People Pictures

To show how much fun we had and also so you can see the type of clothes we wore in the winter in Europe, I thought it would be helpful to show you some people pictures with a few captions so you know where we are and what we are doing...during the day I wore a lot of layers and at night I tended to keep the layers on the bottom but wear tank tops or such on the top (taking my jackets with me as well)..hope these pictures will help!

David and Ryan during our last night out in Paris. You can see Cherry in the background wearing a dress.

David and I (I have had quite a few drinks at this point) our last night in Paris. I'm wearing a dress

Eban and Mark last night in Paris

Me infront of the Eiffel Tower...it was absolutely freezing...I think I have four layers on in this picture

Group shot before going to the Eiffel Tower...everyone is layered up

Ladies layered up before our trip to the Eiffel Tower

Me, Ashely, Mark, Vanessa, and Filipe on the Gondola in the cold, wet Venice weather

Jen, Ashely, Tara, me, and Vanessa all dolled up for new years...Jen has a skirt on..Tara has a halter top on...and my silver shirt is backless

Group shot by a lake in Austria

Myself, Ryan and Vanessa in Austria

Group shot at Hard Rock in Munich

Group shot in Munich

Wine tasting in the cellar in St. Goar

Canal Cruise in Amsterdam

What to Pack

So, like my being an over spender, I am also an over packer. Even after reading tons of lists and suggestions, and hearing to pack what you would and then take, I still over packed, but I'm glad I did because we really didn't have a chance to do laundry (though you could in Rome since we were there for two days or if you are doing Europe on your own, you could probably find more time than we had to do laundry) and I just felt better knowing I had enough to wear in case something happened. Unfortunately, I got rid of my list, but I can tell you the basics of what I packed for a winter tour and then also go ahead and post the recommended lists from Contiki that way you can see what a normal person might pack. If you are a person who tends to over pack or who needs to bring a lot, then I highly recommend buying space saver bags. I bought some from target.com and they were absolutely wonderful and gave me more room in my suitcase. I did end up being overweight on the way home, so if you buy a lot, I would also recommend buying a cheap suticase while you are in Europe. I also left quite a few things in Europe that I didn't want to bring home with me (such as a pair of rainboats and a travel pillow). Again, I took a lot, and some of what I took I never wore,but I am an over packer and I can't help it!

• Underwear and socks: I took enough underwear for 14 days and I took 6 pairs of socks because I figured I could wear those twice and be okay
• Pants: I took 4 pairs of jeans (1 I wore on the plane) and 1 pair of black pants for going out. I wish I had more pants because they were pretty dirty by the end of the trip
• Tops: I took 10 day tops (so sweaters, tshirts, etc) but if you can get by with less thats awesome. You could just do 6 and wear them twice and then I took 6 night tops (tanks topd, tube tops, etc, for the clubs and bars) I didn't wear all of my night shirts, maybe 3 of them at most
• Dresses: I brought two dresses one for new years and one for Moulin Rouge. I ended up only wearing one of them
• Jackets: I brought 3. I had a long red peacoat, a northface fleece to go underneath the peacoat and a black northface rain jacket. I wore all three. It is really cold in Europe in winter. If you are from the US, its about the same temperature maybe a tad colder, if you are from anywhere else in the world, you will be freezing...bring plenty of layers and jackets
• Shoes: I had three pairs (and picked up two more along the way) I had Uggs to keep my feet warm (I recommend these if traveling in the winter); a pair of going out heels; and a pair of rainboots. I used all three
• Other Clothing: I also took two pairs of leggings to wear under my pants and I REALLY recommend doing this is you are traveling in the winter and I also had one belt with me and of course gloves, scarve and hat...because again, its cold.
  
• Toiletries: General hygiene stuff such as shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, shower gel, shower cap, medicines (cough drops, aspirin, kleenex, cold medicine), hair dryer, diffuser, straightner, hair brush, jewelry, hair bands, razors, shaving gel, ear plugs and makeup. You can buy the travel size of stuff and will be pretty much fine. I brought full size and left it in Paris. I also bought a straightner that claimed to be dual voltage and was not so that died in Munich. I'm glad I brought my hair dryer and diffuser since my hair had to be curly all trip. Again, bring what you need.
• Other stuff: Camera (DUH!) Memory cards(I brought two, a 1gb and a 2gb for just in case), Camera charger, converters, journal, book, travel pillow, ipod, ipod charger, travel alarm clock, international cell phone (good investment to have to call home and in case of emergencies; backpack and a belt money wallet...oh and don't forget copies of your passport, driver license, and insurance.
  

