All we wanted was an escape. A desperate respite from our nation’s political poo storm, and our own incessant NPR-quaffing. Okay, an escape and a little culture: A soupçon of French art, some bits ’n’ bobs of English history, and a sampling of flavors from our Italian ancestors’ bella nazione. We’ll take the kids to Europe for a couple of weeks: C’est amusant! Che divertimento! Jolly good fun!
But we boarded the plane just as the latest string of terrorist episodes erupted across the pond. At all the chic tourist spots, no less: London Bridge. Borough Market. Notre-Dame Cathedral. The Champs-Elysées. Quelle horreur. I was admittedly spooked. How can you fully, rapaciously stuff your wide-agape gelato hole with croissants, crepes, fish ’n’ chips, lasagna, and molto vino when you’re worried about being blown to Bristol by a backpack bomb on the Chunnel?
Mais non! Mes amis, it turned out to be the ideal time to visit Europe — for these reasons: