Barefoot in the San Giovanni subway station

This send has been written in stolen moments. In my notes app on the metro while my kids are entertained by strangers or hypnotized by the hum and soothing momentum of the Parisian subway system. In dictated emails (to myself) dispatched from playgrounds, piazzas and cobblestone streets. In the quiet that appears when Mike sits with a coffee and the kids and I trail off for a few minutes to myself.

These past three weeks have been exactly what I expected because my expectations have been low. I have had unflattering moments of zero patience, fully informed by Felix's meltdowns and the ambient soundtrack of brothers bickering. But it’s also been as I expected because we really have not planned much. That’s kind of my philosophy across many aspects of our lives. But travel, especially. No hard and fast itineraries to follow just places and spaces to allow some forms and semblance of familiarity and routine. So playgrounds, coffee, shops and monuments become familiar fixtures on our outings day to day.

So why are we here? In March we booked tickets to Spain for my cousin’s wedding— some fotos below. “We can wing it!” we said, booking just one way. This was a romantic idea. Very ‘type b’ of Mike and I if you will. Sitges was a wonderful way to kick start and energize our trip. The wedding was beautiful, thoughtful and intimate. Held in a small coastal town where my aunt and uncle have had a house for over 25 years. I visited as a teen and in my 20’s but had not been back in many many years. Over our six days in Spain we had multi generational gatherings and meals every day and gelato at night with the gaggle of next gen primos. It was magical to reunite with our family there.

Since we had a reason to head to Europe and because the wedding was mid May we decided to take advantage of getting over to Europe and were able to pull Mario (grade 5 at his international school) and Felix (jardin in his waldorf school) out of school nearly two months early to make this trip more than just a quick jaunt but to introduce our kids to Europe.

Mario was sent with coursework to complete and so far he has been engaged and happy to accomplish assignments each morning before we take off for the day exploring. Speaking of exploring we have been doing the proven mix of breakfast at home, then setting out to a cultural/historical/tourist attraction have a light lunch and coffee and then off to a playground or skatepark. This recipe has worked for us on recent trips to LA or Mexico City and ensures we are not doing too much or asking too much of the kids.

So what does that look like in Europe? It is waking up at 10AM and then not leaving the house until 2pm. So that the kids will have eaten, Mike or I can workout or have a moment to work in quiet while the kids do their school activities and draw or occasionally watch an episode of Pokemon. This is the ease that comes with just being and not really having a plan or an itinerary. Then once we leave the house we roam. To one of those cultural landmarks, historical sites or attractions. Followed by a meal grabbed from a market or bakery. On the go, nothing fancy. But as mom and dad we will sit for a coffee in the afternoon at a real cafe with cute chairs, cute tables and usually some conversation with other travelers or locals who don’t mind speaking to us in English or Spanish. Then on to a playground, big open field or skate park to wind down for the day. If we are lucky we will go out to eat but most days we are eating in our apartment. Cooking veggies and pasta or simple salads with baguette and french butter. But then out of the apartment again to walk in the streets until 10 or 11pm. Back to the apartment after a gelato or sweet treat and then winding down for the kids while Mike and I return to our computers. Responding to emails and working on projects in these stolen moments between vacation.

In Paris it rained our first four days and we packed from near 90 degree temps in Mexico so we were walking around in all our layers which left me especially feeling very frumpy. On Sunday our second full day in the fashion capital we happened upon a weekend market full of vintage and thrifting (my fave!) and both Mike and I scored trench coats and we finally felt warm and me slightly more stylish! The poor boys kept with their layered hoodies and didn’t seem to mind.

We visited the Louvre mid week and in a wing full of Roman sculptures we found a man sketching, Mario was intrigued and sat with him for about 25 minutes learning and sketching alongside him. They spoke in Spanish the whole time. The man was born in Buenos Aires but raised in Paris. And Felix has had many Felix moments, asking to be carried after walking miles, making demands for toys at the super market but he has also had sweet moments sitting content for a full dinner just drawing Pokemon characters in a sketch book I brought him or when we walked by a gorgeous square with fountains and lawns he asked if we could do a picnic there. We ended up going two nights in a row with a mish mash of food from the Monoprix.

In Rome we stayed in a townhouse style apartment with traditional old world details. We arrived after midnight at our airbnb. The host met us at the door, she sweetly took me through the ins and outs of the apartment, how to turn on the water heater, the kitchen stove and operate the AC. This was her late grandmother’s apartment and it was a beautiful mix of MCM Italian decor, art and books. A red brass four post bed and all the charm and details you would expect in a chic Nonna’s apartment. The bathroom was a monotone green color story deserving of its own instagram grid post, to come. By the end of the tour she had Felix in her arms giving him a cuddle ready to present the kids the chocolate chip cookies and milk she had bought for our arrival. Looking back on that evening and late arrival I think that was our dinner.

On our first day in Rome we walked through the Colosseum and the Forum, crossed a picturesque bridge over the River Tiber and landed in Trastevere — tiny winding streets, beautiful foliage climbing the walls, our first gelato of the day with the promise of more later. We kept walking until we landed in a piazza anchored by a playground and a large movie screen set up for cinema in the square that evening. We stayed.