Hi Everyone, Today was another fun filled day in fantasy land...I mean Bruges! This city is almost like being in Disneyland. It seems like it was created and maintained solely for the sake of the visitors. And everyone here seems to be a visitor. The streets are filled with people snapping pictures and buying postcards. Strangely enough I don't hear much English. I guess Bruges is one of those tourist places that attract, not just foreigners but people from within its own borders. This morning I walked up 366 steps to the top of the Belfry tower on the Markt square. This belfry has 47 bells and still employs a full time carillon, who does bell concerts every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. I have heard that 'Don't Worry Be Happy' is a favorite. The view from ... read more

Hi Everyone, Yesterday I arrived in Belgium. I took a walk downtown. The streets here are crazy. They are arranged like tree branches: completely organic. And there are practically no street signs! What’s a girl to do? Luckily, the city isn’t very big and most of the tourist attractions are located together in one place. I just wandered around looking at all the fun shops until I recognized something. This morning I walked to the European Union. Apparently no one works here on a Sunday morning because it was completely deserted. I was the only one around for blocks. After that it started to rain, so I was grateful that I brought my jacket. I was going to walk to a street market, but I lost my map. But, it probably would have been pointless anyway ... read more

Hi Everybody! Today I went to visit the Palace of Versailles. Built by King Louis the XIV, the Sun King. Apparently he turned his old hunting lodge into a palace and used it to entertain the French Nobility with games and parties in order to distract them from politics. So he could run the country however he wanted. Louis the XIV reigned for 72 years and then Versailles became home to Louis the XV and then King Louis the XVI who got his head chopped off. After seeing Versailles, I can see how the excesses of its royalty could have lead the people to boiling resentment. At the peak of the revolution the people stormed Versailles and abducted the King and Queen because they were tired of them hiding out in their palace. The palace itself ... read more

Hi Everyone! Today's Itinerary was: 1) Eiffel Tower and Trocadero Square 2) Les Invalides 3) Napoleon's Tomb 4) Musee de l'Armee 5) Rodin Museum 6) Alexander III Bridge 7) Notre- Dame Begining the day by finding that iron icon of the French skyline: the Eiffel Tower. 1,000 feet tall and made from 7,000 tons of metal. Gustave Eiffel's tower won the architectural contest of 1889 against the giant guillotine. (that would have been very French!) Even though I was looking for it, it was still a shock to turn a corner and have it appear Bam! out of the blue. I didn't go up in the tower, as it was a 2 hour line. Near the Eiffel Tower is Les Invalides home of Napoleon's Tomb. I do wonder how modern French people view Napoleon. On one ... read more

Hi Everyone! Today is my last day in London. I am taking it easy, in preparation for leaving for Paris tomorrow! I woke up around 9am, ate left over pasta, washed my laundry in the bathroom sink, and walked to the library about 10 blocks from my hostel. I was going to use the day to play on the internet and research more of my trip, but the wi-fi there is only for library members. So I decided I would go see one more museum! The Victoria and Albert museum. Named for its founders Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, who from all reports were great people very devoted to their roles as public servants and British culture. In any case they founded a great museum, which like all the London museums is FREE! This is very ... read more