Dreaming ...

[threadwalker]

I want to save some money in the ol' proverbial sock and go to Europe. My first and only trip so far was amazing. Simply awesome. I really relaxed in Tuscany. But first we need to go to an English speaking country ... so sayeth the husband who speaks only one language. Thus, the sooner we get to London (and the V&A!!!) the sooner I can go back to Tuscany or even ... dare I suggest ... go to the Low Countries? or Austria?

'Tis good to dream.

Comments

[loup_noir]

Almost everyone speaks English in Belgium. I'll let you know about the Netherlands after we get back.

I had a heck of a time understanding the Thames valley accents i.e. London; however, the further north we went, the easier it was for me. Scotland is a great place to visit. Everyone is very friendly.

Austria and Germany really do require some German. If it wasn't for Wiglaf, I wouldn't have enjoyed Austria very much. He helped us a great deal.

London: the V&A is amazing. The British Museum will warp your tiny mind into origami. It's so huge. You can "do" the V&A in a few days. The British Museum is something we still haven't conquered, even after going back a few times. The Museum of London is not to be missed. The Cheapside Hoarde, need I say more?

If you make it over to Oxford, the Ashmolean Museum won. We expected a mid-sized museum and were completely overwhelmed by the sheer size of it (plus, Oxford has the most incredible bookstores).

To travel France, all you need know is basic tourist French. Bonjour, merci, sil-vous-plait and smile a great deal. They appreciate it when you try, but they don't expect you to speak it fluently. The museums are tout en francais, so you need a dictionary and a lot of patience. France is worth the effort. The food is wonderful, the people are charming and the lifestyle worth emulating. I'd move there in a second.

[beanolc.livejournal.com]

To travel France,...
Or, you plan the trip with your apprentice and her husband. She's literate in French and working on becoming conversant, and he's the same in German.

[fighter-chick.livejournal.com]

I wanna borrow leofwine for Germany!! ;)

Can't wait...

[thread-walker.livejournal.com]

I can't wait to hear about the Low Countries.

[fighter-chick.livejournal.com]

Or take your non-fealty student, who is conversant in French and entirely accustomed to translating museum placards. Last time I was in the Louvre, I was translating out loud for A&C and the Husband...after about half an hour, I realized that I had a small horde of Americans following about after me, listening to my translations. Hee!

[beanolc.livejournal.com]

Group trip! Group trip!!!!!!!

Welllll, One small problem

[thread-walker.livejournal.com]

The husband states he won't go to France until there are no French in it ...

I may talk him out of that eventually, but honestly, I'm so eager to go to the V&A, that France isn't even on the table.

And I realized this week that if I could transport my friends with me, I'd move to Tuscany and just visit all these places from there. The food ain't that great, but the lifestyle is mellow and I was enthralled with the countryside.