I finished uploading the last of my Europe pictures the other night and finally finished all the descriptions just now. I ended up with a total of almost 400 pictures. That's A LOT of pictures. The best part, though, is that each one holds a special story. So many pictures and so many special stories ... in just two weeks. Wow. Enjoy!
And now ... on to uploading videos. I have a couple already available: les Invalides and the Marienplatz in Munich. Just wanting to share those to give you guys a better feel for some of the places we visited and things we saw. Will hopefully tackle the rest of them this weekend.
I'm getting caught up with putting descriptions with my pictures on flickr, and just had to share this one that I just finished.
yeah ... funny story about that. i didn't feel well AT ALL and decided -- after making it to the top of the mountain and was only around the bend to the entrance the castle -- that I did not feel up to doing to tour of the inside of the castle. so jenna continued on inside and did the tour. and i set up camp on a bench on the side of the trail leading up to neuschwanstein. this was my view for the 45 minutes or so that it took jenna to complete the tour. there i laid. stretched out on the bench, with my head on my backpack, my arms folded across my chest with my purse, sunglasses on, iPod earbuds in, calm smile on my face as I tried to minimize my "crazy person" vibe. i still got A LOT of curious looks from people as they passed. one little old chinese lady (in a failed attempt to be sneaky) took a picture of me, the strange lady lounging on the bench in the snow. heh. i'm so proud that i was "that person" for so many people making their way to neuschwanstein that day.
I just got home from a nifty little party hosted by Nintendo and my friend Tiff Bridge. As a PR person, I found the event VERY interesting and thought it was quite smart and well done. They contacted Tiff -- a sharp, savvy, funny blogger based in DC -- and asked if she'd be up for working with them to host a "Nintendo DS party" for a bunch of her friends. After thoroughly sniffing out all the nooks, crannies and possibly catches, Tiff agreed and started to spread the word and invite folks.
Long story, short -- the party was tonight, and I went. Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect going into it, other than that we'd very likely receive a free Nintendo DS at the end of the night, as Tiff mentioned to us. But it was actually a lot of fun! It was a cute and comfortable little party, complete with cozy couches, food, drinks, etc. We got to try out and play a lot of the games, which were engaging (read: addictive!) and fun. I can tell that I'm likely to use some more than others. For example, while I thought the nintendogs application was cute ... I don't really see myself keeping up with that on a regular basis. I may play the Mario Kart with Jenna (since she has one) cause you can compete with other people in the vicinity wirelessly (yeah -- ultra cool). But what I'll likely use MOST is the Brain Age application -- which I believe helps sharpen your brain and memory. I'll probably play with that while on the metro in the morning or something. We'll see!
My device is charging right now, but I'll def take it to work with me tomorrow, if for no other reason than to show it off. Which is PRECISELY what Nintendo was aiming for I'm sure. Bravo! Well done! I'm a happy camper.
Walking down the hall to my apartment, I slowed down to absorb the sounds and smells of the hallway on which my apartment is located. Strolling along, I passed through and enjoyed the aromas of a few different wonderful-smelling dinners. One of my neighbors is playing saxophone. And another, a few doors closer to mine, is playing piano. And I swear I hear something else that sounds like chimes, but I'm not sure. I passed through several conversations, a few TV programs, etc. And then came to my door. Inside my apartment, I can barely hear the sax now. Ah, the peace and quiet of home.
Man, what a day! We got back into DC from Paris around 2:30pm EST. It took us a while to go through customs, etc. (I didn't get stopped - yay!) and then Jenna's mom was nice enough to give me a ride home. Cruising along on the interstate with the windows down, enjoying the 70-something degree weather and the sight of all the blossoms on the trees, I felt wide awake. I thought I'd get home and have a productive day of unpacking, laundry, errands, etc. Well, I got most of the unpacking done. And I did run a couple errands, including getting some food since I had NONE in my apartment. But at about 5:30pm ... the exhaustion hit me like a ton of bricks. And now I'm going to bed, to sleep very well, I'm sure. It's about 2:00am in Paris right now. So yes, bedtime for moi. :)
Speaking of "moi," quick random story before I jet off. I was in CVS this evening, and as I wove my way through the aisles and between people to get back to the pharmacy counter, I caught myself quietly mumbling "excusez-moi" and "pardon" as I squeezed by people. Ack! I'd gotten in the habit of that when we were in Paris. Whoops.
