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Honestly, if it were me, and the trip were already planned and paid for, I'd say my prayers, take a deep breath, and go enjoy my trip.

Well said. I took a trip to Europe in Dec. 2001 that was paid for and planned. I was scared before, but did not want to give into the terrorist. The trip was wonderful.

Most Americans were wearing our colors. I was asked by out tour guide if I was afraid to wear them. I told her, "Look I have done nothing wrong. I will never be afraid to be an American." That has become my theme in Europe. I've been to Europe twice more and the Europeans just can't understand why I am not afraid to be an American.

I had a desk clerk in Vienna tell me he holidayed in Egypt and made sure not to wear any clothes with American designer on them so he wouldn't be mistaken for an American. That to me show the difference between a European and an American. European's say just don't hurt me, I am not an American. We are proud to be Americans and not afraid. When you think of WWII and how the Germans allowed their neighbors to be taken and tortured and killed without saying a word, I believe that this is history repeating itself.

RE your trips to Europe: went on a biz trip to Indonesia a couple months back. As most know, Indo is 80 percent Muslim and has had several recent bombings.

Deliberately went to a few spots where there would be no Westerners beyond myself. Had zero problems, in fact quite the opposite, it turned out great. Enjoyed the trip and the Indonesian people greatly, regretted having to leave. And this was during Ramadan.

It proved once more that the world seems a very dangerous and threatening place when plugged-in to TV or the Internet or the newspaper, for that matter. That's because "the news" is by definition the bad, the extraordinary, the wierd, the creepy. But the real world often doesn't map to "the news": it's more normal, more interesting, and far more accomodating than reporters and the media would have us believe.

By the same token, although this thread is interesting (like a good mystery or horror flik), much of it has no basis in reality whatsoever. There's a lot of self-inflicted angst here.