The Time Has Come for You to Travel on Your Own

This is where we part ways and you take all of the valuable information I've given to you and put it to good use. I wish I could tag along but I've had my fun and now it's your turn. Some final words of advice and suggestions...

Just have fun, try not to worry too much about logistics and your budget, save money but have a good time and relax. Don't be afraid to meet new people or step out of your comfort zone. Be respectful of each countries' culture. Keep a journal! Save your tickets and maps (you can make a map collage in your room when you get home!). People watch. Try new food and drinks. Get lost and don't use a map, ask people around you for directions. Try to pick up a new language. See a movie and a concert. Rent a paddle boat on a river. Find at least one park in each city to take a break in. Enjoy.

May I Also Suggest...

Ireland
Spain
Germany
The Netherlands
Greece
Switzerland
Morocco
Turkey

Na shledanou! Au Revoir! Ciao! Good bye!

Cross Club

Since this is a study abroad blog for students, and I've failed to focus on the night life in most of the cities I've discussed, I'm going to go into detail about one of my favorite clubs from Prague: Cross Club.


Cross Club, a very eclectic club located in Prague 7, was originally a very exclusive underground club with a “friends only” policy. The club only emerged from the underground scene when in 2004 it finally obtained all its permits and licenses from Prague’s bureaucrats. What makes this club so appealing is the constantly changing design of the interior and the wide variety of entertainment it offers. While it can be argued that if you are a strong supporter of alternative culture Cross Club is your perfect venue. However the variety of entertainment and the unique design also offer something to those who are not so alternatively inclined.

The variety of entertainment the club has to offer is what makes Cross Club such a desirable venue. Not only does the club host bands and DJs from all over the world but they also offer performances from experimental theater, poetry readings, exhibitions, and project Ghettolledge. Ghettolledge I found particularly interesting because this is also known as a street university where professors and recognized experts lecture on various subjects. What makes this club so popular is that it gives the customers choices. Rather than having a certain band or speaker forced upon them as their only option Cross Club offers a variety of choices that meet the wants of a diverse clientele. In order to keep up with Prague’s varying interest in music the club also offers a variety of music styles. These styles include ska, punk, world music, and various forms of techno, rave, and reggae.

Much like Prague’s alternative culture scene the design of Cross Club is always changing and gives it a very lively feel. It is this constant change in design that gives the club its distinct atmosphere. While the overall look and design of the club has changed significantly the original design of the club can be seen in the upstairs bar area. Here the lounge area, with foosball room, and cozy seating area still serves as the perfect place for students to relax. However, the club also serves as an exhibition space for a multitude of unique designs and inventions. Most of these designs emit light and give the club its distinctive look. What is just as interesting about these light fixtures is that an electrician who has never taken any art or design courses designed them.

The club’s manager originally asked Frantisek “Fanda” Chmelik to install basic wiring for the club and instead Fanda unleashed his creativity on the space. Chmelik created various contraptions that resemble machinery and lights that he often incorporated into murals or mosaics. It is almost as if the inner workings of his chaotic mind have manifested themselves in the different designs of each room. The bar utilizes the shapes of church-organ pipes for it’s general design. In the next room over the pipes are inverted and become miniature wall-mounted tables, which are also equipped with a single pipe that provides just enough light to illuminate the ashtray. Throughout the club Chmelik reinvents various objects to use as centerpieces or to mount on the walls. Overall the club has a very futuristic and organic feel to it. Because Chemelik has been a part of Cross Club from its inception he has been able to work in an environment of absolute creative freedom. It is also important to note that the area in which Cross Club is located used to be part of Prague’s industrial district, and therefore the mechanical design of the venue compliments the building’s history.

Ultimately Cross Club is a favorite of the Prague nightlife scene because it has shed its veil of exclusivity and caters to locals and tourists alike. There is something for everyone to enjoy at Cross Club and I will definitely take any of my friends who are visiting Prague to Cross Club.

Prague

Prague is an amazing city with so many things to offer. Prague is one of the few cities, formerly under the rule of the Communist regime, that has made an incredible come back. The city is now one of Europe's top destinations for travelers and study abroad students alike. Prague has incredible history, architecture, culture, food, and entertainment.

Luckily for you the Czech Republic still uses the Czech Koruna which comes out to 18.99 koruna per US dollar. Once again like in Budapest (although not as much as you could in Budapest) you can really get your money's worth. Now is the time to spend a little more on a nice dinner or nice souvenirs for family and friends back home (the Czech hand painted egg ornament is an important Czech tradition and favorite souvenir). Another word of advice, don't tip too much. Tipping is not common among Czechs but since you are a foreigner you are expected to leave something. In all my time in Prague I never tipped more than 20 Czech korunas for a meal, which is the equivalent of $1.05. Don't expect exceptional service in Prague either, unless you're lucky enough to stay at a five star hotel the general rule in the Czech Republic is "the customer is always wrong." Don't be offended if you get an unfriendly waiter or are forced to wait 20 minutes for your check, it's just the norm.

Something else to keep in mind... the Czech Republic only came out of the rule of the Communist regime 21 years ago, and besides the fact that many of the older generation actually long for the days of Communism (it may sound ridiculous but imagine a world where everyone has a job and people are generally well off and you can understand their disdain for the harsh effects of a Capitalist system). The Czech Republic itself is also only 21 years old as it was split apart from Slovakia following the fall of Communism-- this has created a fair amount of tension over ownership of films, songs, and novels that were once Czechoslovakian. Their languages are only slightly different and Czechs get a long fine with Slovaks but there is still some underlying tension you should be aware of before you claim something is solely Czech or Slovak etc. As you keep this in mind it's good to know that the Czech culture is still very much affected by its Communist years. This manifests itself in a very quiet populace-- the Czechs aren't generally loud, especially in public on trams or in metro stations-- and you would do well to follow suit. It is also a common courtesy to give your seat up on a tram or subway car to the elderly, disabled, or pregnant women-- if you do you'll get an appreciative smile and quiet thank you-- help defeat the loud rude American stereotype and be sure to do this.

