London to Home - Day 24

We traveled back to London for one last night before returning home.   We stayed in the area around the Tower of London and kept the itinerary pretty simple for our last night in Europe, just a nice dinner to sit and reminisce about our trip.  We enjoyed sharing stories and memories of our "favorite" moments that we've had along with way.  Following dinner we were treated to one last amazing sight before going back to our hotel - the Tower Bridge lit up under a beautiful night sky.   We stopped to take some pictures and to our surprise we got to see the gates lift for a nearby boat.  It was a great end to such an amazing trip.

Now we are on our way home and overwhelmed with how grateful we are to have had such a memorable adventure in Europe.  So many people helped us to be able to go on this trip and we would like to take a moment to thank all of them.  First off, a huge thank you to Alazda's grandparents and Travis' mom for watching over our cat and dog for the whole trip!   Thanks to all who shared stories and recommendations about where to go in Europe (especially Brooke)!  To Rick Steves for showing us that Europe can be done without a tour group.  Thanks to our parents, siblings, friends, and co-workers who have listened to us stress and get excited for such a huge trip - we appreciate your support more than you know. And finally, thanks to anyone looking at this blog, we have enjoyed being able to share some of our memories and experiences with you along the way.

Ciao, Au Revoir, Arrivederci, Auf Wiederstien, See you later!

- Alazda and Travis

A knights welcome back to London

One last drink to end the trip

 Tower Bridge at night

They even raised it!

Heading home, thanks for sharing our adventure with us!

Paris - Day 23

Our last day in Paris was spent exploring the streets and seeing two large churches.   We first went into Saint Chapelle, a large chapel surrounded by stained glass windows.   The interior was stunningly beautiful.  The walls were literally made completely of stained glass, filling the room with vivid colors.

We then went across the street to the famous Notre Dame Cathedral to explore.  Built 850 years ago it is well known for its gargoyles and bell towers.   We were able to walk through the inside, but didn't have enough time to climb to the top.     

We then enjoyed some time shopping at a local outdoor market before having lunch at a cafe.  Paris is famous for its numerous cafes and open air restaurants so we decided to spend our last hours in Paris in a cafe just sitting and people watching.  

Finally we boarded the chunnel back to London, our last stop before coming home.

-Alazda and Travis 

Stunning stained glass at the Saint Chapelle Chapel

Enjoying a break with the Seine River and Notre Dame in the background

The inside of Notre Dame Cathedral

Us in front of Notre Dame

Last train ride of the trip