Preface We read and heard many things about Europe from our childhood. Those create a unique image in our minds. Its attraction also varies from person to person. The dimensions can be tourism, business, higher studies, research, job, and many more. I had a long-cherished dream to see a few prominent artifacts and lifestyle as a tourist. During the years of 2016-2017 due to my assignment with the United Nations, I was deployed in Democratic Republic of Congo. Suddenly, I and one of my colleagues applied for Schengen visa. Our preparation to face the interview was very interesting. After gaining it we collected our desired information browsing the internet. Considering commitments we selected a tour schedule for the first 10 days of December of the year 2016. That period was the beginning of winter in Europe. We planned for a brief visit that was limited to only the capital cities following a sequential route.
After completing all formalities we landed at tour first destination Madrid. Subsequently, we visited the capitals of France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, the Vatican, and finally Italy. Knowing local words of greetings exchange can assist a lot in any conversations. We found that due to the rich histories of countries like Spain and France locals show little reluctance to English conversation. Though countries of the European Union use currency Euro, the conversion rate differs in countries depending on their economic state.
Most European countries have the diverse marks of archaeological styles. It is related to their heritage as well. Seeing structures like the Eiffel tower, Collosium, and palaces by own eyes were like dreams come true. Most cities became an important hub of trade and commerce due to their connectivity. Again, these cities though are densely populated but maintain planned greenery. Addressing cold winter weather was the biggest challenge in our tour. But the excitement could supersede everything.
For writing this book internet sites were the source for collecting secondary data. British spelling and grammatical rules were followed in writing. I included one map in each article from Google where prominent landmarks are shown. Besides learning, I think this book will be quite beneficial for anyone who plans for a Europe trip to enjoy maximum addressing various limitations.
On our trip, we received various supports from the local Bangladeshi community. I deeply acknowledge their contributions. My partner was executive engineer Mr. Mozammel. I also acknowledge his role being my tour partner. I am grateful to the authorities of national dailies who published some stories of this book.