To get a proper history lesson and to really appreciate the architecture in Prague you must visit the following:
-Prague Castle (Prazsky hrad) the largest castle in the world with St. Vitus Cathedral
-Old Town (Staré Město) with its Old Town Square and the Astronomical Clock
-Charles Bridge (Karlův Most)
-New Town (Nové město) and the historic Wenceslas Square (this square was filled to the brim with people demanding the end of Communism after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989)
-Malá Strana (Lesser Quarter) with its Infant Jesus of Prague and its picturesque streets
-Josefov (the old Jewish quarter) with Old Jewish Cemetery and Old New Synagogue
-The Lennon Wall (after John Lennon was shot a Mexican student studying abroad in Prague painted his portrait on a wall in the neighborhood along the Vltava river close to the Charles Bridge)-- now students and travelers from all over the world sign their names on the wall
-Vysehrad (located in Prague 2)- this is the ancient castle was built in the 10th century overlooking the Vltava River. It is also next to my former school in Prague and holds a special place in my heart because I had to walk past it to get to class everyday.
-Try to see a show at the National Theatre (Narodni Divadlo)-- their ballets are fantastic.

Something Fun I Want To Share:

I wrote this blog post while I was studying abroad this past spring semester. I thought it'd be great to share as I near the end of this blog because it's an interesting way for me and you as a traveler to reflect on how different it is to be in the middle of your travels and then to look back at them at a later date. I think this post says a lot about what one can expect while studying abroad or extensively traveling at such a young age, and maybe provide you with a few more tips or important things to prepare for before traveling.

April 2010:
When I saw the email from Matt asking that we submit a blog entry on our experiences abroad I became very excited because there is so much I want to share with all of you. When I actually sat down to start writing this though I realized that it is an almost impossible task because I don’t even know how to sum up my study abroad experience so far in a blog entry. I’ll just stick to generalities. In a nutshell since coming to Prague I’ve traveled to Paris, Budapest, London, Vienna, Galway, Dublin, Krakow, Venice, Florence, and Rome. I have learned a few Czech phrases (Czech is a horribly difficult language), tried Czech cuisine, and traveled to various cities around the Czech Republic. I have made bonds with people that will last a lifetime. I have made travel memories with friends that we still love laughing about. I have gone on pub-crawls, I’ve gone spelunking, visited a bathhouse, and seen Auschwitz. I had to endure the coldest day in Prague in 20 years, while touring the Prague castle; it was 9 degrees. I’ve booked numerous flights, hostels, and train tickets. I’ve had to learn how to use the Prague public transportation without anyone’s help. Above all I had to learn to plan a trip completely on my own, acclimate to the Czech culture, deal with the occasional tinge of home sickness, and do my best to stay in touch with friends back home. Studying abroad is like freshman year all over again, you get to reinvent yourself, and as everyone continuously reminds me “everything here is not real.” People go out almost every night, and I have no idea how they aren’t always exhausted. I have loved the cheap prices here, and how small and manageable the city is. I absolutely detest the fact that you have to pay for ketchup, bread, butter, and water. Besides that I have thoroughly enjoyed traveling almost every weekend and meeting amazing people from all over the U.S. and Europe. Studying abroad has really allowed me to take a step back from my usual life and realize what is truly important to me and what I miss the most.

My friends and I in Florence (luckily all of them also go to USC and we've remained very close to this day):

Time to Back Track... Prague!!!

We are reaching the final stop of our trip: Prague. I studied abroad in this city for almost five months and I absolutely loved it. Before I go into great detail about my time there, comment on the culture, entertainment, history, and what to do I want to give you a sampling of Prague that is completely free of my opinions.

Photographs, won't do the real beauty of Prague justice but they certainly help. I want to share two movie trailers: one is a Czechoslovakian New Wave film and the other is a modern Czech film. I want to juxtapose these two because I want you to come to a conclusion on your own about the changes in entertainment from when Czechoslovakia was under Communist rule to the modern day Czech Republic.

The view of Prague Castle from across the Vltava River:






The park next to my school:





Having fun with friends in Prague's Old Town Square:




Having a good old time on the famous Charles Bridge:




Now for the trailers:

Jiri Menzel's 1966 film "Closely Watched Trains"



Jiri Menzel's 2006 film "I Served the King of England"




Both are based on novels by the esteemed Czech writer Bohumil Hrabel and deal with similar coming of age issues, but notice their differences based on the radically different political periods they were made in.

Exploring Budapest

Budapest is a very interesting city. It has come along way since the fall of Communism but it is still very much an evolving, growing city. The economic changes of the early 1990s resulted in declining living standards for most Hungarians. In 1991 most state subsidies were removed which lead to a severe recession. The economy has slowly been improving and continued to improve once Hungary decided to join the European Union in 2004. While Hungary's economy is still struggling the good thing for you as a student traveler is that your visit to Budapest will be an extremely affordable one. If you're traveling to Hungary from Italy your most economic means of travel would be to fly to Prague and then take an overnight bus to Budapest. They are extremely affordable and actually very safe. Most of their passengers are students and the occasional local. Do your best to book an overnight bus so you can spend a full two to three days in Budapest. Be sure to get out of the bus when it stops in Slovakia just so you can take a quick look around.

