European Vacation Truisms

Throughout our trip there were several inescapable constants.

Firstly, no matter which direction you decide to go, it will be wrong. Whether you're looking for your hotel, an attraction, a train station or a restaurant, you will always go the wrong way first off. It might only be a block, or it might be an entire shopping mall of misdirection.

Secondly, no matter what level of international interest a particular attraction might attract (oddly enough, for an attraction) there will be scaffolding around at least part of it. Whether it's one pylon of the Eiffel Tower closed for maintenance, or the entirety of the Spanish Steps in Rome, somewhere there will be scaffolding around the site.

Thirdly, every decision I made was wrong. This was nothing as simple as the two of us disagreeing. I was actually wrong in every decision I made during the course of our holiday. The food I chose, the train I chose, the path I chose. Everything was incorrect. By the end of the trip, we were actually doing the opposite of what I suggested. It made things go much more smoothly I assure you.

So, as you're reading these chronicles, please keep in mind these three little rules. Much of our frustration at places was caused by these. If you're not an idiot, most of the bad side of the places we visited will not be a problem for you.