ZachInDenmark

Welcome to the Vatican, officially the smallest country in the world (109 acres) and the seat of the Catholic Church. After our Italian breakfast (an oxymoron), we boarded a coach for the Vatican. Upon arrival, we were ushered past the long line of tourists right into the security line. Entering the Vatican is similar to boarding a plane in the United States security-wise. After 10 minutes, we were all given headsets so we could listen to our guide while we walked through the Vatican Museums together. The Vatican Museums were established in 1506, contain the Sistine Chapel, the Raphael Rooms, and is currently valued somewhere around priceless. The Vatican Palaces together, real estate alone, is valued around $1.21 billion (109 acres). The Raphael Rooms, a series of apartments painted floor to ceiling with Raphael's designs, are ... read more

Yes, in 24 hours I was not only in four countries but the four capital cities of those four countries. Beat that! Flying from Moscow, Russia to a layover in Stockholm, Sweden. From Stockholm to Copenhagen, Denmark with less than 12 hours in Denmark. Then a flight from Copenhagen to Rome, Italy. Three Scandinavian Airlines flights connected me from all four cities in 24 hours. I went from 1 degree Centigrade in Moscow to 14 degrees centigrade in Italy. Wahoo!... read more

On Wednesday, it was time for a trip to Novgorod, the medieval capital of Russia. A three hour bus ride took us out of pretty Saint Petersburg and into real Russia. I woke up literally in a different world. Out the window were not the posh, urban streets of a European city but instead the wooden, dilapidated shacks from the third world. I tried to take some pictures of these surprises, but the real sight can't nearly be caught on film. Upon arriving in Novgorod, we started a tour of the medieval kremlin, which is Russian for fortress, of the city. We learned that Novgorod actually introduced a certain form of democracy in its medieval city-state years. It served as a large hub for a substantial north-western section of Russia. It was a commercial centre as ... read more

After having a tour of Paris and visiting Versailles, we weren't quite satisfied with the day yet. So obviously the only thing we could do next was take a three hour dinner barge cruise up and down the Seine in the heart of Paris and eat the best food known to man with unlimited wine. So we did. The cruise was a dream come true. It was the epitome of what we think of when we think of France: luxurious, elegant, tasty, formal, joyous, and deeply awesome. I recommend said voyage to all! Oh and every hour, the Eiffel Tower sparkles. The next day, we visited a French Vocational school for students studying to be architects and designers. We were given a tour, and talked about our various methods of education. I was able to use ... read more

After our leisurely stroll through Verdun, off to Reims we went, in the heart of Champagne country, amidst what seemed like the downpour of the century. Reims played a very important role in French history, as it was the place where the kings of France were crowned. The most famous and cherished of these events was the coronation of Charles VII in the company of Joan of Arc. Thus, the Cathedral of Reims (damaged by the Germans during the First World War but restored since) played the same role in France as Westminister Abbey did in England. It was there that they kept the Holy Ampulla containing the Saint Chreme (chrism) which was said to have been brought by a white dove (the Holy Spirit) at the baptism of Clovis in 496, and was used for ... read more