Bon voyage, as they say. Or I guess as you should really say to me. Go on, say it.

A week from today, Ben and I go to Europe. For 19 days. That’s a really, really long time. We’re going to hit a total of six different cities (in order: Brussels, Namur/Jemeppe, Bruges, Amsterdam, Paris and Galway, then back to Paris) in four different countries (Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Ireland, in case the cities were too much to figure out). We’ll have anywhere from two to six days per city – Paris gets the most, because, well, it’s Paris. We’ll travel primarily by train, except for the Galway part because Ireland? Apparently an island. Who knew?

(Yes, lots of people knew, most of the world probably, I understand that, but I was not entirely convinced. I knew it was part of the British Isles but thought that perhaps it was actually attached to England like Scotland is, but that is apparently not the case. Geography is not my strong point, as my former roommate can attest, because she just about died laughing the day I innocently said that I thought Kentucky was on the east coast. It’s in the same time zone as the coast, I think it’s a reasonable mistake.)

We have places to stay confirmed in three of the six, and almost confirmed in the other three. We haven’t figured out the actual train schedules but we know the websites to look at which is practically the same thing. We have some sights to visit tentatively sketched out but are open to more, so I’m looking for suggestions? Not the Eiffel Tower and its ilk because I’ve already thought of those. I’m looking more for “hey, I was in Paris this one time and turned the wrong way down a boulevard while looking for Notre Dame and found the coolest place that sells antique knitting needles and reproductions of the Mona Lisa in chocolate.” Or whatever. But along those lines.

Anyone got anything? Give me someplace cool and I’ll bring you back a present. Or at least a postcard.