After Joe went back to London to work, my parents and I continued our mini Europe tour. We caught the train from Florence to Pisa. Seeing as Joe and I recently went to Pisa (May08) I still remembered my way around. Our friends recommended a great restaurant, excellent Italian food at local prices! The pizza came out piping hot, and pasta was so tasty! My parents were very pleased! We had gelato on our way back to the hotel, and it was a wonderful time, spending quality time with my parents in the middle of Italy! 
The following morning, we went to see the leaning tower and the surroundings, then jumped on a plane to Berlin. My parents were amazed how quickly we can hop from one country to the next! Berlin is so different from the towns in Italy, a lot more modern, most buildings were ruined from WW2. My dad enjoyed reading about the war at the Reichstag, and what’s left of the Berlin wall. Checkpoint Charlie was another spot, it made you realise this all happened not so long ago. A visit to the German city is not complete without trying out all the wurst aka as sausages! Our favourite is the curry wurst (it’s just a sausage sprinkled with curry powder and a delicious tomato based sauce).
After a gruelling week of walking and sightseeing we headed back to London for a rest, and also see the sights of London. It happened to be a lovely day! (very odd) we visited tower of London, Borough Markets and walked along the South bank. My parents enjoyed the entertainment along the south bank and the relaxed atmosphere.
Sunday morning, we jumped onto the Eurostar, and in 2 hours and 20mins found ourselves in the middle of Paris. One of my dad’s friend who he hasn’t seen for 34 years met us and took us to Versaille, residence of King Louis 15th (I think).. We also did all the touristy stuff, highlight was the night tour. It really is the most romantic city in the world! After 4 days in Paris, we headed back to London, and completed last minute shopping and prepared for my parents departure. Although a short Europe trip, we packed in a lot!
We flew into Marseille which we were familiar with and then caught a bus to Aix-en-Provence. We love the old town, the aroma of fresh breads and pastries, the vintage looking biscuits and sweet store, the cafes and boutique shops. The town is filled with water fountains, I think over 40! They are great landmarks to meet friends. The streets were lined with chestnut trees (not edible ones though). 
The weekend was a lazy one, strolling through the old markets, eating local delicacies, and enjoying an opera singer practise in the old cathedral. A perfect weekend away.
