Family and Travel

Day 1

Flew to Munich (the airport where my stopover was planned) and found my way to the massive train station. There were about twenty different tracks with so many lines and numbers that I had to ask for help twice. This was the first of many times that I thought about how methodical and efficient the Germans were, but their systems can be difficult to understand for those who were not born in this mechanized land of robots. I boarded an inter-city speed train and waited for an attendant to help me decipher my ticket. I eventually maneuvered through the aisles with my luggage and found my seat.

The train zoomed through the countryside to Frankfurt. I was not well prepared with no alarm, no way of checking time, no records of my hostel booking, and no information about the flight that my parents were coming in on. I walked around the airport trying to figure out how to get to my hostel that was supposed to be near the airport. I began to fret when the information attendant I was talking to mentioned that I could call one hotel that offered joint rooms, and after some difficulty, the impatient receptionist confirmed that I had a reservation. I found a shuttle to take me to the hostel where I discovered a reception desk embattled with a couple frustrated guests, so I tried to be very kind but they were still a bit impatient with me. I hung around for a while and avoided buying any of the expensive food before going to bed early.

Day 2

During the early morning, I woke up several times to check what the time was by turning on the TV. As the time approached, I took the shuttle back to the airport and checked the arrivals board. There were a few flights that fit the criteria from my memory so I ran around the terminals waiting for my parents. Eventually, I was confident that they were on a flight that had been delayed, so I sat down to wait. When they arrived we caught up for a bit before picking up our Opel rental car and driving east to Rothenburg. After some struggles getting used to the manual transmission and the organization of European roads, we found our way to our destination by depending on our conveniently included on-board GPS.

We checked into our bed and breakfast home on the outskirts of the old walled town. Many of the sights had closed already, so we wandered through the town, into the gardens, and around the walls for different perspectives of this wonderfully preserved medieval city originating in the 11th century. It is located in the Franconia region of Bavaria and it felt more like home when I realized that I had been there before on my touring choir trip 7 years ago by locating the sword shop. I had hardly eaten much the past couple days, so I was happy when we shopped for a lunch of fruits, vegetables, cheese, and bread. In the evening, we returned to the main square to join the famous Night Watchman's Tour where we learned about life in the middle ages. The day was wrapped up by eating dinner on the moonlight cobblestone square.

Day 3

We ate a European breakfast with bread, jam, cheese, lunch meet, cereals, and tea or coffee. Our first stop was the Town Hall tower to get a bird’s-eye view of the city and its surroundings. We went on to visit the Medieval Crime and Punishment Museum with all sorts of instruments and documents related to torture and executions during the middle ages. Finally, we entered the large Cathedral with a beautiful wood-carved altar piece that was incredibly tall and intricate.

Finished in Rothenberg, we drove back west to head along the Romantic Road through the Rhine Valley. We stopped for a surprisingly brief river cruise spotting the Laureleye on our way to St. Goar. After landing, we hiked up and along the ridge to Rienfels Castle with commanding views of the river valley below. This castle had tunnels that had been rigged with explosives to kill those approaching the walls. It was captured by the French during their expansion following the French Revolution.

We took the train back to our car and drove to our hotel in Bacharach. Our cozy room was in an old lookout tower. We decided to eat dinner at hotel restaurant along the railroad tracks. I joined some other patrons to watch the start of the Euro Cup game as they discussed how useful Rick Steve's guides where but questions were raised about his recommendations being purchased. This was amusing because we, and it seemed that everyone else had his guidebooks. Afterward, we wandered the old city explored the skeleton of an incomplete cathedral on top of a wooded hill. That night we heard sighs of disappointment in the streets as Italy scored two goals to defeat the German team.

Day 4

We had a basic breakfast before driving along the Rhine and Mosel valleys. All along the Rhine, there are little towns at each break in the cliffs and hills that flank the river. The buildings are squeezed into this valley and each has an impressive church because this was the center of town life and an important status symbol among the wealthy trading towns of the region. Our first stop was at a trailhead leading to a castle through a beautiful forest with a winding stream and a variety of flora that reminded me of Oregon. Burg Eltz is the only Rhine castle to never be captured because of its isolated position at the top of a steep hill away from the river. All the rooms and facilities needed for daily life were richly decorated and connected by a network of stairways and passages.

After returning to the car, we drove south into Mains to meet Jo and the Christopher Dock Touring Choir for their final concert on their European tour. We found the church and used their bathrooms to change, but when Dad came back to the car he was followed by a maintenance woman speaking frantically with a well-dressed gentleman and pointing at Dad. Turns out, a piece of the toilet seat had popped off as he was changing and the maintenance woman wanted just compensation. After inspecting, the gentlemen who managed the church remarked that it was just a trifle and that we should not worry about it. Another random tidbit, before the concert, I heard some German kids repetitively saying “spaghetti”, which is ridiculous because there was a women who I remember spazing about spaghetti when I was in Austria 7 years before.

