I'm Lovin' It

The second American chain I saw in Europe only to Starbucks

Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany

AKA Disney Castle

Inside one of many Cathedrals across Europe

This one is in Germany

Home to FC Bayern Munich 

Innsbruck, Austria going into the Swiss Alps

Venice, Italy

St. Mark's Square

In Daniel Craig's First Bond Film

Casino Royale

Bell Tower of St. Mark's Basillica

If you can read Italian good for you

For those of you who can't this is the plaque outside of Marco Polo's home

The Roman Coliseum 

Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy

There is an amazing Gelato shop right next to it

Florence Cathedral 

famous for its unconventional dome

I don't need to say what this is

Funny story, I was on the top of the Empire State Building 

about a year and a half after this picture, and my sister called me 

to say she was on top of the Eiffel Tower.

The Louvre

Famous Statue of David

Notre Dame Cathedral

:No Photos allowed inside

London Bridge is falling down!

The Tower of London

    To me, traveling is a form of success. I have been all over the world. A change of venue is a great way to see things from a different perspective. I have learned many things from traveling. One main thing is that the grass is not greener on the other side. All of these countries have amazing cultures, but they have their quirks just like ours. I have been blessed with amazing grandparents that sent me on many trips abroad. They understood the importance of traveling and seeing the world for what it is. I started with the McDonald's sign in German, because it symbolizes my traveling in one easy phrase, "Ich Liebe Es", A.K.A. "I'm Lovin' It". That picture is perhaps one of my favorite, because at that moment those were the words that described how I felt. Even though I couldn't read German I instantly understood the sign and felt a connection with a country on the other side of the planet. I am still traveling. Traveling to my goals and everyday is a new experience and "I'm Lovin' It".

Cheesy Salesman

This is remarkably cheesy yet extremely hilarious!

Title sells itself

    The first ad does exactly what it needs to do which is entertain me in hopes that I buy the cheese. I was having issues with displaying it on here. However, just click the view on YouTube button and all should be fine. By the end of that first commercial I found myself compelled to buy the cheese. It had me laughing so hard that I would buy it just because. That is why it probably won Best Commercial for 2010.
     The second video uses the same ad scheme which is comedy. However, in this one it is a personal advertisement. Advertising this way seems to have an effect to encourage someone to buy the product in disregard to its use or relative need to the consumer. I saw this video a while back while I was surfing the web, and when I heard about this blog this was the video that stuck to me. If you can make me laugh then I am buying.

Turkey? Sorry I am not Hungary.

Hagia Sophia
Istanbul, Turkey

     Turkey is one of the most culturally enriched places that I have visited being that its capital Istanbul lies in two continents, Europe and Asia. The Grand Bazaar is full of trinkets. However, it truly is the land of magic carpets. I felt like almost every other store sold hand stitched carpets, some of which take years to make. Each one told its own story, a story passed on through families. 

     Aside from all of the aesthetics, its hard to see why Muslims and Christians have failed to get along for millenia. I never realized how similar our beliefs were until I went to Turkey, a country that is about %95 Islamic and %5 other. Our paths diverged when Abraham had his first son Ishmael with his wife's servant Hagar. He slept with Hagar because Sarah, his wife, was not bearing him any children and she was growing old. Though she was old she eventually gave birth to Isaac. Since Isaac was born from Abraham's wife he was the one to whom his legacy was given. being first born, Ishmael and his mother had a difference of opinion and from then on there was controversy between these two blood lines. Christians/Jews take their beliefs from Isaac, and Muslims take their beliefs from Ishmael. Though the two are thought of as different, their core beliefs are both  in God/Allah and the teachings of Moses.

    The two fought over Jerusalem for many centuries. also, during the dark ages of Christianity, Muslims had a long and fruitful Golden Age--They were prosperous tradesmen and created a steel for swords that is presently known as Damascus Steel. The steel has many favorable attributes which have yet to be recreated even with modern technologies. visiting Istanbul and much of Turkey has revealed history to my superficial eyes. There are radicals in both religions; however, they are fighting a war that has long been dead.

Salaam Alaikum,

Jeremy Lanier