http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Rachel Conquers Europe/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Rachel Conquers Europe en-us Tue, 07 Oct 2008 05:06:02 BST Tue, 07 Oct 2008 05:06:02 BST Some mornings during this trip in Europe I would wake up and ask myself Why do I travel What am I doing here After establishing what country I'm in I try to take a moment to answer these questions. But only now that I am back in the United States have I fully been able to answer them. Did I accomplish my mission in Europe What was I searching for Myself. My future. Others. Other pers http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Hampshire/Portsmouth/blog-149029.html You cant appreciate home 'till you've left it money 'till its spent your wife 'till she's joined a womans club nor Old Glory 'till you see it hanging on a broomstick on the shanty of a consul in a foreign town. O. Henry In just the same way I have realized that I didn't truly appreciate America until I left her. Being away for seven months I have defended her described her and denied he http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/blog-148667.html Ode to HeidelbergnbspEurope raquonbspGermany raquonbspHeidelberg By Rachel Conquers EuropeApril 13th 2007Rachel I listened to the city come alive from its dreamless slumber Blinking awake at the movement overhead The patient tick of a crossing signal Cars purring at stop lights and the awkward clunk of a trash can emptied. Surroundsound birds A spray of air at the gas station low hum http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Germany/Baden-W-rttemberg/Heidelberg/blog-148217.html I stood for a long time by the roller coaster and I noticed that most people get on it in search of excitement but that once it starts they are terrified and want the cars to stop Eleven Minutes Paul Cohelo. Why do people go to amusement parks The only socalled amusement comes from the possiblity of ending your life and the churning of your guts. Amusement parks are just a platform http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Germany/Bavaria/Nuremberg/blog-146569.html Guten tag aus Deutchland I am taking German lessons from F U University I still dont know what that stands for in Heidelburg Germany for the next two weeks. Learning a new language is like cracking open an antique book I can actually feel the dust sloughing off inside my brain. Why are you taking German Gut fragen. 1. I hate being a mongolot. Americans are ubiquitously known for being http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Germany/Baden-W-rttemberg/Heidelberg/blog-145035.html He has lived 4.5 times longer than I. I cant even begin to imagine the things one can see in a lifetime that stretches from the turn of the century through the invention of vehicles and two world wars. I was notified by my relatives Ken and Nancy that we had family in Germany. How perfect I decided to end my European adventure in the place of my origin. This is a journey of selfdiscovery a http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Germany/Baden-W-rttemberg/Heidelberg/blog-144688.html Castle in the SnownbspEurope raquonbspGermany raquonbspFussen By Rachel Conquers EuropeMarch 26th 2007Rachel Snow filled cavities Open to a grey sky Cedar piles wait outside for their turn in the flame A squeal of delight peals from my train Excited to go nowhere Someone whistles its time To visit a castle in the snow My silver box flies through Icy green Bavaria to rest at the Sleepin http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Germany/Bavaria/Fussen/blog-142106.html Last night gathered around a cigarettelittered coffee table I asked five strangers to plan my fate. I dont want my trip to become stagnant so I decided to throw in a little spice. Ive recently been inspired by two books Lonely Planet's Book of Experimental Travel and Lost Cosmonaut. The book of Experimental Travel provides suggestions for nontraditional iteneraries like closing your eyes http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Germany/Bavaria/Munich/blog-140651.html I woke up to a long rough tounge scraping across my cheek. Kaya the dog who belongs to our hosts Rene and Steffie chose to wake me gently...with her saliva. Yuck. Today is the day that we get to go sledding in the Alps Steffie generously offered to take us with her to meet her parents for a day on the mountain. I sometimes have to remind myself where I am. What country did I wake up http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Austria/Tyrol/Innsbruck/blog-139357.html Its not the hills that are alive with the sound of music its the streets of Vienna.If you ask the Viennese about their city they will undoubtedly mention QUALITY of life. Vienna Austria is said to have one of the highest qualities of life of any city in the world. From environmental consciousness to cultural opportunities and workplace logistics the residents of Vienna seem to have it mad