When the choir arrived, Jo ran into the sanctuary barefoot and jumped on me to give me a hug, which may have been a bit much for the elderly German audience, but I walked us back out and it was a nice Moment. The concert was very moving because it felt like I was coming back home to a safe place, to a community with a sense of depth and tradition that I had grown accustomed to. For much of the concert I had tears in my eyes as I felt some of the disappointment, anxiety, and emptiness from my stretching experience in Albania give way to feelings of safety, beauty, and wonderful memories grounded in my home community as the music resonated in my soul. After the concert, we ate at a local pub where I enjoyed a tall Weissbier that set the standard for future beer tasting. We returned to the hotel where the choir was staying for the night so that Jo could spend the last night with her friends. 

Day 5

In the morning we headed south into Strasbourg and then through the Alsace region of France. There were several picturesque towns sprinkled in amongst the rolling fields of vineyards. We stopped at a vineyard to try some wine and at a market in one town. After having only a pastry for breakfast, we pulled to the side of the road and sat under a row of grapes in someone's vineyard to enjoy the local fair of cheese, bread, and sausage along with a tasty Pinot Grigio.

The largest city in the region was Colmar, which was chosen by Voltaire for his getaway residence allowing him to escape quickly across the German border when the French government became upset with him. The city is compared to Venice because of several canals that run through the city along with many Renaissance era buildings. We walked through the old town for a while and visited the Cathedral which contained an evocative Madonna who is showing discomfort at the thought of the terrible destiny she knows awaits her child.

We then drove south and under a tunnel into Switzerland. The landscape soon changed to the green rolling hills iconic to Switzerland. In the late afternoon we reached Lake Luzern and stopped for a dip in the water that looked temptingly soft. We watched a storm rumble overhead before the light of the sun broke like a glittering spotlight onto a church steeple below. With limited options, we at a small cafe above the lake where it was obvious few people ordered food. We parked the car and took a cable car up to the top of the mountain to our hotel, which was our first experience of the yodeling altitude. Mom, Dad, and I decided to use the last light to hike across the ridge where we were struck by all the cow bells echoing across the valley.

Day 6

We descended back to the lake to board a boat cruise along the lake. It was cloudy and raining dimming the views and comfort, but this was typical Swiss weather, which is why all the hills are so green. We floated past towns and resorts before disembarking at Luzern. The main site in the city is the wooden bridge built across the bay as a defense preventing water access within city. After crossing the bridge, I led us into the Cathedral where we paused for prayer and discussed church traditions. 

Next, we headed to the stone-carved dying lion that commemorates the commonality of war among the divided Swiss Cantons. There are 26 cantons that formed an alliance in 1291 to form the Swiss Federation. Each was politically distinct with its own government. The country does not share a common ethnic identity so its commonality is found through history and their commitment to federal democracy. This may be why the Swiss seem to have less national fervor than the surrounding nations.

While walking through the streets, I peeked my head into a McDonald's to see the prices and I found that it was about $15 for a big Mac sandwich, probably one of the most expensive in the world. Our last stop was the old city walls guarding the land-side of the city. After climbing one tower for a disappointing view, I decided to meet the others back at the docks while I ran back the long way to explore some more of the city along the water.

Boarding our boat, we rushed to get back to our car and drive to the fascinating Furgen bunker museum before it closed. This WWII era bunker has been preserved as a museum revealing that the Swiss gave Hitler good reason to allow them to remain neutral in the war. The mountains of Switzerland form a nearly impenetrable citadel protected by a network of underground defensive positions arranged with deadly calculation. Switzerland has a long history of Neutrality and they have profited from this by becoming a secure location to store vast wealth, including some of the Nazi treasure confiscated from Holocaust victims. The bunker had all the facilities of an army base allowing the defenders to survive in isolation for an extended period of time.

That evening we drove back into town to eat and agreed on an Americana diner for some comparatively cheap food and some delicious Eickhoff brew. Since it was raining, we did not have much to do so we relaxed in our room and turned on the TV (the only time on our trip) to watch the Euro Cup final as the Spanish trounced Italy.

Day 7

In the morning we made our final descent down toward the lake and began our drive to the Interlaken area. We stopped at the huge open-air Swiss cultural museum that contained complete traditional villages from all the different cantons of Switzerland. The rain was a minor bother, but did not stop us from having fun waltzing and pushing Jo on a wheel chair through these dwellings that preserved a more simple time. There was workers making cheese, woodworking, smithing, weaving, and taking care of animals just as they would have done centuries ago. During our time in Switzerland I was keeping my eye open for any connections to my family history. The Mininger family (Mom's side) is mostly Swiss with some German strewn in while the Benner side is mostly German with some Dutch influence. While I did not see anything connected to these names, in the open-air museum we did see a farm dedicated mostly to making wine labeled with the Ziegler name.

