Europe Update

Hello,

Those of you that have been reading my blog http://yellowcowphoto.blogspot.com are a little more updated about my travels through Europe, but not much. As it turns out, connecting to the Internet turns out to be about possible (at least the places that I've been), and it usually involves 3 Euro or more to get onto a computer at an Internet Cafe that won't let me use the Internet the way I want to use it, so alas, I have been keeping notes as I go along, and I figured it was time to give an update.

I am currently in Austria staying with some old friends of mine.
I started in Paris for 3 days and did everything imaginable there. I had a museum pass that got me into all of the museums for free, so I was able to run around the whole time and see as much as possible. I went to the Eiffel Tower and climbed the million steps of the Arc de Triomphe. I spent 20 hours in the Louvre and managed to see about 10% of it. I also got to go across the street and see some of my favorite Impressionist paintings in the Musee d' Orsay. The last day that I was there I spent in Notre Dame, and I thought that was amazing. That church is just one of many churches in Europe that are that beautiful, it just happened to be made famous via various things (including a Disney special)! That was all a ton of fun. I got to know my way around Paris pretty well.

I left Paris and went to Brussels. I stayed with a friend of mine there. Rather than do the museum thing, I got to walk around the city quite a bit and just enjoy it. I took quite a few photos, and got to know that city well also. He suggested that I take a little day trip to a town called Brugge on the coast of Belgium. Not only was the train ride to get there amazing, but the town was also amazing as well. It was my favorite stop by far because it was a little country side town and not a big mainstream city.

I left Brugge and took a night train to Prague (via six other trains). I had the interesting experience of an interrogation at 3 in the morning from the Czech Police about my passport and where I had been. It was kind of crazy, especially with their broken English and the fact that I have NO knowledge of Czech. I finally arrived in the city in the morning, and went on my way. It is the most wonderful but terrible city I've been to. It's beautiful and all of the buildings are amazingly preserved from so long ago. The problem for me was the attitude and the fact that I didn't feel safe alone at all. I took tons of photos and went to the St. Charles Bridge and the Prague Castle and all of that. It was very fun, but I left a day early because the town was just too off for me.

I'm now in Austria with my friends until Monday. I don't know what's on the books for that time, but I've got my camera ready because this city is beautiful as well.

On Monday evening, I head on a VERY long journey to Greece. I have to travel from Austria to Venice, Venice to Bologna, Bologna to Ancona, Ancona to Patra, Patra to Athens, Athens to Paros. I estimate that it will take about 3 full days to get there, and I'm only stopping for 6 hours in Athens to wait for a ferry! So, that's the adventure for the next week.

It seems like every time I step off the train there is another primary language being spoken!

As soon as I get to Greece, I will write again, but I just wanted to let you know that I am safe, well and having a lot of fun (note that as soon as I get my computer connected to the Internet that I will put a photo or two up on my Blog).

Christine