I finally left Europe....

Where to start, it's been so long but flown by. I did most of what I set out to do in Europe, it took longer, but by choice. Most important, I met people who have changed my life, and made the type of friends that make you feel lucky your life changed. The country count isn't very high (15), but the quality of time spent in different cities and countries is worth a lot more. Especially my experience of living in Barcelona, having a life there, missing the city when I traveled and being missed while I was out. It was hard to leave, but after postponing my departure by 6 month I knew the time had come.

I have so many stories from this past year, and the best way to hear them is over a beer or check out the link http://picasaweb.google.com/darwin33, so if you are in the LA area lets get together before I leave again! On August 29th I leave for Brazil, first stop Sao Paulo. This is the country that holds the most opportunity of travel, at least the type of travel I like to do… with friends!!!! I start in Brazil, and then go to Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and back to Brazil. My return to the US is set for February 25th. I have already spent some time in South America, and I find it a completely fascinating continent, full of amazing and under appreciated locations, kind and generous people… and to my advantage a place where the dollar is still worth something!

The Credits – special thanks to all of you who made my last year possible…..

ELIZA and CARLOS I thank you first for inspiring me and being my safety net, making this past year possible. MOO and BEN for giving me their spare hotel bed in MALAGA; FRANCISCO for coming to RONDA in his cool BMW convertible and taking me for a long ride back to SAN LUCAR via GRAZAMEL, ARCOS, JEREZ and CADIZ; MARIA and PETRI for the amazingly long saunas in FINLAND; PETER and SIMONE for giving me a pre-Oktoberfest bed in AUGSBURG; MICHELLE and JERRY for giving me the corner by the door in MUNICH and having the most romantic wedding ever in PORTOVENERE and giving me a scare by waiting at the wrong train platform in FLORENCE; VIOLET for meeting me in the odd Italian city of GENOVA and being a fantastically patient companion through my progressing sleep disorder via BOLOGNA; VIOLET again for taking a road trip with me knowing full well that it is not always a pleasant experience when I drive….through the RIOJA, ENCISO (a traffic ticket) and BASQUE COUNTRY, VICTORIA, BILBAO, SAN SEBASTIAN, HONDARRIBIA, SAINT JEAN DE LUZ; for all my guests that each time I toured you around made me love BARCELONA that much more; again to ELIZA, CARLOS and ORLANDO for being my family and giving me not only a place to live but a HOME, I love you guys, you have given me so much; CARULINE for inviting me to my first but not last Brazilian Christmas in MALAGA; SOFIA for the futon bed in PARIS and the yummy cookies; JU, GABRIELA and MRS DeLUCCIA, three strong women and the best company one can have in a city like PARIS; The ARUJO family for letting me drive us to CADAQUES and sorry LAUREN for making you car sick; SAMARA, I don't even know where to begin with you, but how about starting with the 11pm idea to catch a bus to VALENCIA leaving in less than 2 hours, and all the trips that followed SEVILLA, CORDOVA, GRANADA, MADRID, BERLIN, DUBLIN, I love you forever!!!!; FERNANDA for making the trip south with us even after missing your flight, it wouldn't have been the same without you; ADRIANA for giving me and SAMARA a place to stay in MADRID and making the trip to SEGOVIA with us; PATRICK in BERLIN for having a moody roommate and for leaving us his bed with dirty sheets at least there was a washer; RONAN for inviting me to party with him in IRELAND and his parents MIHOL and DEIRDRA for being so kind and sharing their beautiful home; LISA and BETSY for letting me crash at you place in LONDON it was great to see you again after all these years; JANEZ for insisting I visit SLOVENIA and being so great in driving me to see all the fantastic places in your country and suggesting I see CROATIA while there; SIGY and MARIA in VIENNA the nights on the terrace were the best; VICTOR for insisting I stop through BRATISLAVA and sending me your ideal itinerary with a map; AKOS and ERZEBET for your generosity and 3 fun nights in BUDAPEST, you both out did yourselves; HIND thank you for giving me and LEO the opportunity to visit you in MOROCCO, sharing your home in MARRAKESH and giving me the confidence travel to FEZ alone.

These are just the people who made travel possible and special. There are so many people who made Barcelona home, I hope I have done enough while there to show you how much you mean to me. It was hard to leave, but I find comfort in knowing that many of you are part of my next adventure in South America or even Australia/New Zealand. I can't wait to see you all again. Barcelona will always be home for me and represents the best year of my life…. so far! All my love and thanks,

-- Paulette Parent

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