We’ve just recently returned to the heat of Las Vegas from an extended visit to Europe where we had surprisingly cool weather in both London and Germany.

A highlight of the trip came at the beginning, when Andre and I visited Wimbledon again – this time as spectators. It was a special experience to walk the familiar halls, meet new players and see peers from our era. From London we went on a boat holiday with friends to Italy and Sardinia. We visited some beautiful places including Elba, Corsica and drove to some small towns along the Italian coast. We enjoyed the beautiful scenery, picturesque bays and being together unfortunately we had to dodge photographers in some of the areas.

After Italy, we had a wonderful time in my hometown in Germany. With our circle of family and friends we enjoyed relaxing days with long walks in the forest, visiting little towns, great German cuisine and the kids loved playing in the parks. We didn’t even mind the occasional rain on our outings.

While in Germany, I drove to Dusseldorf to one of my longtime partners Teekanne, to meet with the press and the 10 winners of a contest for new tea recipes. We had a very relaxing and fun day at the Teekanne production room and after lunch we sampled the winning tea flavors.

Later I visited the Starlight Express musical and after the show I was welcomed on stage to announce a fundraiser which benefits my foundation. The musical has been involved in helping child welfare projects for decades and this year they chose Children for Tomorrow as the recipient. In addition to the personal commitment from the actors, the cast will collect donations from the audience for the next 6 months with the offerings going to benefit our mission. I would like to again thank everybody at Starlight Express for all their efforts and thinking of our children.

The next European trip is just around the corner, as I will attend the Olympic Games in London in a few weeks. I want to wish everyone an enjoyable summer holiday whether at home or traveling.

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