I am not dead (or in a coma)

It's been so long since I've posted on here that Blogger has actually changed its formatting and I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing. Which I obviously deserve...three months since Berlin, yikes. You'd think Warsaw's grim spring of grayness, rain and cigarette butts would compel me to stay inside and write heaps of pointless existential blog points. But since I stay inside and write heaps of (very purposeful) guidebook material, well...I guess it's hard to motivate. But I have a topic! I just booked tickets for Grace to come and visit, and after a dearth of visitors I'm excited to have some company (credit to Pat and Megan, Will, Phoebe, and Grace for coming to visit in 2011). We're planning to go to Italy -- homegirl saw enough of Poland last August -- and it's got me thinking about the places I still want/need to see in Europe. It's been a year since I arrived, and in that time I've been all over Poland (Gdansk, Bydgoszcz, Gniezno, Poznan, Krakow, Lodz, Warsaw), to Belgium twice (Brussels and Gent), Berlin, Paris, and London (twice). What's left? I've made a list, yo. I kept it to the top 10 even though my actual list is less restrained. If you've been to -- or want to go -- any of these places then weigh in or come over.

1. Hike from Schynige Platte to First in the Bernese Oberland in Switzerland. Yeah, that's a mouthful. But it's #1 on my list. Ever since I read about this hike last summer I've wanted to tackle it. Ideally I'd like to do half of it, stay at the insane Faulhorn, and then hike back down. The views are immense and highly worth the effort.

2. Prague. It's fairly ridiculous that I'm in Poland and haven't stumbled down to Prague. It's weird how that city seems to divide people, though; half the people I mention it to insist I need to leave IMMEDIATELY and see it; the other half say it's like Disney World and a complete tourist trap. Maybe that's why I haven't made the train trip down there yet.

3. Austria. This is another place that's not so far from Poland that I'd like to see. And though I wouldn't turn down a trip to Vienna, I'm more interested in places in the Alps like Hallstatt and Berchtesgaden. Hallstatt is a city so idyllic that the Chinese have actually made an exact copy of it in Guangdong, while Berchtesgaden (which is technically in Germany) was where all the high-ranking Nazi leadership had their homes. Hitler's insane Eagle's Nest is here too. Normally I'd say I'm at critical mass for WWII sites, but I'm willing to make an exception here.

4. Barcelona. Of all the various Belgian, Dutch and British folks I've befriended, everyone universally says Barcelona is the best city in Europe. Good weather, ocean and mountains seem to make it their top pick. I'd never thought twice about the place -- except to deem Gaudi's Sagrada Familia church as the fugliest thing I've ever seen -- but now I'm intrigued.

5. The Isle of Skye and the Hebrides in Scotland. I went to Scotland back in, uh, the 90s (!!!) and visited Edinburgh, the Highlands and even Inverness. But somehow I overlooked the Isle of Skye and the Hebrides, which clearly call for a return. They are remote, barren and full of unpronounceable things like Loch Druidibeg, and therein lies its appeal. Throw in the Orkney Islands too while we're at it.

6. Italy. Much less inexplicable than barren-ass Scotland. Rome, Florence, Venice, Tuscany, Cinque Terre...guys named Mario and Guido...gelato and pasta...the Pope...

7. Normandy. I've been to Paris three times, and I'd gladly go 30 more times (all accompanied by Phoebe of course) but it might be time to branch out a bit and see some non-Paris France, and Normany would be my first stop. Sure I'd like to see all the D-Day business, but I'd also like to see Mont Saint Michel and some of the smaller Norman cities.

8.The Ardennes. I have a soft spot for Belgium. But so far I've only been to cities, and I'd like to see the rolling foresty-ness that is the Ardennes. I'd like to see Dinant too while I'm at it.

9. The Way of St. James. Before Grace decided on Italy she got a bug up her ass about hiking The Way of St. James. It's a pilgrimage in Northern Spain that's around 500 miles and takes a month to complete; it used to be done primarily by Catholics, but I think Grace liked the idea of getting to think about her post-retirement plans rather than anything Jesus-y. Though the hike was replaced by Italy, I'd still be interested in taking something like this on.

10. Dubrovnik. Croatia, go figure. Everyone says Dubrovnik is a must-see, and from the pictures I can see why. I'd like to dip a toe in the Adriatic, and since In Your Pocket already has a guide to the city, well, I'd be pretty much set.