Thanks for some great reading. Glad to hear you enjoyed Brugge; I was considering adding it as a side trip this coming summer and had been disconcerted by the stories of too many tourists.

You're a man after my own heart. Travel, hang out with complete strangers, find good bars and internet cafes. <BR><BR>Great report, very amusing.

Very fun to read. Thanks for taking the time to share.

FANTASTIC report, Nevil. Ah, this is what travel is supposed to be! FUN!

nevil: I haven't enjoyed a thread this much in a long time. Great reading. You have a knack. You ought to just travel and write about your travels. I would buy it. Thanks.

Wow, Nevil, you sure do know how to enjoy Europe! And you went to so many not-on-the-first-trip-itinerary places!<BR><BR>For the other Fodorites, though, not all Canadians say "holy cow" every second paragraph. I think Bart Simpson and Nevil have patent rights on that phrase.<BR><BR>Keep coming with your very animated posts.

thanks for all of your kind words, I enjoyed Europe and enjoyed writing about it!! I'm not sure where I came up with Holy Cow, I think you guys know what I was ACTUALLY saying to myself!!<BR><BR>Nevil

What a hoot! Loved your report! Made me smile a lot and wish I could go and hang out right now!

Your enthusiasm is infectious, Nevil. Thanks for the reports, and if you ever go back to Bordeaux, get away from the seedy area around the train station and head for the Place du Parliament and the rue Ste-Cath&eacute;rine and your opinion will surely change.

Thank-you for your "laugh out loud" trip report - it was a joy to read!

Foot loose and fancy free! What a fun report. And great wine and beer references, to boot! Thanks for posting. Enjoyed your comments about Salamanca. I HAD been thinking of a summer program for my 14-year old, but nowwww... :)

Topping for everyone!

Great report Nevil. Really enjoyed it.<BR>

Great report! I love traveling solo - you meet people you would never meet if you had a friend tagging along.

Too much fun, Nevil. Great report.

"Well, they’ve been brewing it since 1240, that‘s how…and how do make all that good beer with all those dinosaurs running around hassling you?!"<BR><BR>ha ha ha ha!! Loved your report!

Nevil, I nominate you as an official representative of NA! What a great attitude you have!! Really fun to read a trip report about your experiences rather than logistics. Seems like you soaked up (LOL) lots of local atmosphere. Thanks for sharing. :-)

thanks again everyone.<BR><BR>This official NA rep position, does it pay anything? I need a job, Visa and Mastercard are sending some guys.<BR><BR>Oh, about Salamanca, if you are thinking about sending your children there, please factor in the cost of 'the Betty Ford Clinic' for when they return as well.<BR><BR>Travelling alone was MUCH better than I thought it would be. You're pretty much FORCED into talking with total strangers. However, in Europe, they're not strangers for long. <BR><BR>The one disappointment about Europe was that I didn't see Elvis. Just when I thought you guys had everything together.<BR><BR>If you post you email address, I hope it's OK if I send you a mail with a link to my photos.<BR><BR>Nevil<BR>

Cool trip report, Nevil!! Great fun; completely infectious enthusiasm (why does that phrase keep popping up regarding you??). You sound like a fun guy! : )<BR><BR>Happy to know that PUNK is still alive & well (thriving) in Germany!! Hope to go there soon. And you've opened up my eyes to a lot of places I'd never considered before.<BR><BR>Thanks & please send me the link.

Thanks so much for this report! Although I haven't been everywhere you visited, your experiences brought back every happy memory of travel that I've ever had-- and now I'm ready to go again! You definitely did it right.