After several hours at the museum, we drove into town and purchased some instant soup to accompany our bread, cheese, and wine before ascending a steep cable car into the quaint village of Gimmelwald. Not sure if we had arrived at the right place, we eventually let ourselves into the house where we were staying and put together a meal in and enjoyed each other’s company and crazy antics.

Day 8

We ate our left-overs for breakfast then walked to the cable and ascended to the next level of the mountain into the touristy town of Murren. From there we took a cog rail car up the mountain for a 360 degree panorama view of clouds and fog. We prayed for Joanna's foot and for the weather to clear so that we could see God's wonderful creation because we had so far missed out on the majestic mountains hiding behind the fog.

Together we hiked a winding trail through the hills and meadows covered with wildflowers. There were cows grazing and heavy-beamed cabins with bells hanging on the front revealing that this was Swiss chocolate country. The fog along with the vegetation and rock formations at one point reminded me of a Japanese painting. Further along the mist began to blow, so we sat in patient expectation for a glimpse of the snow-capped peaks. As the clouds parted slightly, the mountains came in so far above what we were looking for that it was perhaps more memorable to have experienced them in this manner.

It was a long descent back down to Gimmelwald and we were glad Jo was able to make it the whole way. In town we enjoyed one of our favorite dinners at the youth hostel where I enjoyed meat and potatoes smothered with a creamy mushroom sauce along with a tall and remarkably sweet and smooth Schneider Weiss beer. I took a stroll with Mom and Dad around the town greeting the local farm animals before retiring to sleep.

Day 9

The next morning we woke up and were delighted to see perfectly clear skies. We took a couple cable cars before boarding a cog-train that took us up the Jung-Frau range.  We left Jo to ride to the top on the train as we picked up another cable car to our desired trailhead. The following hike was one of my favorites as we walked along a high ridge with more rugged rocks and sprucy vegetation to distract the eye from the magnificent view that spread across the valley below. After some winding and careful treading along a detour, we turned around a corner to take in the full three-peak majestic view of the Jung-Frau. I ran up the mountainside to get a more panoramic view but I very quickly was gasping for air because I was not used to the high altitude. I took some pictures by a lake with a surface that reflected the snowy mountains like a mirror.

We then descended all the way to our car and tried to find a road that was not closed due to the rising flood waters. Our GPS was able to calculate an alternate route and we began to climb the hairpin turns into the Alps. Driving through the rain, we arrived and had to take a train into the quaint resort town of Zermatt that sat deep in the valley below the shadow of the surrounding peaks. It was a long walk in the cold rain so we decided to simply eat in the hotel restaurant, which was good because the waiter gave us a lot of helpful information to plan our hiking for the next day.

Day 10

In the morning we took an underground train up to our chosen trail and we left Jo at the lower lookout to climb up the mountain. There was wonderfully different vegetation again and we were amazed by the bright blue, red, orange, purple, and yellow flowers of all types. I ran on farther to the top discovering a pack of mountain goats who were a bit perturbed by my presence, but I skirted by to find a more clear view of the glaciers and peaks on the other side of the ridge. We descended back down the same path, but now faced the majestic panorama of peaks rising yet still far above us. The peak of Zermatt remained veiled but we were able to catch its unique facade through the clouds.

We know headed south through the mountain passes into Italy. "Its hard to dance, with the devil on your back, so shake him off." The tight hairpin curves that navigated the slopes did not leave much room for error as the earth gave way below on the other side of the guardrail. As we reached the top the weather got ugly with heavy wind and rain to accompany bitter cold. Stopping along a glacier lake, I tried to imagine Hannibal and his army of elephants crossing into Italy over the Alps. The crossing was incredibly daring as the Carthaginians lost almost a third of their army and most of the war elephants but put them in prime position to raid Roman Italy for several years.

When we came to the Italian border station we encountered a customs officer yelling at a truck driver for passing the line marking the place for vehicles to stop. Even at the border there was a different feeling. We were headed from the cold and calculated slopes of Switzerland into the hot and noisy Italian peninsula. I instantly noticed a difference in the condition of the road as we hit a few potholes and the shoulders began to tighten until we got into winding streets of town with several places too narrow for two cars to pass. There was also a marked difference in the organization, cleanliness, and upkeep between the countries. Yet the rustic beauty and historic richness of Italy was something that we were all excited for.

After driving around much of Lake Como, we eventually arrived in Bellagio and were checked into our large suite with a window overlooking the coast. The room liked like something that could be posted on Pinterest with a wooden floor, white couch, and window shades caressed by the wind. I took Mom and Dad on a walking tour recommended by Rick Steve’s through a couple villages around the coast and we met Jo by the main church at the top of the hill. It took a while to decide on the venue, but we eventually ate dinner along the lake and basked in our inaugural Italian meal. I had wonderful tranziotti pasta with a creamy ricotta and spinach sauce.

