EUROPE: LIKES AND DISLIKES
 
Well, I'm back.  Boy, those 10 hour plane flights can just about wear a person out.  Praise God that we had very uneventful flights and experiences at three separate airports.  Hey, why is it that even though I was gone only a week my children seemed to have aged six months??
 
Anyway,  I wanted to give a perspective of what I liked and didn't like in Europe seeing that it was the first time I was there.  I'll start with the likes first.
 
What I liked about Europe:
 
1) Beautiful architecture and history embodied in the way cities were laid out.
2) Cafes everywhere with fresh bread and outside seating.
3) The houses in the country had the simplest most beautiful architecture and everyone had gardens and windowboxes.
4) Most people walked everywhere and pedestrians had the right of way.
5) The cobblestone streets.
6) The croissants and Nutella chocolate spread!
 
What I disliked about Europe:
 
1) Most of those beautiful cathedrals were museums and not well cared for.  Sad.
2) Yes, tax and gratuity were built into the price of everything at the cafes but that meant there was no incentive to give you great service.  After sitting down you had to wait 10-15 min. to get a menu!
3) At most public restrooms you had to pay 30 cents to pee!  There aren't many public restrooms even in the airports and there are not any waterfountains to be found.  Not that you would want to drink the water there anyway!
4) Watch your step on those cobblestone streets, dogs have more rights than you!  Owners are not required to pick up their pets' messes.
5) The bathrooms and hotel rooms we stayed in were extremely tiny.  Just barely enough room to turn around in.  The hotel we stayed in near the airport in Brussels was smaller than my dormroom in college.
 
Well those are some of my observations.  I'm sure many of you who have gone to Europe have experienced the same things.  I'll know to bring my own bottled water next time and plenty of change!
 
 
RANT FROM EUROPE
 
I know I'm not in Europe anymore but I couldn't help ranting about something I read on the front page of one of the London newspapers while I was there.  On the front page was a big picture of a snail.  The article detailed a new law being considered which would prosecute people if they injured or killed certain animals including insects!  It went on to say that even hurting or killing unborn animals was going to be prosecuted.  You can imagine how quickly my blood began to boil when I read that.  Since when are snails more valuable than unborn children!!!!  It would almost be laughable if it weren't true.  How depraved we have become.  Just the fact that God doesn't strike us down now proves how unending His mercies truly are.