The Impression of Europe

European Impression

English

A brief history of alcohol in Europe

    Alcohol has been produced and drunk in Europe for thousands of years, usually made out of whatever materials were locally available. Fermented alcoholic drinks and (from the thirteenth century) spirits were often also used as a medicine, a practice that continued until the early twentieth century and the advent of modern medicine. Alcoholic drinks were commonly preferred as they were less likely to be damaging to health than (impure) water, and drunkenness was also common, although repeated drunkenness was sometimes condemned. Laws on alcohol did exist, but normally for reasons of public order or to regulate the market rather than for public health. However, this picture changed with a series of developments in mediæval and early modern Europe, including industrialization, improved communications links, and the discovery of stronger, distilled beverages. European elites were faced with a situation of urban squalor that included unprecedented public drunkenness in lower classes – and both they and (in some countries) emerging workers’ movements attributed much of this to alcohol.

    Large ‘temperance’ movements, therefore, spread across much of Europe in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, driven by concerns over spirits before often moving on to an opposition to all alcoholic drinks. In some cases this led to a complete ban on alcohol in a country or area, although elsewhere less drastic systems of alcohol control were adopted. In most, but not all, countries the temperance movement has since faded, to a position of little significance by the end of the twentieth century. The idea of ‘alcoholism’ as a disease also grew during the nineteenth century, with many European countries developing homes or asylums to treat ‘alcoholics’. Although temporarily out of fashion at the height of the temperance period, the ‘addiction concept’ fitted the ideological climate of the mid-twentieth century and became popular once again. Yet in recent years, the ‘new public health movement’ has become the dominant paradigm for discussing alcohol-related problems, allowing a broader discussion than a focus on a small subset of ‘alcoholics’.

    Today’s Europe includes a wide range of uses and meanings of alcohol, ranging from an accompaniment to family meals to a major part of rites of passage. Alcoholic drinks are full of meaning, with drinking behaviour able to communicate the formality of an event or the division between work and leisure. Drunkenness is equally symbolic, with ‘drunken comportment’ – how people act under the influence of alcohol – varying across Europe. Meanings and practices vary within as well as between countries, sometimes linked to the identities of different groups. This can occur through many alcohol-related channels, from the association of a particular drink with regional or national identity, to the meaningful non-use of alcohol in many European Muslim communities. 

English

Best Fall Trips 2015

The end of the bustling summer tourist season kicks off one of the best times of the year to travel. Whether you’re up for adventure, relaxation, or something in between, check out our editors’ list of 10 best fall trips for inspired ideas. —Maryellen Kennedy Duckett

New mexicoEnchanted Circle Scenic Drive, Taos, New Mexico

Photograph by Terry Thompson, Alamy
 
From late September through early October, north-central New Mexico’s Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway is a best-of-fall highlight reel. For those beginning and ending the drive in Taos (basically circling the state’s highest point, 13,162-foot Wheeler Peak), the 83-mile loop offers spectacular natural features: golden-hued aspens, thick evergreen forests, and abundant wildlife, including Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. “An early snow can make the spectacle even more amazing,” says Fritz Davis, a local musician and editor of the Red River Miner. “The fall palette of red, orange, and gold beneath distant snowy peaks and around the high mountain lake is breathtaking.” It’s possible to make the drive in a couple of hours, but Davis recommends taking time to explore side roads. One of his favorites is the Route 578 fork off Main Street (Highway 38) in Red River, where the vibrant aspen leaves take on a butterfly shape each fall. “You’ll see either a single butterfly with wings spread wide or, if you’re romantically inclined, two butterflies kissing,” says Davis.
 
How to Get Around: Begin in Taos and drive clockwise around the loop. From downtown Taos, head north on NM 64/68 to NM 522. Continue north on NM 522 for about 24 miles to Questa and turn right (east) on NM 38. Continue east and then south on NM 38 about 30 miles to Eagle’s Nest. Here, you’ll rejoin NM 64 to complete the circle back to Taos.
 
