Hello everyone,
I have been leafing through the pages of my old diary, in order to remember
my second European Trip After all, many years past by, since I was the young woman, who disembarked from the Queen Mary in England's South Hampton Port, during the summer of 1965 and sailed on La France, which took me to the U.S.A... I was feeling much more mature, independent and (hopefully) more sophisticated... After
all I
traveled through Europe, continued to America, lived on my own, worked and traveled for
two years all over the US (well, almost all over...) Gained a full
command of the English language and completed two years of college education... I also saved some money and was handsomely paid, for my work as a Unite Leader at Camp
Young
Judea", during the summer before this trip and was not ready, to go back home to Israel... However, this will not take place before going back to Europe for the second time, so I can visit the countries I have missed two years ago, during my first visit!
London, England
"Dear Anne
I stepped off the train in London, umbrella in hand, walked outside the terminal and was extremely disappointed... "It Was Not Raining! The sky was blue and the sun was shining bright... For a moment I wounded if I made a mistake and instead of taking the train to London, I took one to Rome...The London I read about in books and saw in the movies, was supposed to have Gray clouds and constant 'poring rain'! and the streets should be crowded with people, holding ope black Umbrellas above their heads... When I expressed my disappointment, to the owner of the small Bed and Breakfast hotel, where I stayed she put her finger on her lips and said:"Hush Lassie, let's count our blessings, the rain will come back soon enough! Don't worry dear, I promise you will see plenty of it!"
 |
| London Taxis |
 |
| London's Umbrellas |
How lovely this city is! I find my way by looking at a small map, then walk for a while, take a bus or get on the London
Underground,in order to arrive to my destination At times I splurge and take a taxi,
which looks like the taxis I have seen in the black and white
movies, about the second World War... So far I visited the National Gallery the British
Museum and went to see Hyde Park,Trafalgar Square the famous 'London Bridge' and discovered the Tower of London, where Henry the
VIII, ordered the execution of his many wives...
 |
| Big Ben and me |
 |
| The British Museum |
 |
| The Tower of London |
 |
| Westminster Abbey |
I have always believed that when visiting a new country, the most impotent thing is getting to know the People... One of them is my
sweet landlady, Mrs XX who helped me "Nurse my blisters, by soaking my foot in warm water... Every Afternoon, we would have our TEA, served in delicate antique china set, which used to be her grandmother's...The tea is served with delicious pastries named Scones and Crumpets,
covered with butter and dripping with home made Raspberry Jam... I named the pastries "Stones and Trumpets", which made my landlady roar with
laughter.... After saying that I fear I have gained several "'stones" (pounds) of my
own, because of these daily Tea parties, my land lady laughed and assured me that I have nothing to worry about, since I have a "Lovely Figure!"..."You don't want to look like our model Twiggy, who looks like a 'Broom stick', do you Lassie?" She asked. "No!" I said and helped myself to another "Trumpet"... The British are so polite!
When I stop people on the street, to ask for directions, they patiently
and graciously direct me to my destination and then say:"Thank
you"... At one point when I asked a good looking police officer, how to get to Buckingham
Palace, he smiled, gave me directions, thanked me and then said in his charming British accent: "Are you
invited there for Tea?" "I wish!" I answered smiling...
Yours, Shira"
Holland
"Dear Anne
I started my second tour of Europe, holding in one hand, a book called
'See Europe in five dollars a day' and in the other, a 'Eurail Pass' which is train ticket, similar to the Greyhound bus tour, Tsipi
and I took in the U.S.A...This pass enables 'poor students' like me, to travel all over
Europe by train, up to three months for a minimal fee, as long as we
don't visit
the same country more the once... (Kind of strange isn't it?)
 |
| Holland's windmills and tulips |
Charles, a twenty-five years old psychology graduate, from Mississippi, with a short, black goatee, took a room in the same house. as I did... He rescued me from the hot pursuit of an Arab student from Syria, who refused to leave me alone, even after I told him that I am a Sargent in the Israeli army (Thus, his enemy...) Charles and I took a streetcar to the apartment of a widowed, middle aged Dutch woman, whose Jewish husband, was a concentration camp survivor and passed away two years earlier... We spent two days getting to know some parts of this beautiful city... We took bus tours, X sampled the food in the local restaurants, went dancing and Charles (not me) was falling in love.... "Please come with me to Paris!" He urged me, but I didn't care for him that much, besides, I have seen Paris before and there were so many more cities to discover in Europe and such a short time to do so!
 |
| By the Canal in Amsterdam |
I wanted to see the red-light district, but they insisted it was not a place for me! We sat at small sidewalk Cafes, looking at the people who walked by, trying to guess what were heir nationality and occupation... After a while, we resumed walking, singing and giggling... People turned their heads to look at the happy 'Threesome', who seemed to be 'drunk on life'... Some would turn again to look at us; again, probably wondering about the connection between us..."Were we friends or Friends? Is it some kind of a strange small romance for three?" I don't think we knew what it was either nor did we really care... My two 'knights' told me they were leaving for Spain the following day in a rented car and begged me to join them, but I declined... "Sorry, but I have already made plans to go to Brussels and Rome...They tried to convince me to change my plans, but although I was tempted, my Intuition told me it may lead to complications... It would be best to save this 'Beautiful Encounter' in my memory bank just as it was: Unusual, Sweet, Pure and Full with Joy, Laughter and Innocent Love, just like it used to be when we were in Kindergarten, so many years ago...
