remnants and rembrants of europe

yeah, its taken me a while to get this post up but for what its worth these are the top six photo's of the trip per country--one for each. europe certainly had its virtues--its own jewels and gem and it certainly shines more than Seoul in the summer but that's probably just a bad comparison altogether.

conclusions and things we (aubri and i) learned: one month is not enough. (never is when you travel). the eurail pass is only worth it if you cheat the system by not reserving a seat. (perhaps they account for this when the attach the price). Couch surfing is the best way to travel--we met really amazing people and stayed for free in their homes. (but keep it a secret please--if CS keeps growing the way it has been the site is going to crash and then their will be a lot of homeless travelers.) the Notre Dame offers free wifi. Italian food is good everywhere you just get more of it in germany (same is true of the ice-gellato). Not even rome is pleasant when the temp is 106˚. Paris is pretty to look at, much more so than London but neither have the zip nor zest of Amsterdam. Florence and Rome fall into a different category. King Louis was brilliant (Aubri disagrees on this one). If you were to take all of the thousands of flat-screen tv's, beamers, living room tile and ceiling plaster, the cheap reprints and amenities etc. of middle class living and put all those people in grass huts and put then to work in stone, glass, and gardening--well then our generation could have something really amazing and lasting to leave for our children--a 21st century Verseillies. Instead it all goes to the landfill. The Ufiitzi in Florence probably speaks great depth to the art history major but for me the Rijiks and Van Gogh museums in Amsterdam were the best. Rembrant's clarity and contrast convey a real depth of talent but nothing slapped me in the face with the emotional tug like Van Gogh's 'potatoe eaters' and 'crows'. Michelangelo's Pieta was breathtaking. Its a shame they have to keep it behind the plastic wall. If you are a Mormon you should know about Zolichfen even if you've never heard of Bern or Geneva. Toblerone sells a 10kilo chocholate bar. The coolest single place was stonehenge--tragically so. Its got fences and ropes a busy freeway running past and they want $16 for to just walk up to the rope. From the free dirt road 100 yards off the stones are much smaller but its quite, tourist free and out there across the rolling wheatgrass feilds, when the sun sets and shines on the stones the soul of the place comes alive. We were told they let crazy enthusiasts in on the summer and winter solstice for sunrise--and then you can actually touch the rocks. Perhaps we'll have to go back.