Where to Stay: The recently renovated Palacio de Marquesa (formerly Casa de las Chimeneas) is a romantic, pueblo-style retreat. Surrounded by cottonwood trees in a quiet neighborhood, the 1912 adobe estate is within easy walking distance (about ten minutes) of shops, restaurants, and galleries at Taos Plaza. The inn’s eight guest rooms (two of which are suites) are individually appointed to reflect the spirit of a legendary Taos woman artist such as Georgia O’Keeffe and Millicent Rogers. Each room has a fireplace and courtyard access, some have beamed ceilings and skylights, and all include complimentary breakfast, which can be delivered directly to your door.
 
Where to Eat: At family-owned Hatcha’s Grill of Angel Fire, order an authentic New Mexican dish such as sopaipillas (fried pastries) stuffed with carne adovada (cubed pork in red chile sauce) or a steak and papitas (fried potato) burrito. Eat like a local by asking for it “smothered with Xmas.” Christmas, or Xmas, is a spicy, red-green New Mexico concoction made by blending mild (red) and hot (green) chile sauces.
 
What to Buy: Find genuine turquoise and sterling silver pendants, rings, cuff bracelets, earrings, and other pieces designed by Native American and other New Mexico artists at the Jewelry Lady Red River in Frye’s Old Town.
 
What to Read Before You Go: D.H. Lawrence penned parts of his 1927 travel essay collection Mornings in Mexico (Tauris Park Paperbacks, 2009) during the 11 months he lived on his ranch northwest of Taos. Owned by the University of New Mexico (and open to the public through October), the D.H. Lawrence Ranch is located on the Enchanted Circle roughly midway between Taos and Questa.
 
Helpful Tip: Take it slow and stay alert for changing weather conditions and wildlife on or near the road. Before making the drive, check the weather forecast for the entire route and plan accordingly. Curves on the two-lane route can become slick in wet or snowy conditions, and some sections of the road have little or no shoulders.
 
Helpful Links: New Mexico Tourism and Enchanted Circle
 
Fun Fact: One must-see Enchanted Circle detour is the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, located 12 miles northwest of Taos on U.S. 64 (8 miles west of the NM 522 and NM 150 junction). Completed in 1965 and restored in 2012, the steel bridge is the second highest suspension bridge in the U.S., towering 650 feet above the Rio Grande River. For the most dramatic gorge views, park in the lot at the west end of the bridge and walk (staying on the walkways) out to the center.
English

Best Spring Trips 2015

Vibrant spring blooms in the northern hemisphere and dazzling autumn displays in the southern make this the perfect season to get outside and walk, hike, or take a scenic drive. Use our editors' list of 10 best spring trip destinations as the launching pad for an active—and colorful—spring getaway. —Maryellen Kennedy Duckett

Wild Atlantic WayWild Atlantic Way, County Donegal to County Cork, Ireland

Photograph by Kevin Galvin, Alamy
 
The Wild Atlantic Way is far more than a scenic route from County Donegal south to County Cork along Ireland’s untamed western coast. The 1,491 miles were designed to be driven in small sections, allowing time to revel in the stories, sights, and history found around each bend in the road. “The most mystifying poetry of the route for me lies no doubt along the Mayo coastline, replete with thunderous views, land art, living 5,000-year-old ruins, and mesmerizing islands,” says Travis Price, a frequent visitor to Ireland’s western coast. “It is indeed a place where the soul catches up with body, the craic [fun] of daily life is abundant, and truly the ancient Irish spirits are soaring into the salt laden air. The word authentic literally disappears, as there is indeed no other than that there.”
 
When to Go: Cork St. Patrick’s Festival, March 15-17; Galway Food Festival, April 17-21; Connemara Mussel Festival, May 2-4
 
How to Get Around: The Wild Atlantic Way is divided north to south into five sections: County Donegal, County Sligo to County Mayo, County Galway to County Clare, County Clare to County Kerry, and County Kerry to County Cork. Each section includes three suggested "signature experiences,” such as cycling a particular pathway, visiting a nearby beach, or taking a ferry to an offshore island. If driving the County Donegal section of the route only, fly into Belfast International Airport. Otherwise, fly into Shannon International Airport in Limerick.
 
