World Cup

So, did anyone see Serbia beat Germany today at the World Cup??
Supposedly there were parades in the streets!

Ok, fine: I'll be the first to admit that I do not keep up with sports. This is probably due to the melancholy truth that I have no talent for them (but oh boy, have I tried) and I don't watch a lot of TV in general. Anyway, I like the World Cup because it is a global event that raises awareness about other nations and brings people together (while tearing them apart because of team rivalries). Although soccer is a competitive game, people still have fun rooting for nations that their ancestors came from, places they have lived, or associate with themselves in other ways. And does anyone remember the Olympics? I bet not a single person hasn't watched a part of the Olympic Games, whether it be the stunningly cutting-edge and innovative opening ceremonies (although I must admit Vancouver's was incomparable to Beijing's) or a track event. No matter which team you are cheering on (God, this sounds so cheesy!) sports have the power to captivate global audiences because we all play the same games with the same rules - no language barrier!

Flying

Sooo.... because my summer hasn't officially started yet, I'm posting a list of things I love about flying in airplanes in anticipation for my fun filled summer!!

• comfy clothes - I enthusiastically find pleasure in planning the perfect outfit for flying. The key is to layer! Although it might be 98F at your destination, the sky is a cold place. Although I am all for fashion, I do not understand how people can dress their best on planes. This year, I plan to wear a navy-and-white striped romper (for the arrival and departure) under velour navy sweat pants and my favorite comfy sweatshirt with navy (see a theme here?) boating shoes.
  
  
  More Sperry...

  
  
  

• airplane food - No, I'm not crazy; I just love food! The compactly packed, miniature trays that these meals come in are perfection. You never know what you're getting until you excitedly peel back that layer of plastic film. Oh and the measures they go to to make the meal seem like one you would have on land, in a real restaurant: the slightly miniature utensils, the stylishly-designed plastic dishes, and the dainty coffee cup! I found this cartoon...it perfectly describes me!
  

• snacks and soda - As I said, I love food and free food is even better, granted that you do pay a good deal of money to ride an airplane. This pic is sad but true. I hate recessions. They'll probably start charging for bathrooms soon :(
  
• the entertainment - tons and tons of recently released movies at the touch of your fingertip (or the use of a tricky-to use remote)

Welcome!

Welcome to The Tourist!

I'll tell you a little bit about me, who I am, why I started this blog, etc. This post will be added to the About Me section for future reference

I am a 17 year old girl with a severe case of wanderlust and a passion for culture - especially fashion and music. I live in the U. S. but I was born in Belgrade, Serbia, which is basically my portal to Europe during the summer. Unfortunately, a Serbian passport has limitations, so the only place within Europe that I've really been to is London, where my dad lives. However, as of this year the world is finally open to me because A) my family and I became US citizens and B) the Serbian visa-requirement was lifted! Thus, I created this blog to showcase the world to those who can't experience it in person and to document my travels! I also want to show the world from a teenager's perspective, a point of view that is critical but often ignored.



Now I'm going to explain how I will run my blog. On the right hand panel, there are a few boxes. The first says Veni Vidi Vici. These are the places I have been to so far in my relatively short existence (I shall conquer the whole planet one day :). Under that is a list of places I will visit this summer.

Although Belgrade is my hometown, I suppose I am not a true tourist there, but I still experience a different aspect of the city as I grow older! London is just an amazing, exciting city with so much to do and it's so walkable. The first time I went, I was convinced that all metropolises were like New York, so I was shocked by London's "vertically challenged" buildings. (This picture is amazing by the way...I wish I took it. I wish I had an SLR to turn even the most boring photos into something worthwhile)


I will be a true tourist in Paris however, because it is completely new to me. I have been told about the city since birth, have drooled over it in movies, and have been learning french for 5 years now which will make this dream-come-true experience even more incroyable!


Ideally, my posts will be mostly pictures of the places I see and insight into the city that one can absorb only by being there, not through reading guidebooks. I will also add some of my own personal acumen on the aspects of culture that I love the most, fashion and music, as I have mentioned.

I hope you will enjoy reading about my travels and are inspired to see the world!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these photos...click on them for the sources