1971

Spring Break

My first international trip outside of North America was with my high school.  Two of my best friends -- Felice Barasch and Karen Strauss.

Here we are getting ready to leave on our great adventure!


Travel companions:  Felice Barasch, Karen Strauss, Mr. Victor Jaccarino, and Mr. Art Siegel

ITALY

   ROME

Felice was my best friend in high school; it was wonderful sharing my first trip to Europe with Felice and Karen, both of whom I have reconnected with in the last few years!  Here we are in Vatican City!  What I remember most is Mr. Siegel and Mr. Jaccarino teaching us to say "BASTA" when the young Italian men tried to pick us up!  ("Enough"!)  It seemed to work.  Karen and Felice made it their goal to kiss one guy in each city, and I think they succeeded!

   FLORENCE
  

We were in Florence on Easter Sunday, but although we couldn't do the "regular" sightseeing, it was exciting to be there for the Easter parade right in front of the Duomo or the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.
   
VENICE

That is Felice in the gondola!  I thought I had a picture of me, too, but I cannot find it!  What I remember best about that evening was that we had a curfew that we missed.  What we didn't realize was that the hotel actually closed at that time, and when we returned, we couldn't get back in!  After a lot of knocking, someone finally came to our rescue.  When I think about the freedom that we had on the tour, I kind of cringe now!

FRANCE

   PARIS

This was obviously on the Seine.  We had gone to meet my pen pal, Michel.  We also took a group trip down the river!  That night Karen, Felice, and I went to the Bois de Boulogne in Karen and Felice's continuing quest to kiss a guy in each city.  And they did!  What was wrong with me back then?  I ran in the opposite direction!  Oh, to be 17 and do it over again!

SWITZERLAND

   ZERMATT

Look at those sunglasses!  And, I remember that sweater, but it might be because there is a picture of Felice and me in the Yearbook with me wearing the same sweater!  In the last few years I learned that one of our other chaperones was my drama teacher's boyfriend, but I was much too naive to realize that back then!