I strongly recommend bringing cough drops and medicine with you. Almost everyone got sick at somepoint and Contiki is famous for the Contiki cough. Everyone had to borrow stuff from me because I seemed to be one of the only people prepared. Again, pack what you need and be sure to pack for the weather. It's cold in the winter and it does rain and you will see snow. Below are Contiki's recommended packing lists. The first is winter and the second is summer.

Contiki Winter Recommendations:

Clothes

• 1 rainproof jacket/small umbrella
• 1 or 2 shorts/skirts
• 1 thick sweater
• 1 swimwear (some hotels may have pools)
• 2 or 3 pairs of jeans
• 2 or 3 T-shirts
• Underwear (lots)
• Socks (lots)
• 2 or 3 casual shirts
• Trousers
• Dresses
• 1 set of smart clothes (eg tie, blazer, jacket or suit for evenings out while on tour)
• 1 thick, warm jacket
• scarf, gloves and warm winter hat

Shoes

• Comfortable walking shoes – waterproof if possible – snow is cold and wet
• Thongs/flipflops/sandals
• ‘Going out’ shoes

Toiletries

• Toiletry bag
• Toothpaste, Toothbrush, Deodorant
• Make up, moisturizers and hair products
• Suntan lotion – just because it’s cold doesn’t mean there is no sun
• Handkerchiefs/tissues
• Insect repellent
• Lip balm

Miscellaneous

• Travel Clock
• Sunglasses
• Plastic bags
• Washing powder
• Sewing kit
• Aspirins/medications
• Pens and writing materials
• Rechargeable phone card
• Power adapters
• Day bag
• Overnight bag

Contiki Summer Recommendations:

Clothes

• 1 rainproof jacket/small umbrella
• 2 or 3 shorts/skirts
• 1 thick sweater
• 1 or 2 Swimwear and beach towel
• 1 or 2 pairs of jeans
• 2 or 3 T-shirts
• Underwear
• Socks
• 2 or 3 casual shirts
• Trousers
• Dresses
• 1 set of nice clothes (eg going out dress, tie, blazer, jacket or suit for evenings out on tour)

Shoes

• Comfortable walking shoes
• Thongs/flipflops/sandals
• ‘Going out’ shoes

Toiletries

• Toiletry bag and contents
• Aspirins/medications
• Suntan lotion
• Handkerchiefs/tissues
• Insect repellent

Miscellaneous

• Travel Clock
• Sunglasses
• Plastic bags
• Washing powder
• Sewing kit
• Pens and writing materials
• Rechargeable phone card
• Power adapters
• Day bag
• Overnight bag

Souvenirs and Such

This post is full of pictures of things that I actually bought in Europe so that you can actually see what I spent my money on. This is not everything I bought because some things have already gone missing; some things I forgot to grab; and of course other things I passed out as gifts to people. Above is a very blurry picture of a small statue of the Eiffel Tower that I got at the top of the Eiffel Tower.

I bought these postcards in Rome from a guy selling stuff outside the Colosseum. It was a euro for 20 postcards and I couldn't pass up a deal like that!

Swiss Army waiter's knife that I bought in Lucerne

Beautiful rosary that I bought at the Vatican

Really cool bracelet from Paris that I bought at a gift shop right down from Notre Dame. You can't really see it but each of the circles have different French monuments on them.

Two pairs of earrings that I bought in Florence

My most expensive purchase of the trip. White gold, diamonds, and a pearl. From Florence

Second most expensive purchase of the trip. Swarovski bracelet from Innsbruck

A great purchase in Rome from the side of the street. A nice "PRADA" bag

Group souvenir photo from Florence

The next five are all paintings that I got in Paris and I love them so much. They were very cheap too

Beer stein from St. Goar. This is a limited edition made for Contiki, specifically our trip because it has every city we visit on there. I absolutely love it!

