Europe: In review

Top five things to mention that came into my head as I started writing:
1. A few companies are quickly taking over the world: namely, there are lots of bars, not especially in Sarajevo, that will only serve Heineken. More horrifyingly, in everywhere we've been North American style coffee is referred to as "Nescafe," and that's not just a name. Coffee shops will often have jars of Nescafe in view for their tourist customers, and the company Nescafe advertises on bus stops. You lose, Folgers.
2. There's more or less never any time to do anything. Every morning is spent catching up on sleep and every night is spent staying up too late. This is the schedule I would prefer for my non-vacationing life as well.
3. I'm not sure how the French economy works. Paris right now is more or less dead; 3/5ths of the shops are closed for summer vacation. It also seems like even in normal times nobody works, or at least not particularly hard. How and when are they creating all their gross national product?
4. In Eastern Europe and technically Asia, at least, there are many appliances that are so space and energy efficient that it makes me really annoyed. For instance, many bathrooms are also showers in that they have sinks in the floor instead of whole other areas for showering. Furthermore, in Turkey the laundry machines doubled as dryers - the NA dryer industry is working hard to keep you from knowing.
5. European countries have a lot more faith in people to not get themselves killed through their own stupidity. I think Gilleen mentioned this.

Fun Travel Trips:
1. If someone really polite is hosting you, a fun thing to do is to remark to nobody in particular: "I'm so hungry! What kind of a host doesn't feed his guests?"
2. If you speak English and someone doesn't understand, you're probably just not speaking loud enough. Try yelling the same words (in English of course, because it's the universal language).
3. If you're in France and a homeless guy has a sign that says "j'ai faim," you feel good about yourself because yay! You're finally getting to use your fourth grade French!
4. There's nothing Muslim strangers like more than surprise back massages!


Things that are true about downtown Paris:
1. Most stereotypes. The bakeries are wonderful, the waitstaff are surly, and the streets are cobbled, narrow, and not confined by bourgouis conceits like compass directions and intersections.

Peoplewise:
Best looking city: Athens
Worst looking city: Sarajevo

Otherwise:
Best looking city: New York - sorry, Europe!
Worst looking city: Athens - except for 3,000 years ago, natch.

Things I do not miss about home:
1. Our awful, awful subway system.
2. Gilleen, of course, because she's right here.

Things I do miss about home:
1. Actual multiculturalism.
2. Going a whole day without being in a public place that smells like urine.
3. My friends.
4. Knowing where I'm going, as opposed to just thinking I know where I'm going and second-guessing myself and getting frustrated.

Well, that's my European roundup for now. Check in later to find what area would make the best place to play hide-and-seek ever!

Or I could just tell you. It's Dubrovnik's old city.

- Myles