1. I was pulled somewhat effortlessly into the book. It was a good book but the author was a sort of pessimist. He described most of the places as ugly and with not much detail. He also made many crude comments but I guess the book was geared more toward adults. Overall I had a great experience with the book though. It was a varied title that featured many places and i enjoyed it.
2. I was happy with my book choice. It was awesome because it had great stories and was occasionally humorous and also featured the countries as places worthy of a visit and I would like to see them one day.
3. I found Italy the most intriguing probably because I have experienced that country first hand and know the joys of travels. I like how the author included many cities and some I had never even heard about like Capri and Sorrento. I plan on visiting those specific places when I'm older.
4. I think the author might have been exploring the central theme of Independence and adventure through out the novel. Bryson travelled throughout Europe on his own and found his way. I am sure he came back home as a new person and with a new perspective on life. And his whole trip was a call to adventure. he left his life behind to explore the world and see things that he would never imaged seeing. A trip around the world truly opens your eyes and provide an enlightenment. With a trip around the world, knowledge is gained and appreciation of cultures and traditions is achieved.
5. First of all, I learned about planning ahead, being organized, and managing my time. I also learned how to make a blog. I had heard about blogs before but never really knew what one was. I also learned about posting pictures and videos. I had never done that before and I felt I did a pretty good job at it. I also learned about other places and their culture through the book such as the places in Scandanavia. I was also surprised to learn that the group ABBA was Swedish because i had heard their song Dancing Queen before but I never knew they were from Sweden.
6. I honestly enjoyed every part of the project but my favorite would have to be finding the pictures and writing the diary entries. I like photography and although I did not take the images used in my blog I liked choosing the ones that complemented each other and best represented the idea trying to be conveyed through the entry. I liked writing the entries because it gave me a further oppurtunity to express my thoughts and views on the subject. I also liked to include facts that i knew beforehand and facts i found in my country guide book.
7. The most difficult part of this project was trying not to overcrowd my blog with little unimportant details. I wanted it to be awsome but at the same time clean and organized. I had some trouble finding videos in contemporary music for the different countries but in the end it all worked out.
Map of the Places Visited Throughout the Book
http://www.geographicguide.net/europe/maps-europe/maps/europe-political.jpg
Geneva, Bern, & Zurich Switzerland
Switzerland has to be the second most beautiful country in the world, after New Zealand. The air is so clean and the water is such a vibrant and pure blue. It is evident that Switzerland is the one of the richest countries in Europe. I also visited Bern and Lucerne. Lucerne was amazing. Many people live in the mountains and in cottage homes. Zurich was the home of Albert Einstein when he came to the Swiss Institute to become a professor and eventually became a Swiss citizen. Switzerland is home to the Alpine Mountains and to the story of Heidi by Johanna Spyri. The Matterhorn is a famous mountain in the Alps whose peak is always covered with snow. Edelweiss is a velvety flower that grows high in the Alps and is very hard to find. In the Alps, people may live in a cottage called a chalet. They put rocks on the roof to protect it from strong mountain winds. The alpenhorn is an instrument used by mountain herders to call their cows. Its sound can be heard up to 8 miles away. And finally for food, Swiss cheese is aged until bubbles form in it, leaving holes and Swiss chocolate is prized all over the world such as Toblerone. I went into a store in Lucerne and there was an 8lb Toblerone chocolate that cost 100 euros! Switzerland is also known for their production of watches such as Swatch and Rolex.
Swiss Folk Music
Innsbruck, Sazlburg, & Vienna, Austria
Austria was once the capital of Europe during Hapsburg rule. It was the center of trade and the main hub of transportation and communication. Salzburg is the home of the composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his house was converted into a museum. The main square is named after him, called Mozartplatz. Many famous people have also come from Austria such as Sigmund Freud, the psychologist, Franz Schubert, and Leopold Hoffman, the writer of operas such as “The Tales of Hoffman”. Vienna was home to the classical music era and to Ludwig van Beethoven also. Vienna proclaims its imperial past with buildings such as Parliament, the Palace of Justice, the Natural History Museum, the Opera House, the Burgtheater, and Hofburg Palace with its 2, 600 rooms. A peculiar fact about storks in Austria is that they like to nest on the chimneys of houses in Austria.
Austrian Folk Music and Dance
Italy--La Dulce Vite
Italian Folk Music
Modern Music
Italy is a boot-shaped country on the Mediterranean Sea, surrounded by water on three sides. Italy is famous for its ice cream, called gelato. And when I visited Italy I was addicted to gelato. I went as far as eating four a day. They are sooo good. They are rich and creamy and have such a luscious taste. Venice is a city of islands. Gondolas are boats used to travel the city’s canals. The Maltese cross was the banner carried by knights who once lived on the island of Malta. Some firefighters still use the symbol of strength and kindness. Vesuvius is a volcano that erupted in A.D. 79 and buried the city of Pompeii. Bocce ball is a popular lawn bowling game played in Italy. Cities such as Milan are known as fashion capitals of the world. Naples is considered the birthplace of pizza. When I went to Italy I was amazed by the size of the pizzas. If you order one as your meal they are served whole. They are about the size of a trash can lid. Finally, Italy makes and exports more than 420 kinds of pasta. Italy is also home to the Italian mafia which is portrayed countless time in American films such as the Godfather. Notorious mafia members are often played by Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. Italy is also the # 1 producer of sports cars such as Ferrari and Lamborghini that are also used in Formula 1 racing. These cars are not just sold but have to bbe ordered and some are even custom fit and come with a complementary pair of driving shoes. i hope to one day own a black or silver Lamborghini Murcielago.
Florence, Italy
I also have actually been to Rome. It was my third favorite city to visit. My first was also in Italy, it was Venice. Rome was also the setting of one of my favorite movies, Gladiator. Italy was the center of the great Roman Empire that spread throughout much of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa from about A.D. 100 to 476. Rome is a beautiful city. It is one of the cities of romance and adventure. The buildings are cramped in tight spaces and the alleys and streets are so narrow only 3 people fit across. It is a miracle the hospitals aren’t overcrowded with patients suffering from car accidents. The way Romans park is ridiculous. They go wherever there is space, even on sidewalks and tailgating is seen as the common thing. I of course visited the Colosseum which is an old Roman amphitheater where Romans gathered to watch gladiators fight each other. I also went to the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, and Vatican City. It is the center of the Roman Catholic Church and home to the pope. The largest Christian Church in the world, St. Peter’s Basilica along with the Sistine Chapel, is in Vatican City.
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