Let's go shopping... in Europe! (and, oh yeah, it's Loser Monday again)

Okay, let's get Loser Monday out of the way. I'm trying really hard to get back on track after my two-week croissant, pizza, pasta, cappuccino and chocolate eating spree. It's not my refrigerator that's bringing me down... oh no, the fridge is full of good stuff like fruit and veggies. It's the damn snacks Mr. P keeps bringing into the house ~ chips, fruit gummies, granola bars. Oh, those are the killers!

I've been trying to pack a good, healthy lunch so that any little sins I commit at home will be somewhat balanced. Hmmm... perhaps just a bit of self-control wouldn't hurt either. I have been exercising, though. In addition to my dance class, I've been going to the gym and I've walked the dog. Not too bad.

So, no numbers this week because I'd prefer not to know... or tell.

Now onto some good stuff. I hope you've got a few minutes because I have MORE pictures from my trip. A couple of people have told me that they're not sick of the photos yet, so I'm taking that as permission to show you more.

We went SHOPPING!

Betty Boop was popular in Europe; we saw lots of it, especially in Rome.

Pinocchio stuff was everywhere in Italy ~ here he is sitting on a bench in Tivoli (note the souvenir stand in the background).

Shopping in the rain in Florence. That market was INCREDIBLE! It had everything. I found a beautiful green leather jacket. Too bad it didn't fit me. Sigh. I actually didn't buy enough here. I can't wait to go back next summer to shop some more!

Can you read this sign? It says that it is an offence to buy fake goods. This was posted in Pisa. When we got off the bus we were surrounded by peddlars (mostly Somalian immigrants) trying to sell us fake Gucci bags, Dolce and Gabbana sunglasses, etc. They were relentless. We ran into the same thing in Paris. At times, we supervisors found ourselves having to protect the kids, who were pretty gullible.

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Souvenir stands in Pisa. I found a gorgeous yellow leather purse at one of these stands. (It was made in Florence ~ I guess it's what I should have bought the day before.)

Now we're in Venice. Look at that Murano glass. It was stunning. Can you believe I didn't buy any? At times, all the "stuff" was overwhelming and there's so much I missed out on because I wasn't paying attention (or I just didn't know I needed it). Yep, I definitely have to go back next year.

A pasta stand on the Rialto Bridge in Venice. I did buy pasta ~ in the shape of Italian monuments.

More blown glass displayed in a shop window in Venice. Breathtaking!

Interesting store in Venice.

Venetian masks. I bought a couple of these, but they don't look like this. One of mine is red with a long beak, and the other is black and gold.


This picture was taken... can you guess?... in a gas station. I'm not kidding ~ the Autoroute travel stops have wonderful shops. I didn't buy any cheese or meat, but I bought a tin of Amaretto cookies. The tin made it home without a dent. That's careful packing!

Verona ~ Romeo and Juliet souvenir shop just outside the courtyard where Juliet's balcony and statue are located.

Shopping in Geneva. Yeah, I just bought chocolate ~ this is a little out of my league. It would really suck to live in Geneva if you weren't rich!

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Flower market just opening in Geneva.

Montmartre district in Paris. Look how busy it was ~ wall to wall people down that narrow street.


Galleries Lafayette in Paris ~ HUGE department store. Quite pricey, too.

Boots are all the rage in Europe. Tall boots, low boots, high heels, low heels, toes, toeless, brown, black, red, grey. You name it. Boots everywhere, worn with everything.

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And then there's the shoes that got away. In Rome, I found the perfect little black and white sandals in a shop by the Trevi Fountain... and they didn't have them in my size. boohoo. I couldn't get those shoes out of my head for the rest of the trip. Nothing measured up, so I came home shoeless. You know, I didn't even think to take a picture of them. They're just a dream now.

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Barbie's 50th birthday is being celebrated everywhere. This display was in the Galleries Lafayette.
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Okay, one more fashion tip for you ladies before I go: Think Purple. Purple is the hot colour in Europe this season. Everywhere we went in Italy and France we saw purple in the store windows.

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That's it for now. I have just a few more photos I would like to show you of special or interesting moments and sights. I'll give you a couple of days off before I post them, though, so your brain and eyes can have a rest.