Dr. David Lee Price
Just finished teaching English in Barcelona (six months) and accepted a job to teach in a United Nations Children's Education Fund (UNICEF) project outside Seoul, South Korea (one year contract). While waiting for paperwork to process I took a 31-day all access EURail train pass to Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Munich, Zurich, Rome, Milan, Naples, Bern, Montreux, Geneva, Lyon and back to Barcelona and made lots of interesting stories along the way (EURail Fest Map- http://www.travelblog.org/gmaps/map_2pk.html). I'm currently in England passing the days with friends until I depart for The Far East.David Lee
I usually send out email updates to friends and family but I'm trying the blog to see how I/people like it. Let me know what you think. I'll continue to update it semi-regularly and if you're interested in keeping up you can "subscribe" and be notified when new entries are added or unsubscribe as you please. Any travel, writing or life suggestions are much appreciated.
Yours Truly,
David Price Reichbaum
Travel Blog Posts
October 28th 2006
The scenery between Zurich and Italy is breathtaking, literally. The train passes through small and medium sized towns and villages DWARFED by mountains that can’t be scaled and whose peaks can’t be seen by the naked eye. We’d passed Lugano, Milano, Bologna and Florence before arriving in Roma. The second third of my Euro Trip was of a different breed. Jim came to Italy equipped with Italian telephone numbers and names of distant relatives, whom we’d seek out in Rome and Milan. It was great to reunite with another familiar FACE. Jim and I met up without even having to search. We picked up right where we left off when we last joined forces in DC several months ago with MIA former friend Bobby Jenkins (if anyone has info on this missing person, please come forward). ... read more
Zurich: Getting High in Switzerland
Published: November 21st 2006Europe » Switzerland » North-East » Zürich
October 25th 2006
Zurich: Getting HIGH in Switzerland My departure from Munich marked the end of the first third of my one-month EURail adventure. I refer to these first eleven days as the “COUCHSURFING” portion because I stayed (for FREE) exclusively with members of couchsurfing.com, the traveler’s network in which I’ve been an active member, host and guest. However, I had yet to sleep on one true couch. A few spare mattresses, a train or two, a QUEEN size bed, but no couches, until I got to Zurich, where I was taken in by a fellow FOX CHAPEL Area High School alumni by the name of Nikhil. The seasoned EX-PATRIOTS that I’ve met in my European travels have been very welcoming, well traveled and eager to help anyone who sympathizes with their curiosity and thirst for adventure. The same ... read more
US Military Encounter and München; Home of Enrico, Oktoberfest and Hitler
Published: November 21st 2006Europe » Germany » Bavaria » Munich
October 23rd 2006
INTRO My departure from Berlin was a bit impromptu, arranged the morning after a successful pub crawl and complicated by train schedules and an extended adios to random friends made the night before. I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to Ty but I knew we'd be seeing each other again sometime in the next decade back on the GLEN BROOK DRIVE cal-de-sac. Munich was highly recommended by friends and my preconceived NOTIONS were that it'd be completely different from Berlin. It was. Approaching the city, the fall scenery improved as we descended on the Bavaria region of Germany. Stops in several other big towns/little cities along the way put me in contact with new travelers from the US and Australia. US MILITARY ENCOUNTER A US military soldier about my age, on leave from his ... read more
Berlin, "The Wall", Ty and I
Published: October 25th 2006Europe » Germany » Rhineland-Palatinate » Charlottenberg
October 21st 2006
Arrived in Berlin pretty late, tired and without any knowledge of German, hoping that my long lost neighbor/childhood PLAYMATE, fellow Fox Chapel alumni and co-explorer Tyler Mossman could help me out (having studied in Austria and traveled the previous months in Eastern and Central Europe). The city was amazing a lot more modern and bright than I had anticipated. My outdated STEREOTYPES were shattered. Every street oozed with history and impressive new constructions (thanks in part to the recent World Cup mayhem). Highlights Included: THE BERLIN WALL. As you walk along the wall they have a written and pictorial history explaining the significance of The Iron Curtain. Really puts things in perspective. A total trip. "CHECKPOINT CHARLIE", where the US controlled their section of the East/West Berlin border. Preserved just as it was less than a ... read more
