Two week reflection

We have been on the road for two weeks now. I have had some time to reflect on our trip thus far. The first thing that I have realized that anything worth while takes time, effort, and planing. It is easy to get on a train or plane and go to a big city like London or Rome. It takes considerably more planing to figure out what small quaint towns are outside the city and what public transportation is available to take you there. According to our guide books in the off season for tourism, October through April, you should be able to stroll into any town and book a room in a hotel, no reservations necessary. The first three Hotels in Venice I contacted for this Wednesday are booked. This is a lesson that I have learned before but I seem to have forgot applies to all aspects of life.
I also need to realign my expectations. I was hoping to be cultured and learned about European life by now. I'm not quite there yet. I have, however, gleamed some major points.

1. Smoking is still very cool in Europe.
2. Big cities is Europe are like big cities in the US, Big and full of pollution.
3. The Catholic Church has spent a lot of time and effort over the last 2000 years building churches.
4. The right-of-way always goes to the object that is bigger and moving faster. This includes cars and people bigger than you on the sidewalk.
5. A smile and hello in the native language goes a long way.
6. The three most important words to learn are: hello, thank you, and excuse me. Although it doesn't matter what you say on a crowded bus, people don't move.
7. There is more than on way to flush a toilet.
8. Don't use the bidet before you wipe because wet toilet paper sticks to your skin and falls apart when you try to take it off.
9. Our most enjoyable meals have been picnics at the park, people watching. (apparently rollerblading is still cool in Europe)
10. Listen to your wife, she is usually right.
11. If you are sure about something and your wife tells you you are wrong, she is right.
12. Efficient public transportation is good.
13. Spend time talking to the receptionist at your hotel they have invaluable information.
    

On a more serous note, Jessica and I still enjoy each others nonstop company. Whether we are walking down a street or siting on a train we occasionally get in each others nerves but we mostly just laugh and talk. Jessica has a knack for remembering land marks and I read maps pretty well. We make a good navigation team when we listen to each other. We make a point to talk to other travelers on the trains, planes or at some sightseeing attractions. From these conversations we have got some good tips and recommendations. We both defiantly agree that we want to see more rural, off the beaten path places rater than big cities. Not that big cities are bad, we just are not big city people.