Day 0 was the travel day, and what a long day it was. I left Toronto at 21h00 Sunday night, didn't sleep a wink on the plane, and spent all of Monday touring jolly old London trying to adjust to the time change. Day 0 is pretty much just a day to make your way to the tour's starting point and recover from jet lag. The only tour-related event of the day was a quick evening meeting to discuss details and essentials before departure. The rest of the day was free to wander the city, ride the Tube, and see the sights, from the Tower of London, to Westminster Palace.

London is a city rich in its historical importance. As the seat to the largest empire in modern times, it was the centre of the economic world and host to the cultural elite. Anyone who was anyone had ties to London - even more so than today's New York. Great Britain established itself as a great economic and naval power in the 16th century, and predominance on the world stage lasted until the First World War. Today, London remains a key centre in the economy of Europe and host to stage theatre and trend-setting popular entertainment.

The first major tour destination was the fabled city of Paris for a two-day stop. The drive from London took us to the White Cliffs of Dover, past World War battle sites like Vimy Ridge, and into "Gay Paris" by evening. An evening tour introduced us to many of the city's famous sites, like the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe. The next day provided a guided tour of Notre Dame and Napolean's Tomb, followed by a free afternoon to explore the city - experience the Louvre and the Champs Elysees. Our evening excursion was to the world-famous "Moulin Rouge" for a French cabaret.

Although French military strength today is often on the butt-end of jokes, France was once one of the most powerful nations in the world from the rule of Louis XIV in the 17th century, to the conquests of Europe under the ambitions of Napolean. Paris has always been known for its beauty; a city of culture and romance. This city of tree-lined boulevardes has long been the mecca of fashion, bold revolution, and all things cultured, from art to wine. Having survived three German invasions in a 100-year span, the City of Lights still remains today the city loved by all - even by those who have tried to hate it.

Day 3 took us into Lucerne, Switzerland, situated in the scenic Swiss Alps. This quaint town provided the opportunity to shop for oodles of chocolate and explore the cobble, car-free streets. An evening on a floating bar led the way to more shopping time the next morning.

Switzerland has been a neutral nation for centuries, consistently opting to stay out of other countries' affairs. This lovely country of mountain towns is well-known for its chocolate, its army, and its clocks. The Swiss, who enjoy a high standard of education, enjoy an advanced society while seemingly preserving the wondrous nature that surrounds them.

Our exit from Lucerne brought us to the tiny nation of Liechtenstein for a quick stop in Vaduz before continuing onward to Munich, Germany. That evening we enjoyed a beer-hoisting good time at Hoffbrauhaus, a typical German beer hall.

Liechtenstein is the world's 6th smallest country. A principality of Switzerland, it's royal family is all that remains of what was once the mighty Habsburg family empire, which ruled Austria - and at many times areas as far west as Spain - until their collapse after the First World War. Oddly enough, this tiny country is the world's largest exporter of false teeth.

The morning of Day 5 provided the opportunity to explore the city streets of Munich, pick up some giant beer steins, and see the famous Glockenspiel in action. Our afternoon drive took us to the breathtakingly gorgeous Austrian Tyrol and the tiny villages of Hopfgarten and Itter. An evening of drinking schnaps at our Alpine Hotel welcomed our arrival.

Munich is one of the most economically successful cities in a country that has seen some of the best and worst times of the 20th century. As the aggressor in both World Wars under surprisingly tyrannical leaders, the world has witnessed the strength of German determination, and incredible discipline in rebounding from catastrophic defeat, tremendous debt, and segregation and occupation of the nation itself. Soon after the First World War, Germany's economy was in a state so bad that the amount of money capable of buying a house at the beginning of the day would - by evening - only be enough to purchase a fountain pen. By the outbreak of World War II, the nation had revived itself to be the world's third-largest economy.