I did get to play softball

One of the only things I missed while I was in Europe was playing baseball. I was back in time for the final game of the season and the playoffs. After that, I coached and played on our fall ball team. These pictures are from one of our fall games. We finished 6-4.

This one hit the fence in center for an in-the-park homerun.

I was also able to play in two tournaments at the end of the year. The highlight of the season was my last at bat. I hit a two run homer over the left field fence. It was a good end to the season.
This is me, managing the fall team.

Back in the USA, Trip Log

This is the trip log for the entire time I was gone, every stop along the way. It was worth it.

Trip Log
Car to Toledo, Ohio
Train to Washingon, DC
Train to Orlando, Florida
Car to Cape Canaveral
Ship to Castaway Cay, Bahamas
Ship to Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
Ship to Cadiz, Spain
Ship to Gibraltar, U.K.
Ship to Barcelona, Spain
Train to Montpellier, France
Train to Avignon, France
Train to Lyon, France
Train to Geneve (Geneva), Switzerland
Train to Lausanne, Switzerland
Car to Montreux, Switzerland
Car to Camogli, Italy
Car to Moneglia, Italy
Train to Riomaggiore, Italy
Hike to Portovenere, Italy
Hitchhiked to La Spezia, Italy (I love Canadians)
Train to Vernazza, Italy
Train to Moneglia, Italy
Car to Pisa, Italy
Car to Certaldo, Italy
Car to Colle Di Val D’Elsa
Car to Staggia, Italy
Car to Siena, Italy
Car to Castellina in Chianti, Italy
Car to Firenze (Florence), Italy
Car to Monteriggioni, Italy
Car to San Gimignano, Italy
Car to Vinci, Italy
Car to Lucca, Italy
Car to Moneglia, Italy
Car to Lausanne, Switzerland
Train to Paris, France
Train to Bayeux, France
Van to Omaha Beach
Van to Bayeux, France
Train to Caen, France
Train to Paris, France
Train to Bruxelles (Brussels), Belgium
Train to Amsterdam, Netherlands
Train to Munchen (Munich), Germany
Train to Verona, Italy
Taxi to San Martino Buon, Italy
Bus to Verona, Italy
Train to Vicenza, Italy
Train to Venezia (Venice), Italy
Train to Vicenza, Italy
Train to Verona, Italy
Train to Vicenza, Italy
Car to Padova, Italy
Car to Vicenza, Italy
Train to Venezia (Venice), Italy
Train to Wien (Vienna), Austria
Train to Praha (Prague), Czech Republic
Train to Dresden, Germany
Train to Berlin, Germany
Train and Ferry to Malmo, Sweden
Train to Kobenhavn (Copenhagen), Denmark
Train to Malmo, Sweden
Train to Kobenhavn (Copenhagen), Denmark
Train to Hamburg, Germany
Train to Koln (Cologne), Germany
Train to Bruxelles (Brussels), Belgium
Train to London, England
Train to Holyhead, Wales
Ferry to Dublin, Ireland
Car to Glendalough, Ireland
Car to Rathdrum, Ireland
Car to Waterford, Ireland
Car to Tramore, Ireland
Car to Kinsale, Ireland
Car to Summer Cove, Ireland
Car to Blarney, Ireland
Car to Cashel, Ireland
Car to Kilkenny, Ireland
Car to Dublin, Ireland
Taxi to Dun Laoghaire, Ireland
Ferry to Holyhead, Wales
Train to Birmingham, England
Train to London, England
Train to South Hampton, England
Ship to Brooklyn, NY, USA
Car to Scranton, PA
Car to Buffalo, NY
Car to Forest, ON, Canada
Car to Lansing, MI, USA

Queen Mary II

The Queen Mary II in South Hampton, England.

At Sea on the Queen Mary II

Going under the bridge in New York Harbor. There was about 20 feet to spare.
It was foggy but that is the Statue of Liberty.

Everybody was up early for the arrival in New York Harbor. It was just after 5am.

Waiting for Jon at the docks. We only waited 3+ hours. There was flooding all over the city but it's still his fault.

Final Posts about Europe

Georgia in the phone booth calling the old man.

After our sightseeing around London during the day we went down to the West End to see Picadilly Circus (above) that night.

One of the highlights of my trip was that night when we went to see the original Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's Theatre. We bought our tickets in the morning and although it wasn't cheap, it was well worth it. I'll never experience a better performance or venue than the original musical in the original theatre. It's run non-stop there since the musical opened in 1986. The entire experience was great and the cast was excellent. The special effects and imagery were what you would want from a West End production. This definitely capped off a great trip to the British Isles.
We stayed the night in a nice hotel in Notting Hill and the next morning made our way to the train station. We made a quick stop at Kensington Palace to see where Princess Diana lived and walked through Kensington Park, Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park. We walked along the Serpentine (which is a lake in the park) and stopped at the Peter Pan statue to take a picture. After our short excursion we headed to Waterloo Station to catch our train to South Hampton to board the Queen Mary II and head home.

Peter Pan statue in Hyde Park.

Harry Potter fans prepared for the weather.

The Serpentine.