Things you must do in Budapest:
1. Go Cave Exploring! With a guide of course! See: http://www.budapest-tourist-guide.com/caving-in-budapest.html
This was definitely one of my most memorable experiences from studying abroad. They do give you a jumpsuit to crawl around in but make sure you prepare by wearing proper shoes, and be prepared for some fairly intense cave exploring. It may sound scary but it's definitely worth it!
2. Go to a bath house! Budapest is known for its bath houses which are basically giant outdoor jacuzzi's. When my friends and I went it started snowing while we were in the outdoor bath house, it was pretty amazing. See this website for more information: http://www.spasbudapest.com/furdo.php?idx=2
3. Visit the Central Market Hall. Watch out for pickpocketers and seedy looking individuals eyeing your wallets but this is the best place to buy inexpensive but authentic Hungarian souvenirs. While you're at it enjoy some very delicious authentic Hungarian food in between shopping.
4. Walk across the Chain Bridge and admire the differences between Buda and Pest which are split by the Danube river.
5. Visit Castle Hill- Here you can see the Royal Palace and Matthias Church, plus you'll get the best panoramic views of the city from a top this hill.
6. Definitely visit the Terror Museum- Here you can learn about the Nazi and Communist regime in Hungary- two very horribly powerful regimes that were responsible for mass murders, and controling the government.

Below: My friends and I have a little too much fun posing with an important Hungarian monument in front of the Hungarian Parliament.

Budapest! Already?

Yes it's time to get a move on. All of the cities you've visited have been pretty mainstream Western European cities. Why not end your trip with a visit to Budapest and one more city to be named at a later date...

On a very very good note the currency in Hungary called the forint, is not worth very much at all. One Hungarian Forint is the equivalent of 0.0048 US dollars... so don't go crazy but your dollars will definitely go a long way here.

Fun fact: The country is home to the largest thermal water cave system and the second largest thermal lake in the world (Lake Hévíz), the largest lake in Central Europe (Lake Balaton), and the largest natural grasslands in Europe (Hortobágy).

To get you revved up for the next post which will go into further detail of what to expect and what to do in Hungary here are some fun photos:

Venice, Florence, Rome: Go!

Italy is the perfect country to visit if you have four to five days to spare. You can see at least three cities and spend a day to a day and half in each, and if you plan your visits efficiently you can see almost everything one should see when visiting those cities.

Now for a quick and easy to follow check list of things to do in each city:

Venice:

1. If you can, make sure you visit Venice during Carnival. It starts two weeks before Ash Wednesday and ends on Mardi Gras. Carnival began as a way to celebrate and express oneself regardless of class-- by wearing a mask you were able to hide your identity and therefore your social class. Today at least 30,000 visitors come to Venice for Carnival each year.
2. Fork out the money and take a Gondola ride, you won't regret it.
3. Walk through the Piazza San Marco and ignore the urge to feed the pigeons- they will swarm around you if you start to feed them.
4. Visit Accademia Gallery (Galleria dell' Accademia): this museum contains the most important collection of paintings of the Venetian school, with masterpieces by Bellini, Titian, Giorgione, Tintoretto, Veronese, Tiepolo, and Rosalba Carriera.
5. Get lost in the maze of Venetian streets.
6. Share a giant box of Italian pizza with friends for lunch while sitting along the water's edge of one of the many canals.
7. Buy a Carnival mask.
8. Enjoy and marvel at the beautiful Venetian Gothic architecture.



Florence:

1. Visit the Uffizi-- one of the most famous and important art galleries in the world. It contains works by: da Vinci, Donatello, Michelangelo, Raffaello to name a few... oh and it has the largest collection of Botticelli's works in the world.
2. Visit the Galleria dell' Accademia just to see Michelangelo's David.
3. Visit the the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore-- it is one of the most important landmarks of Florence and is one Italy's largest churches.
4. Visit the Piazza della Signoria as it is one of the focal points of the city and while you're walking around take note of all the statues lining the square. You'll find a copy of the David as well as two copies of statues by Donatello-- among others with very interesting histories.
5. Enjoy views like this one:



Rome: (I'll refrain from going into too much detail on these since they are such iconic and well known landmarks.

1. The Colseum- prepare for long lines and very annoying tourists.
2. The Vatican and Vatican Museums- the Sistine Chapel is a must see.
3. The Spanish Steps- watch out for crowds, it can get pretty overwhelming.
4. Trevi Fountain- don't miss when you're throwing your penny over your shoulder!
5. The Pantheon- one of the temples dedicated to all the gods of Ancient Rome.
6. Fork out the money for a nice Italian dinner.

Buongiorno Italia!

As much as I love France it's time to move on. Luckily the next stop is an amazing one. Italy. So many cities to visit, so little time, but luckily it's very easy to visit multiple cities in less than 5 days. Now is definitely the time to improve your time management skills.

Luckily you're still using the Euro so there is no need to exchange currencies. The economy was definitely hit hard by the recession and it's slowly making it's way back just like the rest of the world. But keep in mind that Italy is known for its higher prices; it is still a fairly touristy destination. You can always find great deals if you look hard enough. While I was in Italy the best thing I bought was a leather bracelet in a marketplace. All of my friends got matching ones and we still have them to this day. So spend less and focus more on making memories.

