Disneyland Paris... exhilarating and exhausting in equal measure this is what Disneyland Paris is all about. Exciting, thrilling and eye-popping to sa

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1 What an experience! The Euro Tour 2016 was about to start. 43 vigorous faces were gathered at Eunice before departing en route to Rome. We were ready to see the world and travel across Europe with our experienced tour leaders, Mr and Mrs Marais! We arrived with great excitement around mid-day in the Eternal City of Rome. It was brutally hot and tough to spend a couple of hours in the sun, especially coming from a very cold South Africa. This historic capital of Italy is definitely crowned as the world's greatest open-air museum and a feast for the eye. We were overwhelmed by the impressive Colosseum (which is almost 2000 years old), the stunning Piazza Navona, the Roman Forum and the Sistine Chapel. And we did not forget to make a wish by throwing a coin into the Trevi Fountain! We loved their irresistible fresh pizza and mouth-watering gelato (ice-cream made out of local, fresh, natural and seasonal ingredients with delicious and special flavours). It will always remind me of Italy the land of fashion and food! Florence (Firenze) is magnetic, romantic and busy. Its urban fabric has hardly changed since the Renaissance and its narrow streets evoke a thousand tales. The famous Statue of David and the renowned Santa Maria del Fiore were majestic. Gucci was born here and we saw some of his masterpieces he created in fashion in the Gucci museum. Venice is a city unlike any other. No matter how often you've seen it in photos and films, the real thing is more dreamlike than you could imagine. It s a dream you never want to wake from! Venice is enchanting and iconic, bustling with life yet crumbling and ghostly. Everywhere we looked, it seemed like we were inside a painting. It's a maze of picturesque canals and small streets, whimsical bridges and colourful buildings. And as with all mazes, you should prepare to find yourself lost a time or two... but getting lost here would help you discover some memories you'll never forget!! It s built on an archipelago of 117 islands formed by 177 canals and connected by over 400 bridges. A case in point is the Piazza San Marco or St Mark s Square, Venice s most spectacular landmark situated in the heart of the city. The eclectic energy present here was impressive as we watched the crowds of tourists thronging the Square, bands playing at street-side café s and various stalls selling fancy wares. On a special tour of the glass factory, one of the artisans gave us a glass-blowing demo, carving a beautiful glass horse with superb precision in two minutes right in front of our eyes. It was sheer magic! We round off our trip with the most romantic symbol of Venice a gondola ride! All borderlines were eradicated somewhere between dream and reality as we wrapped up our stunning fairy-tale with a promise to visit this unforgettable city again some day Our next stop was Chamonix, a heavenly village situated in the middle of the wild nature at the foot of the Mont Blanc mountain. Once at the top of the mountain you re in another world of ice and snow. The words of Mrs Marais, 10min snowball fight as well as the actual episode will forever be implanted in my memories. The view over the Alps is indescribably beautiful.

2 Disneyland Paris... exhilarating and exhausting in equal measure this is what Disneyland Paris is all about. Exciting, thrilling and eye-popping to say the least. We loved meeting the characters from our childhood in Fantasyland. Thrill rides and high-tech gizmos were greeted with equal enthusiasm in Adventureland and Discoveryland. The sights and sounds, parades and light shows surely created a place where all our dreams come true. The next day we experienced the best of Paris by using the Seine river shuttle. At the impressive Louvre Museum, we gazed at the serene Mona Lisa, enjoyed a bird s eye view of the city from the Eiffel Tower and explored the Gothic work of art at the Notre Dame Cathedral. The enormous vaulted ceiling and famous circular rose stained glass windows of the Cathedral surely completed our day. We all have that one place that speaks to us. Maybe it s a place that you ve travelled to before or maybe you dream of going one day. For me, that place is London. After arriving with the Eurostar we went sightseeing. London's city life is unforgettable. Kensington, Westminster Abby, Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Street are just a few parts of London full of historic cathedrals, quaint little cafés and amazing shopping places. Harrods, where the royal family shops, sells any and everything. We even got a map to direct ourselves through the store. My favourite experiences in London were riding The Underground, watching the performance of Aladdin in the Prince Edward Theatre and the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace. We all hoped that maybe we could get a glimpse of Prince Harry Visiting these places made a huge impact on my life as I can now look upon them with a whole new perspective. 43 faces returned home displaying not only a library of new knowledge and understanding, but an expression of gratefulness towards our tour leaders. A huge thank you to Mr and Mrs Marais for giving us an incredible life-time experience! Heidemarie Edeling

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