Packing for Europe with a family of four is naturally a challenge. But, a two week trip through three countries, six hotels, and an overnight train, our packing will need to be done in a way that supports “backpacking” meaning light weight, and streamlined – which will prove even more challenging. That in mind we plan to take the Rick Steves approach: pack everything up, put it on your back, and head downtown for an hour to find out if the weight is too much.
France: Paris
While I generally believe in planning a European vacation with the optimistic assumption that I will return, there’s also a logic in ensuring that a first trip to Europe covers at least a few of the “greatest hits”. Which is why, our upcoming family adventure will include three days in Paris, even though (gasp!) it isn’t one of my favorite cities.
Amsterdam: 18 Hour Layover
Rijksmuseum, Courtesy IAmesterdam
There are three direct flights from Europe to Salt Lake City, through London, Paris, or Amsterdam. Following our time in Rome, I knew we’d have to connect in one of these cities, and based on a great deal I found on Delta, Amsterdam was the best option. So, I decided to push for one more day of Punching the Travel Fun Button with a layover in Amsterdam. We won’t have much time, so I opted for maximum convenience in all our planning.
Monterosso: Cinque Terre
Normandy: Two Day Itinerary
Travelling by myself, I would not dedicate two precious vacation days to Normandy. I am neither a history buff, nor a fan of the road trip. But, with a husband and two boys – it seems no trip to Europe would be complete without a little war (literally, historically, & metaphorically) of various interests. So, I’ve tried to build out an itinerary that combined things I enjoy – quaint villages, wine, charming architecture – with things they’ll enjoy. Normandy will keep off our European adventure with a day of beaches and Mont-Saint-Michel, followed by a day of Memorial Museums and the charming city of Rouen.
Rome: Three Day Itinerary
With two teenage boys in tow, one European city is a guaranteed winner – Rome. Although, I will admit, it has taken four trips to Rome for me to learn to love the Eternal City, so positioning this trip at the end of our journey goes against my basic advice: hit Rome first, while you still have enough energy for this buzzing, complicated, frenetic, city. But, logistics of our trip being what they are, we’ll be hitting Rome as our penultimate stop. That in mind, I booked a relaxing hotel with a gorgeous pool outside the city center to ensure we could escape from Rome if we start feeling overwhelmed by the crowds or the heat.
French Cooking: Preparing for our trip to France
Food, all journeys for me start with food – so I’m preparing for this huge journey (and my son’s limited pallets) by cooking the types of food we’re likely to encounter along the way.
Basic French Toolkit
Conjugating Verbs:
être – AM
I Am
je suis
tu es
il; elle est
ns sommes
vs êtes
ils; elles sont
I Will Be
j’ai été
tu as été
il; elle a été
nous avons été
vous avez été
ils; elles ont été
I Was
j’étais
I was, I used to be
tu étais
il/elle était
nous étions
vous étiez
ils/elles étaient
Avoir – Have
I Am Having
j’ai
tu as
il/elle a
nous avons
vous avez
ils/elles ont
I Will Have
j’aurai
I will have
tu auras
il/elle aura
nous aurons
vous aurez
ils/elles auront
I Had
j’avais
I had, I used to have
tu avais
il/elle avait
nous avions
vous aviez
ils/elles avaient
Aller – Go
I Go
je vais
tu vas
il/elle va
nous allons
vous allez
ils/elles vont
I Will Go
j’irai
I will go
tu iras
il/elle ira
nous irons
vous irez
ils/elles iront
I Went
j’allais
tu allais
il/elle allait
nous allions
vous alliez
ils/elles allaient
Venice
Getting Around
In Venice it’s all about the Vaporetto, with route maps and tickets available through Venezia Unica.
Dining in France: Chez Denise
Parisienne Lunch in Les halles, featured on Anthony Bourdain, No Reservations.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/1159701?m=19905