Where to Stay: Kathleen and Michael Conneely’s Faul House Bed & Breakfast is only 1.2 miles off the Wild Atlantic Way on County Galway’s Ardbear Peninsula. Located on a quiet daffodil- and bluebell-lined lane leading to the sea, the modern farmhouse is surrounded by the family’s 40-acre Connemara pony farm. Spring visitors (the inn reopens for the season March 24) can celebrate the arrival of the farm’s latest foals, and, April to June, can join the Conneelys in the bog for the harvesting of turf for the inn’s peat fires. Rates include a full Irish breakfast (you can collect your own eggs from the resident chickens) served with homemade brown bread and piping hot tea.
 
Where to Eat: Before or after driving through the Burren & Cliffs of Moher GeoPark, stop at Café Linnalla in New Quay. The artisanal shop serves preservative-free ice cream made with fresh milk and cream from Brid and Roger Fahy’s Burren dairy farm. In Galway, bypass the restaurant at McDonagh’s and head straight to their bare-bones Fish & Chip Bar for flaky, fresh-from-the-docks fried cod and a hefty mound of thick, hot chips.
 
What to Buy: Watch weavers work traditional looms upstairs at the Donaghy family’s Studio Donegal, a one-stop weaving and garment making studio and retail tweed and woolens shop in Kilcar. The neighboring spinning mill, Donegal Yarns, produces many of the yarns used in the shop. Buy skeins of yarn or finished products like handwoven Donegal tweed jackets, Gatsby caps, and handbags; merino wool scarves; and blankets woven in colors representing the five "Donegal days": summer, rainy, winter, stormy, and payday.
 
What to Watch Before You Go: John Sayles’ 1994 film The Secret of Roan Inish is a mystical fable set on Ireland’s wild western coast and is accompanied by a lilting Celtic soundtrack.
 
Cultural Tip: Road signs in Ireland typically are bilingual, with the English written under the Irish. However, on rural roads in Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking) areas you may encounter Irish-only signage. Two important terms to know before you go: geill sli (yield) and tigh (pub).
 
Helpful Links: Tourism Ireland
 
Fun Fact: “Signature experience” No. 14 is taking a ride on Ireland’s only cable car, which crosses over Dursey Sound from the Beara Peninsula to tiny Dursey Island. When the car is running, visitors can make the ten-minute trip (and watch for dolphins below)—when there’s room. There only are six seats, and when the island’s residents make the ride, they may be accompanied by their sheep or cows.
 
Staff Tip: If you're looking to save time by skipping a few hot spots, don't even think about bypassing the Connemara region. In Clifden—an hour's drive from Galway city—take the Sky Road. You'll feel like you're at the edge of the Earth, not just of Ireland. While you're in the area, make sure to take the extra time to see Kylemore Abbey, a truly stunning Gothic manse turned Benedictine monastery tucked into a hillside like it was meant to be a secret. —Leslie Magraw, Blog Editor, National Geographic Travel
English

Best Summer Trips 2015

From cruising near the top of the world on a Midnight Sun Safari to diving a whole-ship reef near the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, this year’s list of 10 best summer trips showcases some of the world’s wildest places, biggest festivals, and most awe-inspiring sights. Get inspired and go.—Maryellen Kennedy Duckett

Gulf of Mexico

Midnight Sun Safari 

Lofoten, Nordland, Norway
Photograph by Banana Pancake, Alamy
 
Late May through mid-July, the midnight sun’s perpetual rays produce around-the-clock daylight in northern Norway’s Lofoten archipelago. Located in the Norwegian Sea north of the Arctic Circle, fairy-tale Lofoten, with its jagged peaks and quaint fishing hamlets, is the departure point for magical midnight sun safaris. One of the most spectacular options is a midnight voyage to open water, where the goldenrod sky appears to melt seamlessly into the shimmering sea. “Experiencing the landscape and wildlife in the extraordinary light and colors from the midnight sun is spectacular,” says Camilla Figenschou of Lofoten Adventure, a nature outfitter offering 2.5-hour midnight safaris departing at 10 p.m. The safari, which begins in the Henningsvær village harbor, passes seal and cormorant colonies and often provides breathtaking views of white-tailed sea eagles swooping down—wings (up to eight feet across) and talons extended—to snatch unsuspecting fish from the sea.
 
