I remember the days as a child when my mom used to tell me bedtime stories about the various trips she took to Europe. Every trip that she took, she would bring me back a snow globe. Soon my room became filled with not only snow globes but the hopes and dreams to one day embark on my own journey. From then on my mom and I started our adventure fund that consisted of loose change and dollar bills that eventually added up to a sum large enough to pay for our own trip to Europe. I watched this jar fill up every month, and each time we deposited money into this special account I could see that we were getting closer to our dream trip. Most money goes toward the support of our family. A single salaried household with a disabled grandmother and uncle doesn’t leave a lot of extra money for travel. My mom and I made our dream come true because we set a goal and a budget. We had so much fun planning this trip of our lifetime.
The twelve hour flight to London Heathrow was the longest and most uncomfortable flight I had ever had, but the arrival was worth the pain. Our first adventure consisted of the Underground taking us to Big Ben and the London Eye. Big Ben was extravagantly huge and luxurious, and the London Eye had an incredible view. The next day was enriched with beautiful art and architecture. We went to the National Gallery and to visit Buckingham Palace. Walking through the palace was an enchanting experience. At the National Gallery, I was able to gaze at beautiful Impressionist art from my favorite artists like Claude Monet. One of my favorite things to do is have high tea and what better place than in England? My mom and I walked to Piccadilly Circus to have high tea at Harrods. Harrods was incredibly magnificent, filled with fine chocolates, clothes, makeup, and so much more. It was one of the best days of my life. Oxford was another fun experience of British youth culture. I was able to see the beautiful college town full of hopeful students sitting around discussing art, politics, and so much more. It was great seeing the campus where parts of Harry Potter were filmed.
On my birthday my mom and I took the Chunnel to Paris, France. Paris was the best part of our European adventure. The culture was invigorating and the art was breathtaking. We spent our first day in Paris walking down the Champs-Elysees up to the Arc de Triomphe. I had the best shopping spree ever, even though I mostly window shopped because most of the stores were high-end. The cliché thing to purchase in Paris is a beret, so I bought two. Waiting to visit the Louvre took all of the patience that I could muster up. The size of the museum was beyond belief. I felt so blessed to be able to see so many extraordinary art pieces created by so many incredible artists. Later in the day we decided to visit Notre Dame and walk along the Seine River. The cathedral was more beautiful in person, and the flying buttresses made me want to cry. We ate at a small cafe along the Seine River, and we watched all the different people pass by. This was the perfect end to a perfect trip. My mom and I got to have our epic European extravaganza. I will never forget this trip and the time we spent together. Here's my travel video.
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