Vermeer: A View of Delft (Paperback)
by Anthony Bailey

The Embarrassment of Riches: An Interpretation of Dutch Culture in the Golden Age (Vintage) (Paperback)
by Simon Schama

This is going to be about Holland, the western region of the Netherlands.  Below are some famous things to do and see while in Holland.  I recently read Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier and was enchanted.  The idea that this could have been the story behind one of Vermeer's most celebrated paintings got me thinking.

Girl with a pearl earring
Oil on Canvas - 19" x 16" (47 x 40 cm)

Location: Mauritshuis, The Hague, the Netherlands
Year: 1660 - 1665

Milkmaid by Vermeer

Location: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Oil on Canvas - 18" x 16" (45.5 x 41 cm)
Year: 1658 - 1660
This paining was mentioned in the novel as a portrait of the servant Tanneke.

Alright, I will admit it, I only just found out about the validity of the Principality of Liechtenstein. I had assumed that it was a fictional place made popular by Heath Ledger's character in "A Knight's Tale". How wrong I was.

The fourth smallest country in Europe, the Principality of Liechtenstein is a constitutional monarchy wedged between Switzerland and Austria. The Three Sisters Mountains form a natural border between Liechtenstein and Austria. It is mostly German speaking and has adopted much of the German culture. It is known both as a winter sports wonderland and as a tax haven. However, it is not as developed as some other countries such as Monaco. Its national day is actually August 15. Happy Liechtenstein day!!

Belgium

Backpacking is one of the most popular and cost efficient ways of travel.  Just about anyone can do it, all you need is a good pair of legs and an adventerous spirit.  There seem to be many advantages to backpacking the first being the flexibility.  You can buy a one way ticket to lets say Rome and just travel by the seat of your pants.  You are not worried about lugging around numerous suitcases, everything you have is in a carry on bag.  That being another great advantage.  Anyone who has had some experience travelling knows how frustrating it can be to lose your bag after checking it.  Well, increase that level of stress by 10 if you're in China trying to find a lost bag.  But with backpacks, you don't have to worry about that at all.  It can be with you the whole time.

This is a travel journal where I will be jotting down notes about places that I want to see so that it will be easier to plan our European conquest in the midst of IB exams, band, and graduation (among other unforeseen but necessary complications). This is something that I have always wanted to do, and I hope that my parents and I can see many cool and interesting places without blowing our tops (lol).
Itinerary:
Paris- I would love to see Paris even though it has the reputation of a snooty, ridiculously overpriced restaurant. Nonetheless, it is Paris, with all of its history and drama (King Louis XVI was beheaded on January 21, 1793) and it houses many of the world’s most famous landmarks. (Hopefully there won’t be a mob or giant riot when we go, but you caint never tell with those zany Parisians.)

Travelling is my passion. I love it so much and who doesn't like to talk about their travels to interested (or semi-interested) pedestrians. One of the most important things about travelling is the cultural differences you pick up on and how you learn to respect them. For example the tradition of "mashed peas" in the pubs of Britain. Or the manufacturing of elk jerkey in Montana. I never cease to be surprised when I go on vacation. On a recent trip to New York City in one afternoon I saw the filming of a commercial, a staged mugging for a student film, the name KYLE in the sky and a gathering in a park. Of course you couldn't expect things like this in the countryside of England, but that's why it is important to realize that the differences in culture define a nation and give it its character.

2000- Italy

This was my first international excursion. We went all over Italy seeing The Vatican and Spanish Steps in Rome; the Uffizi Gallery in Florence; and the Leaning Tower of Pisa in... you guessed it. It was a lot of fun. We went with Perillo Tours which is a company that specializes in Mediterranean tours. I believe that a guided tour was great for a few reasos. It being our first overseas trip and in another language, not knowing a lick of Italian.