How to Get Around: Lofoten consists of seven main islands. The closest airport with daily service from Oslo is Harstad/Narvik Airport Evenes, located about 2.5 hours east. Rent a car at the airport to drive to Lofoten (the LOFAST road connects the mainland to the islands) or take the public bus. In Lofoten, travel options include ferries, passenger boats, public buses, and rental bikes, kayaks, and cars.
 
Where to Stay: Many of Lofoten’s traditional, barn-red, wood rorbu (fishermen’s cottages) have been restored as guest cabins. At Eliassen Rorbuer on the tiny island of Hamnøyin, there are 26 tidy, one- and two-bedroom cabins equipped with compact kitchens and living rooms, bunk beds, and, inexplicably, Wi-Fi. For unobstructed fjord and mountain views, book a unit perched on stilts at water’s edge. No linens are provided, so bring your own or pay the rental fee.
 
Where to Eat: Fiskekrogen’s location on Henningsvær harbor make this popular fish house a convenient choice for a pre-midnight safari meal. Try a traditional northern Norway dish, such as Lofoten Boknafisk: semi-dried cod chunks topped with diced stewed carrots and bacon and served with boiled potatoes and dollops of pea purée.
 
What to Buy: Artists have drawn inspiration from the Lofoten landscape since the 1880s, when large panoramic paintings displayed in Germany, Paris, and London introduced the world to the archipelago. Learn about Lofoten’s artistic evolution, and purchase island-inspired paintings, photographs, posters, and postcards in the gift shop of Galleri Lofoten Hus. Housed in a restored Henningsvær fish cannery, the gallery showcases a permanent collection of more than a hundred works by notable north Norwegian artists, including Karl Erik Harr and Gunnar Berg.
 
What to Read Before You Go: The Fellowship of Ghosts (Picador, 2006) chronicles novelist Paul Watkins’ solitary hiking-camping odyssey among Norway’s mountains and fjords.
 
Fun Fact: Lofoten Golf Links is the only golf course in the world where—for more than two months of the year—you can play in natural light all day and night. Thanks to the midnight sun and the seaside course’s location on the 68th parallel, midnattgolf season extends from late May to early August.
 
English

Best Winter Trips 2015

There’s no reason to hibernate when new adventures await on every continent. From fat snow biking in the Tetons to rumbling across Aruba by Jeep, our editor’s list of 10 best winter trip destinations—plus a bonus “Reader’s Choice”—includes unexpected ideas for both snowbound and sun-splashed vacations. —Maryellen Kennedy Duckett

FinlandGo on a Reindeer-Drawn Sleigh Ride Safari, Lapland, Finland

Photograph courtesy Visit Finland
 
For centuries, the indigenous Sami people have traveled with their herds of reindeer across the Sápmi region (commonly referred to as Lapland), which comprises the northernmost regions of Finland, Norway, Sweden, and the Russian Kola Peninsula. Here, above the Arctic Circle, snow can last for 200 days, making reindeer sled, snowmobile, and skis the preferred modes of transportation. Experience the frosty thrill of gliding through the snow-covered forest in a reindeer-drawn sleigh at northern Finland’s Jaakkola Reindeer Farm. Located near Luosto in the Finnish province of Lapland, the family-owned farm offers a variety of reindeer safaris and tours led by English-speaking guides. Many tours include opportunities to feed the reindeer, learn about reindeer husbandry, and warm up with coffee and pastries (or cook sausage over an open fire) in a kota, or herder’s hut. November to February, the farm’s four-hour evening sleigh-ride excursion for two (adults only) includes the possibility of an enchanting bonus: the watercolor glow of the northern lights illuminating the sky, ice, and snow.
 
