David's European tour

[HAL]

[annewilo]

^ strange that HAL failed to reference the knickers!

[HAL]

Can you tell me any gossip?

[luvdids]

^ yes Hal, David wears his fiance's knickers. Get with the program Hal!

[HAL]

How does it look?

[stui magpie]

[Brenny]

^ An elephant with a coat.

[Collingwood 4 eternity]

David I hope you have as much fun as the Griswalds did on their European vacation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-W50U2RP6g

[think positive]

[Nick - Pie Man]

[Member 7167]

[David]

Just set up a couch-surfing profile and started the application process for my passport.

[Black_White]

[HAL]

And doing the ultimate poor uni student backpacks Europe cliche is [quotePied Piper]he or she'd be surprised and frankly disappointed if David went for something so cliched [quote] And you are not surprised that David.

[Bruno]

Make sure you get variety. Don’t just do “bookish” things. Low brow adventures can generate many happy memories. Definitely watch films / listen to music and read up on places (i.e. not just guide books but read good authors who come from a city / town you plan to visit) to give them a context / narrative. (For instance, my love and knowledge of the ‘80’s Hard Rock scene in L.A. brought that city to life for me).

And don’t turn your nose up to every tourist trap. Yes, the Louvre will be teeming with tourists but if there is a work or an artist you really want to see, why let the throng of tourists who don’t know the first thing about what they are looking at stop you from looking at something you know a lot about and love? Be very selective with art galleries / museums though. E.g. If you go to Madrid, don’t just automatically select the Prado. Make sure you know what you want to see. I’ve been to two art galleries in Madrid neither of which have been the Prado. The D’Orsay might be a better option in Paris vs the Louvre too if you’re really into French Impressionism and pressed for time. Paris is a city you HAVE to study before going there. If you don’t you will miss the hidden gems and wind up eating tasteless pizza on the Champs Elyses with everyone else (Take a look at: Paris: A Guide to The City's Creative Heart by Janelle McCulloch). I highly recommend going to the top of the Arc D’ Triomph at sundown as the lights come on. And yes, it is worth going to the top of the Eiffel.

In London, again variety is the key. I think you’d enjoy Electric Avenue in Brixton and probably the main street in Camden (don’t miss taking a look at Cyberdog). I really found Killburn High Street interesting (there won’t be a tourist in site) also. To get a slight look into the posher side of English culture, buy a coffee and get a good seat at the Cafe Nero on the Kings Road (they have a really good farmers market there on Saturday too.... also, don’t miss the Taschen store in Duke of York Square just off the Kings Road). Wimbledon Hill / Wimbledon Common is a lovely spot for a Sunday morning walk. If you want a suggested route, let me know. If you go in Autumn, the grounds at Cannizaro house are lovely. Also, if curry is your thing, don’t miss Brick Lane. It’s famous, but it IS real. Half the people working there are probably family members of the restaurant owners in London from Bangladesh working illegally! Have a day when you buy all daily newspapers and then sit in St James Park (or one of the ubiquitous coffee chains) and read them all (You could make a photo of you reading the Sun your new avatar!). The level at which each newspaper is pitched provides interesting / differing insights into English culture. Catch buses wherever possible. Also make sure you try a ham cheese and tomato croissante and wildberry muffin from Pret.

Other comments:

The Bernese Oberland is achingly beautiful. Do the Jungfraujoch but leave enough time to take a look at Wengen and Lauterbrunnen. (They’ll both be very quiet if you go out of winter season).

Go to Vokavar in Croatia. Much still hasn’t been repaired since the war.

If you go to Budapest, stay on the non-mountain side. My favourite spot in Budapest was the main train station (I think it was called something like Keleti). I could sit there all day and watch people go about their business. It looks like it hasn’t been updated in 50 years.

If you go to the football, England is the place to do it. If there are financial constraints ticket prices wise go to a Championship match (i.e. the old second division) instead of a Premier League match.

The best view of mountains going on forever into the distance that I have seen was from the Zuigspitzer near Garmisch/Partenkirchen south of Munich. Neuschwanstein castle is pretty cool too... as are the stories of the King Ludvig’s dalliances with Richard Wagner.