This morning we toured the Westfälisches Freilichtmuseum Detmold (Westfalian Open Air Museum). One of my mother’s cousins, Anna Sawatzky, works at the museum and she gave us a tour. Anna’s son Viktor was also there to provide an English translation. I had visited the site five years ago and thought the kids would enjoy walking through the old farm houses and other buildings on the site, which I think they did. However, I think the highlight for them was feeding plums to the goats.
After lunch we said good-bye to the Penners and Esaus and we drove close to four hours east to Berlin, where we are staying at the new location of the Mennonite Brethren church in Berlin. Gary Loewen from Abbotsford is the site manager for the construction project and he helped to get us settled in to the guest room on the construction site. Today is Solomon’s 13th birthday, so for a treat we walked to a great ice cream cafe and splurged on various ice cream dishes.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
July 27, 2009
Today we spent the day touring around Detmold. In the morning we visited the Externsteine, a famous rock formation outside of Detmold. We then visited the school where Judith attends and the construction site of the new Mennonite church in Detmold. After lunch we went to Hermannsdenkmal where Abram and Solomon did a three hour high-ropes course. In the evening we visited with the Penners and Lena’s brother and his wife, Jakob and Tina Esau, came over to visit as well.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
July 26, 2009
In the morning Waldemar and Emma took us to see the largest radio telescope in Europe in Effelsberg. It is 100 metres wide and is one of the world’s largest fully steerable telescopes. We then drove to Bad Muenstereifel, an old walled town, where we enjoyed some ice cream and wandering through some antique stores.
After lunch with the Deleski’s, we drove around two and a half hours north to Detmold to stay with Heinrich and Lena Penner. Lena is my second cousin, and I had stayed here with my parents for a week five years ago. Their daughter Judith is going to stay with us from September to December while she attends MEI in Abbotsford.
The Penners took us to Hermannsdenkmal, where we climbed to the top of the monument and enjoyed the view. This year is the 2000th anniversary of Hermann’s defeat of the Romans in the Battle of the Teutoberg Forest in 9 AD.
After returning to the Penner’s house, Lena’s parents Heinrich and Lena Esau arrived (Heinrich is my mother’s double cousin) and also Johann and Lydia, Judith’s brother, along with their two children. We enjoyed watermelon and rollkuchen and then spent the rest of the evening seeing Johann and Lydia’s house, which is under construction nearby, and visiting. Later on, Judith’s other brother Jakob and his wife Rita and daughter Leni arrived back from Italy, and we visited with them a bit as well.
After lunch with the Deleski’s, we drove around two and a half hours north to Detmold to stay with Heinrich and Lena Penner. Lena is my second cousin, and I had stayed here with my parents for a week five years ago. Their daughter Judith is going to stay with us from September to December while she attends MEI in Abbotsford.
The Penners took us to Hermannsdenkmal, where we climbed to the top of the monument and enjoyed the view. This year is the 2000th anniversary of Hermann’s defeat of the Romans in the Battle of the Teutoberg Forest in 9 AD.
After returning to the Penner’s house, Lena’s parents Heinrich and Lena Esau arrived (Heinrich is my mother’s double cousin) and also Johann and Lydia, Judith’s brother, along with their two children. We enjoyed watermelon and rollkuchen and then spent the rest of the evening seeing Johann and Lydia’s house, which is under construction nearby, and visiting. Later on, Judith’s other brother Jakob and his wife Rita and daughter Leni arrived back from Italy, and we visited with them a bit as well.
July 25, 2009
This morning we headed off to Maastricht, Netherlands for our first stop of the day. It took us just a little over an hour to get there. We parked in the city centre and spent two hours grabbing a quick bite to eat and wandering around the city. Abram and I did some sight-seeing while Karen, Solomon, and Isaac did some shopping.
Our next stop was Liege, Belgium, about 25 minutes away. Even though the city is just over the border from the Netherlands, we found ourselves in the French speaking part of Belgium, as Liege is located on the eastern side of the middle of the country. Again we spent a couple of hours sight-seeing, including climbing the 400 step Montagne de Bueren to get a nice view of the city.
We had hoped to visit Aachen as well, but ran out of time, so we headed back to Euskirchen and had a barbeque with Waldemar and Emma’s family.
