Top 5 Thursdays - My European Adventure, and a Giveaway!!!

I've been back on American soil for almost two weeks and STILL haven't gotten through all of my Europe photos yet.  Scratch that.  My husband hasn't finished editing all 430 photos I've taken.  (Side note:  My hubby is a photographer so while I can take photos, it seems silly NOT to hand them off to him in order to make them look better.  At least I'm honest!)  I think we're going to eventually create a video or slideshow of some sort, set to super meaningful and poetic music.  But in the meantime, I will share the highlights with you in a top 5 list - after all, it IS Thursday! And if you can make it all the way through this post - there is a special surprise at the end - a GIVEAWAY!  So, without further adieu, here are:

My Top 5 Favorite Moments in Europe

***Background:  I traveled with a friend from college for two weeks.  We visited Paris, Florence, Rome, Venice, Munich and Frankfurt. (Florence was my absolute favorite!!!)

5.) Watching a tiny Asian woman get drunk in Munich (I wish I had a photo of this!) and finding SURFERS in Munich's English Garden.  Yes, surfers in Germany!

I really loved Munich.  From farmers markets to wiener schnitzel, there was something new around every corner.  Since this is a more upbeat post, I won't say much about our trip to Dachau, a concentration camp (and I refused to take pictures while there), but I will say that it was life-changing, eye-opening and gut-wrenching.  

4.) Getting caught in a flash flood heavy rain in Venice...

...and then sunning ourselves in St. Mark's Square.

(Yes those are my ridiculously smelly feet...)

In Venice, I just couldn't get over the fact that everything is ON THE WATER!  I loved taking water taxis everywhere and marveling at the fact that most buildings have an entrance for boats.  It's really unlike anything here in the U.S.

3.) Getting in touch with my inner gladiator in Rome.

(I call this one "Life Among the Ruins"!)

As a history teacher, Rome was especially exciting for me.  I was enamored with the ancient ruins and the sheer history that lay within its borders.  I particularly loved the Colosseum and couldn't believe the size and structure.  To imagine men and animals alike, fighting to the death, was unbelievable.  

2.) People-watching in Paris and meeting up with a darling blogger, Susa of Susu Paris Chic.

Most of our people-watching was done at the Jardin de Luxembourg, a wonderful, lush garden in the middle of the city.  It was filled with romantic couples, as show above.  Paris really IS for lovers!


Susa, my darling blogger friend, was a DOLL!  She took my friend Laura and I all over Paris, showing us incredible views of the Eiffel Tower (like this one from the garden of a museum), and sharing with us her European adventures.  She is such a smart, compassionate woman with such a zest for life, and I highly recommend you check out her blog here.


1.) Wandering the streets of Florence, or FIRENZE, as they say in Italian.

We could have wandered the streets of Florence for HOURS!  It was filled with adorable little cafes, trattorias, and the most colorful buildings I've ever seen.  What a beautiful, romantic city:)


And because you've been such a great audience, it's time for a giveaway!


Since glass-blowing is such a huge industry in Venice, I came across so many little shops filled with jewelry and other adorable glass items.  Therefore, I am giving away one necklace, one wine bottle stopper, and because I happen to have an extra copy, one of the most hilarious books of the year, "Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang" by Chelsea Handler.  I felt the book was appropriate since my friend and I did a lot of reading in Europe and made a habit of leaving our books in random places for fellow travelers when we were finished.  So yes, right now, some German man is reading my copy of "You'll Never Blue Ball in This Town Again" by Heather MacDonald.


Here's the merch!  Don't worry - I am not wearing the actual necklace I am giving away.  I just loved it so much that I bought one for myself, too :)

(This photo was taken last weekend.  I am all sorts of proud that I actually baked. Sorry, I am not giving away the cupcakes or the cupcake courier. Although I can make you some if you'd like...)

(This isn't the actual stopper, but it's very similar.  The one I am giving away has more primary colors!)

To enter?  It's simple!


* Leave a comment and tell me about a recent adventure of yours!


For extra entries?


* Become a follower of The Perfect Compilation Tape
* Follow me on Twitter
* Blog or Tweet about the giveaway.  You can even use this little statement:

Check out the giveaway @CompilationTape http://tiny.cc/p74c9

If it's not a total pain the ass, please leave separate comments for each.  If you forget, no worries - I will still love you anyway:)  The giveaway is open to EVERYONE, even those of you who live on the moon, and will end on Wednesday, July 14 at midnight!