"We'll backpack through the Ritz"

Another quote from our hilarious holiday!

It's no secret that I am a travel snob. I didn't used to be, honest. But, after a year and a half of janky ass hotels and ghetto rental cars, I am over it. Budget travel my ass. Seriously, after dropping my boss off at the W Lakeshore and then me heading to sketchy Michigan Ave on the 10th floor with no functional elevator, just, no.

One of the silver linings of Job From Hell was the fact that I traveled so much and acquired mega travel points on various airlines and hotel chains. Of course, I never had opportunity to use them while at Job From Hell, but, now I do. So, silver lining, counting my blessings and all that, etc, etc.

Now, for Eurostravaganza 2012 I might have gone all out. In Madrid we stayed at the race hotel because I figured it was the best bet--decided if it was super sketch, we'd leave. We weren't in love with it, but, it was centrally located and nice for the price.

Dusk view from our hotel in Madrid

The hellfire kicked in the second we left Madrid.

Train station y'all, train station.

We trained it to Barcelona via "premier classe" on EuroRail which oh.my.gosh. We felt like James Bond for real.

And we had the entire cabin to ourselves.

I'm not even kidding when I say this was the best meal of my life. On a train.

Our hotel in Barcelona? Bomb diggity. Right on Las Ramblas. Rainforest shower head. Automatic blue night lights (NEED THIS IN MY HOUSE).

Obsessed with these stairs.

And a sun terrace--were we spent a majority of our time.

When we weren't flirting with the cute maitre d' or eating the best food ever.

I think it was the train that ruined us. Rach goes "now I understand what Marie Antoinette was thinking. Let them eat cake! Peasants!" and that became the theme for the entire trip.

We arrived in London to our lovely room in Picadilly where we hijacked a zillion mini jams and ate more free scones, biscuits and other carb products. Seriously, it was our idea of heaven.

Jam!

Had fabulous seats at Phantom which were PERFECT for "All I Ask Of You" when he's in the angel--he is RIGHT THERE. Oh my gawd I'm still swooning so freaking hot why is the Phantom always so amazing?!

The Opera Populaire of course!

We ate at Harrod's like fancy ladies. And had two desserts. Because one would be just silly.

Sat fifth row at Les Mis where I cried the entire time and screamed my head off at the curtain call.

Longest running show in history. Word.

Scored FRONT ROW tickets for Sweeney Todd wherein Michael Ball (ya know, the ORIGINAL MARIUS FROM LES MIS. He is an amazing Sweeney, please see it!) spat on Rachel and we could see every detail of the conductor and orchestra. Dumbass had a ring on though.

We flew home business class because honestly, the flight to Madrid in coach was the longest thing ever and although we were quite prepared to quote Seinfeld for ten hours to get home, the karma Gods were with us and we were lucky enough to have an upgrade.We love British Air! They hooked us up!

I've flown Upper Class on Virgin and let me tell you, Business on British Air? FREAKING AMAZING. What the eff is first on British? Do you get your own private suite? I have a lot of questions.

So, while we never planned on becoming James Bond, Marie Antoinette or Princess Victoria on the trip, we got so insanely lucky and I can't actually believe that it happened. I can't believe that we were so freaking blessed to have such an amazing time and got to live the sweet life for at least a little bit.

Which brings me to this: baby sister, please marry for money.

Or, this tiara.

Secret Language

Eurostravaganza 2012 was coupled by many hilarious quotes from sister and myself. I honestly hadn't laughed so much in a long time. I was in stitches the entire trip and I LOVED IT.

A few of our favorites:

"We're British. We only show affection for dogs or horses."

"Peasants!" (said to everyone once we left Madrid and our high roller operation kicked in)

"Let them eat cake!"

"I'm sorry, the riff raff are not allowed."

"Um. We might be the riff raff." (when we realized that everyone in our train car had left and it was just us up there in first class, yo)

"Oh. You're Swedish? Do you know Princess Victoria?" (said to anyone who wasn't British or German)

"He must be--HUNGARIAN!" (done in voice from My Fair Lady)

"Are you fine?" (said in German accent)

"Would you like a green card? We will sponsor you!"

"I bet he smells good." (said about every other business we saw whilst sunning ourselves along the Southbank)

"Shh! He's talking. We listen to British men talk now, please."

"I bet he's gay. I tend to like the gays." (we're looking at you, Phantom)

"Small snack my ass!"

"Oh, Mario!"

I realize none of these are funny to anyone except me and the sister, but, DAMN I can't stop laughing.

Goodness

Sorry for my absence! Been crazed! Once I put my head back on, the Eurostravaganza 2012 posts shall continue.

So, despite my general whininess and the fact that I passed the hell out at yoga last week, there's a ton of goodness going on right now!

I've had like a zillion hilarious conversations with my BFF, my person, the Reba to my Barbara Jean, miss Ren. I swear, I couldn't live without her.

My bestie twinsie Sara had her sweet little baby Mac, making me an auntie yet again. I can't even tell y'all how gobsmacked I am with him. And I'm also kinda obsessed with the word "gobsmacked".

Doesn't he look just like Sara?! (and yes, this is now the background on my phone. I'm in love with a much younger man)

I had a lovely afternoon shopping for dresses with my fave Dallas gal, That Pink Girl where we tried on so much taffeta and then I strong armed her into buying the bicycle dress that I'm absolutely in love with. Oh, and she found the PERFECT white sundress.

So. Much. Taffeta!!! Hilarious.