Our next stop was Liege, Belgium, about 25 minutes away. Even though the city is just over the border from the Netherlands, we found ourselves in the French speaking part of Belgium, as Liege is located on the eastern side of the middle of the country. Again we spent a couple of hours sight-seeing, including climbing the 400 step Montagne de Bueren to get a nice view of the city.
We had hoped to visit Aachen as well, but ran out of time, so we headed back to Euskirchen and had a barbeque with Waldemar and Emma’s family.
July 24, 2009
Yesterday was basically a travel day for us, flying from Barcelona to Rome, and then Rome to Frankfurt. Other than an hour delay in Barcelona and a 90 minute delay in Rome, after already boarding the plane, the day was uneventful. We arrived in Frankfurt in the evening and made our way to Sasha and Elvira’s house where we spent the night.
In the morning we drove to Weierhof, south-west of Frankfurt, to visit the Mennonite historical library. I knew that the library director was not going to be around, but I assumed that the library would be open. Well, my assumption was incorrect. Karen and the boys took this as a sign from heaven that we should just keep driving. I however, knowing that I was right on the doorstep of the library, took this instead as a challenge. We walked a few buildings over to the Weierhof Mennonite Church and noticed that the pastor couple lived next door, which is where the church office was also located. By this time Karen and the boys were not wanting to have any part in what I was contemplating, but I insisted that we should knock on the pastor’s door and see if he could get us in to the library. Well, we met the pastor and after two phone calls we had a key delivered by a woman who lives across from the library. Mission accomplished. I only spent around 20-25 minutes in the library, but I was glad I had made the effort to visit it, and I even took some pictures to memorialize the visit!
We then drove north a few hours to Cologne, where we grabbed something to eat and then visited the Cologne cathedral. After a bit of walking around the city, we headed south to Euskirchen where another one of my father’s cousins, Waldemar Deleski, lives. I had met him and his wife for an hour when I was in Germany five years ago with my parents. They were willing to host us for two nights, so we were happy to have free lodging and to get to know some of Dad’s relatives a bit better.
In the morning we drove to Weierhof, south-west of Frankfurt, to visit the Mennonite historical library. I knew that the library director was not going to be around, but I assumed that the library would be open. Well, my assumption was incorrect. Karen and the boys took this as a sign from heaven that we should just keep driving. I however, knowing that I was right on the doorstep of the library, took this instead as a challenge. We walked a few buildings over to the Weierhof Mennonite Church and noticed that the pastor couple lived next door, which is where the church office was also located. By this time Karen and the boys were not wanting to have any part in what I was contemplating, but I insisted that we should knock on the pastor’s door and see if he could get us in to the library. Well, we met the pastor and after two phone calls we had a key delivered by a woman who lives across from the library. Mission accomplished. I only spent around 20-25 minutes in the library, but I was glad I had made the effort to visit it, and I even took some pictures to memorialize the visit!
We then drove north a few hours to Cologne, where we grabbed something to eat and then visited the Cologne cathedral. After a bit of walking around the city, we headed south to Euskirchen where another one of my father’s cousins, Waldemar Deleski, lives. I had met him and his wife for an hour when I was in Germany five years ago with my parents. They were willing to host us for two nights, so we were happy to have free lodging and to get to know some of Dad’s relatives a bit better.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
July 22, 2009
This morning we grabbed a quick bite to eat and then headed for the tourist information office in the centre of town where we purchased train tickets and passes for the Santa Maria de Montserrat abbey, located a little over an hour out of Barcelona in Monistrol de Montserrat. It is the location of a large abbey and Benedictine monastery that holds the Virgin of Montserrat, Catalonia’s favourite saint. Once we arrived at the train station we took the cable car up to the abbey and then stood in line for around 90 minutes to see the statue of the Virgin Mary (frankly, if we had known it was going to take 90 minutes we would have never done it). The statue was carved in the 12th century and is located high above the altar. It is also one of the black Madonnas of Europe.
After lunch we took a funicular (inclined) railway to a spot above the monastery and walked around a bit, enjoying the view. The monastery is located in a section of the mountain that is quite unique compared to the rest of the area. The rocks are smooth and look like the hoodoos but on a much larger scale. Once we came back down we toured the museum which includes artworks of a number of Spanish artists including Picasso and Dali.
We headed back to Barcelona around 5:30 p.m. and went back to the city centre to enjoy strolling around the streets, which were packed full of people enjoying the warm summer evening.
Tomorrow we fly back to Frankfurt while Karen’s parents fly back home to Abbotsford. It has been great having them with us during these two weeks.