Best airlines from Paris to just about anywhere in Italy: Easyjet. If you don't mind flying to another city first and then catching a connecting flight to Italy use Wizz Air or Smart Wings. Keep in mind that with these discount airlines you may have to fly out of one of the smaller Parisian airports and usually land in a more rural airport of Milan or Rome. Either way it's definitely worth the price.

Getting around Italy: trains, trains, trains. Tren Italia is your best bet for inexpensive train rides. You've probably heard a lot about Eurostar and the Eurorail pass but for a student it is truly a rip off and will cost you an arm and a leg. Just make sure you don't decide to buy your train tickets last minute during a holiday weekend-- especially Easter. My friends and I bought our train tickets from Venice to Florence last minute during Easter weekend and ended up having to spend extra on first class tickets since second class was completely sold out. Plan ahead and save money.

Another tip: watch out for pickpocketers. Italy is notorious for them. As long as you are a smart traveler and always aware of your surroundings this won't be a problem. Don't be the dumb tourist.

These tips should help during your entire stay in Italy, in my next post I'll go into specifics for multiple Italian cities.

Film and Television In Europe: Why It Must Change

Being a film studies major I couldn’t help but research the state of film and television in Europe and how it is affected by the American film and television industry. In a previous post I discussed the issue of European identity and how Europe’s history of war, genocide, and immigration between countries makes it difficult for each country to maintain a strong sense of traditional nationalism. I concluded that the while the answer to maintaining a modern sense of nationalism through the creation of the European Union is a hopeful stab at maintaining unity between nations that have been divided by wars and regimes and whose demographics have changed immensely due to immigration—that ultimately Europe must face its dark history and move beyond its prejudices towards immigrants and changing borders in order to truly move forward. This issue can also be applied, on a smaller level, in terms of the state of European media and how it must change to stay a viable business in Europe.

The face of Europe is changing, and it is only appropriate that the face of European television change with it. According to Rana Dogar’s Newsweek article For decades, Americans sold TV programs and Europeans bought them. Now
Europe's making its own shows--and audiences are thrilled.; Changing Channels;
[Atlantic Edition], she makes the comment: “when people watch TV they want to see themselves.” This can directly be applied to the changing face of the European population and its media preferences. Europe has a growing population of minorities ranging from Asians, Indians, Middle Easterners, and south-eastern Europeans -- this multi-cultural group cannot be expected to strictly value the outdated homogenous nationalistic values generally present in public service broadcasting. Likewise, if Europe wants to hold its own against the dominating American film and television industries, it must create transnational programming that can transcend borders. It could be argued that increased transnational television programming is simply a form of commercialization that will yield low-brow programming aimed to please the uneducated masses. However, it is clear that an increase in transnational marketing by European television companies is yielding both high quality and more mainstream programming. It is this adaptation that has allowed European media companies to continue to compete against the dominant American companies.

It is important to first discredit the claim that transnational European programming is only capable of producing low quality television or that transnational European programming will be the end of public service broadcasting quality television. “The Count of Monte Cristo” is a prime example of how transnational television can retain the qualities of a public service broadcast program. In case you aren’t familiar with it here is a clip from the film that features the male and female leads and also gives you a sense of the look, style, and high caliber acting within this public service broadcast mini series.



Its male lead is Frenchman Gerard Depardieu and its female lead is an Italian woman named Ornella Muti. Sticking to the tradition of European television programming it is long, has a high production value, and is a period piece that idealizes Europe in its aesthetics. Nonetheless, this mini-series was a hit in France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Russia; and it will soon be on cable in America. This mini-series was a success because deregulation is allowing companies to partner in order to create Pan-European production and distribution networks. This allows programs to maintain the qualities of public service broadcast programs that some of the audience still demands while integrating an international cast and crew to please a multicultural audience over multiple countries and even continents.

Another way in which the idea of a transnational European media system works to benefit European transnational programming is through “glocalization,” or globilization at the local level. In Jean Chalaby’s article Transnational Television in Europe-- The Role of Pan-European Channels, she argues that “, localization facilitates the process of globalization because it allows transnational media players to overcome cultural diversity and operate efficiently in a multinational environment.” Examples of this include the copying of “MTV,” the increase of local advertising, an increase in subtitles and dubbing of popular foreign programs, and local programming on networks like “CNN” and “CNBC.” These efforts allow European television to transcend the generally dominant force of American television by increasing ratings through reaching out to audiences on a local level. While these transnational programs may not maintain the nationalistic values of individual countries, most can be argued to maintain the values of modern Europe as a whole. In this way, nationalistic values can be maintained in a new way: an integrated way that is a reflection of the lives of modern Europeans.

While the “protectionist” or the traditional pro Public Broadcasting Service view is a noble one that struggles to maintain the national cultural values and identities of individual countries in the face of an ever-changing Europe, this is no longer feasible. Some qualities of this type of programming will continue to be used, however a multicultural influence must be present in order to reach out to a larger European audience. Europeans are proving that they can hold their own against American programming, whether it be through high-quality public service broadcasting type programming with a multicultural appeal or more modern transnational programming. Europeans are proving that they are capable of creating both while maintaining an overarching transnational appeal.

I feel that film and television have very strong influences on culture and are a way to maintain a sense of unity in a transnational environment. Media in general has a way of transcending borders and uniting people on a more basic level. While one must accept the fact that Europe will continue to struggle with its dark history and prejudices for quite some time, I feel that film and television will be the one of the means by which to unite Europe as a whole—by uniting them over shared common interests in media—and emphasizing that while Europeans may be separated by borders and cultural differences they can still agree on the pleasure and common themes of popular culture.