How to Get Around: Luosto is a ski resort village in the greater Pyhä-Luosto recreation area. The closest airport is in Rovaniemi, an hour-and-15-minute direct flight from Helsinki. At the Rovaniemi airport, take the Pyhä-Luosto SkiBus for the 90-minute trip northeast to Luosto. Jaakkola Reindeer Farm is about seven miles northwest of Luosto. Take a taxi from your hotel to the farm.
 
Where to Stay: The Wintry Week package (January 5-April 19) at Santa’s Hotel Aurora in Luosto includes seven nights’ lodging in a double room with private sauna, daily breakfast and dinner, and an Aurora Alarm to alert you to when the northern lights are visible. The main lodge has 30 mainly north-facing rooms (request one with a fireplace). New for 2015: a separate wing with ten glass-roofed Arctic View rooms (available beginning February 15) offering panoramic views of the northern lights. The hotel is on the SkiBus route to and from the airport.
 
What to Eat: Ravintola Kerttuli in Luosto looks like a traditional timber Lapp house (octagonal shape and vaulted ceilings) and serves several Lappish dishes. The menu changes seasonally, but you’re guaranteed to have a reindeer option, such as sautéed reindeer with mashed potatoes or reindeer pepper steak. Start with a cup of creamy porcini mushroom soup served with flat bread. Reservations suggested.
 
What to Buy: Light purple to dark violet amethyst extracted from the nearby Lampivaara Amethyst Mine (in Pyhä-Luosto National Park) are sold as gemstones and jewelry at Luosto’s Little Mine Shop. Buy tickets there for mine tours, including transportation via the Amethyst Pendolino snow train.
 
What to Read Before You Go: A Reindeer Police officer in Norwegian Lapland is the protagonist of Forty Days Without Shadow: An Arctic Thriller (Grand Central Publishing, English edition, 2014, translated by Louise Rogers Lalaurie), the debut novel by Stockholm-based journalist Olivier Truc, who directed the 2009 documentary Reindeer Police.
 
Practical Tip: Winter in northern Finland is intensely cold, yet dry. Pack and dress accordingly. The mean monthly temperatures in Luosto can range from about 7°F in January to about 19°F in November and March.
 
Helpful Links: VisitFinland, Luosto, Pyhä-Luosto National Park, and Jaakola Reindeer Farm
 
Fun Fact: Only Sami can legally own reindeer in Norway and Sweden. In Finland, reindeer ownership is open to any European Union citizen who meets specific criteria, such as living within a designated Finnish Herding Area and being a member of the local reindeer herding district, the organizational body charged with protecting the reindeer, promoting reindeer husbandry, and preventing reindeer from causing damage or trespassing into other districts.

 

English

PhD Studentship Announced In The UK To Create New 3D Printed Design Solutions With Liquid Metal Materials

BY  ON 

WED, DECEMBER 17, 2014
 · 3D PRINTINGEDUCATIONEUROPERESEARCH ADD COMMENT

Eligible students can now apply for a fully funded PhD studentship (3 years) to work as part of the Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing Research Group (3DPRG). Located within the Faculty of Engineering, the 3DPRG is widely regarded as the world’s leading Centre for Additive Manufacturing research, development and dissemination. Liquid metal jetting 3D printing is a novel technology developed by the 3DPRG in collaboration with Océ-Technologies B.V.  By enabling the fabrication of functional components designed to combine the properties of multiple metals, it is envisaged that liquid metal jetting 3D printing will open up a number of exciting opportunities, including: “the fabrication of novel electrical conductive componentry, new generation 3D smart devices and structural multi-functional components.” According the 3DPRG, “Liquid metal jetting 3D printing is of great scientific value because not only does it offer the typical design freedom associated with additive manufacturing, but it also allows for the possibility of engineering objects composed of different metals during the same printing process

English

Travel to Europe

I think there are many things I can write down for future review, so emerged this travelog that memorized what I had seen and thought during this European trip. Hope you can share some thoughts and feeling as me. 

