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Day 4: A photograph of your favorite memory.

(There's no way I can put just one photograph for today. So bear with me on this one....)

The memories of my trip to Europe occupy my mind constantly, and I cherish them dearly. Those three weeks are the highlight of my life, and I'm hoping a preview to my travels. I was able to live in a different culture, see incredible sights, explore and learn about people and places I've only dreamed of, feed my passion for traveling and musically perform in a way that broke barriers.

I was selected as a Utah Ambassador of Music and got the honor to represent little ol' Utah in England, France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Italy and Germany. I was part of a choir and it taught me how to be part of something much bigger than myself. We touched hearts of people we couldn't actually talk to. And in turn my heart was very much touched. I will never forget this trip, it changed my life.

Of course I went wild with my camera, and it was extremely hard to narrow down which photos I wanted to post for today. So I just picked one or two from each country. I tried to pick ones that spoke volumes of the countries they were taken in. Enjoy!

#1. This photograph was taken in London, England, which was one of my favorite cities of the trip. We spent 4 days relentlessly touring and exploring the city and didn't even scratch the surface. I'd love to go back and explore some more, and plan on doing so when I'm a little older. It was an absolutely fantastic place that had men with beautiful accents, amazing architectural buildings, and a wonderful culture filled with fashion. This particular photo is of the Big Ben, the London Eye, and their surroundings. Oh how I miss this city.

#2. This photograph was taken in Paris, France, at the Louve. This was one of the coolest parts of the trip. I love art and it's history and this museum was life changing. I have to go back there. HAVE TO. We only got 2 hours to explore, which really isn't enough time. But I did see the pieces I wanted to see, and was overly satisfied with my trip to this museum. This particular photo is of the Venus De Milo statue. My camera died right after I took this and I didn't get many more, or else I would have put one up of a piece I admire more.

#3. This photograph was also taken in Paris, France of the Eiffel Tower. The morning we visited the Eiffel Tower it was raining. Everyone saw this as a disappointment, but I thought it was stunningly beautiful in the rain. Quite romantic. Plus it wasn't hot as we ran up the steps of the tower! We had very little time at this stop, so some friends and I literally ran up the steps. We got up to the first level with no problem, and quickly began to run up the stairs to the second level. This is where the calves started burning and the lungs started pumping. We got to the second level and the only way to the top from there is an elevator. The line for the elevator was way too long. And we knew we wouldn't make it. So we spent time taking fun photos and walking around. This was a way cool experience, but I definitely would like to go back and make it to the top. Another downside I noticed was that when you looked out over the city, there was a thin cloud that made it difficult to see very far. But that's okay..... Just another reason to go back! (: I took this photo in the bus after we had climbed back down.

#4. This photograph was taken in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. As we arrived to this beautiful town, the rain was slowly turning to a drizzle. As a result, the view from our hotel window was this photo. It was really nice to take a break from the big cities we had become accustomed to and really breathe in the beauty of the country side.

#5. This photograph was taken in Vaduz, Liechtenstein. This country is really interestingbecause it's the 4th smallest country in the world. It is only 61 square miles, and get this, would fit into the state of Utah about 1400 times! We only stopped in this country for about an hour, but I ate by far my favorite meal here, and we saw a lot of really cool castles on the cliff sides. (As you can see in this photo.) Obviously this photo wasn't taken by me, because I'm in it..... But the only other photo I have from Liechtenstein is of some weird horse statues and I thought this one would give you a better view of the interesting country.

#6. This photograph was taken in Innsbruck, Austria in the Wilten Basilica. We went into and performed in many cathedrals that are known throughout the world for their beauty. Although they were all impressive, the Wilten Basilica was by far my favorite building we saw on the entire trip. This building is a Rococo styled cathedral, unlike the Gothic styled cathedrals that were so popularly built around Europe. This style uses whites, pinks, and golds to decorate instead of dark colors and stained glass. It was absolutely fantastic. Truly awe-inspiring and breathtaking....

#7. This photograph was taken in Venice, Italy. I've always dreamed of going to Venice, and it was everything I expected. It's an amazing city, and one of my favorites from the trip. It still fascinates me to no end. You can be walking down a narrow alley, and the next turn is the city center, and then the next turn is a bridge over a canal. It is so incredibly interesting and beautiful in it's own way. This photo was one of the many canals that we passed. Ahhhh. I want to go back. We only took a day trip to Italy and I did not get my fill of this city.

#8. This photograph was also taken in Venice, Italy. This is the St. Mark's Cathedral. So remarkable.... We had the incredible honor of performing in this building. If you think the outside is impressive, you should see the inside. The entire ceiling is lined with tiny little pieces of gold. Wow.

#9. This photograph was taken just outside of Munich, Germany at Dachau. Dachau was a concentration camp during the Holocaust and visiting it was a very surreal experience. It was amazing to see how "survival," which is what Hitler promise those who followed him, pushed those who weren't targeted by the Nazis to simply look away from the mass extermination that was happening on their own soil. I've done a lot of research on the Holocaust and it still fascinates me. I think it's sickening, but also so peculiar. I could go on for hours about that... Anyway, this photo was the gate to one of the monuments that were built for the Jewish people who perished at Dachau.

#10. This photograph was also taken right outside of Munich, Germany at Dachau. It is a giant memorial for those who perished at Dachau. The numbers read 1933-1945, which were the years of WWII, and in which the Holocaust took place. And again, I obviously didn't take this photo since I'm in it....

And there you have it. My favorite memory was my trip to Europe last summer. And even though it appears I just poured my heart out to you, I barely scratched the surface. Haha.

<3-schwab.