Day 11

We ate a nice breakfast at reception before crossing to the other side of the lack on the ferry. The most amusing run-in with our GPS named "Darla" happened during our lake crossing. It informed us that we were "off-road" in bright red letters as if we were in danger. Our GPS was critical to us getting around effectively, especially since many of the signs were in different languages and the road organization is very different than at home. There were a couple times where it led us the wrong way, once trying to take us down a closed service road, but overall we were grateful the car came with this feature that we did not think about beforehand.

We drove up the coast then took a boat taxi to Villa Balbianello since private property kept all other traffic cut-off. The villa was previously owned by “the most interesting man in the world” who was an explorer and collector of historic artifacts. The villa was featured in both Star Wars episode 2 and Casino Royal. The exquisite rooms featured collections from all over the world including beautiful porcelain pieces from the Tang and Ming dynasties of China. After our guided tour, we spent a lot of time in the incredible gardens and terraces with hanging ivy, arching branches, and shaped hedgerow perfectly groomed.

From Lake Como we drove south to the northwestern coast of Italy along the Lygurian Sea to the Cinque Terre (“five lands”). Several months before our arrival, there had been a series of severe rains that caused flooding and massive mudslides that damaged the roads and towns of the region. We needed to descend down several miles of twisting and precipitous dirt road that made us quite nervous because they were not wide enough for two cars, you could often not see around the turn, and washouts were common. Eventually, we made it to the parking lot, got a shuttle to Vernazza, and ascended hundreds of steps through beautiful winding alleyways to get to our rented room above the city. From the porch you could see across most of the city and the harbor that was built into break in the rugged slopes of the coast. This was perhaps the best view I ever had from a place I was staying.

We relaxed for a couple hours in the afternoon, explored the town, and swam in the harbor. Hard shells and calcium covered the rocks cutting up my feet and hands, but I found some interesting fish and anemones. The sea would rise and fall significantly in the harbor making it an adventure to climb onto the rocks where there was a place to jump about 25 feet into the sea. That night we went to a restaurant balancing on the tip of a promontory jutting out into the ocean. The region was known for its fresh seafood, so we got a delicious assortment of fish, crustaceans, and pasta as we gazed at the shimmering lights dotting the coastline.

Day 12

The next day was dedicated to exploring the other 4 cities: Monterosso al Mare, Manarola, Riomaggiore, and Corniglia. Much of the allure of the region is the lack of modern or corporate development. The towns are unreachable by car and are connected by boats, footpaths, and a railroad. All the buildings are traditionally built and painted with bright colors creating a wonderful collage. We started by taking the boat down the coast to Riomaggiore where we walked up the main street full of life, peaked in a church, then descended back to the harbor to climb around on the rocks.

We boarded and rode the boat from this end to the other giving us wonderful views of each town along the way. Corniglia was the only town that was not centered around a harbor because it was built high into an indentation in the rising slopes. At the end, we disembarked at Monterosso al Mare, by far the biggest and most touristy of the towns. There was a long beach area for people to sunbath and the streets were full of shops and ice cream. Because Jo was still limited in her movement, we took the boat back and left her to enjoy the views of Vernazza, while we took the train to Manarola.

We walked around the harbor and basked in the sun before marching on to locate the trailhead for our coastal hike back to Vernazza. Walking among the flora and fauna gave a whole new perspective on the region as we snaked through olive groves, paused for coastal views, and climbed above the towns. We stopped at our house to grab Jo before eating an early dinner in the square by the harbor under a bouquet of vibrant umbrellas. By lingering in the square, we soaked in the night energy of this charming town as locals and tourists gathered to people watch and play games. They seemed to truly enjoy each other’s company and the relaxed pace of doing little. After we returned to our room, I ventured out through the streets and climbed up the hill to see if there was any nightlife. I ended up climbing into someone’s property to sit on a rock with a view above the city to be still before the Lord and to pray.

Day 13

In the morning we shuttled back to our car, ascended back up the twisting roads, and drove down the coast past Genoa to Pisa. Pisa was an important Renaissance city, but it famous almost completely due to its leaning tower. The leaning tower is actually the bell tower for the mighty city Cathedral and it sits in the stunning Piazza del Duomo including a huge columned baptistery and a monastery. Each of these beautiful white rock structures are wonderfully contrasted by a bright green lawn protected from visitors by ropes. The interior of the Cathedral feels like east meets west with a huge Christ as Pantocrator mosaic over the altar, striped columns, and several different colors of marble blending together with the typical Western elements of statues, painting, shape, and vaulting. Of course, we took the typical photos of us holding up or pushing over the leaning tower. The tower began leaning because its foundations were not deep enough for the weight, so the ground began to shift. Several efforts were made to stabilize the tower which is now safe because of huge steel supports running through the tower and deep into the ground.