After lunch we took a funicular (inclined) railway to a spot above the monastery and walked around a bit, enjoying the view. The monastery is located in a section of the mountain that is quite unique compared to the rest of the area. The rocks are smooth and look like the hoodoos but on a much larger scale. Once we came back down we toured the museum which includes artworks of a number of Spanish artists including Picasso and Dali.
We headed back to Barcelona around 5:30 p.m. and went back to the city centre to enjoy strolling around the streets, which were packed full of people enjoying the warm summer evening.
Tomorrow we fly back to Frankfurt while Karen’s parents fly back home to Abbotsford. It has been great having them with us during these two weeks.
July 21, 2009
We docked in Barcelona early this morning and left the cruise ship around 9 a.m. After twelve days you almost assume that you just belong on a cruise ship. By the time we had waited an hour for a taxi, reality had set in – the cruise was over and we were back to reality. Well, almost. We were now in Barcelona for a few days, so I must admit that life is still pretty good.
We got to our hotel after a few minutes and settled in to our rooms. We took the metro to the centre of town and decided to purchase tour bus tickets and spend the rest of the day driving around the city and listening to the audio tour. These are the double-decker buses that are open at the top that you see in all the major cities in Europe. They aren’t cheap, but they are a good way to see the city. Barcelona has two one-hour routes and a third shorter route. We drove around most of the two longer routes so we saw quite a bit. We were able to get off and on any time we wanted, so that was great.
Barcelona is a beautiful city. It is well known for its unique architecture, and in particular, the buildings of Antoni Gaudi. The most famous building is the Sagrada Familia, a huge cathedral that is still about one hundred years from being completed. We saw many of his other buildings as well, along with famous buildings by other well-known architects. Of course a tour of Barcelona is not complete without passing by the stadium and museum of the Barcelona Football Club, which is like a cult here in Barcelona – kind of like the way Montreal thinks of the Canadiens. We also saw the Olympic Stadium and various other facilities built for the Olympics, and several buildings and parks built for various world fairs that have been held in Barcelona.
For supper we cave in to demand from the kids and ate at McDonald’s. It helped that the coupon books we received with the tour bus included McDonald’s coupons. We strolled around a bit more and then headed back to the hotel for night.
We got to our hotel after a few minutes and settled in to our rooms. We took the metro to the centre of town and decided to purchase tour bus tickets and spend the rest of the day driving around the city and listening to the audio tour. These are the double-decker buses that are open at the top that you see in all the major cities in Europe. They aren’t cheap, but they are a good way to see the city. Barcelona has two one-hour routes and a third shorter route. We drove around most of the two longer routes so we saw quite a bit. We were able to get off and on any time we wanted, so that was great.
Barcelona is a beautiful city. It is well known for its unique architecture, and in particular, the buildings of Antoni Gaudi. The most famous building is the Sagrada Familia, a huge cathedral that is still about one hundred years from being completed. We saw many of his other buildings as well, along with famous buildings by other well-known architects. Of course a tour of Barcelona is not complete without passing by the stadium and museum of the Barcelona Football Club, which is like a cult here in Barcelona – kind of like the way Montreal thinks of the Canadiens. We also saw the Olympic Stadium and various other facilities built for the Olympics, and several buildings and parks built for various world fairs that have been held in Barcelona.
For supper we cave in to demand from the kids and ate at McDonald’s. It helped that the coupon books we received with the tour bus included McDonald’s coupons. We strolled around a bit more and then headed back to the hotel for night.
July 20, 2009
Today was our last full day on the cruise ship, and we spent the day at sea on the way to Barcelona, Spain. After lunch we went to the third of three art auctions on the ship. During the first cruise, Karen was the high bidder on two relatively inexpensive works of art, and she won a third free piece of art. This afternoon my number was drawn for a $100 woman’s watch and matching necklace and earrings, which I was pleased to hand over to Karen. This came close to matching the gold and pearl necklace that Karen’s mother won a few evenings ago. Not bad for our family!
July 19, 2009
Today was our day on the French Riviera. We arrived in Villefranche-sur-Mer around 7:00 a.m. We took the tender ashore and hiked up the hillside to catch the bus for Nice, a few kilometres away. We spent a few hours in the city, walking through part of the old city and through the Sunday market before arriving at the Promenade des Anglais, a fancy word for the beach. The beach was packed but we found a spot and the boys jumped in. The waves were pretty high – sometimes 3-4 feet high. Being a little more cautious, I only ventured in up to my waist, but the boys had a great time trying to ride the waves. We strolled around the city a bit more before catching the bus to a little town higher up the mountainside – Eze.