The perfect example of transnational programming is the television show Eurovision in which nations send their most popular musical talent to compete against other European nations for the title of Eurovision Winner. This show is a hit across Europe and features act from all over Europe. Here is a clip of the latest winner from Germany:

"This, Madame, is Versailles."

Now that you've finally made it to Versailles it's time to reflect on the 2006 film Marie Antoinette film as you walk around the palace and its grounds. Also keep in mind that Marie Antoinette was actually shot on location at Versailles; the sets are authentic, and while the costumes have a semi modern look they are also very much based on the authentic clothing seen at the court of Versailles in 18th century France.

Note: there is often a long line to purchase a ticket to enter the Palace, you are allowed to enter the grounds for free but seeing the Palace is a crucial part of the Versailles experience.



If you really want the full experience you should definitely purchase an audio guide so you can learn about the rich history of the palace and learn about the monarchs and the royal relatives that inhabited the palace before Marie Antoinette's time.

You should also definitely walk around the grounds and see the Grand Trianon (a "little" escape Louis XIV built for his wife) as well as Marie Antoinette's Estate-- her own personal escape from the protocol of Versailles.

Overall Versailles is a quintessential example of the beauty European royalty manifested in architecture. This is also the perfect day trip to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy the French countryside.

Your next stop: Versailles.

Before you get there watch this:




Then read this:

http://movies.nytimes.com/2006/10/13/movies/13mari.html

Keep this paragraph from the article in mind:

Ms. Coppola, who drew upon Antonia Fraser’s revisionist biography of Marie Antoinette, “Marie Antoinette: The Journey,” in preparing her script, is less a historian than a pop anthropologist, and her portrait of the young queen, played with wily charm by Kirsten Dunst, is not so much a psychological portrait as a tableau of mood and atmosphere. Highly theatrical and yet also intimate and informal, “Marie Antoinette” lets its story slink almost casually through its lovingly composed and rendered images.


While the film may be an American take on a European Monarch for me the film Marie Antoinette was the perfect way to acquire a more intimate understanding of Marie Antoinette compared to what I learned about her in my AP European History course. Keep this in mind as you make your way to Versailles... more on that in my next post.

The Catacombs of Paris

Start off the "touristy" part of your trip to Paris with a trip to the Catacombs of Paris. The catacombs are a famous underground ossuary located south of the former city gate which is now called Denfert-Rochereau. The ossuary fills a renovated section of caverns and tunnels that are the remains of Paris' stone mines. The catacombs were opened in the late 18th century and the underground cemetery became an underground tourist attraction in the early 19th century, and has been open to the public on a regular basis since 1867.

Plan on waiting in long line to see this unusually creepy bit of French history. In case you weren't sure an ossuary contains human skeletal remains. The remains were brought to the catacombs in the 18th century because parish cemeteries within the city of Paris were becoming so overcrowded that they were posing health threats to the people living nearby. Because of this city officials finally decided that the best idea was to move the remains underground into old quarries, now called the Catacombs. Since its creation the Catacombs now house approximately the remains of six million Parisians. It may sound grotesque but the bones are actually quite artfully placed. The bones are stacked as a form of decoration that line the quarry walls and many bones have been turned into sculptures. Keep in mind that you must descend down a spiral staircase of 19 meters, but the unusual sight of bones turned into art is definitely worth the sometimes dizzying decline into the underworld of Paris.

Euros and the Sad Fact That Paris Is Overpriced

As of today 1 Euro is the equivalent of $1.31. So luckily it isn't as bad as the exchange rate from the dollar to the pound but it still means the dollar isn't worth very much. The other problem is Paris is a pretty expensive city. I came across an article that actually has some pretty helpful tips for budgeting in Paris. Unfortunately for me I did not read this article before I went to Paris and did not do a very good job of converting dollars to euros in my head. Basically I spent way over budget, but I had an amazing time! In the end I decided Paris was worth the price. Just don't make the same mistake I did and read the list of prices below to work out a proper budget for yourself:

Cup of coffee: €2.50+
Ticket to the Louvre: €9.50 plus the optional €6 audio guide
Lunch at a restaurant: €10+
Pint of beer in a bar: €6

Ways to beat the prices:
1. Stay at a hostel- as I mentioned before Hostelworld is the perfect website to book a hostel and save. I made the mistake of staying at a Best Western by the Louvre (the room was the size of a shoe box) and I spent €200 for three nights, granted I split the price with a friend but I should have realized hostels were a much more affordable option.

2. Try to only eat at a nice restaurant once or twice for dinner. You can save so much money by eating at a small falafel stand or cafe for lunch or having a baguette for breakfast that way you can save your money for a glass of champagne at dinner. If you save up for one dinner make it an especially memorable one. Think of it as a reward for being so frugal.

3. Save your money for museums and other popular Parisian tourist attractions. Some of them are pretty touristy but you will really regret not climbing to the top of the Eiffel Tower just because you didn't budget yourself.

4. Say no to taxis! Paris is a beautiful city, walk around! The metro system is also pretty affordable so you can always rely on that for those trips across the city.

5. Be frugal but don't forget to have fun and splurge on one or two souvenirs!

A Must See Film Before You Arrive In Paris!

Click cc in the bottom right corner of the video for subtitles. Amelie is an amazing modern French film that will make your trip through the Chunnel even more enjoyable and give you a sense of French sensibilities and humor. Being a film student it is my personal belief that films are one of the best ways to learn about another culture. Granted those films should be produced by filmmakers native to that country, and one should be weary of the genre of the film before taking its plot too seriously. Amelie, however, is critically acclaimed and the perfect movie to get you ready for a trip to Paris. Enjoy!