Our next stop was Florence, the capital of Tuscany and the epicenter of the Renaissance. Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Giotto, Brunelleschi, Donatello, and Angelico were all from Florence and were at the forefront of artistic development. The city grew wealthy during the Middle Ages on the wool trade and the Medici’s soon rose to prominence as bankers. Lorenzo Medici was a great patron of the arts which helped launch the cities artistic achievements as well as Machiavelli’s writing of the Prince advocating an ends justify the means approach to politics.

We found our way into the city center marked by il Duomo and our rented room was overlooking the main square. After checking in, we wandered through the streets full of people down to the Palazzo Vecchio, the Romanesque fortress that served as the town hall for many centuries, situated on a square featuring tons of classical statues including a copy of Michelangelo’s David and busts of famous Florentines. At this point we visited the Uffizi Gallery displaying the combined Medici collection featuring all the great Renaissance artists. My favorite part about the museum was that it was arranged chronologically, which allowed me to seamlessly observe the artistic development from the Middle Ages, through the Early Renaissance, to the High Renaissance. My interest in the collection certainly surpassed the others who were waiting for half an hour for me to get through the exhibits.

We continued down to the Ponte Vecchio, the famous bridge across the Arno River with structures built into the side and a secret passageway above street level for the Medici’s to walk between the palace and their family residence. After further sauntering through the streets, we could not agree on a place to eat (a difference in approach to food and travel) but stopped at a place with tables outside under umbrellas for pizza, pasta, and salad. After returning to our room, Mom decided to come along with me to experience the city at night. We walked around the Duomo, the Palacco Vecchio, and listened to a concert in the square before bed.

Day 14

The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiori is one of the most impressive architectural achievements in the world. Completed in the 15th century after nearly 150 years, the dome was the largest dome in the world for nearly 5 centuries and remains the largest brick dome in the world. The huge bronze doors on the baptistery are known as the “Gates of Paradise” and they tell the stories of the Old Testament. The outside of the Cathedral decorated with stripes and squares of green marble contrasting masterfully with the white rock. While the interior is very plain and not impressive in comparison to other later Cathedrals, the dome is decorated with one of the largest paintings in the world.  We were able to climb up to the dome for the best view of the city below and an up-close look at the painting.

It was time to leave Florence and drive south to San Gimignano, the epitome of a Tuscan hill-town. Upon approach, you can take in the sun-baked, tiered city spiked with several watchtowers. Jo stayed out in the car while I led Mom and Dad up to the lookout that I had discovered during my spring break trip there with the students. The visited the church with an interior completely covered with painted scenes from the Bible and the lives of saints. On the way out, we stopped in a few of the countless artisan shops for Tuscan souvenirs.

After our brief visit we continued on to Siena, one of my favorite places in Italy. Once again, I led the way through the streets to the look-out treasures I had located. We quickly browsed the Basilica of San Domenico where Catharine of Siena is buried. The church had all the flags representing each neighborhood of Siena that most famously compete in the horse races held in the main square. From the basilica, we descended to the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo that slopes down toward the façade and soaring bell tower of the Palazzo Publico built in the 14th century. Mom and I visited the town hall that had rooms for government functions and was covered in frescoes that depicted secular themes which is incredibly rare for Italian art at this time. One memorable example was the Allegory of Good and Bad Government showing the consequences of both including the justice and prosperity brought on by virtuous republican government.

Although Siena boasts many beautiful sights, the highlight is certainly the Duomo. I described how the curvaceous striped columns, gothic arches, gilded chapels, and streaming light made it one of my favorite churches. Although still magnificent, the lighting was not as spectacular as it had been during my visit over spring break so it felt less magical. I did have more time to take in the details including the chapel of St. John the Baptist by Donatello.

We still had one more journey to make on our ambitious day before we could rest our heads. We drove to Orvieto, within striking distance from Rome, and checked into our sweet rooms that would have been great for a relaxing honeymoon. We ventured up the footpath into town and explored the streets until I used the tour book to locate a secluded eatery down an alleyway and we enjoyed some of the most tasty food on the trip.

Day 15

In the morning we were served a relaxing breakfast at tables in front of our rooms. The couple who owned the place grew and bottled their own olive oil, so Mom and Dad bought some as gifts. We packed up into the car then walked back into town. I had gone ahead to check out some Roman necropolis ruins along the cliffs of town and to visit the archaeology museum with thousands of artifacts and frescoes. We met back at the square to take in the wonderful façade of the Duomo that closely resembled the Cathedral in Siena, but seemed a little out of place in the small town of Orvieto.

We returned to the car and made a stop at the dramatic Civita di Bagnoregio mounted on top of an island of rock protruding from the land. Leaving Jo in the car, we climbed the long, arched bridge that leads up to the quaint town with small church and square and full of arched gateways and flowered terraces. We wandered around visiting the childhood home of St. Bonaventure that has since collapsed off the cliffs, a mill with fresh baked bruschetta, and steps through gardens leading to a tunnel passage under the town. Civita is just one of many Tuscan hill towns that were fortified on top of hills to protect their inhabitants and safeguarded many wonderful pieces of culture including artwork and churches.

