que sera sera

Hello everyone!

Did ya miss me?

I've been away on my international vacation.

Before I play a little game to reveal where I went (foreshadowing picture posts to come) I guess I will talk about my day. It has been a few years since my last trip abroad and what I'd forgotten was the sense of purpose, perspective, and power doing something like that, pretty much alone, gives me. So I returned from my trip on a bit of a high, smiled through the laundry and grocery shopping drudgery that were today's "jet lag day" tasks and pretty much feel a sense of zen and hope about everything. I had an amazing time and while getting back to the grid and boredom that can be everyday life, this morning a feeling of calm came over this over-scheduled, entirely-entirely-too-stressed, perfection-seeking, can't-live-in-the-moment girl.

Then I got some bad news. I can't elaborate (once again) on the details but something I thought was firmly in my grasp slipped through my fingers. Though I saw it coming, it still stings, though I'm not taking it as bad as I thought I would. Cliches keep popping in my head: "Que sera sera." "When God closes a door He opens a window." "Everything happens for a reason." I'm trying not to take this personally. It is not a reflection of my person or my character. Instead I look forward and wonder what comes next.

Now... in an attempt to ride the high of my post-vacation bliss, I'm going to let you guess where I was. a boy, a girl and a pug, you can't guess because you already know.

Clue #1: It is the fastest growing European city. Yes, I said European. Should narrow it down.

Clue #2: It has hosted the Olympic games twice and will again soon.

Clue #3: Several areas of this city have the same name as various areas of Manhattan.

Please humor me and guess!