My experience of Prague was very different this time around. During my semester in Venice three years ago I had more friends than I knew what to do with, so when I took a week off I relished in the opportunity to be alone and independent.I came in the autum and was one of thirty tourists in the city, so I spent my time exploring the silent streets of the old town, disovering all the modern art galleries that are hidden away, and paying next to nothing for great j...

To me, leaving Amsterdam symbolized the end of the first half of our trip. It meant leaving countries where I am comfortable and familiar, and languages and cultures that I understand. When I left home many months ago I had only managed to research as far as Amsterdam, and everything else was so far in the future... Well now I'm past that final frontier and I'm trying to acclimate as quickly as possible--learning languages in a slapdash manner, and trying...

On this trip I have been spending a lot of energy fighting to stay in the here and now. My thoughts often wander back to where I've been (especially when I'm confronted with something new, or something strangely familiar, I end up comparing it to something else I've seen). And there's always the pressure to plan the next stage of the trip. I also find myself, as I often do while travelling, reevaluating my life--becoming nostalgic for days gone by...

Paris is so fricking beautiful! Everywhere I go I see amazing buildings topped with ancient chimneys, their balconies furnished with flowers. Sometimes these old fashioned buildings are right next to equally beautiful modern architecture, but usually they stick with the classic.We've walked so much, as we always do, and every neighborhood we've seen is beautiful and interesting. We've trekked all along the Seine River: on the Ile de la Cite with its b...

Ahh, finally a chance to relax. Bordeaux is a beautiful town full of free museums and charming houses, divided by a winding river with a reflecting pool where children get to play in the mist--but I got to see all that in a day. Sure we happened to be there on the day that the terrific Gay Pride Parade cut through town, stopping all the traffic for a party full of transvestites and glitter--but that's not why I was so glad to be there.I was thankful for the p...