The day after they left, I took a bus tour from Amsterdam to the countryside... At one of the stops, I began a conversation with three American officers, stationed in Germany: Terry, Jerry and John. When we got back on the bus, John sat next to me... We didn't talk much, he was a bit shy and I liked it... the two of us were looking through the window, at the 'moving tapestry' of colorful tulips and the many Windmills...John was tall and handsome, his blond crew cut was shining in the sun, like a golden field of wheat, which was just harvested. I had a strange urge to move my fingers through his hair, but wouldn't dare doing so...
 |
| John and I |
 |
| Anne Frank's house |
The
next day ,we went to visit Anne Frank's House, the house of my dear old friend, to whom I have been writing in my diary for so many years."Can you see from wherever you are, the long line of
people from all over the world, who read your diary and come to see the place where you hid,
during
the war? I wish you could see all these people, patiently
stand in the long line, waiting to get into the home, they know so well from
reading your famous dairy! I do believe that as much as they admire you, not one of these people, has
or had the special bond, which you and I have shared during rhe years,Ann, not even one! one......
It was time to take
the train to Belgium. ... John asked if he could join me, but I refused...Unlike Charles he didn't push and I loved him for that... I felt that the
beauty of what we created, was in the moments we spent together... Why should we risk
ruining it? John came with me to the train station and before I boarded, he carefully brushed aside a strand of hair, which covered my eye, then gently kissed me very gently on my forhead... "You are so beautiful" He whispered "I'll miss you!" and I felt like crying...
Yours, Shira"
Rome, Italy
"Dear Anne
 |
| Carla and me |
|
|
|
|
| Anna Maniani | Sophia Loren | Gina Lollobrigida | Ava Gardner |
Before we got off the train, I gave them the name of my hotel and the very same evening, they came to take me to their apartment for dinner... There I met several young men and women, they invited to meet me... I was received by everyone, as if I was a long lost relative! My new friends, took me to see several 'places of interest' in the city, among them, one of the most fashionable streets, The Via Veneto as well as the Coliseum, the Spanish Steps and many other well known Tourist Attractions...
 |
| The Spanish Steps |
 |
| The Colosseum |
"Dear Anne,
A young man wearing a suit, was sitting by himself, when I entered one of the small compartments of First Class. (I decided to splurge and sit in one, before my trip came to an end...) 'Prego! Prego!' He said when I asked his permission to sit across from him. He lifted my heavy suitcase and placed it on the rack above my seat. His name was Paulo, a lawyer, traveling from Rome to Naples on business. His English was perfect, since he studied International Law in England, several years before. He invited me to dine with him at the train's restaurant, ordering a bottle of Italian wine, to have with our pasta. I told him I was not used to alcohol, not even to wine, but he convinced me to try, saying the wine he ordered is very mild. After several sips I started to feel a bit intoxicated... On the way back to our cabin, I had to hold on to the handrails of the narrow corridor, to prevent myself from falling... "I think I am drunk," I said, trying to adjust myself to the movements of the train. Paulo couldn't stop laughed; "But this wine is like water Chira! You didn't even have one full cup!" He protested... We were talking and laughing, during the time it took us to get to Naples. When we arrived to the outskirts of the city, Paulo became very serious. He stood up, put on his jacket, cleared his throat and said: "I never felt this way before Chira! You are the most beautiful, interesting, intelligent and fantastic woman I have ever met! Will you marry me, my angel from the Holy Land?" To my surprise he seemed genuinely offended, when I started to laugh. "You are kidding aren't you?" I said and to my astonishment, I saw tears coming to his eyes. "No, I am not kidding! I really fell in love with you, don't you believe me? I know it is too fast, but you are leaving to go back to Israel, I don't want to loos you, please say yes, I promise to make you very happy!"
I honestly don't know if this was the wine, a typical Italian melodrama, or if he really meant it...
Yours, Shira"
Naples and Brindisi, Italy
"Dear Anne,
 |
| Naples |
 |
| Port of Brindisi |
On the way to Israel
"Dear Anne,
 |
| The Parthenon |
Los Angeles, CA, USA
2017
How could I have known then, that throughout the years, I would visit again, with my American husband Al, most of the places I feared I will never see: Ireland, Scotland and the Scandinavian countries, Russia, Mexico, South America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Tahiti, in addition to a few countries in the Far East... As I am reading now (so many years later) the faded wards in my old diary, l can see all of this through the lenses of my new Spiritual Understanding and knowledge: All the "strangers" I met, were not strangers at all... I believe that we have know, loved and recognized each other, because we shared our past lives together!It could explain the magical sensation, intense moments and pure love, we felt when we met each other, as well as the pain of saying good-by...Maybe there is more than a grain of truth that these encounter felt as if they were "Out of this world". Beause they probebly were...
With Love and Light,
Shira
No comments:
Post a Comment