Forty years ago, June 19, 1984, I embarked on a 30 trip through Europe with a group of kids from my school and some chaperones. They did this every third year, I think, and it was available to anyone who took any of the three languages classes we offered (French, Latin or Spanish) (I was one of the cool kids who took Latin). At that time I remembered is cost around $1800 (which is today dollars is almost $5500! I just checked online). Mom and Dad cashed in some bonds per something to get the money, because it was, they said, a chance of a lifetime. And it truly was.
Just a quick itinerary: We flew out of Dulles in DC and 9 hours later landed at Heathrow in London. there we met up with a smaller group of kids and chaperones from some school in Yuma Arizona. The groups were merged and we took the trip together.
We spent about three days in London then to Dover where we caught a ferry to Calais. This was years before the Chunnel. And I remember, even though it was the middle of June, it was windy and cool on the Ferry ride across.
Then we bored a bus and drove through France, through Belgium, into the Netherlands to Amsterdam. There was spent an afternoon or something and then drove to Arnheim where we spent the night.
next day, it was into West Germany (yes, pre-the fall of the Berlin Wall and Reunification) and a trip down the Rhine to Heidelberg, where we spent the night.
Next day was through the Alps and into Switzerland to Lucerne. We spent at least two days there, maybe a few more. The back to the bus and through Liechtenstein into Austria where the hotel was in Innsbruck. At least one night there, I don't think anymore and then into Italy and to the outskirts of Venice. We didn't stay in the City itself, but did take a trip there, on a boat through the canals, hung out on St. Mark's square, I remember seeing a demonstration of glass blowing at some place there. And then the next day back onto the bus.
Through Italy we went to Florence and I'm pretty sure two nights there. Got to trapse all through Florence and saw Michelangelo's Davis in person! Then back on the bus to Rome.
Spent about three days in Rome. Saw all the sites: The Colosseum, Victor Emmanuel Memorial, The Forum, Trevi Fountain, etc. We went into Vatican City, wandered throughout St. Peter's Basilica and then hung out in a huge crowd outside in St. Peter's Square. Why was there a crowd? Well, before long, up in a high window where he was barely visible appeared the Pope! He gave some speech in some language we didn't know (Italian? Latin? Polish?) and then at the end gave the entire massive crowd a blessing. Yes, Uncle Polt was in face "blessed" by Pope John Paul II himself!
After Rome the bus took us back up the peninsula to Pisa, where of course we all did the tourist-y thing at the Leaning Tower. Then back on the bus for an overnight in Siena. While it was just an overnight, this was the worst part of the trip for me. I put the journal I was keeping as well as a little notebook where I noted where, when and what of every picture I took and I put them a drawer in the bedside stand. When we left the next morning I forgot they were there. Of course there was no way to get them back. And I had poured out some emotions in the journal (my homesickness, the feeling of betrayal I had from my 'best friend' on the trip, etc). I would love to read that stuff now, but no. It was gone forever.
Anyway, after leaving Seina, we traveled along the Riveria, both the Italian and French, and even drove though Monaco, although we didn't stop. Reaching Nice, we had an at least two day stop, I don't think it was any longer. All I remember from Nice is the palm trees, the nude beach, and the rickey old wrought iron elevator the hotel had. Plus the manager of said hotel, a lady in he 40s was very snooty. But she was French, so there was that.
Loading up into the bus, we then headed to Avignon where we saw that castle the 'fake' popes used back when that shit was going on (Catholic Church politics in the Renaissance, who can keep track of it?). And then in was into Spain. A few days in Barcelona, a day or two further along the Mediterranean coast for an overnight in Valencia and then off to Madrid.
We spent a few days there, but honestly, the only thing I remember is it was hot and dry. And they shut everything down from like 1-2 (or 2-3) for siestas and then didn't have supper until like 8pm at night!
After Madrid was a stop in a lil town in the north of Spain just for the afternoon and the on into France. We stopped at Biarritz. The only thing I remember doing there is all us taking off our shoes and socks and going on the beach to wade into the Atlantic up to our ankles. that way we can say we've stood in the Atlantic on both sides.
After that it was off to Paris for like 3 days. There we saw the Eiffel Tower, twice (once on Bastille Day, where I watched fireworks from the lowest height on the tower. Which is surprising because I hate fireworks and I'm deathly afraid of heights! But I digress...), the Arc de Triumph, some people went to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa, but the lines were too long for me. And we had a daytrip to Versailles Palace which was simply breathtakingly spectacular!
Then we got back on the bus and went to Calais, another ferry (although I think one may have actually been a hovercraft) and returned to London. And we spent about another three days there, checking out the Tower Of London and we ate at Beefeaters for a 'medieval' dining experience. Then, we went to Hearthrow, boarded a plane and returned home.
(I'm frankly freaking amazed I can remember all this 40 years later! There other experiences I haven't included in this summary that I remember too. Incredible.)
Over the weekend, I found the four photo albums full of pics. Yes, photo albums. I had taken several small Kodak disposable cameras along and took all my pics with them. Anyway, I've scanned some pics.
Parliment
Buckingham Palace. The little kid in blue, next to the guy in the black suit is Prince William, at 2 years old.
Most of the gang from my school (and yes, that's me in the center back, leaning forward with the bad haircut).
Castle along the Rhine River.
Me, with my impeccable fashion sense and trendy haircut next to Mrs. Sollenberger, one of our chaparones.
Two of the guys made a 'hot tub' in the German hotel. And no, I don't believe either of them were gay. There were, I later found out, gay people on the trip, but to my knowledge, nothing sexual happened. Now, better the straight guys and girls...well that's an entirely different story.
The Swiss Alps.
Innsbruck Austin, from our hotel atop a hill overlooking it.
St. Mark's Square in Venice.
Michelangelo's David, somewhat obscured by my flash going off on some guys arm.
St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City.
See that red tapestry hanging from that window? The little figure above it is Pope John Paul II, right before he gave the whole crowd a blessing.
Inside the Colosseum.
The Leaning Tower of you-know-where.
A whole group of us in the Atlantic Ocean in Biarritz. The second person in the water on the left is me.
I think this is all of us in front of the Eiffel Tower. See if you can figure out which one is me.
The crowds at Versailles Palace.
The Arc de Triumph flying a huge French flag because this day was Bastille Day.
And all of us getting ready to load on the bus...where we spent the vast majority of our time on the continent of Europe.
POLT
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