Travel in Europe...

While in Europe, we traveled all forms on transportations...buses, metro subways, the RER- a basic monorail type train that took us to the outskirts of Paris,- a overnight train ride to Barcelona, and of course, the LONG LONG LONG overseas airflight. I now have a HUGE appreciation for my friend WAI who is an overseas flight steward. Could not do it.

I think that one of the things that I find odd in Europe is the idea of a roundabout...No painted lines on the ground and traffic goes around and around and around a monument/ water fountain of sorts. It is a kind of free-for-all, if you will, where first come gets served. Kinda cool....kinda disconcerting.

Motorcycles have rules of the road over in Europe...they just decide not to utilize them. It is nothing for motorcyclists to speed between cars, swerving in and out of traffic, pulling into crosswalks, parking on the side of the roads. Definitely a heart-racer to watch these brave souls dodge in and out of the traffic to get where they need to be...usually in a hurry. Most do wear helmets and long pants...however that is pretty much all the rules they follow.

The overnight train ride to Barcelona was wonderful. It was almost like what we would imagine a ride to Hogwarts to be like. The cars were sleeper bunk style with four to a room and four rooms per car. The kids had a blast. Dad, Pam, Liz, and I shared a sleeper room...it was great!! They came in a folded down our beds for us...by the time we got to this point in the trip...a restful sleep was much needed...