Shop 'till You Drop Trivia Quiz

Answer: Amsterdam

The Damrak is one of the most popular tourist streets in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It goes from the main train station to the center of the city. The Netherlands is famous for being the place for Gouda and Edam cheese. Clogs (called klompen in Dutch) are the type of wooden shoes used in the fields where most of the land is always wet.

The Rijksmuseum houses many paintings by Rembrandt, Frans Hals, Vermeer, van Dyck and many other artists. One of the most popular paintings is "The Night Watch" by Rembrandt. Finally, Delft pottery is blue and white, and it comes from Delft, a small, beautiful city of canals and narrow streets.

Answer: Vilnius

Vilnius is in Lithuania. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are the three Baltic Republics. I found them very different from each other, even if they are small countries next to each other. Each one has its own language. Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania; Riga is the capital of Latvia; and Tallinn is the capital of Estonia.

Trakai is a medieval castle located by a lake. You have to cross a bridge to reach it.

Answer: Paris

Vendëme Square goes back to the times of Louis XIV who liked the area because of its proximity to the Louvre Palace. Today, the finest couturiers have their shops in the area, and you can also find the best hotels in Paris, France. Among them, the Ritz is the most famous one because it belongs to Mohamed Al Fayed, whose son died with Princess Diana. One of the most notorious inhabitants of the square in the 1800s was Chopin, who lived in No 12.

Answer: Brussels

Brussels has often been considered the center of Europe. Although a very small country, there is very much to see in Belgium. It was in Belgium that the Battle of Waterloo took place. The leaders of the First Crusade came from Belgium, including Peter the Hermit, who is buried there, and Godfrey of Bouillon, whose beautiful castle can be visited today.

This country is the place where the Battle of the Bulge took place. There are over 800 types of beer made in Belgium, and the chocolates are the most famous in the world (and, I say, the best).

The Atomium was built for the Brussels World Fair of 1958.

Answer: Geneva

Geneva, built around a lake, is a beautiful city in Switzerland. One of the European offices of the United Nations is located there, and you can admire the Palace of Nations with the flags of all the countries represented alongside the entrance road. The beautiful fountain called the Jet d'Eau is located where the Rhone River meets Lake Geneva, and its powerful jet goes as high as 140 meters in the air and can be seen from a great distance. And, of course, everybody knows Switzerland is the place for watches!

Answer: Florence

Florence, Italy was the center of the Renaissance, where painters, sculptors and architects could express themselves with the rebirth of the ancient arts. The Academy Museum houses the magnificent Statue of David by Michelangelo, as well as many other treasures.

The Old Bridge, or Ponte Vechio, is a bridge built in the 1500 where Cossimo de Medici could watch what was going on in Florence without being seen. Today it is layered with beautiful shops. The bridge goes from the Uffizi, or the offices of the magistrates in Cosimo's times, to the Pitti Palace, home of the Medicis.

The Uffizi today is an incredible museum of art. Il Duomo is called that by the Italians, and it refers to the church Santa Maria del Fiore. Of course, in Italy you can find real cameos carved out of stones like agate, jade, carnelian, etc.--and the shoes are great!

Answer: Saint Petersburg

Saint Petersburg is the center of culture in Russia. It's where The Hermitage is located. It is one of the largest museums in the world. Not only are the art masterpieces extraordinary, but the building itself is amazing. The Fortress of Peter and Paul houses the remains of the last members of the Romanov dynasty, as well as those of the servants who died with them. You can also find the coffins of many other tsars there. The symbol of Saint Petersburg is the Church of the Resurrection, made entirely of miniature mosaics, inside and outside. The Yusupov Palace, where Rasputin was killed, is by the Neva River. The monk did not really die at the Palace. He survived the poison in his drink and the shots fired at him when he was running away. But then he was thrown into the Neva River and he finally died.

Of course, caviar is excellent in this part of the world and not even relatively expensive.

Answer: Istanbul

Istanbul is located in Turkey. The Hagia Sophia or Sancta Sophia was an Orthodox Christian Basilica; later it became a mosque and finally a museum. Topkapi Palace is the palace of the Ottoman Sultans. It even has a building where the sultans kept their harems.

The Grand Bazaar is "The Place" for shoppers, visited by close to 400,000 people every day. It's a place where you can buy linens, rugs, mosaics, ceramics, jewelry, spices and everything else your heart desires.

Answer: Seville

Seville, Spain is the city where Christopher Columbus is buried. His remains are in the Cathedral, the largest Gothic church in the world. The Giralda used to be the remaining minaret of the mosque that existed there before the building of the cathedral. The Alcazar was originally a fort and later a fortified castle which became a royal residence for the Spanish royal families after the Moors were expelled from Spain. The Alcazar is the oldest inhabited palace in Europe, where the King and family stay when they visit Seville. The Torre del Oro used to keep the treasures brought from America; today, it houses all documents related to the Spanish colonies.

And, of course, who does not like tapas and sangria after a hard day?

Answer: Prague

Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic. It has been called the "Paris of Eastern Europe" because of its bridges and its culture. There is a medieval castle in the highest area of the city, and the Mala Strana (translated "small city") is located at the foot of the castle. The Church of the Child of Prague is a center of pilgrimage for Catholics. The clock downtown is a medieval astronomical clock with the twelve apostles appearing every hour. The Charles Bridge, which crosses the Vltava River, was built by Charles IV. It connects the castle with the older part of the city. It is decorated with 30 statues.

Garnets are found in the Czech Republic and are known for their color. Bohemian glass is beautiful, and fairly inexpensive compared to Murano glass.