http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Austria/Vienna-State/Vienna/blog-137907.html The herald of the fifth portion of Rachels Tour de Europe came with the arrival of her longtime friend Kristen French. Kristen hails from Boulder Colorado and the two met while studying abroad in Wollongong Australia. With nostalgia for long discussions over steeping tea and a disenchantment for the real world Kristen spontaneously bought a plane ticket and the two decided to meet in Hun http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Hungary/Budapest/blog-136236.html I have been an SFT for one month now. SFT being the acronym I invented for Solo Female Traveler or learning to deal with the world by yourself. With this new status different cautions must be heeded and new opportunities arise. On my first morning traveling independently I was offered a ride to my hostel encouragement to travel and sugarpowdered cookies. I would like to think this wou http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Croatia/Dalmatia/Dubrovnik/blog-134253.html The residents seem unselfconscious about the Swisscheese like buildings that line every street. It is impossible to walk ten feet without seeing another at least partially destroyed grocery store or apartment. Bulletsized holes and artillery shell explosions are evident everywhere. Many of the nearrubble buildings have warnings posted NO PARKING OR CLIMBING for fear of the building compl http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bosnia-and-Herzegovina/South/Mostar/blog-132410.html After leaving the flatness of Serbia it is impossible to overlook the natural beauty of Bosnia. After a brief border crossing the bus curved around beautiful emerald lakes and wound around rocky crags into Sarajevo. It was a city that I had associated with terrible violence in the 90s but didnt know much more about. My mission was to stay in the city until I fully understood the conflict. http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bosnia-and-Herzegovina/East/Sarajevo/blog-131996.html The overpowering odor of BO smacked me in the face after leaving Istanbul. Lucky to have the bus seat to myself a tiny girl watched me for a while before visiting my seat to scribble in my journal. We stopped at the TurkishBulgarian border and waited to pass out of Turkey. On the Bulgarian border there were five identical duty free shops. The people on the bus raced for the shops it http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Bulgaria/West/Rila-Monastery/blog-129672.html I woke up early in order to elbow my way to the sluggish but free computer in our hostel. Online I learned that Smartcars are coming to the US good news and Anna Nicole Smith died at the age of 39. My connection to home comes via the internet and so I cherish these moments where I reconnect with my homeland. After evaluating the status of my clothes an executive decision was made to fi http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/Turkey/Marmara/Istanbul/blog-127390.html Today we visited two of the most predominant mosques in the world Hagia Sofia and the Sultan Ahmed Mosque or Blue Mosque in Istanbul. They each have significance in their own right. Hagia Sofia is the largest mosque in the world and was built 305n 532 AD. The Blue Mosque is an architectural dream a stainedglass shrouded elephant. I was very excited to visit these special places of wo http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/Turkey/Marmara/Istanbul/blog-127003.html Goodbye Europe hello Asia We currently reside in Istanbul Turkey a country that is uniquely situated between three bodies of water and straddles two continents. Why visit Turkey My interest in this area has been piqued since talking to the Greeks about the relationship with their neighbors and the news of Turkey's desire to be included as part of the European Union. Turkey has applied http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/Turkey/Marmara/Istanbul/blog-126327.html We pass botiques with fanciful names like Extreme Wear and Water City which seem ridiculous as there is nothing extreme or wet about them. Dive Shops and Internet Cafes have papered over their windows. Freddy's Bar and Apollo Rent A Car have been deserted for months. They only activity inside of these former businesses is the annual winter overhaul and repair work crawling along. Only http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Greece/South-Aegean/Santorini/blog-122229.html When traveling with boys be forewarned that the dynamics are different. Profound and sentimental statements are often interrupted by inane comments like there is still chicken on your plate. NBA and NFL players are discussed as if they were lifelong companions.Games are played with more frequency and competition. We have become addicted to Gin Rummy Scrabble and Risk. The who is the bette http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Greece/South-Aegean/Santorini/blog-122225.html