The Chunnel

If you can afford it a great way to get from London to Paris is by using the Chunnel. The Chunnel is a British nickname for the Channel Tunnel that Eurostar bullet trains ride through. While the cheapest youth ticket is a whopping $155 (yes dollars, not Euros) to say that you have traveled through the longest undersea portion of any tunnel in the world is pretty neat. At the tunnels lowest point it is actually 250 feet deep.

An article on CNN.com brings up a very interesting point: "as you zoom along at speeds up to 185 miles per hour, consider how long it took to link Britain and France. Since the days of Napoleon there had been talk about a tunnel under the English Channel, but it wasn't until 1986 that the two countries finally reached an agreement to build it together. Once the digging started, crews crept forward 100 feet a day until June 1991, when French and English workers broke through and shook hands midway across the Channel. Voila! Cheers! The tunnel was complete."

Considering the cheap cost of airfare on some European airlines the Eurostar fare for the Chunnel is pretty steep, but this is definitely one train ride to splurge on. If it makes you feel any better the European bullet train is far more fuel efficient and causes less pollution than flying!

An Important Current Event To Know Before Visiting France

Before visiting Paris it is important to have an understanding of their Roma situation. I have mentioned Roma in a previous post but in case you've forgotten Roma are essentially gypsies. Roma have faced a lot of persecution in Europe over the years but things have reached a boiling point in France. A recent article in The Huffington Post focuses on comments made by a Romanian Gypsy leader that compares French President Sarkozy to Nazis. These comments are in response to Sarkozy's decision to expel hundreds of Roma from France. About 1,000 Gypsies have been sent back to Romania and Bulgaria as a result of France's crime fighting measures. The French president "has linked Roma to crime, calling the camps in which some of them live, sources of trafficking, exploitation of children and prostitution." Because EU governments are allowed to send citizens of other EU countries (Romania is also an EU country) home if their citizens can't find work or support themselves in other countries, and because 1.5 million Gypsies already live in Romania making it the largest population of Gypsies in Europe-- the logical decision on Sarkozy's part was to send the Gypsies in his country back to Romania.


The problem is the expulsions are being criticized by many in Europe, and not just Roma. Sarkozy has the Catholic church, the United Nations, and even members of his own political party on his case. Keep this in mind while traveling in France because it could come up in conversations-- you want to be sure and look like an intelligent American not a narrow minded one.

Here's the link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/08/romanian-gypsy-leader-com_n_708764.html

Paris Anyone?

My favorite city in Europe is hands down: Paris. As cliche as that may be, there is just something special about this city. I visited Paris twice before studying abroad. Once at the age of 11, and again at the age of 15, but visiting again as a college student was a completely different experience. Paris has a spirit all its own that can captivate any traveler even if you are visiting when it's 25 degrees and snowing outside.

As a little introduction to Paris I want to share this video with you. It's a video from La Blogtheque a French music blog that features articles on popular Indie musicians and more importantly these things called Take Away Shows. In a Take Away Show a featured band performs a song anywhere in the city of Paris-- and I want to show you Phoenix's performance of 1901. While Phoenix has become pretty Americanized they still perform at least two songs in French at each concert and are still amazing performers. So enjoy this song and video and get ready for a bit of helpful information to plan your Parisian visit.

Sit and Marvel

I realize that I may not have hit every topic I promised to hit on for London as mentioned in my first post, however my goal is mainly to give you a sprinkling of helpful information for each city. I will touch on each topic I promised but over a number of cities. I feel like I've been stuck in London for too long, which is probably a product of my parent's style of traveling. When I traveled with them in middle school and high school we would take two week vacations and hit as many countries or states as possible with very little down time. We saw plenty of museums, important historical sites, and various locations of cultural importance but we only had brief moments where we were able to just sit at a cafe and people watch. If there's one thing I learned while studying abroad it's that the best moments were the moments where I just people watched at a cafe, visited a pub for mulled wine when it was snowing outside, or sat in parks and just looked out at a city. My advice for your trip across Europe: take time to just sit and marvel.



--the view from a paddle boat on the Vltava river in Prague.

The Infamous Banksy

While doing some searching on the internet I came across a recent article on the infamous British graffiti tagger Banksy. His real identity still remains a mystery but his tagging has proven to be quite controversial. The messages he tries to send are usually social commentaries and often are attacks against the British government, London city officials, and the police. Banksy has become quite a prolific tagger and even has a documentary about his life coming out soon. His most recent piece of work:


appeared on the side of a private house in "Bevois Valley, an area of Southampton known for its lively nightlife and binge-drinking culture." The piece of art was painted over after only a week.

If you plan on visiting London definitely keep an eye out for his work.

His a list of his work and their locations in London:
http://www.artofthestate.co.uk/banksy/banksy.htm

Here is the article where I found my information:
http://www.metro.co.uk/news/848233-banksys-no-future-mural-in-southampton-gets-white-washed


While The British Museum and the National Gallery are examples of classical and more conventional arts and relics it would be a great idea to juxtapose them against Banksy's work to really get a sense of how much art has changed over the years, and how socital issues have been one of the driving forces of this change.

