Europe Travel Notes

My Trips:

• 1997 Family Roadtrip: (England, France, Italy, Austria, Germany) **Specific Cities**
  London, Paris, Nice, Venice, Rome, Neuschwanstein, Florence, Frankfurt.
• 2008 Visiting Sister: (France, Spain, Scotland) **Specific Cities**
  Paris, Bordeaux, St. Sebastian, Glasgow.
• 2010 Mederteranian Cruise:(Holland, Italy, Croatia, Rome, Turkey, Greece) **Specific Cities**
  Amsterdam, Venice, Split, Athens, Olympia, Istanbul, Mycenos, Euphesus/Herculanium, Santorini, Rome

General Tips:

• Train passes MIGHT BE a good idea. Especially if you sleep on then and save a hotel
• Europe is VERY VERY safe!
• Europe: You can drink on the street almost anywhere
• Europe: A Rail pass might be a smart way to get around
• Flying? Ryan Air is CHEAP CHEAP (no complaints).
• August is HOT and when WAY too many Europeans (especially French) go one vacation.
• Germans, Australians and Dutch are your best friends and drinking partners!!!!
• Hostels are GREAT.Young people, Safe (except theft), usually a Bar, But watch for bedbugs!!!
• Most Beaches are topless

Can your guy chug a beer?

In my experience, Europeans CANNOT.
I drank for free ($100+ euros) in many bars (especially in Greece) once I displayed that skill.
If they have a totally-gross $20 shot described on the wall, you have to do it! Makes so many new friends!
Make Canada Proud!

Car Problems

Our Family rented a Brand new car to fire around Greece.
The five of us piled in, and off we went.
We drove down a steep hill to the beach.
But later, the car wasn't powerful enough to make it back up.
Everyone got out of the car, and each took a try trying to get it up the hill.
Nothing was mechanically wrong with the car!
Parking Brake? -- Nope!
Gas? -- Nope!
We Even tried Pushing it!
Can you guess what we did wrong?
**I Give Up!**

City Specific Tips:

• Amsterdam:MUST The Sex Museum! Only 2 euros. and I could spent 8 hours there!
• Amsterdam: REGRET I didn't see a sex show
• Amsterdam: Science Center. Look at what they teach KIDS About drugs & sex!!
• Berlin:MUST Do a Beerfest!
• Berlin: Museum Island Museums
• Berlin: Hitlers Bunker (now a parking lot)
• Berlin: Berlin Cathedral (Walk to Top)
• Berlin:Science Museum
• Berlin:MUST WW2 Flak Towers
• Berlin: Rotes Rathaus- City All (Tower with View)
• Berlin: Checkpoint Charlie is lame. Read the Wikipedia article and skip it.
• Paris: Eiffel tower: VERY expensive to go to the top. ~160 euros(Cheaper if you stay to the lower 2 floors).
• Paris: Eiffel tower: Take the STAIRS DOWN!!! Faster then elevator lines and private view of city
• Paris: has TWO airports. The one that is FAR out of town is where the cheap flights land
• Rome: Vatican: Getting in is long, hard, and expensive. My parents loved their $200 euro backstage tour.
• Rome: Vatican: I walked AROUND the walls of the whole country in about an hour
• Rome: Water from public fountains is AWESOME. They are everywhere. Don't buy bottles.
• Venice: The whole city stinks like SEWER
• Venice: The water is safe but takes like CRAP. I barfed when some got into my mouth while showering
• France: Dogs are allowed EVERYWHERE. And people don't pick up their poop!!! So you will likely step in it.
• France: Do NOT mispronounce "Charles de Gaulle" he is a fucking hero to them. All the airports, streets and trains are named after him. Do NOT pronounce his name like an American!!!! Seriously Practice!!
• France:The French are VERY rude to Americans. At least 20 called bullshit when I said I was Canadian. Once I showed my passport they were cool though
• Catacombs: Romes SUCK! PARIS is the ones you want!

Creep my Europe Facebook Albums and Read the Comments!!!

European Vacation Albums