Red Light District AND MUCH More
Published: October 18th 2006Europe » Netherlands » North Holland » Amsterdam
October 18th 2006
Arrived in Amsterdam Tuesday evening. Met my couchsurfing host REMCO and his lady friend DIESK at the train station. Both great people, very friendly, big DUTCH smiles and friendly blue eyes. Walked to Remco's apartment and had introductions over GROLSCH (Dutch beer founded in 1615) and wine. Remco lives on the canal next to the infamous RED LIGHT DISTRICT, above a flat where LIVE SEX SHOW tickets are sold (shows performed in another locale). Remco gave me a thorough tour of the district, pointing out the finer details of each block; "this block is for the BIG MAMAS, that one's for TRANSVESTITES and this one, I'm not quite sure what they do here, but it looks PAINFUL", he explained. I was taught that The Netherlands historically has had a very high rate of tolerance and neutrality ... read more
Dead Legends, Protest, Cabaret, French & Australian Gangsters and Cinderella
Published: October 16th 2006Europe » France » Île-de-France » Paris
October 14th 2006
DAY 2 * JIM MORRISON’s grave among others at NAPOLEON Père Lachaise Cemetery. (Jim's grave is surprisingly standard. The rest of the cemetery is quite impressive though with enormous monuments, catacombs and tributes to politicians, artists, martyrs and common peasants) *The cemetery was one of the first since Paris's ban on cemeteries due to health hazards in 1786. * Sacré-Coeur & Montemartre (view from the scenic highest point in Paris) * Student demonstrations, police in RIOT gear. Intense but no physical responses. (Would’ve been well documented by the massive group of tourists watching from the sidelines.) * MOULIN ROUGE, the famous 1889 red light district CABARET located in the old town village Boulevard of Clichy. * Night out with reformed GANG member/couchsurfer Aussie Mike from the streets of Perth. Hanging around Republique and Bastille we witnessed ... read more
October 13th 2006
Impressions of Paris: Day 1 * Sonya calls the Parisian tourist info attendant at the train station¨ not very nice¨ from within earshot, then offers me a free cab ride across the city as she's in a rush for a press conference. She has a short patience but seems to enjoy my companionship through her frustration. * Sightseeing highlights: Louvre, Eiffel Tower, and Notre Dame, walking up and down the Seine River * Passed the Pont de l'Alma tunnel where Princess Dianna of Wales died and the unofficial memorial "Flame of Liberty" with inscriptions from sympathizers worldwide (Surprisingly emotional, didn't expect to feel that strongly. The universal sentiment and mutual adoration was an impressive spectacle to witness) Great Couchsurfing network. I was hosted by a friendly 23 year old named Catherine who saved me from paying ... read more
Farewell to Barcelona- An Eventful Start
Published: October 15th 2006Europe » Spain » Catalonia » Barcelona
October 12th 2006
Left Barcelona Thursday afternoon post-signing and sending my one-year contract with the "Gyeonggi English Village", a UNICEF/Korean government sponsored collaboration located outside of Seoul, South Korea. I just sent out my most recent email update and have had very encouraging responses. The first several hours of my European Rail Tour were quite eventful. 1.) WITNESSED MY FIRST BLATANT ANTI-AMERICAN DISCRIMINATION. Met a scruffy Irishman and a Canadian guy on EURail passes heading to Prague via Paris. Before long they were kicked off the train, victims of an overreaction to mismarked EURail passes and misdirected anti-Americanism. They couldn't speak Spanish. I tried but couldn't defend them. Supposedly they mismarked their ticket, a common technique to get more travel days on a FlexiPass, but a minor offense nonetheless. Whether intentional or accidental, it was only ... read more
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