It was finally time to go back to Rome, back to where we belong, the Coliseum. After navigating the busy streets, where every local owns a moped or mini-car, we checked into our hotel tucked into a side-street in the heart of the city. That afternoon we visited the nearby Pantheon, the largest dome of the ancient world, before scoping the streets to find a relaxing place to eat and enjoy the evening.

Day 16

That morning we had signed up for a guided tour through the Coliseum and Palatine Hill. It was awesome to go inside to hear how this behemoth was built and what had happened there. The building was partially funded by the conquest of Jerusalem after the Jewish revolt in 70 AD and it was greatly damaged by a fire at the beginning of the 3rd century. Much of the seating area and structure have been removed and damaged through the years by stone robbers. Seating around 80,000 the Coliseum was used for gladiator contests, mock naval battles, animal hunts, and executions. Below the ground was a network of tunnels, rooms, and elevators used to hold and transport the animals, slaves, and supplies used in the shows.

Our tour continued over to Palatine Hill where many emperors had built their own palace or other great structure to leave their mark.  At the end, we were able to look down into the Roman Forum. With the main markets just across the street, this was the political, religious, economic, and social center of Ancient Rome. This is where triumphal processions, elections, and speeches took place with statues and other structures commemorating the great men of Rome. I split off from the others to take a closer look at the extensive ruins and history contained here. The ruins today include the complex of the vestal virgins, the Temple of Jupiter, the Senate house, several churches, and government offices. I exited and climbed past the national museum to the Piazza del Campidoglio at the top of Capitoline Hill. This square was designed by Michelangelo who reversed the Roman orientation of the plaza to face the Vatican and the developing center of Rome rather than the ruins of the past as a symbol of Renaissance progress.

After taking in the ancient heart of the city, we met up and took a bus to the Catacombs of San Sebastian. We soon joined a tour that descended deep to into the cool labyrinth of passageways lined with tombs cut into the rocks. This was a natural meeting place for early Christians when they wanted to remain unseen, so there are plenty of Christian symbols and burials to be found. When we finished, we emerged into a church dedicated to San Sebastian who was one of the most commonly known saints in Italy. He is always depicted with arrows in his body because he was martyred by a group of bowmen.

After a while in the church, Mom approached and tried to describe a guy in the gift shop who she recognized as Phil Mickelson. I did not believe her, but when I entered the shop and creeped on him, it turned out she was right. Amused at the situation, I walked over and stuck out my hand. Phil slowly turned, shook my hand, and asked how I was doing. This means that he talked to me before I talked to him, which is likely quite unusual. I commented that it was nice he was able to go on vacation with his family and we talked about the catacombs for a bit like he was a normal guy until my Dad came over saying, “Hi Phil. It’s not every day that you get to meet someone you watch on TV.” Indeed. Before leaving he kindly wished us the best on our travels. That was a great place to run into Phil Mickelson.

We walked down the road searching for the bus station, but it turned out to be a long walk down the road and a long wait. Back in the city we walked through several churches including the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore and the Cathedral of St. John the Lateran which is the typical seat of the Pope. Next, we headed to the Spanish steps and began our stroll down the long promenade packed with people out for a stroll or to shop. We stopped at a restaurant for dinner before ending our night relaxing by the shimmering Trevi Fountain with the rest of Rome.

Day 17

This morning was designated for our visit to the Vatican. To avoid much the massive lines, we joined a basic tour with headsets to listen to the guide. The Vatican museum is huge so it was nice to have most of the highlights pointed out to us by our tour guide. One of the most memorable components of the museum was the prevalence of purple marble called porphyry, which was one of the most valuable types of stone in the Ancient World because of its rarity coming from a single mine in Egypt. This stone was discovered by the Romans and was highly desired by the emperors of Rome because its purple color represented royalty. There were also impressive collections of statues, maps, tapestries, and paintings including the famous image of Plato and Aristotle in “The School of Athens” painted by Raphael.

Of course, the crown jewel of any visit to the Vatican is the Sistine Chapel. We had all learned growing up how Michelangelo had painted the vast ceiling of the chapel by himself in four years laying on his back. The massive scale along with the emotion portrayed in his biblical scenes would change the face of Western art. The magnitude of this achievement was summed up by Johann Goethe, “Without having seen the Sistine Chapel one can form no appreciable idea of what one man is capable of achieving.” It is a special experience to step into that space and view the painted expanse laid out before your eyes. Unfortunately, the chapel was packed and buzzing with tourists and guards shouting not to take pictures, so it was hard to concentrate and take in the Moment. Mom and I decided to go to run back through some of the other exhibits while Jo and Dad remained in the chapel.