Mask from Venice

Windmill from Amsterdam

Snowglobe from the Colosseum

I don't know why this picture is the wrong way, but these are wooden clogs from Amsterdam

Just so you know, I went to Europe with a list of specific things I knew I wanted to get. This is something I recommend that you do. This way you don't pick up too many souvenirs and you don't forget something you really wanted.

Spending

So for this entry I am going to break down what I spent my money on each day. When I got to Switzerland I stopped recording my spending, but I will give my best estimate, or at least tell you what I bought. Again, I am a spender and I went to Europe with a list of specific souvenirs I wanted to get. I also wanted to get something special for my self in each location, so I tried to get different jewelry in each city which also pushed up my spending. Again, just know yourself and your spending habits and you will be able to make a great budget.

London (100 pounds budgeted)
1. Taxi Cab to London Eye- 15 pounds
2. Train ticket- 6 pounds
3. Dinner- 15 pounds
4. Snacks- 6 pounds
Total London: 42 pounds (leftover money I exchanged on the ferry)

Amsterdam (130 euros budgeted)
1. Taxi- 11 euros
2. Windmill souvenir- 3.75 euros
3. Lunch- 11 euros
4. Hat- 6.5 euros
5. Wodden Clogs- 9.5 euros
6. Coke- 2 euros
7. Train ticket- 2 euros
8. Anne Frank Entrance- 7.5 euros
9. Postcard- 1.5 euros
Total Amsterdam: 52.75 euros

St. Goar (110 euros budgeted)
1. Beer Stein- 88 euros
2. Ring- 15 euros
3. Drinks/Internet- 10 euros
Total St. Goar: 113 euros

Munich (130 euros budgeted)
1. Lunch- 6 euros
2.Taxis- 25 euros
3.Drinks- 15 euros
4. Club- 5 euros
5. Dinner- 10 euros
6. Drinks- 23 euros
Total Munich: 84 euros

Innsbruck (210 budgeted)
1. Bracelet- 120 euros
2.Nutcracker and hat- 25 euros
3.Drinks- at least 40 euros
4. Lunch- 10 euros
5. Club- 6 euros
Total Innsbruck: 210 euros

Venice (130 euros budgeted)
1. Lunch-10 euros
2. Presents-55 euros
3. Food/Drinks-15 euros
Total Venice: 80 euros

Rome (280 euros budgeted)
1.Lunch- 20 euros
2. Dinner- 27 euros
3. Gifts- 25 euros
4. Bag- 25 euros
5. Vatican- 14 euros
6. Rosaries- 25 euros
7. Snow globe-10 euros
8.Dress- 15 euros
Total Rome: 171 euros

Florence (140 euros budgeted)
1. Necklace: 150 euros
2. Earrings: 40 euros
3. Boots: 80 euros
4. Food:10 Euros
Total Florence: 280 euros

Lucerne (100 Swiss francs)
1. Chocolate, 3 swiss army knives, shot glasses- 60 francs
Total Lucerne: 60 francs

Paris (255 euros budgeted)
I have no clue what I spent in Paris, but the following is what I spent money on:
1. Cross
2. Train tickets
3. Entrance to Eiffel Tower
4. Entrance to Musee D'Orsay
5. 5 paintings
6. tshirt
7. Mug
8. Eiffel Tower souvenir
9. Lots and lots of alcohol
10. shoes
Probably more things that I can't remember right now.

Also, public restrooms cost money to go to, so you'll be spending money on that as well. I ended up spending 120 euros on tips because I was intoxicated and just throw case at my tour manager and then spent 40 euros on a taxi to the airport.

As you can see, I spent a lot of money. Most of my money was spent on gifts and souvenirs, so if you don't buy a lot of those you will be good. Also, my optionals were not included in my daily spending because I had set money aside for those in the beginning.

