50 First Dates

I’m considering changing the title of this blog to “50 First Dates,” since I am well on my way to 40 and can see myself moving far beyond before Mr. Right decides to make an entrance in my life. Yes, I’m back at it again. Apparently Mr. Man decided that my recent month long excursion to Europe was the perfect opportunity for him to make his exit from my life. It was a good time for me too because I had a lot of great new experiences and met awesome new friends while abroad which all aided in distracting me from my current heart break. Now all I can do is just try not to think about it and to move on with my life. Things were a little weird before I left so I definitely saw it coming. Actually, things were never really the same once he got sent back to his homeland. Maybe he just saw it as a convenient relationship while he was here for work and that was that. Oh well…

Speaking of Europe though…wow…I am SO glad I went!! It was amazing! I was able to visit a friend in London where we hit up a couple of volleyball games at the Olympics and saw a beautiful performance of Les Miserables. The site seeing was also quite enjoyable. One day I even took a little trip out to the country to visit the home of Jane Austen. Appropriately, I had brought “Persuasion” as my travel book and it has been most delightful considering the places I have been. Her home was in such a charming, quaint little village, it just took you right into one of her books! 

Among some other sites in London, I also visited Westminster Abbey, Parliament, the London Eye, the Tower of London, Windsor Castle, Abbey Road, and much more! I especially enjoyed a river boat tour on the Thames. Such good times!

My London friend and I also took a quick two day side trip on the chunnel. Can you guess where we went? Yep, Paris! Our hotel was so cute! I don’t know why, I just thought it was so adorable with its’ full size windows with window boxes and flowers. In fact, much of Paris was decorated in the same way with its’ old ornate stone buildings! 

It was fun to see the Eiffel Tower, both during the day and when it sparkled at night! We also visited the Louvre, the Arc de Triumph, Notre Dame, Sacre Couere, and Versailles. So many beautiful and interesting places! Seeing one of Michelangelo’s statues in person was especially delightful for me after having read his biography last year, “The Agony and the Ecstasy.” Very cool!

After spending a week and half on that side of the continent, I set out on my own to Austria via Germany. This trip was especially meaningful for me because I had the opportunity to play in a symphony with a classical music festival. We were settled in the small city of Eisenstadt, where Joseph Haydn lived and worked for many years and where so much music history took place! We practiced daily in the Esterhazy palace where he had been employed. We performed his “Creation” there with both a choir, and for the first time ever, a ballet. The whole experience was absolutely incredible! I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to be a part of such a meaningful music experience! 

The rest of that trip was filled with touring palaces, castles, and cathedrals of great significance. We performed Haydn’s “Farewell Symphony” in the same room where it was originally performed, in a palace in Hungary. We had an extra special treat because a descendant of the Esterhazy family was in attendance, Prince Anton Esterhazy! We performed Beethoven’s “Mass in C” at the church where it was first performed and in the cathedral where Mozart was married, and where Beethoven’s funeral was held, and Schubert was a candle bearer. We saw many of their graves. It was fun to picture them there years ago making the same music I was then attempting to recreate! Incredible! 

From there we were able to take a side trip with a smaller group from the festival. I chose Budapest for my destination and was glad to find out that many of my new friends had chosen just as well. This city turned out to be one of my favorite from the entire trip! It was soooo beautiful!! I think that all of us would agree that our dinner cruise along the Danube was a huge highlight of this trip. Wow! I promise, there are no words to describe that amazing experience. On our second day we had a chance to see much of the country side along the Danube, including a look across the river at Slovakia. What an incredible piece of God’s creations! I’m so glad I had the opportunity to enjoy it! And that our crazy bus driver didn’t kill us so I could live to share it with you!!

A few days later I was on 4 more planes that took me through Germany, where I was momentarily locked in a room by myself at the airport and then questioned extensively by security and the border police, and then back to London and finally good old Salt Lake City Utah. It’s good to be home and see my friends and family again but I will always remember how awesome that trip was. Now, because I don’t mess around, I already have two dates lined up this week. So, stick around and you will find out what happens. I am not feeling like I want anything serious right now but staying out there in the game doesn’t hurt right? That’s funny cause I feel like the whole game hurts but…you know what I mean.