We had been told there was a door only for tour groups that would save hours of walking around the walls and waiting in line to enter St. Peter’s Basilica. Since we had elected to stay in the chapel, we clumped together with another tour group that was exiting without being stopped by the guards. This was a game-changer and something to celebrate. We ate some food that we had packed in our bags for lunch before entering the Basilica. My second time inside St. Peter’s was not as awe-inspiring, but it is still one of the greatest and largest man-made spaces in the world. I used this time to pay attention to some different details and discovered the passage down to the crypts behind the statue of St. Andrew. This is believed to be the place where St. Peter was martyred (out in the square) and buried, so many other pope’s have been interred here in the crypt as well.

When we were finished, the others went back to the hotel to rest while I headed off to explore more of the city. I first spent an hour breezing through the city archaeological museum contained a plethora of ancient statues, frescoes, and pottery, coins, and other instruments. Next, I wandered through some plazas, churches, and gardens on my way to the Galleria Borghese. This wonderful Baroque gallery was housed in a sumptuous pleasure villa built on the outskirts of Rome. Entrance included an audio guide that brought the vivid sense of life, emotion, and detail out in the sculptures making it a wonderful experience. I paused to appreciate the dynamic feelings portrayed by Bernini in his Truth Unveiled by Time, Apollo and Daphne, and the Rape of Proserpina. When the gallery closed, I returned to the hotel to meet the others for another tasty and relaxing dinner on our last night in Rome.

Day 18

In the morning we trudged our luggage through the streets back to our rental that had sat during our days in Rome. We headed to Assisi, the beautiful hometown of St. Francis. We visited several sites associated with Francis including the church where he received the vision of the Crucifix asking him to rebuild his Church, the chapel where his father imprisoned him for being reckless with money, and a huge church out of town built over his small chapel that serves as the headquarters of the Franciscan order. Off the main square was a Roman temple that had been converted into a church. It was fascinating to see the drains on the floor on either side of the altar where the blood from sacrificed animals would have flowed in Roman times.

Certainly the highlight of the city was the Basilica of San Francesco d’Assisi built to house the remains and commemorate the life of St. Francis. This church was one of my favorites because of its peaceful vibe created by candlelight, a requirement of silence, and several levels and nooks that provided solace. There was a crypt and a monastery in addition to a lower and upper sanctuary. The church was built during the early Renaissance as 3-D and emotion was working its way into art demonstrated in the paintings by Giotto and others that covered the walls. The church was also awesome because of its striking position on the terraced hilltop with multiple courtyards and a colonnade. Assisi was a wonderful example of the quaint beauty and historical richness to be found in central Italy.

That evening, we drove north and then across the long causeway to Venice. You have to park on the outskirts before taking a water taxi into the center. We wandered the streets and bridges for a while carrying our luggage until we located our hotel with the canal waters slashing against it. On the way in we floated under the Rialto Bridge and sauntered through the Plaza de San Marco glimmering at night with thousands of lights and a band serenading couples in one of the most romantic destinations in the world.

Day 19

In the morning, we ate breakfast in the courtyard of our hotel. We walked back to the main square while observing the daily life of Venice including trash pickup by small barges rather than trucks. My second time in the Basilica of San Marco was less enthralling, but the dynamic church that mixes east and west and offers a variety of spaces to worship is always packed with tourists for good reason. The next historical sight was the Palace of the doge, who was the elected leader of the “crowned republic” for many centuries who had to wear a funny hat. The palace was exquisitely decorated to show off the wealth and prestige of Venice. The ceilings were either completely painted or brightly gilded, with the most famous work being a huge painting of the saints in Paradise above the doge’s chair in the assembly hall.

Since I had more interest in the history than the others, we decided to split for a few hours. I took my time in the palace armory which was one of the most varied and extensive that I had seen before. There was a Fra Mauro map from 1450 that revealed more accurate map-making techniques but vast deformities of the still unexplored regions of Asia and Africa. Finally, I crossed the enclosed “Bridge of Sighs” over the canal into the extensive attached prison complex. On my own, I explored paths less treaded on the interior and was once again fascinated by how easy it is to lose your way among the twisting streets and canals with no right angles.

We met back up and decided to ferry across the sea to one of the islands with a large church. It was a holiday that day so there were thousands of people on boats partying and soaking in the sun on the bay. We returned to the main island and took the elevator up the lookout tower as the sun began to fall. It was a wonderful view over the bay, canals, and the clay roofs of the city. There is certainly no other city like Venice. We descended and were greeted by a huge puddle in front of the basilica, which apparently happens regularly as the tide rises. This is just one small concern in the greater issue that the city is slowly sinking into the sea. This has been happening for centuries shown by the water level that now rises above the bottom of the sea-front door of many buildings along the canal. At night, we found a beautiful restaurant along a canal glowing with colorful lights strung over the outdoor seating where I ordered pasta covered with black cuttlefish sauce. To end our day, we found a small spot among the crowds to sit and watch the holiday fireworks over the bay.