Hotel Review

**Disclaimer: this is not an indepth review of the hotels, this is just merely a small overview to help you get a better understanding of what you should expect out of the hotels on a Contiki tour**

When you are on a Contiki tour most of the hotels you stay at are not going to be 4 or 5 star hotels. You have to understand that you get the kind of hotel that you have paid for. None of the hotels we stayed at were horrible, but there are some that I would not recommend to anyone and some that I would rather not stay at again. For the most part, all of the hotels are located outside the city. At some of the hotels it was easy to get right into the city, and at others it was more of a challenge. I also had a different set up than most people because I chose to be in a triple share room because that helped bring the cost of the trip down for me. Also, for couples, its important to know that a lot of times you may get a room with two single beds, or a room that has two single beds pushed together, so don't go expecting to always have a full or queen sized bed waiting for you. In most of the triple rooms we have two single beds pushed together with seperate bedding on each and then another single bed. It wasn't the case for us, but according to our tour manager, sometimes in hotels when you do a tripple share, the third bed may be hiding somewhere.

Now on to each hotel..

Royal National Hotel, London: This hotel was nothing spectacular. I would say the location is good because you are located right near to a tube station (Russell Square) and taxis pull up to the courtyard all the time, so you hardly ever need to wait very long to get a taxi. It is also a good location because the Contiki basement is practically in it and there is a nice pub located right on the corner. There are also great restaurants located within a quick walk of the hotel and a little convience store that you can get some snacks and any last minute items for your trip. One of the strange and slightly annoying things about the hotel was the fact that for many rooms there was only one key. So if one of your roommates went off with the key, you are stuck outside the room waiting and practically begging for someone to come up and let you in. This happened to me and I had to wait almost 15 minutes before someone let me in. The rooms were small, but nice with three single beds, a tv, and a decent sized bathroom with a good shower. Noise was also minimal which was good, so I managed to get a lot of good sleep on the first night.

Ibis, Amsterdam: This hotel may have been the nicest, cleanist, and most modern of all the hotels we stayed at. The rooms were so nice with great bathrooms and a really nice lay out. In this room we had two singles pushed together and then another double. There are two restaurants and a bar in the hotel. Again, we only had one key to the room, but when I managed to lose the key, the hotel staff were very nice and considerate and quickly made me a new key. Dinner at this hotel was a buffet with no labels as to what we were eating and I was not very impressed with the food. The rooms also had an extra mirror, so if the bathroom was taken, you could still get ready and put on makeup elsewhere. The one major drawback to the hotel was the location. The hotel was located about a 30 minute drive from the main part of the city (the hotel was located next to the airport) and we found it difficult to get to. The hotel does offer a shuttle from the train station at the airport to the hotel, but we learned quickly that they don't enjoy waiting for people and they only come every once in a while so we ended up having to take a taxi back to the hotel.

Hotel Montag, St. Goar: This was an absolutely picturesque little hotel that actually only has 28 rooms. The rooms were nice and we had two single beds pushed together and another single bed to the side. The drawback to the rooms were that the lighting in the room was terrible. The bathroom was a little dingy, but nice with tile floor and a walk in shower. This hotel also had an additional mirror to help with getting ready in the morning. The dinner served at the hotel was absolutely amazing but took a while as there was only one person prepping in the kitchen and one man serving our entire group. The hotel also offered an internet cafe for a reasonable price so many people on the tour took advantage of that. There was also a small bar in the hotel with great drinks and great specials. The one strange thing about the hotel was the wake up call which was literally someone coming to our room opening the door and then closing it again. This hotel also only had one key per room. This is a hotel that you have to pack an overnight bag for.

Leonardo Hotel and Residenz, Munich: This hotel was another great one that we stayed in. The beds were comfortable and the room was incredibly nice, clean, and modern. Again we had a double bed and then a single bed in the room. Some people in our group had some issues with the hotel mainly because their rooms were not ready and they had to wait close to an hour to get into their rooms. The bathrooms were really nice with a great walk in shower, but the door to the bathroom is see through, so just be aware of that. The one drawback to the hotel was the fact that it was located away from the city, so we had to get a taxi that was about 20 euro back from the clubs to the hotel. Overall, it was one of the better hotels.

Innsbruck: I'm not quite sure what the name of the hotel we stayed at in Innsburck was, but it was a really nice hotel with a lot of space in the rooms, a great bathroom, and lots of outlets which was great. The hotel served an amazing dinner and the bar was a really great place that was a lot of fun and pretty cheap to drink at. They also had a vending machine in the lobby with cheap beer if you would rather drink that. There was also a computer set up in the lobby that had internet for a small fee. The hotel was about a 20-30 minute walk to the main part of town, but was a very easy walk right along the river.

