Visit to the European Parliament

Thursday, 9/8/2011, we visited the European Parliament, and by far this was the most fascinating visit of all the visits we have so far taken. The narrator, even though a little "weird" in our American standards, seemed very much into his job, and also very passionate about the whole EU Parliament history.  He emphasized in no uncertain terms that the twelve stars on the EU Flag were unique, and the reason they were unique was simply..."twelve is perfection, and twelve is the perfect number, and no matter what, or no matter how many European countries join the Union, the number twelve will never change!"  Hence the EU flag will also bear the twelve yellow stars.

The entrance to the EU Parliament is especially unique in that it is a wide circular open entrance named after the oldest member of the European Parliament, Madam Louis Weiss.  As we walked up the Helix shaped stairway, made of white Italian marble and black slade, the narrator explained that the stairway was very special in that at the bottom of it is the "head" of Madam Louis Weiss, and the entrance adjacent to the special stairway is where all the VIP's namely the commissioners come through, the entrance was laid with red carpet to emphasize its importance.

The design of the entire building is a sheer piece of art.  I could not imagine how the architects sat down and created such an awesome piece of work that would form a storybook story to be told from generation to generation.  The narrator went on to inform us the construction of the EU parliament building is not complete, and that it will never be completed, the reason being according to the narrator "construction of Europe is a continuous process that will never end."   This belief, is in itself a master piece of thought process. 

The "icing on top of the cake" was the assembly dome, simply it is out of this world, I cannot possibly think of words that can describe the art and beauty of the Dome. From the blue seats that create such a magnificent arrangement to the roof dorned with thousands of shinny light bulbs to the center piece flag bearing the unique "twelve yellow stars" on blue background to the translators chambers,  no words can describe the whole visit, except to say that this visit will live in me for the rest of my life.- Caroline