Well, that was interesting.
Mark outed me.
I've had this blog for several years now, but I really don't tell anyone about it in my face-to-face life. I'm kind of shy about my creative output. Always have been. Probably why I take lessons instead of putting up a shingle. My creative stuff always seemed a combination of sacred -- I don't want to take anything away from the joy I get from making things -- and in a way, frivolous. I've heard people say they fear that everyone will think he or she's a fraud, applied to all sorts of things, even their relationships. For me, I can feel that way about my work. I'm trying to get past it though, because the grass really is so much greener.
Anyway, what I intended to talk about was France. We were there for one day in early August. Seems like a lifetime ago. We took a boat, a train, a bus and then walked to get to a nice restaurant and have some pizza. Then, we did it all in reverse and spent a few hours on the beach. I was crying on the inside because one afternoon is not enough, however, I put on my game face and made the most of it.
Oh, in case you wondered, same thing applies to wearing a Lands End tankini on the beach in Villafranche, France. Yeah, you feel like you're wearing a track suit.
Other lessons we learned about kids and European travel:
1- When in doubt, find a beach
2 - Pizza, bread and butter -- kids consider this a great meal. Oh, but forget about getting butter in Italy. They look at you like you asked for vegemite.
3 - A soda a day can go a long way. Collecting the cans makes cheap souvenirs, though you go home with a suitcase full of recycling. Especially painful if your airline charges $75 extra baggage fees.
4 - Kids love money. Let them look at the coins, marvel at the cost of things, do the exchange rates.
5- 11 year-old boys did not seem to notice the topless girls. Hmmm... I think they might regret that.
Mark to Max: "This must be a very poor country."
Max: "Huh?"
Mark: "Because the girls can only afford the bottoms of their bathing suits."
6- I think we need more naked man statues in the U.S. Might lighten everyone up a little.