March 06, 2007

Finally

We leave today.

My husband has never been across the ocean. This will be his first time visiting the European City where People With Lovely Accents Buy Fish and Chips Wrapped in Newspaper. I'll be showing him the neighborhood where I lived 25 years ago, when I was a college student studying abroad. He still knows the address by heart because he wrote to me every single day that semester. (Yes, every single day. The other American students were jealous that I got so much mail from home.) I will take him to my favorite pub, which I know is still there because I googled it, and my favorite bakery, which may or may not still be there. We'll walk around the streets near Train Station With Same Name as the Bear. We'll eat afternoon tea, buy flowers at the market, and take a train to the countryside for a night.

We'll be seeing stained glass windows that shape light into vivid colour, museums full of artwork that will look familiar because we've seen it in so many books, and cathedrals where old women stoop low to light candles. We'll be eating in pubs full of British chatter and French cafes that smell of onion and garlic. We'll take the new fast train under the channel, the train that hurtles through a tunnel that did not exist when I lived there last. We'll take a boat ride at night along the River That Flows Through the City With the Famous Tower That No One Liked at First. We'll see churches older than the country we live in: we'll see bits of a medieval wall.

But most of my readers can guess what the best part of the trip will be: we'll be seeing Wonderful Smart Beautiful Daughter.

32 comments:

YourFireAnt said...

How do you know you'll be doing all that stuff?? SmartWBD may have other plans for you. ;-)

Bon voyage!

FA

Yankee, Transferred said...

It sounds wonderful! We're two years behind you-Older Daughter will spend her junior year in Fabulous Country That Disagreed With Our War Policy.
We'll go visit her and it will be terrific.

Kelly said...

Have fun, jo(e)! We LOVE the chunnel. So much fun.

Kathryn said...

I'm a wee bit excited here too....Roll on Friday :-)

Seeking Solace said...

Have a wonderful time!!!!

krisluvswool said...

I love the place with the people with the lovely accents! What a wonderful trip! Youre going ot have so much fun together :)

FYI, you should definately drop by the V&A. It's my favorite museum there--partly because after the crush of people at the more famous museums, the V&A is so quiet and peaceful... but it's also just one of the most eclectic and creatively-themed museums I've ever been to. And there are TEEEEEEEENIE TINY silver tea services for doll houses. How awesome is THAT?

a/k/a Nadine said...

Wheee! Have fun! Take lots of pictures!

APStraight said...

Enjoy--- Traveling Mercies....

RageyOne said...

Safe travels! Have fun.

KM said...

Hey, jo(e), enjoy my hometown :-)... looking forward to hearing your reports; I'm sure a lot has changed since you last graced the place. God bless your coming, going, and chilling.

Jennifer (ponderosa) said...

Have fun! Have fun!

BeachMama said...

Ooooh, hope you have a wonderful time. I hope you get to see everything you want to and more!

Ookami Snow said...

Have a good time!

I look forward to seeing pictures.

frog said...

Great news! Bon voyage!

Kyla said...

It sounds completely perfect, jo(e)!

Sue said...

Have a wonderful trip jo(e)!

Liz Miller said...

JEALOUS!

Have a lovely time!

KLee said...

I'm so jealous. I want to go there so badly! I wish I could go, too. There's actually a Girl Scout World Center there, and I'd love to go see it.

I hope that you have a great trip, and I know you'll be over the moon to see your daughter! Have a great time! We can't wait for pics and posts when you return!

Rev Dr Mom said...

Oh that sounds wonderful! I've never been there, and City Where People Buy Fish and Chips Wrapped in Newspaper is a place I really want to visit.

Have a fabulous trip!

BerryBird said...

Oh, Jo(e), I am so happy for you. We all know how badly you've been missing WSBD. And how sweet that you will be able to show your husband around to all the places you wrote to him about 25 years ago.

Lilian said...

Oh, how romantic! Letters every single day! We did that one summer too when we were dating.

But of course the highlight of the trip will be spending time with our daughter.

Let us know how your husband likes what he sees "accross the big pond" :)

Lilian said...

oops, across, not accross (and Mozilla did warn me).

Sarah Sometimes said...

I didn't realize you were leaving so soon! Probably you are on the plane already. I will be thinking about you and how much fun you're having.

rachel said...

oh how fun! i was just there recently, visiting friends and doing some work. i lived in country where it always rains for 4.5 years for grad school and miss it so much (and, frankly, i'd trade the rain for -40 degree weather we're experiencing today!).

if you're looking for a fun, quick and cheapish day break, you could do worse my old haunts, city with chapel boys who sing christmas carols to the world. aka, Cambridge. 45 mins and 12GBP return from King's Cross station, and make sure you hit evensong at king's college.

have a wonderful time!

susan said...

I am totally envious!!! Have a wonderful, wonderful time--as I know you will. And I look forward to the stories you will tell.

Liesl said...

Sounds like a fabulous trip - I hope you all have a wonderful time!

Anonymous said...

enjoy! hope you have a super visit.

juneaudog said...

Travel lite. Goddess bless.

Anonymous said...

What a sweet husband you have. Enjoy the time with your daughter!

Rana said...

Have fun! :)

chichimama said...

Enjoy!!!!!!!

comebacknikki said...

Have a wonderful time!!!

I'm SO jealous!