Spill your gut, buddy! You're among friends here. I love to hear people's travel stories. I'm a globetrotter would-be, myself.
I saw the Uffizi back in the late 70's, when I was a young sailor. I think I took a train from Livorno to Pisa and Florence. I ran into the most excellent young lady at the Uffizi. Her name was Linda, and she was a college student from Minneapolis. She had a boyfriend back home, so there was no prospect for romance, but I surely enjoyed her company. I was telling her about the paintings, and (being me) I was trying to dazzle her with my knowledge of the religious themes, the various painters' techniques, etc. Then I asked her what she was studying, and she replied that she was working on her master's in Italian Renaissance art. So I very meekly asked her if she'd like to tell me about the paintings! She was the sweetest girl. I surely hope she's happily married, with as many kids as she wanted. She should be a grandmother now.
Seems like yesterday.
But Versailles (sp?), Monte Carlo, Paris, Barcelona, Switzerland, all left impressions that are still fresh altho my last trip abroad was nearly 30 years ago. My kids travel now and I love their stories all the more cause I'd been there. Thankfully, my son didn't tell me about his plans to run with the bulls until he arrived back at his army base in Germany, all in one piece!!! He did the World Cup in France........made nearly all the games and saw parts of France I missed!!! Thanks for giving me a chance to go back and remember!!!! P.S. Thanks for serving your country!!!!