We have traveled to Europe many times and each time we learn something new, or are reminded of something we forgot. This time, I thought I’d jot down a few of the things that struck us as we traveled to new cities and places we have visited before.

• Europe is not as expensive as we feared.
  With the dollar losing ground daily, we found that our money didn’t go as far as it used to, but mainly in the area of food and drink. I think our hotels were fairly priced and comparable to what you would pay in the US, but food was expensive. We paid about $5 for a cappuccino, $4.50 for a Coke, but a reasonable $ 4. for a good beer. Our dinners at regular family-run restaurants were about $45 each including the house wine.

• Take advantage of the “City Cards” offered in most cities.
  These cards generally offer free public transportation and free or reduced-price entry for most of the tourist attractions in each city. They are really worth the initial outlay.

• The quality of trains vary by country.
  Because we traveled mainly by a Eurail Pass, we traveled first class and with reserved seats. We have traveled by train in Europe in the past and it is a great way to get from country to country. We were very impressed with the German and Austrian trains. They were very clean and provided good, reasonably priced food on-board. The Italy trains were a disgrace. We were on the premier Michelangelo train from Innsbruck to Florence and found the windows so dirty we had trouble seeing the scenery; the bathrooms were filthy, and the food a complete rip-off. We would choose another carrier- if there was one. So when we traveled from Florence back to Austria, we brought our own food aboard to save the $ 50 we paid on the trip down for a ham and cheese plate, and what I can only describe as Franco-American spaghetti. (no kidding)

• Trains have limited luggage storage.
  I should have remembered this from our earlier travels, but didn’t. We both had medium-sized suitcases that were packed pretty full. (After all, we were traveling for 3 weeks.) Bill had to heft both of them up above our heads for storage on most trains. I was afraid he’d injure his back! The next time we do some train travel, we will need to bring even smaller bags and do laundry more often.

• Dresden has a story to tell.
  Having remembered that Dresden was completely fire-bombed during World War II, I expected a modern city with a few old remnants of the glorious past. We were very impressed by the efforts that this city has made to rebuild Dresden to the beauty and standards of the past. Many buildings have been reconstructed with the charm and beauty of old Dresden. A prime example is the Frauenkirche, which had been rebuilt using the old stones remaining from the former church and new stones to fill in the gaps. Left in a rubble as a graphic reminder of the horrible fire-bombing of 1945, reconstruction did not begin until January 1993, using original plans from the 1720s by builder Georg Bà¤hr. Its reconstruction is a landmark symbol of reconciliation between former warring enemies. Computers were used to determine where each of the old stones were from and where to place them in the newly-built replica. The Frauenkirche was completed and dedicated in October of 2005. If you look carefully at the picture, you will see the old (black) stones set among the new.

• CNN International Ain’t what it used to be.
  In past travels to Europe, we have relied on CNN International and the Herald Tribune newspaper to stay in touch with US and international news. This time we found it extremely difficult to get meaningful TV news. Most hotels have CNN International as the only English speaking news channel and it has really gone down-hill lately. At the top of the hour, there will be a quick news rundown and then some stories that will be repeated every hour. It was disgusting to hear over and over about Britney Spears losing custody and the inquiry into Princess Diana’s death. There was little real reporting done and no real news…pathetic.

• Gelato is not just an Italian treat.
  We found gelato in Prague, all over Austria and everywhere in Italy. It seems to be sweeping the continent! And, by the way, it isn’t cheap. The least expensive gelato cone was 1.5 Euros, and that was for a tiny cone with a little scoop. Most gelato (cones or cups) costs from 2.5 to 4 euros each. OUCH! ( Of course, that didn’t stop us from enjoying them)

• It pays to research each city you are visiting in advance.
  There will never be enough time to see everything you want to see in each city you visit, so make a list of the most important sights you want to cover before you travel. That way you won’t become bogged down with things that “would be nice to see” but aren’t necessary. I usually don’t miss an opportunity to pop into every church along the way, but because we had some priorities set out for ourselves, I didn’t over-do it and miss what I really wanted to see.

• If you want to see the charming little towns on your own, you need a car. With our car rental in Tuscany, we were able to visit wonderful little towns that are just off the main tourist routes; this was a wonderful way to see Tuscany and Umbria. In the past, we have traveled throughout France by car and enjoyed it as well. It looks like Germany and Austria would be equally easy to drive.

• “Green” Europe continues to outpace the US  when it comes to  clean energy and conservation.
  As we traveled the countryside, we were surprised to see the extent of wind and solar energy “farms”. Some of these solar energy collection farms covered hundreds upon hundreds of acres. Examples of energy conservation include: hotel door key systems that turn off all electricity when you leave your room, energy efficient light bulbs, motion sensors to light hallways, bathrooms and stairwells. This saves a lot of electrical energy. Cars are small and gas is expensive which encourages conservation. There is an abiding commitment to mass transit which is clean, efficient and inexpensive. We were also reminded of Europe’s love of the bicycle as a primary mode of transportation. People of all ages ride bikes and there are bike racks everywhere.