Welcome! You might be wondering who I am and why I’m writing this blog. I thought I’d tell you a bit about my heart for European travel and why I am here.
First and foremost I am a lover of travel, all things Europe, doors, fromage, (cheese), coffee, chocolate, wine, a great baguette, a good story, art, history, architecture, and Paris always…. I want to share that passion and so much more with you! I want to inspire you that you can travel affordably and cost-effectively!
A bit more about my background. I was born in Nederland, Texas a town settled by Dutch. There are canals, a Dutch museum, and even a windmill! My birthday is a French national holiday. How fun is that! My ancestry is French, German, Italian and a wee bit of English. How could I not love Europe?
As a young child, my mom instilled a sense of adventure in me. We would stop at all the historical markers on road trips. She encouraged in me a love of history and of learning about different places and spaces. Without her persistence, I probably would not have tried all the different foods I did. Like most kids, I was a picky eater. Now, I am willing to try almost anything! Well….almost! She pushed me out of my comfort zone. I wonder if she regrets that a little bit now.
I love meeting new people, fumbling with Metro maps and apps, stumbling over foreign words (here’s looking at you French), discovering various nooks and crannies off the beaten path, trying strange foods whose names I can’t pronounce, trying to find out how to order a glass of tap water (ha ha…forget about that in Germany), people watching (oh the people watching!), discovering new landscapes and walking miles and miles on cobblestone streets! I also love saving money! I have never-ending wanderlust and love adventure. There is such a fascinating world out there to discover!
A memory from my first trip to Europe is permanently ingrained in my brain. On my last night, I was standing on the Pont Neuf (a bridge in Paris) with such sadness in my heart that I was to leave the next day. I found myself shedding a few tears. Seriously. I did. It is a moment I will never forget. I felt like my heart had found “home”, a place where I belonged. It’s hard to imagine if you’ve never had that experience but it profoundly changed me. I almost always shed a tear or two on my last night of a trip, especially if I’m in Paris!
No matter how many times I go to Europe, I always want to go back. I begin dreaming of the next trip before I even finish the one I am on. Obessed or passionate….depends on how you look at it. I prefer passionate!
My purpose in writing this blog is to share the things I have learned, to help people plan and live out their dreams of traveling to Europe and to do so without spending a fortune. I want to inspire you and show you that you can have authentic cultural experiences, on a budget, and without being herded around in big tour groups. If you do want to take a group tour, I still think you can be inspired and learn some practical tips from what I write here.
Come join me and let’s go discover Europe. Join the conversation in my Facebook group: Frugal Europe Travel.
Please drop me a line and tell me what you would like to read about or if any of this resonates with you and if you have a love of European travel!
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