 I'm super proud of her for branching out and we were cracking up at Anthropologie because everyone was telling her how cute she is (TRUTH!) and she goes "this is the most edifying dressing room ever!"--see friends, this is why we love Anthro.

Oh, and for the record miss TPG strongarmed ME into a lace dress from the Crew that looks just like this number that my sister wife is wearing here:

I can't find the dang dress online, but, it's just like that, only tan. I foresee it when I pond hop next. Very West End approps, yes?

OH. Then the baby sister posted this on my facebook wall.
Y'ALL. It comes out in November. For my birthday. Yet again, my birthday will kick so much ass.

Anyways. Goodness abounds!

What goodness is in your lives right now?

(Isla picture from here)

A Princess at a Palace

Have I mentioned that my sister and I loved Spain? Cause we did. Lots. Barcelona was 100% OUR CITY, but we loved Madrid. Loved, loved, loved it. We did our sightseeing in Madrid and planted ourselves on a beach in Barcelona--surprising, no?

So, here we are in Madrid. At the Palacio Real. That's Royal Palace to you. And to be clear, I do not speak Spanish.

Horse guards at the palace. Fancy, no?

Doesn't it look just like Buckingham Palace? So, who copied who?

A little park/plaza near the palace. WANT TO LIVE HERE.

These guards don't mess around, yo. Take note British monarchy, take note. (oh my gah I feel like I should be tarred and feathered for that! WHO AM I? {I'm Jean Valjean}--like you DIDN'T see that coming)

Side view of the Cathedral from the front of the Palace. I KNOW.

Little section of town near the Palace. Very much reminded me of Paris, loved it.

Princess at the Palace. In the wind. Tres chic.

Sisters!!

Gardens of the Palace. I'm telling you, it was amazingly gorgeous.

And the Spaniard magnet herself, my sister. Tall, blonde and gorgeous--obviously. (everyone in Spain thought my hair was HILARIOUS. Would not have been an issue in Ireland)

This part of Madrid was hands down our favorite. We sat in a little park and chatted for a while and THEN we came back the next day and explored the opera house (again, act surprised) and strolled up little streets that looked straight out of Italy.

If you ever get to Madrid, hightail it to the Palacio Real and wander for HOURS. You can thank me later.

Preferably in pain au chocolate and Burberry. Or, cute actors stolen from the West End. Or Hugh Jackman. See, I'm easy.

You're welcome.

The Rain In Spain

You're welcome, now the song is stuck in your head.

I'm not really sure how to even begin recapping the adventures that my sister and I had in Europe, other than to start by saying I am truly blessed and grateful to have been able to go and am forever indebted to the wonderful friends who joined us, made the trip possible and were in our hearts those two weeks. Really, really humbled.

We went to Spain so that myself and Christy could run the Rock N Roll Madrid Marathon. I don't speak Spanish and I didn't want to go on the trip alone (we were meeting Christy there), so, I roped the sister to coming with me, and we had an absolute blast. From making friends with the flight crew on the longest plane ride ever (seriously, niether of us slept), to Diet Coke runs at all hours of the night, so fun.

ANYWAYS. We spent the most time in Madrid because I wanted to aclimate and all that before the race and then we were to Barcelona for a few days (amazing!) and to MY FAVORITE PLACE EVER EVER EVER IN THE ENTIRE WORLD EVER, aka LONDON for not nearly long enough.

But, let's start at the very beginning (a very good place to start...): Madrid!

We wandered around mostly, just seeing what we could see, unsure of a destination and a goal, but, isn't that the most fun?

Downtown Madrid

Yours truly at the expo

Looking into the city from the hill of the cathedral and royal palace

One of the MANY cuppolas inside the crypt of Almudena Cathedral

Front of the cathedral

Sunlight rainbow from the stained glass inside the cathedral.

This pipe organ don't mess around! You probably can't get the scale of the thing from the picture, but, it was massive!

We stumbled upon the cathedral on happenstance because we saw it from the metro stop and just decided to walk to where it was and see what we could see. Well, we entered from the side and that was the crypt side! We walked around and got to see it, but, my sister and I were laughing the entire time that we were in an Indiana Jones movie and expected a giant rock to come rolling out of the ceiling at any moment! I think we can all agree that although beautiful, the whole idea of a crypt is a touch creepy, no?

After the crypt we spent a good amount of time in the actual cathedral itself and that was just amazing. HUGE. Like, the size of Westminster Abbey huge. As in, we almost lost one another it was so big.

We absolutely adored this part of Madrid and I was lucky enough to get to run back by it during the race--although, my sister and I definetly made a trek back to it just to sit in the park and watch people--it's our favorite thing to do and let me tell ya, we made it a steady practice together!

Next up, the rest of Madrid and eventually, the race!

Summary: Trip of a Lifetime

I really have no words to describe the two week extravaganza I had in Europe with my sister, and as they say, a photo is worth a thousand words so, here are four thousand and then some--for now.

Myself and my dear, dear, amazingly wonderful friend Christy before we ran the Rock n Roll Madrid Marathon.

Wandering around Madrid we found these little streets that looked straight out of Siena, so, we joked and told everyone we'd hoped a train to Italia. Could pass, eh?

Pastries in a European park with my sister--absolutely a dream come true.

Sunburned goobers at my favorite place, The Tower of London.

Inside the Queen's Theater where we saw one of my friends KILL it as Brujon that night in Les Mis. To say I cried a bit would be an understatement. Might be the best night of my life in all honesty.

Much more to say, much more to tell, but, first, I must sleep....Jetlag don't lie y'all!