Park Hotel Venezia, Venice: This was a hotel that I was really not impressed with. First, there are two seperate buildings to the hotel and if you were staying in the building away from the main hotel, it was hard to figure out which door you had to go in to get to the room and the hotel staff was not helpful or friendly at all. Our room also did not have any towels in the bathroom and it took close to ten minutes to get the attention of the staff at the front desk to try and get some towels. There is a tiny bar at the hotel and good luck getting service. They will, however, sell you a bottle of whiskey for a very very cheap price. I really enjoyed the breakfast that we had at this hotel. Rooms were basic and very very small. Also, location of the hotel is not really in Venice and was quite a distance from the ferry stop.


Prime Roma Cassia Hotel, Rome:
I really didn't have a problem with this hotel. We had three single beds in our room and the bathroom was nice. The only strange thing was that we had to put our key in a hole in order to keep the lights on. The bathroom was very nice, but the tub had an issue draining anytime someone took a shower. There was great closet space, which was nice since we were there for two nights and there really wasn't a lot of walking about space in the room. The hotel was off by itself located quite far from the city and there is really nothing around the hotel. There is a little shop/bar about a mile or so up a hill from the hotel that sells alcohol and the amazing giant doughnuts. There is also a great hotel restaurant and a nice hotel bar. You can also get a code at the hotel for 5 euros to get on wifi.

Florence: So I have no idea what the hotel we stayed in Florence was and I can't find my list. This hotel was neither bad nor good, but it did have an elevator that broke and people were stuck in it for quite a long time. There are computers in everyroom, so for a small fee you can use it and get on the internet. The rooms were very small and the bathrooms were very long and the shower was actually cold which I did not enjoy at all. Breakfast, however, made up for my cold shower. The hotel was also located in a very sketchy area and we had to walk down an alley to get to it. It was also located away from the city and we had to get a taxi from the club back to the hotel.

Lowengraben Jail Hotel, Lucerne: To be honest, I absolutely hated this hotel. Yes, it was cool because it had a theme, but I really did not enjoy it. the rooms were very small and dingy and the bathrooms were like little cubicles that were just absolutely nasty. we had three single beds with two of them being bunk beds and the beds were hard, uncomfortable, and the sheets were also tough. You also didn't get a key to the room, you got a code, and I struggled with that several times. There are also no elevators in the hotel and there were quite a lot of stairs to go up. The food however was good and the hotel was located about 5 minutes from the major part of town. This is a hotel that you have to pack an overnight bag for.

Ibis Paris Berthier, Paris: This Ibis was not as nice as the one in Amsterdam, but it was a good hotel. We had three seperate beds again and plenty of room for all of our things. There was also a TV in the room and the bathroom was seperate from the shower and sink which was nice. There are nice restaurants in the hotel and also a nice, but slightly pricey bar in the hotel. Again, this hotel is located outside the main part of the city, and is about a 10 or so minute walk from the closest train station. The staff at this hotel were absolutely AMAZING as they provided a subway map for me the day we got there and were willing to give me advice and then when I was the idiot that overslept and had an hour to get to the airport before my flight they were very very very helpful in arrnaging transportation, calming me down, and then coming out to speak to the driver about the need to get me to the airport quickly, so I was very impressed with their customer service skills.

Overall, there were no hotels that were so terrible that I needed to leave and find another one. Yes, there were a few with problems that I wouldn't recommend, but when I think about what I paid and what I got, I am satisfied. Also, for the most part, the hotels are just somewhere you sleep and get ready, so please don't let them define your trip.

Paris

Much like Rome, Paris is a city that is able to blend both new and old. It is a city full of history and a city full of vibrant culture. When visiting Paris, make sure you have at least two full days devoted to the city and if you can, add a third day to be able to visit the beautiful Palace of Versailles located about an hour from the city and very accessible by train. There are so many different things that people think about right away when you mention Paris and because of this, there are so many things that you can do, see, and experience when in Paris.

