A strictly English speaker in Europe

[beats me]

Italians are usually good fun (although I'm mainly going by the particularly mental ones who I met in London). Don't get expect to meet anyone in Venice though. It's a creepy ghost town at night. If you've seen Don't Look Now, it really is like that.

Prague is great. Especially if you like girls with died red hair and tattoos. And don't mind running into English stag parties of course.

And of course Germany is like omg, sooo amazing. I have to say that of course, but I like it so far.

I’m 42 and going with my parents so I’m not exactly looking for mind bending nightlife. I’m more looking for centers of history, culture, architecture, and art. Wouldn’t mind at all meeting up with some forum members or having a crazy night, but I’m not going to be sorely disappointed if it doesn’t happen.

As far as when, all I have is “12 to 16 months from now”.

I checked out the distances and it looks like a fairly forward straight vertical north movement. I’ve always wanted to check out Prague but I more chucked it in because it looks like a center stop between Vienna and Berlin. Can I assume this can all be done by train?

[aisling]

When my buddy and I did an Amsterdam/Munich trip a while back, we started out conversation with "we are dumb Americans, but need help with XYZ,"....
and were very surprised in how receptive that line worked. The first girls we met right off the train from the Amsterdam airport ended up being our tour guides, and girlfriends for the entire trip. It really helps that everyone speaks more than one language. It made me pissed off to reflect that I was to involved in partying and music in high school to get a foundation in a second language.

The comment about meeting other Americans and acting like best friends when in any other circumstance you would not have anything do due with each other is so true

[beats me]

Oh, and the main reason I chose Venice is because that bitch is going to be Atlantis within a decade.

[8O]

I checked out the distances and it looks like a fairly forward straight vertical north movement. I’ve always wanted to check out Prague but I more chucked it in because it looks like a center stop between Vienna and Berlin. Can I assume this can all be done by train?

No problem...

[beats me]

Nice. Are the trains pretty zippy to the major cities or are there a lot of stops along the way?

[8O]

That there route is a one-stop one. Trains mostly offer fast (and more expensive) routes between major cities and also slower (and cheaper) routes with more stops.

[8O]

Oh, and the main reason I chose Venice is because that bitch is going to be Atlantis within a decade.

Hurry up!

[beats me]

Gotcha. Still has to be cheaper than flying and less time consuming than driving.

[8O]

It's often *not* cheaper than flying, but much less hassle. And for those short stretches the train is probably not much slower than flying, door-to-door. Driving really depends on roads, traffic, etc - e.g. Berlin-Munich is faster by car, but you can't sit back and watch a film and make some beats on your laptop at the same time...

[derzai]

I’m more looking for centers of history, culture, architecture, and art.

Antwerpen, Brugge, Gent. Oostende if you like the coast. I do.

[re:dream]

LOL, yes. Belgium is the only place in Europe with actual culture

[derzai]

nah, there's many options. when you go down from berlin to venice, somewhere near ljublijana, you will find the lake of bled.

make sure to visit.

[andydes]

I’m 42 and going with my parents so I’m not exactly looking for mind bending nightlife. I’m more looking for centers of history, culture, architecture, and art. Wouldn’t mind at all meeting up with some forum members or having a crazy night, but I’m not going to be sorely disappointed if it doesn’t happen.

That's OK. Like many lounge regulars, I've reached the stage where I'm at least as happy with a quiet drink and a chat as I am with frying my mind for 12 hours. In fact, willing to travel 300 miles for said drink and chat.

For the record, though. If it came to it, I'd like to think I could hold a perfectly respectable conversation with anyone's parents whilst busting my moves on a German Techno dance floor.

[Tarekith]

Good tips, thanks everyone. Might be moving to Luxembourg in few months, this is all good to know.

[derzai]

i think france has the size of california. so you got an idea.