best of 2009 challenge, much too late

best trip of 2009 -

I travelled around Europe this summer for eighteen days by myself. Well, that is to say, I went there by myself and came back by myself, but in the interim I spent all but a few moments with Lonette (from South Africa),David and Susan (from DC),

Liz and Lester (from Australia),

and Philip (from Texas)... and about thirty other people. We spent hundreds of hours, I should think, on a bus together.

At Heathrow, I wrote in my journal,

Strange to think that for $1000, I can transport myself almost anywhere in
the world, and can be there in under a day... You know, I'm rather proud of
myself -- finances aside -- for dreaming of what I might want to do this
summer, researching it, and making it happen. I suppose few would take
such a leap solo.

In Brussels,

Then we found infinite little chocolates and waffles (glaces), topped with
vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and chocolate ganache. Heavenly. Really. Worth
the trip alone. Then we sat down on a sidewalk just off the Grand Place (loveliest square I've ever seen, gilded, with such overwhelmingly intricate carving that you want to collapse, fall to your knees and weep with the force of it all -- all the
brilliance and creative energy and skill and hope.) We watched another string
trio playing classical music on the sidewalk opposite, while slight Asian women
joined the throngs who ran their hands (sensuously) along the polished statue of
a saint, a man who tried to save Russian villages by importing chickens (I
think), Okay, so the story is muddled a bit. Anyway, it was a perfect moment.
Really perfect. So rare in this life, these.