Two Wonderful Weeks Exploring Europe

Paris, Eiffel Tower

Every trip teaches you something.

In the last two weeks, I've learned that Romans actually use their window shutters, and not just for decoration. Quality gelato really is as good as they say. I should learn to make croque monsieurs. Fermented shark isn't as bad as it sounds, and penguin has the consistency of steak.

I've learned that everywhere in Paris has a view. Every corner in Rome has a church. Everyone in Copenhagen rides a bike. Every view in Iceland is a marvel.

Six countries, more than a dozen museums, too many churches to count, 1,139 photos, one mild allergic reaction and two weeks later, Paul and I have returned from our European getaway.

Our trip took us to Paris, Rome, Vatican City, Copenhagen and a Swedish suburb, and Reykjavik.

Rome, Colosseum

Here's how the trip came about:

We very nearly used some plane vouchers that were about to expire to go to Iceland last summer, but the tickets were still a little too expensive for just a long weekend. Plus, last spring two of my coworkers moved to Sweden, to a city just outside of Copenhagen. So Paul and I initially thought we would take a week's vacation and go to Reykjavik and Copenhagen.

Then I got to thinking. I sure would like to visit Paris. So then the trip became Copenhagen and Paris. And what about Rome? Why don't we take two weeks and go to Copenhagen, Paris and Rome? At this point Reykjavik was completely out of the picture.

But as I obsessively poured over plane schedules and prices, I realized that adding a stopover in Reykjavik actually made the plane tickets cheaper. Sign me up.

Copenhagen, Nyhavn

So that's how we ended up spending four days each in Paris and Rome, and three days each in Copenhagen and Reykjavik.I fully expected it to be a whirlwind trip, a sort of modern-day grand tour. What I didn't expect is that we would experience all four seasons in two weeks and that I would learn to convert four different currencies in my head

I have lots to write about and lots of photos to share. Over the next few weeks I'll be posting them here, interspersing them with the typical New York-based blog posts you usually find on this blog. I hope you enjoy them.

Iceland, Gullfoss