Well my biological clock is finally getting back to Midwest time after my European adventure. We had a wonderful, wonderful time - beautiful and fascinatingly historic scenary, sunny weather in the 60's-70's, lots of castles and vineyards and amazing vistas, too much good food and wine. But the real joy was traveling with the whole family and our best friends! I so miss my daughters when they are away at school -  it is a real treat to have them as travel companions. Seeing the Eiffel Tower was swell but seeing their smiling faces under the Eiffel Tower was magnificent!

You'd be hard pressed to distinguish many of the photos of one person's European vacation from those of another. I surely enjoyed seeing some of the great sights but will probably most remember some of the little quirky highlights of our trip. 

Like the group of us who got left behind in a giant park by our Paris tour bus in one of the few rainshowers of the trip. 

Riding down the Seine on the glass roofed batobus boat past Eiffel Tour and Notre Dame.

Dining at French bistros, sidewalk cafes, German beerhouses. 

Riding in a cable car high above the German vineyards  of Rudesheim with my youngest daughter Anne. 

Watching for low bridges as we cruised the Main River in Germany - bridges that required that the Captain's pilot house be lowered into the ship and everyone on the upper deck had to crouch down as the bridge nearly skimmed the ship railing. 

The whole family getting a little silly sampling dozens of different Reislings with open access to a large wine cellar, trying to detect the subtle differences described by the producers. 

Riding a delightful little dark wood boat (rather than the big glass sided tourboats) on the Vtlava River and its side canals, enjoying not only the view but the Czech beer, gingerbread and ice cream the sailors handed out.

The shouts of amazement from my family members when, after going our separate ways one morning in the Czech Republic, we actually managed to all meet up by the statue near the astronomical clock in the Old Town Square ("Stare maestra") at 2:00, like some star-crossed lovers in an old time movie.

Riding the Prague Metro with its incredibly steep escalators.

Hanging, suspended, in a single chair chairlift with no restraints, as it carried me down the mountainside in the Prague Zoo. Visiting the bat cave there, with dozens of 12 inch bats freely swooping about our heads and legs and dangling from the walls and ceilings.   

Sharing, around our dinner table on the last evening of the trip, shots of strange traditional Czech liqueurs (Becherovka, Fernet, and slivovicz).

I am so blessed!