We arrived in Paris in the late afternoon and began our time in the city with a driving tour much like what we had done in Rome. We drove past many of the main sites are were able to have some stops for photos. We also drove around the L'Arc de Triomphe in the Contiki bus which was a rather scary experience. After our drive around the city we headed to the hotel to check in and eat some dinner. After dinner we all headed out to the Eiffel Tour to see the city at night. Just so you are aware, right before we got to Paris there hd been a major ice storm so there was ice everywhere in the city and it was absolutely freezing. Unfortunately, because of the weather conditions many of the major sites were either closed or you could only go up so far. Thus was the case with the Eiffel Tower. What is magnificant about the Eiffel Tower at night is the light show. Recently the light show has been shut off early due to conserving energy, but if you get the chance to see it at night, it is absolutely spectacutlar.
Again, because of the weather, we were only able to go to the first level of the Eiffel Tower. This was incredibly disappointing. Also, a lot of the walkway was roped off as well because of ice on the Eiffel Tower so you couldn't get to the edge to take great pictures of the city. It is something that I am still glad I did, but I wish the weather had been better so that we could have gone higher and been able to take pictures of the city. After the Eiffel Tower we headed back to the hotel and most people stayed up a little while longer hanging out and having a few drinks at the hotel bar.
The next morning the tour group left the hotel around 8am to head into the city and visit a French Perfumery. I made the decision not to go with the group because there was so much that I wanted to do and see in Paris that I wanted to take the city on by myself. The train system in Paris is very easy to understand and I had planned my routes out the night before so I had no problem getting around. So, I slept in an extra hour and then headed out to explore the city. My first stop was to Sacre Couer and Montmatre. Yet again, the weather prevented me from seeing Sacre Couer inside as the gates were closed and you could not climb up to it. You could, however, climb to the top of Montmatre to get absolutely stunning views of the city and be harrased by gypsies and men trying to sell things to you. Often times, Sacre Couer is something that is overlooked on a visit to Paris, but I highly recommend going and seeing the beautiful church and experiencing the views of the city from the other side.

The next stop on my adventure in Paris was to head to L'Arc de Triomphe. To get to L'Arc de Triomphe you need to head underneath the road through tunnels that have been built. Do not attempt to cross the road, because more than likely, you will not make it across the twelve lanes of traffic. The L'Arc de Triomphe is the symbol of French victory and it was commissioned by Napolean in 1836. At the base of the monument is the tomb of the unknown soilder. When visiting, you have the option to climb winding, narrow stairs to the stop for rooftop viewing-PLEASE DO THIS. I am incredibly out of shape and do not like winding stairs, but what I experienced at the top of the L'Arc de Triomphe was amazing and unforgettable. There is a small museum explaining some of France's history and the history of the monument itself and then you walk up to the roof and are overwhelmed by the incredible views of the city. The cost is very minimal (just over 6 euro) and again, is worth it. You may have to stop a few times as you climb all the stairs (which I had to) but it was an incredible experience.

My next stop was to head over to the Louvre. The Louvre was once a royal palace and today is the home of the world's richest collection of art. The Louvre is most famous for being the home to the Mona Lisa and thousands of visitors flood the museum each day to catch a glimpse of the painting. If you are wanting to fully visit the museum, you could spend an entire day there. Also, lines can become long to purchase tickets, so try to do so in advance. There are also other entrances beside the glass pyramid and these entrances are much faster than waiting to go through the glass pyramid. The cost to enter the museum is just under 10 euros and just like the Sistine Chapel, you are not permitted to take pictures of the Mona Lisa, but somehow, many people from our group ended up coming back with pictures. I decided not to go inside the Louvre. Mainly I just wanted to see the palace and see the pyramid. I wasn't interested in spending the money to go in just to see the Mona Lisa. I realize this may make me seem crazy, but I wanted to explore and do other things in the city.

When I was at the Louvre, I ran into my two roommates for the tour and headed with them to Notre Dame. This was the one thing I was looking forward to in Paris. Generally, you are able to pay a fee and climb the bell tower, but because of the weather this was closed. The building is absolutely spectacular and is everything that you can imagine. Walking inside you can feel the holiness of the place and will be amazed by the beauty of the church and its famous stained glass windows. Visiting Notre Dame is a must do for anyone going to Paris. After visiting Notre Dame we had lunch at a cafe down the street where I got to experience real French Crepes. This is another must do when in France.