This European trip was an exchange visit of the cooperation program between China and Belgium on the topic of co-generation. During our stay in Europe, we lived in Ghent. As scheduled before, we visited the Ghent University and the University of Antwerp. In our spare time, we spent two days in Paris, one day in Amsterdam and half day in Brussels.

Paris is a big city compared with the other cities in Europe. My colleague and I took the 6:55 train from Ghent to Paris. The original two-hour trip turned out to be a three-hour one due to the malfunction of the train. At first, we did not know what happened, because we could not understand what the announcer said, which was in Flemish and French, we just followed the others to move to other train. When we arrived in Paris North station, it was nearly 10:00, we had our late breakfast and early lunch there, then we went to the Notre-Dame Cathedral. If the breakdown of the train was only a piece of cake, we met our first challenge when we decided to take the metro. Paris metro system is huge and complicated, just like a spider web. What makes it worse is that there is only French but no English. We asked everyone we could find, and thanks to the God, we finally found the right metro line. I was so captivated by the architecture and the beautiful stained glass windows of the Cathedral. Walking along the bank of the Seine, we reached the Louvre Museum and spent the whole afternoon there. The Louvre is a magnificent palace. There are so many collections, antiquities from ancient civilization countries, sculptures, craftworks, paintings, prints and drawings, I bet the collections are more than that of any museum in China. The museum is so large that to me it is something like a labyrinth. We lost our way in it. We just walked around but failed to find the way out, feeling thirsty and tired. There are many visitors, we could hear various kinds of languages, including Chinese and even Shanghai dialects. The first day ended in a small hotel near the North station. Oh, there was an episode I nearly forget to tell you. We had our supper in a nearby restaurant. It was a French one. I could not read the French menu, so I asked the waiter to recommend one for me. Can you guess what I had for that night? Mussels, a big pot of mussels. Though I like mussel, I had never taken it as my main course before. It was really an unforgettable dinner. Lying on the bed of the Nord Hotel, I studied the map of Paris metro lines founding it was not so complicated as I had thought. I was full of confidence to manage it the next day.

Our first destination of the second day in Paris was the world-famous Eiffel Tower. It was chilly early in the morning, but the coldness could not prevent us from climbing the Tower. We came to the second floor and got a panorama of the charming city. At that moment, I had the illusion that I was in my dream, a beautiful dream that I have been longing for a fairly long time. One thing you cannot miss in Paris is walking along the Avenue Des Champs Elysees. We walked all the way to the Arc de Triumph, seeing many people were doing their Christmas shopping. Being familiar with the Paris metro lines, I found the second day was easier than the first day. We could enjoy the city sightseeing and feel the pulse of Paris, once a remote city from my mind, but now we are so close to each other. Everything is new, everything is different to me. I put myself into the crowd and shared the festive atmosphere of the upcoming holiday. The feeling cannot easily be forgotten I am sure.

The weather was not good when we visited Amsterdam. It was raining, which made it even colder. We walked along the road in front of the central station hoping to find the Dam Square. After about 15-minute walk, we reached a square, where I did not think is the Dam Square, for it was not as big as I once thought. We decided to go on, but there was no square ahead. So I asked a gentleman in the street, he told me the square we just passed was the Dam Square. Seeing that I was still suspicious, he smiled and said, of course the Dam Square is small, not so big as the Red Square in Moscow. Hearing that, we both laughed. We went back to the square and saw many pigeons. I played with the pigeons and took some nice pictures. Amsterdam has many canals and bridges, but the city is not big. It only took a few hours to look around the central part of the city. We did not see the symbols of the Netherlands – windmills and tulips due to the tight schedule and the wrong season. Amsterdam is an open city, just as the professor of the Ghent University had told us before we went there. He said there were three places worth visiting, one is the Dam Square, the second is the shopping center and the third is the Red Light area. We would like to see what the red light area looked like, but we had to go before the curtain of the night drew. I took a nice nap on the train back to Ghent. The train was very warm and comfortable. I felt like lying in the cradle with the rhythmic fluctuation of the train.