My Favorite Museums In London

The British Museum:
Established in 1973 The British Museum now houses over 13 million artifacts and houses the world's largest and most comprehensive collection of Egyptian antiquities outside the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. My favorite department houses artifacts from Egypt and the Sudan. The most notable object being the Rosetta Stone. Other departments of interest are the department of Greek and Roman antiquities and the department of the Middle East. Something important you should keep in mind as you tour the British Museum is that it has come into a bit of controversy over the years. There is a great deal of debate over whether the museum should be allowed to posses prized antiquities from other countries. The Elgin Marbles, Benin Bronzes and the Rosetta Stone are among the most disputed objects in its collections. Many organizations have been demanding that these items be returned to their respective countries of Greece, Nigeria and Egypt respectively.

National Gallery:
Founded in 1824 the National Gallery houses over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. What's great about this museum is that it not only features British artists but artists from all over Western Europe. It is equally fascinating to see the change in painting styles from each century and the variations between different countries. The museum is located in Trafalgar Square- the most famous square in the United Kingdom. If you're lucky enough to be there on VE Day, Christmas, or New Years you can watch concerts, fireworks, and other ceremonies.

While these two sites aren't quite as generic for a trip to London as the Tower of London, they are both free of charge which is perfect for a student on a budget.

Hostelworld!!

Hostelworld.com is an absolute god-send for students traveling on a budget around Europe. At hostelworld.com you can search over 24,000 hostels in 180 countries, so they definitely have you covered. What's best about hostelworld is that once you begin searching for hostels in a specific city you can organize hostels by price and ratings. But the ratings aren't just one overall percentage per hostel; the ratings include sub categories of ratings: character, security, location, staff, fun, and cleanliness. All of which are very important to making your hostel stay a pleasant one. The site also features reviews from people, usually students, who have actually stayed at these hostels. The reviews really help because the descriptions are usually written by the staff and make the hostels seem way better than they actually are, but the reviews sift through all of their lies and tell you exactly what you need to know about each hostel. So unless you have friends with a couch you can crash on in each city you plan on visiting I’d start making reservations as soon as possible. Hostels fill up fast during holidays and vacations. You may have your reservations about hostels, I used to (I used to think I would end up in a very horror film like situation if I ever stayed at one) but if you stay at a good hostel you will be pleasantly surprised by their helpful staff, clean, safe accommodations, and the acquaintances you’ll make with other student travelers.

The Pound

So you're finally in London. You've crossed the Atlantic, gotten through customs, and you navigated the Tube. Suddenly you realize something: London is ridiculously expensive. Unfortunately the British pound is doing better than the US dollar and this is one of the reasons London will probably be one of the most expensive stops on your trip. This website http://www.forecasts.org/pound.htm lists the British pound/US dollar exchange rate forecast for the next six months, and it does show the difference between the pound and the dollar declining. If you're on a budget I would advise limiting the number of days you spend in London to no more than two or three. If you are a student then you probably are on a budget which means you probably won't be staying at a five-star hotel. This brings us to our next topic: hostels. In my next post I will talk about hostelworld.com an amazing website for finding affordable, safe, and clean hostels all over the world.

The Tube

First things first, when you land in England ,whether it be Heathrow, Stanstead, or Lutton, it's easy enough to get a taxi or a shuttle into the city. Once you arrive in the city the first thing you need to do to get to your hotel is use the tube. The tube is a an efficient way to get around the city. The maps in the stations are easy to understand and the station workers are extremely helpful. The best way to save money is by buying an Oyster Card and adding money on to it as you go. The tube lines cover most of London and can generally get you any destination. Beware of line closures/construction, strikes, and certain lines that don't run at all hours. Here is a link to the London Tube website so you can make sure you're completely informed before you even arrive in London. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modalpages/2625.aspx

Mind the gap and get ready to explore London!

London Calling

In the spirit of spontaneity I have decided to now format my blog in the form of an extended "vacation" across Europe. At least one or more posts will be dedicated to each city as I "stop" there explore.

Most trips to Europe begin in London, one of the most popular first stops for travelers from the US. More on traveling to London, the state of its economy, current political state, and current cultural events tomorrow.

For now an article: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-business/article-23886844-punch-taverns-to-shut-1300-pubs-as-profits-collapse.do

Apparently "more than 1300 pubs out of its total estate of 6700 which have no “long-term viability”. They are likely to be sold or closed over the next couple of years." says Ian Dyson of the group Marks and Spencer.

What better time to go to London, you have to go before the local pubs, an essential stop during your visit to London, become few and far between.

Terror in Europe

Having been isolated from the world for some time due to extensive studying for the LSAT, upon finishing the test I thought it best to read various news sites to better acquaint myself with today's top stories. An article titled “US Terror Warning Could Hurt Europe’s Economy” especially interested me. While most who read this headline would immediately react with a sigh of relief thinking to themselves "good thing I'm not traveling to Europe right now." As the article mentions it could sway many who were hesitant about traveling to Europe in the first place to forgo their plans all together. However, having traveled to Europe with my parents only a year after September 11 and then traveling to Europe again only a week after the London bus bombings in 2005 I see no reason to live in fear and cancel travel plans. While it is important to be cautious, an extremely cautious life is an unfulfilled one. If anything we can't let terrorists win by letting their threats affect our lives. Instead I think it is important to see the bright side of certain situations. Now would be the perfect time to travel to Europe. With the dollar continuing to gain strength while the European economy continues to be unstable you will be certainly getting your money's worth by traveling to Europe now. It would be best to take advantage of this situation by visiting countries like France, Spain, and Italy, which tend to be on the more expensive side compared to other European countries. Also because the terrorist threats may scare away more timid travelers there is the possibility that popular tourist sights may be less crowded than usual! This is always a huge plus especially because so many popular sights: the Eiffel Tour, Versailles, the Coliseum, and the Spanish Steps to name a few always involve waiting in line or dealing with obnoxiously large crowds.

