Personal Bucket List: A Trip to the UK/Europe

This is one which may require an assortment of trips to truly get the feel, and experience right. Ever since I was young, I have wanted to take a trip to the UK, and parts of Europe. To see the sights, and to experience the different cultures. I have a friend who has spent the better part of the last month there and I’ve been following her postings with both eagerness and a small, tiny hint of jealously.

My dad is a huge fan of PBS. When we were growing up, one of the shows that he watched all the time (and still does) is All Creatures Great & Small. I wrote about the show last Christmas. The show takes place in northern England in Yorkshire, and ever since I first saw it, I wanted to travel there and see the sights that I grew up watching. But beyond that, there is so much more to see. To visit Thirsk or Shrewsberry, or I could travel to London, and see ALL the historic sights, from the Tower of London, to the London Bridge, Baker St. and all the Sherlock Holmes sights (always a fan of course), as well as the royal palace and the O2, and of course, take a ride on the London Eye, as well as many other things that I can’t even think of.

I’d travel to Stonehenge and Highclere Castle (Which, in addition to housing the largest collection of Egyptian artifacts in England is also the home to the popular show Downton Abby). I’d also want to see KnebworthHouse and Mentmore Towers.

In addition, I’d like to visit Ireland. Stop in a pub in Dublin and have a pint. Travel to the town of Avoca in County Wicklow, and hoist a few at Fitzgeralds. There are also a number of castles in Ireland. Last year, my cousin Matt and his wife traveled there and told me about a few they saw, and I’d like to see Slane Castle in Slane County. Many great concerts, from The Rolling Stones, U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Queen, David Bowie, Neil Young, Bryan Adams, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Guns N' Roses, Madonna, R.E.M., Foo Fighters, Celtic Woman and Oasis have held large outdoor concerts at Slane.

I’d travel to France, to see the fields of Normandy and Bastogne. To travel among the WWII cemeteries and pay respects. To Paris and see the Eiffel Tower, the great Arch, the Louvre and all its sights. The famous Palais Garnier as well as the palaces and gardens throughout the city. From there, I’d travel to Germany and see the sights in Berlin, (The remains of the wall, WWII landmarks etc.) Munich and all kinds of sights (My mother traveled there in HS, and as such I’ve heard some of her stories.)

I’d visit Poland, in order to see Krakow, and Auschwitz as well as the factories once owned by Oskar Schindler and the surrounding camps. I’d also travel a bit in Italy, not only to see Rome but also the Vatican and all that is there.

And this is just a fraction of what I'd have in mind. As you can imagine, this is a trip that would take a LARGE amount of time and money, and perhaps one day I’ll have both, but more likely I’ll find a way to split it up into smaller trips and enjoy it all the more.