Brussels was the last destination before we left for China. We spent only half day in Brussels and just visited the Grand Place or the City Hall. It is a city that makes me feel like a home. I do not know how I can get such kind of feeling, but it really is. A friendly woman showed us the way from the station to the city hall and made a brief introduction of the city to us. On the Grand Place, we met some of our compatriots. One man was very interesting, he asked me if I was a Miss Japanese or Miss Chinese. I told him that I was a Miss Shanghai. He then asked us whether we were on a packaged tour. I said, no, we are on a budget traveling by ourselves. He was so surprised and said Miss Shanghai was marvelous. He was so amusing and wanted to take a picture with me. I can tell from his accent that he is from south China’s Guangdong province. There were many big and small shops around the Grand Place. Some of them were especially for the Christmas season I guess. I found a very lovely finger ring there, it is floriated, like a flower. I got a very good impression of Brussels. Think you can get the same feeling too.

Antwerp is the second largest city in Belgium. It is a harbor city like Shanghai. It was a pity that the day we visited Antwerp was not a good-weather day. It was drizzling, very cold, but the people there were very warm. One old lady answered my question in Italian, then said sorry for me and changed into English. She explained that she had spent 31 years in Italy though she was a Belgian.

Ghent is a very quiet city compared with Shanghai. I think it is the place one can go to when he wants to escape from the noisy and pressure that any big city brings to him. It is a nice place. I was quite familiar with its central railway station, for I went there twice every day. Good place, good people. I had a Spanish dinner in Ghent. The boss was from Chile and his wife came from Spain. Their son, a little boy with black hair and black eyes was so cute. He said hello to us as soon as we came into the restaurant. Though he is young, he can dance with the Spanish music quite well. The boss, father of the little boy was friendly. During our dinner, he came to ask us whether we liked the food or not. When I told him that I like the food very much, it was very special from what I used to eat, he smiled from ear to ear. At last, I suggested him to open such a Spanish restaurant in Shanghai saying that it could be very popular. And I promised to be the partner of the restaurant to manage it for him. He was so happy and said he could think it over.

This European trip was very short, we just went to a few places and got a very quick glance at the Europe, but what we saw and felt can last for a long time. I find people are the same, friendly, warm-hearted and are always willing to lend their hands to ones need help. I cannot forget the middle-aged woman and the old couple who had helped us in Paris metro lines. They could not express themselves in English well, but they were eager to help us -- two young Chinese ladies. I also cannot forget the woman in Brussels who showed us all the way from the station to where we wanted to go. There are many good-hearted people. The ladies in the supermarket near where I lived often answered more than I asked in case that I would not fully know the articles I bought. The kind gentleman in the railway station telling us where to get the tickets. And the young man translated the French in a mailbox into English for me.

Through this trip, I am glad to find that I can adapt myself to a new environment quickly. I can manage unexpected situations and settle problems well. I can live on my own of which I am full of confidence. This is really an unforgettable experience. I found many things I used to neglect once more. Maybe I can say I have rediscovered many highlights in life.

Europe is a good place to experience a romance. Do you think so? Up to now, I still remember the snow in Frankfurt Main airport, which made our flight delayed by 4 hours. But I did not feel sorry for that, because I love snow. I do not know when was the last time I saw so much snow, Shanghai has not got so heavy snow for a long time. My seat was near window, I could see the snow dropping from the sky, flying and dancing, very beautiful. Whenever I close my eyes, I can recall the flying snow in Main airport. One song came into my mind at this moment, love is one big illusion that I should try to forget, but there is something left in my head.

It was a nice and unforgettable trip. Though I may have many chances to go abroad in the future, this was my first one after all. Whatever you do, wherever you go, or whoever you will meet, the first one is always the last one you could forget.

English