On Europe.

ALL of Europe.

Just kidding.

This week, exactly six years ago, I embarked on a journey that I suspected would burn its way into my memories. Still, I am surprised by how vividly I recall the details of my European adventure these six years later. Fortunately, I kept a detailed journal (complete with details on every photo taken so that I'd remember. Way to go, 25 year old me!) in order to fill in the blanks.

I was sitting at the intersection of 21st and Blair this Monday morning and I had a burst of recollection from Italy.

We had just driven in to Milan and sat in traffic for hours. Two commuter trains had collided that day and the city was at an absolute stand still. By the time we reached the heart of Milan(o), night had long since fallen. We kept with the plan of visiting a gorgeous cathedral, nevertheless.

{For the record, I saw more churches and cathedrals than anything else while in (what felt like) the whole of Western Europe. Let me just say- amazing. The most remote little church on top of a hill in Innsbruck, Austria has more art and history than the oldest one in the US.}

So, back to Milan. We all stagger out of the charter bus where we had enjoyed our assigned seats for the handful of hours. None of us knew what we were there to see or why. We were just grateful for the break from bus fumes and the chance to move our legs. Well, all of a sudden there was a flood of the most beautiful (booming) version of Ave Maria that I have ever heard (to date.) As we turned the corner, I could see a really beautiful sort of slide show being projected on the side of this massive cathedral. Unexpected. It was of art and faces and just... beauty. Somehow the art and music combined with the electric thrill of finally setting foot in Italy was just moving.

The whole 3 week trip would prove to be an incredibly powerful and wonderful adventure. Some of it just for me to remember and most of it for me to continue remembering out loud as the memories come flooding back at this time each year. I cannot recommend a Euro Christmas adventure highly enough to you.

So, as I sat at that familiar intersection, I pushed play on my ipod. It picked up right where it left off the night before. Josh Groban belting out Ave Maria. It just felt right.

xo.