Mr. Morley blitzkriegs Europe

During the 90-minute ferry crossing beginning at the white, chalky cliffs of Dover, England, to the sandy shores of the Pas-de-Calais, France, I sat in the saloon getting to know several of my fellow travelers. This was the first leg of a 29-day blitzkrieg across Western Europe with a hodgepodge of fellow adventurers. It seemed I was the only American. The others consisted of one Canadian and four Indians -- as in the former British colony, not the ones who bumped off Custer -- and everyone else was either English or Australian, aside from a South African, who smoked an endless stream of Marlboro Reds. I prefer Pall Malls, myself.\nWe then traversed the French plains to the center of Bohemian life -- gay Paris. \nThe first thing most people envision when they think of Paris is the Eiffel Tower. Built in 1889, it is still the tallest structure in Paris and was the tallest in the world until the Empire State Building was constructed. Several times the Parisians just wanted to have the thing torn down, basically because they just didn't like it. But during the German occupation, Hitler ordered it torn down. True to the stereotypical French personality, nobody tells them what to do, so the structure is still standing. Besides, the French also decided it was a really good place to shove a radio and television antennae.\nI walked from one end of the Champs-Elysees, beginning from the Place de la Concordé, to the Arch de Triomphe. I had to dodge the Parisian drivers who pretend everywhere is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. As I did so, I reflected on the point-of-view of Charles DeGaulle as he walked that same route feigning his liberation of Paris in June of 1944.\nHe was lucky. He just got shot at by snipers atop nearby buildings. I had to deal with the traffic.\nDuring our jaunts through 11 countries, I often decided I had had enough of the group thing, so I took advantage of the European affectation for good public transport. I remained behind in Munich to do a couple of walking tours throughout the city, which was largely rebuilt after the Allied bombings. I left six hours behind the rest of the group. I then hopped a train and made it to our next stop in Austria (again) four hours ahead of the rest of the group.\nThe train reflects the large emphasis the Europeans place on public transport. If they didn't, the area would be a scene similar to crossing 10th and Jordan during the school year -- all the time. \nParisian traffic is at a usual standstill. Most commuters prefer the maneuverability of motorcycles, motor scooters and bicycles. Unless you live in the suburbs of metro French cities, you really don't want a car. People can usually afford them, just not the hassle that comes with them.\nAnother major city we visited was a city of Catholicism. Rome.\nI spent one day writing and lunching, sitting smack in the middle of Saint Peter's Square. I sat in the heart of the open arms of the church founded on the rock where Peter built it. But before I strolled through the Vatican, I went on a guided tour through ancient Rome and saw the Coliseum with its 80 gates leading to a stadium capable of seating more than 70,000 people.seating capacity of over 70,000 people. Indicative of Roman fortitude, the structure took only eight years to build. Compare this with the more than 200 years the French spent building Notre Dame.\nAfter Rome came Vienna. My first night there I saw Mozart play live.\nWell -- it wasn't him. \nThat would have been a hell of a lot better story than this one.\nThe 20-piece orchestra played the "Marriage of Figaro" with a skill and precision you would expect only from a group playing a Viennese opera house built for Emperor Franz Joseph. They were so good at their craft people there don't steal the symphony's instruments to stop them from playing the way they do here at IU.\nThroughout my journey, I learned one thing: The world is a classroom. And a much nicer one than those in the sickened limestone buildings we all seem to spend so much time rushing to, cooped up in or getting away from. College is good. It's a silver bullet. But that's college. You get your education through the world around you.\nEvery college kid needs that education.\nYou get a real education by taking a few minutes to stop by a place like Sunshine Travel on East Third Street and say: "There's a place called Europe that I long to see"