Day 20

After a relaxed rising and breakfast, we headed to the great canal for a gondola ride that we had previously turned down because of the price. Figuring this would be our only chance to take part in this iconic activity, we enjoyed soaking in this distinctive perspective of the city and the information provided by our guide. Having wrapped up our experience, we grabbed our luggage, headed back out of the city, and drove into Austria. We made a couple stops along the way, but it was our longest taking up the day. Once again, crossing the border had signaled a lot of changes in the architecture and culture surrounding us. That night we were staying in a couple of spare rooms on a dairy farm outside of town, so it was interesting communicating with the German speaking couple that greeted us. We found a cozy place to eat with a large menu of home-style cooking where we ordered big plates of meat, eggs, potatoes, and soup.

Day 21

We ate a typical European breakfast laid out for us in the kitchen before heading out. We drove to the top of Alpi di Siusi, which is the world’s highest meadow. It was a huge grassland dotted with trees and farm houses surrounded almost completely by mountains, a very curious landform. Since we would be doing a lot of walking, Jo found a spot to relax while Dad, Mom, and I took the chair lift to the top and hiked a couple paths. At one point, we came to the edge of the meadow with a delightful view over the surrounding countryside interrupted by sharp peaks jutting out of the earth.

We descended down the path back to the car and used our GPS to eventually find the secret touring choir retreat of Werfenweng. This was one of Jo’s favorite spots and it was cool to see the hotel and square where we played the local boys in a world cup extravaganza with all of us wearing the jerseys we had bought during my stopover here 7 years ago. The village is a tucked into a lush valley surrounded by mountains providing great outdoor possibilities, which is why it is being built up as a tourist destination. After gathering nostalgia and wandering a path along a mountain stream, we hopped back in the car and made for Salzburg.

It was a beautiful approach into the old city tucked in the center of confusing metropolis. We moseyed through the cobblestone streets and squares taking notice of certain spots related to the “Sound of Music” that was filmed in the area. As night fell, we found a lovely biergarten tucked into the hillside above the city for some frothy brew and generously portioned meals. Not much beats the casual dining experience of a good biergarten.

Day 22

In the morning, we quickly ate breakfast at our hotel and entered the city again in search of our “Sound of Music” tour that my Mom had tried to arrange. We had gotten no directions or confirmation, so we discovered the headquarters which was frustratingly closed. Finished with Bob, we called the number to inform them of our troubles and cancel before arranging to go on one of large tours on a painted bus. Almost all of the tour members were Americans because locals don’t actually know about the musical. The guide was a cheerful fellow who attempted to get everybody to sing the famous songs from the soundtrack.

Our first stop was the mansion along the lake that was used for shooting the scenes on the back porch of the Von Trapp home. We drove through the beautiful rolling countryside on the cloudy day to see the glass gazebo in the park, the dirt road where Maria walks and heel-clicks before arriving, the actual Von Trapp house, and the actual church where Maria and the Captain got married. Upon our return to Salzburg, we wandered through the spectacular gardens with tons of color, statues, and hedgerows.

It was time to head to our final destination of the trip, Munich. We parked and walked into the old city checking out the town hall featuring the Glockenspiel. Continuing down the streets we walked through the Hofbrauhaus where a German folk band was playing gaily and the bathroom featured a vomitorium for those who drank too much. This was the only time where we did not have a place to stay reserved, so we headed to Mike’s Bike Shop where the touring choir rents bikes for a biking tour of the city. We spent almost two hours figuring out what to do and trying to find a place to stay because everything was full.

I finally found a place with some openings and we rented bikes. We checked out a couple main squares and a church before heading through the tunnel into the city park. This is one of the best things to do in Europe with a group; the park is huge and diverse featuring people surfing on the rushing river and several biergartens. We stopped at the Japanese pagoda biergarten where I followed through on recommendations to get a liter of strong beer along with our spread of ribs, chicken, and rotisserie roasted beef…one of my favorite meals because it was such a manly meal after a year of lighter cuisine, so I felt like a king feasting in his mead hall. It was beautiful coming back through the city at night because all the spaces feel altered and more peaceful. We stopped inside the packed Hofbrauhaus for a couple more beers in the perpetual Oktoberfest atmosphere. Finally, we rode back to the car and drove to our hostel to check in and sleep for the night.

Day 23

We parked closer to the city and retrieved our bikes to head into the city to the Residenz, the royal palace. This is where I said goodbye to the others as they would do some other things in the city before visiting the Dachau concentration camp and fly out the following morning. I was given an audio tour for the extensive palace that seemed to be partly modeled after Versailles. There were treasuries of eastern painted ceramics and treasures as well as a reliquary of gilded artifacts and remains including, a skull attributed to St. John the Baptist. There were also dance halls, tapestries, music rooms, gilded hallways, and dining rooms full of golden tableware.

After finishing in the palace, I returned my bike and explored the streets a bit more checking out a farmer’s market and the Cathedral before heading underground to decipher the multi-layer train system. Eventually, I rode directly out to the airport, found my way through security, boarded my flight, and flew home to Philly.