ANST - Sightseeing recommendations

[Askell]

Ysabeau,

As exciting and lovely as Dubrovnik was in earlier years, it took heavy damage
during the war.  It is considered safe for tourists now and they are
rebuilding/restoring but still, considering that it is quite a distance from
where you will be staying, why not spend your time in closer, equally exciting
places. 

There cannot be enough wonderful things said about Firenze.  Just seeing The
David is reason enough for the trip.  With all the photographs I had seen, I
was still completely unprepared for the power of the piece.  I actually shed a
tear or two at its sheer beauty and power.  You can find locandas/pensions for
a pittance (we paid less than $15 American for a place less than a block from
the Duomo in the heart of the old city--ok, it was a room on the fifth floor
with the privy down the hall--but it was clean and had a GREAT location).  Try
'Let's Go Europe' as a source for inexpensive accomodations, markets, and
eateries.  It is put out annually by the Harvard Student Union, available in
book stores everywhere and dearer than gold when you travel.

If you rent a car, there are several hilltop, beautifully preserved, medieval
walled towns in the area.  They are smaller than Dubrovnik, further off the
well beaten tourist path, but well worth the trouble of the finding them and
the climb (some are still only accessable by footpath and/or footbridge).

Regardless, in the big cities (especially Rome!!!!!) keep you money inside
your clothes, don't worry about your personal safety (all of Western Europe is
much safer than Houston), and have a wonderful time!

Melody macGregor of Stargate
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