I’ve been dreadfully remiss in the upkeep of my blog. Once school let out, I became a slave to my daughter’s schedule: swim team, tennis team, voice, piano, and guitar lessons, trips to the library and the mall, and Scrabble, Wizard and Rummy-O marathons (with my mother) all of which cut into my writing time, but I tell myself it won’t be this way forever and I cherish her desire for my companionship.

On 13 July, my daughter, Tirsa, and I are going to Europe. I was about her age when I went for the first time and I hope it shapes her life in the same way it did mine. I wasn’t conscious at the time of the impact it had, but looking back I can see that it expanded my sense of the world, and gave me sensory input that I continued to draw upon for years to come. It also engendered a desire to learn French and to return periodically to speak it with the natives. This will be my fourth trip to Europe and I prepared by attending a conversation group for the past year. Tirsa has already begun to learn French in school so I’m eager for her to catch up with me so we can converse together.

Below is our itinerary. I probably will not update this blog until after our return when Tirsa is ensconced in camp for a week and I can catch up on all my work. A bientot!

GERMANY, ALEMANIA, ALLEMAGNE

1.      Munich: Monday 14 July
Munich: Tuesday 15 July
somewhere in here is a visit to Dachau

2.      Heidelburg: Wednesday 16 July
Heidelburg: Thursday 17 July
somewhere in here is a boat trip down the Neckar Valley

FRANCE, FRANCIA, FRANCE

3. Paris: Friday 18 July
   Paris: Saturday 19 July
   Paris: Sunday 20 July
   Paris: Monday 21 July
4. Nice: Tuesday 21 July
   Nice: Wednesday 22 July
5. Provence: Thursday 23 July
   Provence: Friday 24 July

SPAIN, ESPAÑA, ESPAGNE

6. Barcelona: Saturday 24 July
   Barcelona: Sunday 25 July
   somewhere in here is a trip to Toledo
7. Madrid: Monday 26 July
   Madrid: Tuesday 27 July
   Madrid: Wednesday 28 July
   Madrid: Friday 29 July