After Notre Dame we spent a couple hours shopping as Paris is known for its amazing shopping. After that, we decided to head over the Musee D'Orsay which I was very excited about seeing. Musee D'Orsay was originally a train station and has been transformed into an art museum that holds mostly modern art from the impressionist and post impressionst period. Admission is 8 euro and if you like you can purchase an audio guide to help you get through the museum or you can tag along on a daily tour. This is quite an impressive museum and if you are an art lover, this is a great muesum to spend a few hours wandering around. Musee D'Orsay was our last stop of the day and we met the bus across the street to head back to the hotel to get ready and all dolled up for our last night in Paris and our final night of the tour.

On our last evening, we had the option of attending the world's most famous cabaret for dinner and a show- the Moulin Rouge. This is an incredibly expensive dinner and show, but for me, it was part of the French culture that I wanted to experience and I knew I would regret it if I didn't go see the show. Dinner was incredible as was the lovely bottles of wine and champagne that we got during dinner and during the show. The Moulin Rouge is a very intricate show with beautiful costumes and showcases quite a lot of French culture. If this is something you may be interested in, I recommend that you attend. Also, there are a lot of half naked women, so if that is going to offend you, don't go. It is also important to note that you can't take pictures in the Moulin Rouge and that you actually have to check your cameras in. This may scare you, but our cameras were fine. Several of us did go ahead and remove the memory cards from our cameras just in case something happened, that way we wouldn't lose our pictures from the trip. After the Moulin Rouge we headed to the Irish bar next door to celebrate our trip, have one last big night out, and start saying goodbye. Paris was incredible and the last night was the most fun that I had on the entire trip.

Other great things that you should consider doing while visiting Paris include going to the Hotel National des Invalides which is where Napolean's impressive tomb is; visiting Musee Rodin which is the home to some of the world's most incredible sculptours; and taking a day trip to Versailles which is one of the most lavish and incredible palaces in the world. There are also many other art museums that you can visit in Paris and quite a lot of shopping if you are interested in doing that.

Lucerne

The morning after Florence was a little rough for most of the people on the trip because of the amount of fun that they had. Luckily, we had quite a long journey to our next stop which was Lucerne Switzerland. Lucerne is located in Switzerland with the Alps surrounding it and tends to be a tourist stop. There are two very famous sites in Lucerne. The first is the Chapel Bridge which was originally built in 1333 but was burnt in 1993. The bridge has been recreated to look as it once did so that tourists can have the experience and also have a chance to see the paintings int he bridge that depict th history of the town. The other major site in Lucerne is The Lion Monument which is sculpture of a Lion that commenorates the Swiss Guards that were killed during the French Revolution in 1792. The sulpture is both a depiction of loyalty and also of betrayal and is a place where the Swiss remember the fallen, but also remember what their joining with another country did to their people who were killed when they did not need to be. It is a touching and moving monument that should be visited when you are in Lucerne.

There are several things tht Switzerland is most notably known for. First of course are Swiss watches, followed by Swiss Amry Knives, and Swiss Chocolate. After we visited the Lion Monument we headed into a store where these famous goods were explained to us and we had the opporunity to purchase items. Swiss watches are rather expensive, but again, if you are looking for something to treat yourself to or are looking for a gift for someone, a Swiss watch may be a good present. Also, be sure to have some Swiss chocolate whe you are visitng as it is absolutely divine.

After visiting the stores full of watches, knives, and chocolate, we had a little bit of free time in the town. A group of us walked around for a bit and then settled in a small cafe to sample some yummy Swiss hot chocolate. One thing we all noticed right away was that the hot chocolate was very very bitter, so we had to add quite a bit of sugar before it was to our liking. Again, this was a nice way to relax, experience the culture, and just watch the local people in their interactions.

Our hotel for the evening was a themed one as it was once a jailhouse and had now been converted into a hotel. We had an included dinner at the hotel and the dinner was rather good with a chicken curry like entree and then a really delicious and cute ice cream desert that was made in the design of the Swiss flag. After dinner, some people in the group went out for drinks and others went to bed early in order to be fully rested and ready for our last stop of the trip.

Florence

After Rome, our next stop (and our final stop in Italy) was the beautiful Renaissance city of Florence. Florence is the capital of the Tuscany region of Italy and is known as being the birthplace of the Renaissance. Florence is also famous for several other things including certain goods most notably leather and gold. It is also the home to one of the most infamous royal families in all of European history, the Medici Family and several well known pieces of art.