Be cautious but don't refrain from traveling and taking in Europe. As an ambitious student traveler it is important to watch the economy and be aware of the terror situation in Europe to make proper decisions that will allow you to travel safely, and efficiently.

The European Identity Crisis

Before I delve into the primary topic of my blog, I really want to focus on an important issue to consider while traveling around Europe: the European Identity Crisis. Throughout European history there have been horrific wars, genocide, general strife over territories and borders, and the issue of the immigration of "the other" (Roma or Gypsies, Eastern Europeans, Jews). However, it was always emphasized that each country must maintain a strong sense of national identity. But after WWII and the fall of Communism many borders were changed and new countries were created. How are national identities supposed to be maintained when countries are split apart, borders are shifted, and there is an influx of minority groups pouring into many European countries?

Currently the answer to all of this, or at least the propagandized answer to this question, is that the European Union is supposed to unite Europeans by embracing the diversity present within Europe and stating that, regardless of varying histories and cultures, Europe can unite to work towards a better a future. This view may be idealistic and bring hope, but one can’t simply look past the still-present tension between old national alliances and new national alliances. Not to mention the now wavering economies of many European nations, due in part to the introduction of the Euro. Moreover, beneath the surface, Europe as a whole still has a very dark history that it has to move past in order to move forward. Even the rest of the world is guilty of looking at Europe through rose-colored glasses. When planning a trip to Europe one thinks of the glorious parts of its history, the beautiful architecture and artwork, the landscapes, café culture etc. In reality, Europe could be considered a dark continent; not dark in the sense of skin color, as this term is generally used to refer to Africa. Europe is dark in the sense that it has a bloody history of genocide, wars, revolutions, religious suppression, and unrestrained colonialism and conquest.

One of the main issues people have with the European Union is that it overlooks the difficulties some countries are still facing with recent border changes that may have even created an entirely new country. Having studied abroad in Prague in the Czech Republic for over four months, I plan to utilize many examples from my experiences in my blog posts. After the fall of Communism, Czechoslovakia was split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The two countries share many cultural traits and their languages differ only slightly, and most of the two countries inhabitants remember when the two countries were united and still feel a strong connection to being Czechoslovakian. Many arguments have arisen over whether certain traditions, songs, and stories should now belong solely to the Czech Republic or to Slovakia. This leads to the question what does it really mean to be Czech or Slovak? Do you have had to have been born after 1989 to be one or the other or are you supposed to immediately conform to your new imposed identity regardless of your loyalties to Czechoslovakia?

I want to share this link from the Prague Post to also focus on discussion of “the other” or minorities within Europe: http://www.praguepost.com/news/5647-schwarzenberg-blasts-immigration-summit.html

This article discusses how the Czech Foreign Affairs Minister Karel Schwarzenberg criticized France for not inviting the Czech Republic, Romania, or Bulgaria to the immigration summit in Paris (France has decided to expel hundreds of Roma from France to Romania and Bulgaria). While I was studying abroad in Prague, Roma were mentioned many times during our orientation. Roma are essentially gypsies, who are often squatters, who have primarily lived in Central and Eastern Europe. They are often associated with petty crime and generally being a detriment to society. Integration of Roma is basically non-existent. Our program wanted us to be aware of the Roma situation in the Czech Republic, so we could better understand the Czech mentality towards them. While I never encountered any Roma myself, it was clear that many of the adults had a strong distaste for them.

That being said I found this quote from the article very interesting: "Speaking to journalists after the talks, Schwarzenberg said he is sensitive about the Roma issue because he grew up close to the camp in Lety, south Bohemia, where more than 1,300 Roma were gathered during the Nazi occupation." While Schwarzenberg may be Czech and therefore should have a negative view towards Romas because he grew up so close to a concentration camp filled with many Roma, he can't help but sympathize with them. In this instance he is going against what his national identity tells him he should feel. This emphasizes that nationalistic tendencies cannot be so black and white, there are so many outside influences to consider that uniquely influence each individuals’ view of nationalism. Finally, the article mentions "In a recent interview, Schwarzenberg said he believed that the French expulsion - spearheaded by Sarkozy - "goes against the spirit and rules of the EU."" He added "to put it mildly, when inspecting the case, one cannot but voice the suspicion that racist motivation plays a role, too." It would appear that the spirit and the rules of the European Union are not being embraced by all Europeans, only time will tell how long it will take for everyone to support the EU vision. Is this even realistic considering the fact that there are so many differing cultural histories? A pessimistic view would argue that certain racist views are so embedded in European history that it will be impossible for Europe to move forward. Being an optimist, I think Europe has advanced enough that it will continue to advance in a way that increases its tolerance of minorities like Romas.

I really feel that it is important for European travelers, especially students, to have an understanding of cultural identity within Europe and to keep in mind Europe’s tumultuous history before judging each country’s varying forms of nationalism. This kind of discussion may come up in conversation with foreigners and it is important to be respectful and to understand possibly contradicting views.

Welcome to the Ambitious Student Traveler!!

This blog will focus on traveling around Europe as a student on a budget. Generally each week will be dedicated to at least one country and at least one city. I will discuss affordable airlines, hostels, restaurants, museums, and nightlife with a focus on the state of each countries' economy and currency exchange rate and how it affects you. I will also discuss the countries' current political state and important cultural and entertainment events that each ambitious student traveler should be well aware of. Please feel free to comment and ask questions! I would especially love to hear about your experiences traveling Europe as a student.