The favorite trip we have taken was given to us by Mike and Natalie. It was a trip to many countries in Europe. It was a wonderful surprise and supposed to be our gifts for the rest of our lives. Mike took us to the airport in Cedar Rapids and we flew to Denver and then to Chicago and on to London. Arrived in London at 7:30 a.m. We checked in to the Thistle Tower hotel for the night. We walked around London seeing the London Bridge and the Tower Bridge over the River Thames. Walked around the Tower of London and ate fish And chips. Spring flowers were in bloom so we had two springs that year. Beautiful! Next morning we ate breakfast and then met our tour group. The tour bus took us around west side of London. We went to Westminster Abbey,Trafalgar square, St James Palace where prince Charles lives, Piccadilly Circus, Hyde Park, Kensington Palace etc. We got off the bus at Trafalgar Square with a single lady Judith Brandeen Who spent the afternoon touring and eating with us. Returned to the hotel by boat. It was still early so we went out touring on our own but as it got later protesters started to gather and the police were out in force. There were posters about President Clinton and the United States . Turned around fast and walked until we decided we needed a cab back to the hotel. Next day we went to the White Cliffs of Dover and took a ferry to Calais, France. Saw lots of animals living in people’s small backyards. On to Brussels to see all its sights. Next morning left for Holland going into Amsterdam to a cheese factory . Took roads on dikes between the North Sea and the village of Volendam. A beautiful fishing village on the waters edge. Saw Ann Franks house etc. Took a boat ride down the canal. When in Amsterdam we went to a diamond factory where they locked us in and tried to sell to us. Needless to say you could tell who was wealthy that day. That evening our guide Peter took us for a walk through the red light district. Women should never have to earn a living in that way. Left Holland for Germany and took a boat ride up the Rhine River Saw castles and how they raised their crops. We enjoyed a conversation with a South African couple and an argumenT between a New Zelander and them about a soccer game. Enjoyed the people and their stories. That night we ate with a group from New Zeland We had a hard time understanding them. Dunas were comforters, plonts were plants and blokes were men. Next day we went on to the Black Forest to a clock factory and a glassblower. We stayed that night in Lucerne Switzerland. We took a boat ride to the mountains on Lake Lucerne and got on a cog wheel tram and went to the top of Mount Birkenstock in the Alps. Took a cable car back down and went to dinner and a show. I was asked to come on stag and blow the Swiss horn. I actually got sound out of it. Had a great evening with Joan and Vinnie a couple who owned a vineyard and Judith Brandee’s who had become a friend. Vinnie was a good story teller. From Lucerne we went to Lichtenstein . We stopped at Wattens and toured the Swarovski factory and museum. We then went on to Innsbruck and from Innsbruck to Salzburg Austria. In Salsburg we went to the cemetery where Sound Of Music was filmed. Salzburg had beautiful outdoor markets with fruits, vegetables and flowers. O Then on to Vienna Austria and toured the Schonbrunn Palace and the underground crypts of the Hapsburg family . Took a walk along the Danube River and visited with Bob Sims a very nice man with our group. That evening we rode the big wheel. Wonderful view. Stayed on Ledo and walked through village to a boat which took us to Venice. In Venice we went to the Moreno glass factory. Took a gondola ride through the canals. Another boat took us to Moreno for a seafood dinner. Then 17 of us opted to get off and stay in Venice longer. We rented a couple boats to take us back. Our share was 40,000 lira. We got up early and walked down to the Adriatic Sea to watch the sun come up and watch a fisherman empty his catch of many different fish. After this we left for Rome. We toured the Vatican, Sistine Chapel, Saint Peters Bascillica, the Colosseum, the ruins and then took the Apia highway to the Catacombs. On our way to dinner we stopped at the Trevi fountain to make our wishes. Interesting meal with music and jokes. One lady at each table got a special delivery of a dinner with a kiss and a butt pinch. Next stop Florence . We walked and walked looking for the statue of David but never did find it. Remember ordering a hamburger for lunch and it came with an egg on top. We drove to the city of Pisa to see the leaning tower and on to Monoco where we just went into the shops and a casino. We then drove on to Nice. We went for a walk to the beach in Nice It was totally rocks. Sat on a bench and watch the people in a distance take off all their clothes and sun bathe laying on the rocks. Not close enough to be embarrassed. We then went to Cannes where they hold the film festival and on to a perfume factory . That evening we went to dinner at a restaurant at the top of the three Corniches. From there we could see the spot where princess Grace was killed. Wonderful fun dinner. Next day we went to Lyons with a stop in Avignon where we visited the palaces of the Popes Next we arrived in Paris where we saw the Norte Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre , the Arch of Triumph, and the palace of Versailles. We did an evening illuminated cruise which was very pretty. Our last night in Paris we went to a nightclub for a meal and a show. It was a nude review but done so beautifully that I didn’t even notice that they were nude. Last day the bus took us to the Charles De Gaulle airport to go back home It was the trip of a lifetime.