in line for 2 hours though!)
-ate gelato…and pizza and bought more cheap wine
- Saturday night: went out for Notta Bianco (White Night) the city is lit up all night and public transit is free!

(Colosseum during Notta Bianca "The White Night")

Sun. Sept 9 – Rome
-slept in and relaxed…because our feet felt like they were going to fall off!
-bought souvenirs and walked around the city. I bought a purse, a “Gussaci”…a TRUE Italian knockoff…the perfect blend of Guess and Versace…why have one brand name when you can have two?!
-ate gelato and pizza and bought cheap wine.
-ate supper out…very tasty!

Mon. Sept 10 – Rome to Prague
-arrived in Prague without a clue how to get to our hotel…fought like cats and dogs.
-found hotel
-ate supper at “The Spirit Bar”…yummy cheese, sausage, pickles, goulash and beer! (Ryan looked like a kid in a candy store when our meals arrived!)
-watched MTV in German…and went to bed because it was really boring

Tues. Sept 11 – Prague
-took the Metro to Wenceslas square…the touristy part of Prague…beautiful
-walked to the Prague castle…Prague is very Bavarian…so cool! Even found the church at the Prague castle had real gargoyles!
-bought souvenirs…very fun souvenirs!!! (nesting dolls, sweaters and Absinthe!)
-ate gelato and pizza and bought cheap wine (we couldn’t get off the habit we formed in Rome)

(gargoyle)

Wed. Sept 12 – Prague to London
-flight to London: Ryan sat beside “The Ice Princess”, a beautiful slim Prague girl who didn’t talk, smile or eat. Later we discovered she had packed KFC & dipping sauce in her purse…the dipping sauce must have leaked out covering everything! (Yikes…it reeked!)
-found our way to Cindy and KJ’s…and we didn’t fight like cats and dogs.
-ate supper, vegged and did laundry.

Thurs. Sept 13 – London
-toured the British Museum…very cool, lots of Egyptian, Assyrian, Chinese and Tibetan artifacts.
-walked around London for more pictures of the city
-went out for supper, Cindy and KJ took us out for Indian food…it was delicious!!!-checked out some bars and then “cabbed” our way home…let me add that Ryan was simply hilarious ALL evening

(bus beer with K.J)

Fri. Sept 14 – London
-I got up at 9:30…Ryan…slept in…
-toured Westminster Abbey…so beautiful!
-lunched at “Pret A Manger”…mmm…so good!
-Friday evening: Camden Town…wow…a whole area dedicated to Goth, punk, rock, raving…you name it and merchandise, pubs and clubs. I got the coolest earrings and shirt…can’t wait to wear them!

Sat Sept 15 – London to Toronto
-left for the airport…said a good bye to Cindy and KJ…such great hosts!!
-8 hour flight home…so cramped and BORED! I mean…how many movies and music can one endure until you just gotta get up and run around!
-found Mom and Dad and made our way home.

…now starts the battle against jet lag…

Love Kath