I got wrapped up in our Eurotrip from 2 years ago…So I started a
Facebook album. I also added our Europtrip to my Trips application on Facebook.

I suppose I’m stuck on these memories since I’m getting ready to leave Kansas. We’re taking another road trip West – towards home and my new job.

Some day, we’ll head back to Europe.

My bro….Army Gigolo

Originally uploaded by queenkv.

Get it? Like “Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo.”

I hope he knows that beer goes straight to your gut and hips….not the best of things for the physique of a fighting machine.

My bro….Army Gigolo

Originally uploaded by queenkv.

In his e-mail…he wrote: “The highlight of my trip is when I met Lt. General Sanchez (commander involved in the Abu Ghuraib scandal) and he mentioned how young I looked.”

Yeah – but they didn’t card him while he went bar hopping. I got so used to being treated like an adult in Europe – it was a bit of a culture shock when servers started asking for ID when I got back to the States.

We left Cambridge and met Andrea, Matt (had a residency in Dublin) and Andrea’s friend Sammantha at Leicester Square…..for Mark and me…it was our last night in London….we had an early flight…we didn’t finish packing….but somehow – it seemed right to do dinner, swings and pix with the gang – one last time.

We flew back to the States on Dec. 12 – we had about 2 hours of sleep….I got sick thanks to the crazy kids running around the plane….little children have germs – especially the loud and naughty ones.

We figured it was a good idea to take advantage of the rides – before dinner….didn’t want to get sick while spinning around on these things.

Ok – and for some reason – it seemed like a good idea to whip out my camera as the ride whipped around and snap some pix of my friends….i’m lucky I didn’t drop our baby. I had our canon in an iron-like grip. I’m amazed these pix came out.

We had dinner at some Italian place….I can’t believe they ran out of lemoncella….for some reason, the waitresses didn’t understand I was ordering this sweet shot for desert. Dinner was lovely.

I miss London.

We decided to visit Cambridge on our last day in England. A bunch of royalty and smart people attended this university.

We had lunch at this pub….where Watson and Crick announced the whole DNA double helix stuff…

Here’s beautiful King’s Chapel…..inside King’s College.

Here’s St. John’s College

We decided to go punting on the River Cam

Mark was inspired….and figured he could do it himself.

Mark looked like a pro. I’m so proud of my honey.

Some people turned the punting into a demolition derby – they knocked their boats into the walls and into other boats….yeah…we got bumped a few times….

And the birds were so damn agressive. This black one came right up to our boat….looking for handouts and sniffing in my bag. I screamed like a girl.

I’m going to miss England….

The grey statue is real. As in…a real human being….

Leicester Square has a mess load of half-price ticket counters – so I picked up a cheap pair (22.50/each) for Chicago – for Thursday evening. If you want cheap tix – you have to buy them for that evening….I don’t think you can get cheap tix for future performances

We had a blast at “Chicago”…..in London theaters – you can eat and drink in your seats…..and they still manage to keep everything clean. So…Mark bought some champagne for the second act.

Last night….we thought it was snowing….so, I went home and changed out of my cute heels and into my sensible docs. I didn’t want to freeze to death or get hypothermia….all for the sake of fashion.

Then we walked out again…puzzled because it felt warm enough to be snow-free….then we noticed it was only snowing on one block…..I stuck my hand out and watched a “snowflake” plop in my palm….and dissolve like a soap bubble….wait a minute….it was a soap bubble! Just another stunt at one of clubs on the street we live.

Mark wanted to make sure I didn’t want to change back into my cute heels – since we were heading to another club…..I decided to keep my comfy shoes one.

Had some Italian food….

Went to Bar Rumba….great drum and bass….loud music and expensive drinks….and it was a decent crowd….the dancing kicked off around 11 or so….

Found another drink specialty….the San Francisco….

Then had a massive craving for hot dogs…..last week – I was looking for this guy after another night of bar hopping….and he was nowhere to be found….we track him down to Regents Street and satisifed my hot dog craving. It’s good business to have a hot dog cart for the late night party people….because you can’t get a bite to eat at any of the pubs or restaurants….they all close down so damn early.

Yeah…the Roman did the whole taking-over England thing….back in the day….they introduced the public baths to the Brits and a new way to indulge in religion.

We got to Bath in the afternoon – after mass. It’s about an 1 1/2 hours away from Central London. This is Bath Abbey. The first king of England (the dude who unified all the little kingdoms running rampant in the the country, at the time) was crowned here – Edgar. William the Conqueror’s son did his coronation here as well. According to Lonely Planet – the abbey’s been here since 944 AD.

Here’s one of the many cute streets of shops and pubs in Bath. On the left-hand side – with the Roman-looking facade – that’s the Roman Baths.

Tis’ the season for Xmas Markets. Plenty of handcrafts, goodies and mulled wine.

The Roman Bath ticket includes your own audio tour.

The Roman Baths have been here since AD 44….it was this huge Temple complex dedicated to this hybrid goddess: Sulis-Minerva. (Sulis: Celtic goddess…Minverva: Roman goddess of wisdom).

Excavations are still going on….this is the piedment from the main temple.

By the time we got down to the waters – it was dark.

The water’s still hot…it’s also unfiltered….and I’ll try to stop thinking about the millions of people who ignored the sign: “Don’t touch the water” and dipped their fingers into the bath…..

The abbey looks very dramatic, all lit-up at night…

It felt relaxing to sit by the water….

After the Roman Baths…we wandered around the town. Like Central London – it was also decked out for the holidays.

We finished up the night with a walk by the River Avon….which also flows through the town of Salisbury….you know…that’s next to Stonehenge.

Oh yeah, but we could always drop a few pounds on mulled wine. Yum.

We found this tree at Trafalgar Square…

Norway sent over – it’s a tradition that dates back to 1940-something…in thanks to the Brits for helping them out during the war….or something

Some idiot decided to toss some bread out into the square…all the rats-with-wings….I mean pigeons, attacked the area.

If you stay still – the pigeons will use you like a statue. This girl is from Poland….I asked her if she wanted me to take a picture with her camera…She said yes and then changed her mind when the pigeons started settling in on her arm for the long haul….I’m a bit glad she changed her mind.

Dinner at the Texas Embassy was good and filling. London had a real Texas Embasy – back in the day….when Texas was a real country.

Then Eileen and Terri got in trouble with the bobbys….

Then we checked out the Christmas lights around Saville Row….

Burlington Arcade….

And Bond Street…

I also enjoyed the lights in this store, just around the corner from our flat.