A European Adventure

by Dotti

We began our epic adventure here, in Paris, the City of Lights ...

... and ended it here, in Rome, the Eternal City.

For three weeks, my husband, my daughter, my son-in-law, my granddaughter and I trekked through streets in two countries in Europe. And what an adventure it was! While I wish I could share with you many, many of my photos {most of which are still unedited}, I'll share just a few highlights with you so you can see some of what I saw through the lens of my camera.

We began in Paris. How many ways can you photograph what might possibly be the most photographed iconic landmark in the world?

From the waters of the Seine River we saw the beautiful architecture that makes Paris, well, Paris.

We spent an enchanting morning at Luxombourg Gardens.

From there we ventured to Venice. Ahhhh! Venice. A treat for all the senses. I even dabbled in street photography. Well, that's stretching it a bit. I was getting ready to take a photo of the marvelous fruit stand when the young attendant started mugging for me. Knowing a good thing when I see one and knowing I'd be too shy to ask, I was happy to take him up on his offer.

Of course, the canals in Venice captured my heart and my eyes. This one was right outside our apartment door.

About two-thirds of the way through my trip, I realized that I wasn't capturing the details I usually find through my lens but rather was painting with a broad stroke. I decided that was okay. It was that kind of trip, just so much sensory overload. But this one, captured on our gondola ride, was an exception.

And, finally, as we leave Venice, what could be more romantic than a Venetian canal in the twilight?

While in Venice, we visited the Venetian islands of Murano, famous for glass blowing, and Burano, famous for lace making. The color on these islands made my heart skip a beat. Or two.

Next stop, Florence. The cityscape from the Pitti Palace gardens was breathtaking with all those red tile roofs and the Tuscan hills beyond.

And the view riverside wasn't bad either.

Of course, there were winding, narrow streets everywhere we turned and I wanted to photograph each one. My family, however, had other ideas. That's probably a good thing or my EHD might have blown up.

After the crowded cities, we found a much-needed change of pace in Sorrento, on the famed Amalfi Coast. There are no words to describe the beauty we found here and sadly, not enough time to share with you even a morsel of what we found there. Again, here are the broadstrokes.

And, finally, the last place on our trip, Rome. I found the most amazing light in Rome from the morning light just outside our apartment window ...

... to the Roman Colosseum caught in the golden hour light.

There you have it, just a smidgeon of what I saw through my camera lens. I do hope you enjoyed it. I hope to share at more length soon on my personal blog but there are quite a few photos to work through first. And  as I always do for our special family occasions, I'll be making a photo book so we all have a tangible memory of the wonderful places we experienced together. This was truly a very special family adventure.

For the month of August, we will once again be doing our August Break. This allows all of us, readers and contributors alike, to soak up the last days of summer. We do hope you'll continue to visit us every day but the posts will be short and sweet, just like summer itself. We will once again have a color a week for our themes. The first week, beginning tomorrow, will be Orange(ish) the new black. Tune in Monday for more information and inspiration.