There is a much different feel in Florence than the other Italian cities that we visited. Whereas Florence does have some absolutely spectacular sites and many old palaces and churches, a lot of Florence seems new and walking around it feels more like a massive marketplace and shopping center than a city full of ancient treasures. When we first arrived in Florence we went to a beautiful church, Santa Maria. Just looking at the intricate designs on this church begins to give you a glimpse into what the rest of the city will be like. After visiting Santa Maria, we were taken a leather demonstration to see the process of making leather and also to receive tips on how to know if what we are buying genuine leather or not. This was a neat demonstration, but I would have rather spend more time in the city than listening to how leather is made and then of course being cattle horsed into the shop to be convinced to purchase leather goods.
After the demonstration we had a little bit of free time before meeting up for our included guided tour of the city. Several of us decided to take advantage of the great shopping in the city and headed on a hunt for leather boots . After quite a search, we luckily managed to find some. We also had even more gelato that was absolutely amazing. I highly recommend trying the gelato in Florence if you can. Following out free time, we met back up with the group to take our group photo and also to meet our tour guide who was going to take us around the city explaining the major sites and the history of the city.

The included tour was very worthwhile. Our tour guide did a great job of explaining the different sites we were seeing and really unfolding the story of Florence to us. It was a nice and relaxing way to see the city in a short period of time. Our tour ended at one of the iconic areas of Florence, Santa Croce which is the largest Franciscan church in Italy and is the resting place for several notable Italians. The church is created with intricate designs and beautiful colors and the fresco paintings on the Basilica ceiling are breathtaking. On a good weather day, you also have the option of climbing to the top of the Dome of Santa Croce to get stunning views of the city itself. Unfortunately when the weather i bad or wind is strong, the Dome will be closed. There is not cost to enter Santa Croce, but there is a small fee to climb the Dome and like most churches in Europe, you can feel free to leave a donation after visiting.
Right next to Santa Croce are two other great sites that if you have the time you should visit when in Florence. The first site is the Baptistry which was built in the 11th century and is one of the oldest buildings in the city. Inside you will find mosaic artwork and a marble pavement of the zodiac. Again, this is another great example of the type of architecture and art that Florence is famous for. The other site right by Santa Croce is the Campinile bell tower. If you are up to it, you can purchase a ticket and climb the 414 stairs to the top to see an incredible view of the city. It is quite a workout but definently worth it when you get to the top.

Other famous sites in Florence that you should be sure to visit when you are there include the Galleria delgi Uffizi which holds the largest collection of Renaissance art, tapestries, and sculputers by many of the art masters. Another site to visit is the Galleria dell'Academia which holds art and sculptures from the 13th-16th centuries. Most famously in this museum, is Michelangelo's David. If you do not have time or cannot get in to see David at the Academia, then you can head over to the Piazza della Signoria where you can catch a glimpse of a reproduction of David as well as see magnificant statues that are located throughout the Piazza.

One last area to visit during your time in Florence is the Ponte Vecchio which is a bridge built in 1345 that is the only remaining medival bridge in the city as the rest were destroyed during World War II. Today, the Ponte Vecchio is the home to many of the fine jewelers selling one of Florences pirzed goods through gold and silver, so if you are looking to pick something nice up for yourself or for a loved one, this is the place to visit.

After spending the day in the city, we headed back to our hotel to get ready for a fun evening out. Our evening started with a tradition Tuscan meal that included another buffet style meal with several courses, unlimited wine, and famous Italian entertainment with a piano player and an Opera singer. Again, there was amazing food, drinks, and dancing/singing. By this point in the tour, I had completely lost my voice, so it was a rather interesting evening for me. This is an optional excursion with the Contiki trip, that I highly recommend. After dinner we headed our for more dancing at the Space Electric Disco where we had more drinks, sang karoke, everyone got rather friendly, and of course we danced. For the most part, we had taken over the club, but it was a Sunday night. Several locals did show up so if you wanted to, you had the opportunity to mix with some of the locals. Again, this was just a great overall night where we got to let loose, have fun, and experience the nightlife of the city.