Diane's European Adventure discussion

The challenge will begin July 2 and will end September 30 at midnight EST.
All players will begin in their home country and will fly to one of the following airports: Heathrow (UK), Charles de Gaulle (France), or Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (Netherlands).

The landmarks are the following:
Mont-Saint-Michel Normandy, France
The Cairo Diary - Amazon 7.99 - no library
La Grand-Place Brussels, Belgium
Cross My Heart: And Hope To Live - Amazon (Purchased) (Physical)
Brandenburg Gate Berlin, Germany
Brandenburg Gate - Amazon 4.99 - no library
The Charles Bridge Prague, Czech Republic
Daughter of Smoke & Bone - (Check to see if owned)
Buda Castle Budapest, Hungary
Origin - (Check to see if owned)
Old city of Dubrovnik Dubrovnik, Croatia
Parthenon: Athens, Greece
Aeolus and the Tower of the Winds - Owned (Kindle)
The Grand Bazaar Istanbul, Turkey
Without A Country - Owned (Kindle)
Alhambra Granada, Andalusia, Spain

To travel back to your home country, you must depart from one of the following airports: Frankfurt (Germany), Istanbul (Turkey), or Adolfo Suarez Madrid (Spain).

Points & Prizes:
-Country points: 1 point per country completed. NOTE: You will only receive point the first time you visit a country.

-Landmark points: You can earn 4 bonus points for each landmark visited. Your must post how your book ties into the landmark and a moderator must approve the tie in for you to receive these bonus points. NOTE: You will only receive points the first time you visit a landmark.

-creativity points: Each week I will award one participant with 1 bonus point for creativity. The person who is most creative in their posts (photos, stories of their travels, tie-in, etc) will be awarded with an extra point. I will announce that person at the beginning of the week.

I'm packing up for my 3 month backpack trip through Europe. I will be leaving July 1 (because of the time difference, I will arrive in Paris on July 2, the official start of my trip) and will probably return home in September. I haven't picked a return flight as I don't know where life will take me. I mean, I'm backpacking, right? My flight leaves at 5:34 PM on Sunday and I will land in Paris at 11:10 AM Monday. I've already packed the Dramamine!

I've been researching sites to see and things to do on my way. My first stop is in France! I will be flying in to Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. I have always dreamed of going to Paris!!!!


I plan to do some sightseeing in Paris for a bit and then I will be heading to this amazing island off the coast of Normandy. First of all, I am excited to travel through Normandy, so much history! Plus, I had a french teacher in college who was from Normandy and lived very near to where I'll be going. I loved her, Madame Yvette Guillemin-Young!

This island seems so mysterious. Its called Mont-Saint-Michel and I heard it was inhabited by a cult. I can't wait to find out more about it! I'll be off in just 4 more days!!!! I'm counting for sure.

Well, I am sitting in the Minneapolis-St.Paul International Airport in Minnesota during my layover. I have a book that I am 25% through and have to finish because my loan expires and I don't think I will be able to buy new books overseas for my Kindle. I hope I will be ready to start my "Vacation Reading List" once I hit Paris!

Vacation Reading List:
The Cairo Diary by Maxime Chattam
Read: 7/12/18

Cross My Heart by Carmen Reid


Brandenburg Gate by Henry Porter


Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor


The Accidental Empress by Allison Pataki


Origin by Dan Brown


The Last Hundred Days by Patrick McGuinness


The Hermit of Hisarya by Hannah Howe


AEOLUS AND THE TOWER OF THE WINDS - An Ancient Greek Legend: Baba Indaba’s Children's Stories - Issue 428 by Anon E. Mouse


Without a Country by Ayşe Kulin


I figure there will be plenty of downtime traveling, so hopefully I have planned accordingly. Otherwise, I may just have to buy a book or 2 along the way! So excited to get going, but dreading the next 8 hours flying coach to Paris. God speed other travelers!

Location: Paris, France!
Local time: 2:56 PM

I landed in Paris!!! Oh I am so excited to explore this city! The Champs Elysees, Arc du Triumphe, Tour d'Eiffel, and Notre Dame. Je suis tres excite! J'adore France et Paris specifique. (Translation: I am very excited! I adore France and Paris specifically.) I am so glad I studied french in school and I can finally use it.

I was able to get some sleep on the plane and now I am all checked in at Generator Paris hostel in the 10th Arrondissement. I had a little time to walk around between landing and checking in, and this such a quaint little area. Now that I've updated my journal, I'm off to sightsee.

My room! There's not much of a view and I am the first person in this room or my roommates are really tidy!

Location: Mont-Saint-Michel, France
Local time: 8:00 AM

Oh how I have loved seeing France! Paris was everything I had hoped it would be! Dinner on le Tour d'Eiffel, strolling les Champs-Elysee, L'arc du Triumphe, Notre Dame. Oh I loved every minute! I went to Le Louvre and had haute chocolat by the Sienne. It was my dream start to this vacation.

I've now spent about 2 days on Mont-Saint-Michel and explored the quaint village and the marvelous abbey. This being an island, I didn't get many good pictures with myself in them because I: a. am traveling alone and b. have long hair and the wind whips across this island from the ocean and I haven't even tried to have a good hair day during my stay!

The abbey is entrusted to a small brotherhood who are very quite and prayerful. They do not seem to enjoy the tourists, but believe them to be a necessary part of their job. I gather they would like to pray all day instead. But in the village, people are super friendly. I ate at this quaint restaurant called "La Mere Poulard". Amazing food!! I highly recommend staying there too. I know she's a little pricey, but it is an island.

I am getting ready to leave today for Brussels. I should arrive in the city just in time for dinner. I have finished my first book and I am starting the next book on my list. In my first book, I was amazingly spending time with the main character on Mont-Saint-Michel. We were whisked off to Cairo in 1928 via a journal that told a grisly tale of murder. I actually found some of the places that Marion, the MC, goes to on the island! She had more free reign of the abbey than I was lucky enough to have. That is actually how I learned of La Mere Poulard!

The book wasn't bad, but the ending left me a little confused. Thankfully, my sight seeing is making up for any dip in the book. I started out my trip having dreamed of going to Paris forever. Now, I am starting my trip with virgin eyes. I have never dreamed of Brussels and I can't wait to learn about this new city!



P.S. - I have to admit that the last pic is a bit of a cheat. The Tour de France is happening right now, but they are skipping Rennes. So, this is taken from the race today that will be on one side. Ending about 110 km from where I will be boarding a plane to Brussels today!

Location: Brussels, Belgium
Local time: 3:47 pm (8:47 am WI time)

Belgium has been beautiful! I got to tour around Brussels and I even got to take a day trip to the Ghent Festival! While at the Ghent Festival I had this amazing breakfast from the middle ages. It was such a fun experience. I got to choose whether to eat like a king or commoner. Delicious! (I obviously chose queen!) The music was incredible. I really didn't know anyone playing, but I loved the festivities.

Next up is Berlin, Germany. I took a flight from Brussels to Germany that only took like an hour and a half. It wasn't even early in the morning! My flight left at 8:50 PM and I was to my hotel by 11:00 pm. I'm excited because I have been to Berlin when I was in college, but this time I can see the sights more than when I here before.

Pictures from Brussels:


There were so many people in Ghent at the festival it was hard to get pictures. However, I did buy some postcards that I can share!