The bus ride gave us an opportunity to view the incredible scenery of the area. Eze is a medieval town surrounded by a wall. We walked around the town, climbing the various narrow streets and enjoying the scenery. After about an hour or so we were ready to get back on the bus and drive around 6 kilometres to Monaco. Unfortunately, we had to adjust our plans a bit because the bus we thought would take us directly to Monaco does not run on Sunday. So, we joined around 20 other fellow Summit cruisers along with some other tourists and figured out that we needed to take a bus down to the beach in Eze-sur-Mer, and then take a bus from there to Monaco. Believe it or not, my French came in handy as I figured these things out with a police officer.
We caught the bus after around a 40 minute wait, and once we arrived in Eze-sur-Mer, waited another 20 minutes or so for the next bus to Monaco. Fortunately, the bus driver allowed all of us to pile on to the bus, with Karen and I standing right beside the driver. This was actually the best place in the bus, because we had a great view of the drive along the Riviera to Monaco, stopping near the casino in Monte Carlo. Again, my French came in handy as I figured out where we needed to get off the bus.
The boys were absolutely thrilled with Monaco, not because of the incredible sights, but because of all the exotic cars they spotted. I lost count, but I know we saw at least two Rolls-Royces, two Lamborghinis, several Ferraris, a Masserati, and a Bentley, along with a customized Porsche 911 and plenty of German luxury vehicles. Monaco truly is in a world all its own, with money everywhere you look. After around an hour we caught the train back to Villefranche and Abram and Sol swam at the beach while Isaac and Karen’s parents went back to the boat. The boys were a little taken aback by some of the topless women nearby, but they handled it okay!
In the evening we had our last formal dinner, and I slipped out early for a hot stone massage. Karen had won one of these for herself a few days ago at a spa auction for around half the regular price, so I was able to cash in on this as well. It was great.
The bus ride gave us an opportunity to view the incredible scenery of the area. Eze is a medieval town surrounded by a wall. We walked around the town, climbing the various narrow streets and enjoying the scenery. After about an hour or so we were ready to get back on the bus and drive around 6 kilometres to Monaco. Unfortunately, we had to adjust our plans a bit because the bus we thought would take us directly to Monaco does not run on Sunday. So, we joined around 20 other fellow Summit cruisers along with some other tourists and figured out that we needed to take a bus down to the beach in Eze-sur-Mer, and then take a bus from there to Monaco. Believe it or not, my French came in handy as I figured these things out with a police officer.
We caught the bus after around a 40 minute wait, and once we arrived in Eze-sur-Mer, waited another 20 minutes or so for the next bus to Monaco. Fortunately, the bus driver allowed all of us to pile on to the bus, with Karen and I standing right beside the driver. This was actually the best place in the bus, because we had a great view of the drive along the Riviera to Monaco, stopping near the casino in Monte Carlo. Again, my French came in handy as I figured out where we needed to get off the bus.
The boys were absolutely thrilled with Monaco, not because of the incredible sights, but because of all the exotic cars they spotted. I lost count, but I know we saw at least two Rolls-Royces, two Lamborghinis, several Ferraris, a Masserati, and a Bentley, along with a customized Porsche 911 and plenty of German luxury vehicles. Monaco truly is in a world all its own, with money everywhere you look. After around an hour we caught the train back to Villefranche and Abram and Sol swam at the beach while Isaac and Karen’s parents went back to the boat. The boys were a little taken aback by some of the topless women nearby, but they handled it okay!
In the evening we had our last formal dinner, and I slipped out early for a hot stone massage. Karen had won one of these for herself a few days ago at a spa auction for around half the regular price, so I was able to cash in on this as well. It was great.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
July 18, 2009
Last night was a fairly rough night in terms of the waters compared to other days, which have been very calm. A number of us were awakened around 5:00 a.m. by a fair bit of tossing by the waves, but were able to get back to sleep. We had another early morning breakfast at 7:00 a.m. and our cruise ship docked in Livorno at around 7:30-7:45 instead of 7:00 a.m. due to the rough waters. We caught our shuttle to the local train station and were off on another train, this time to Florence (Firenze). We arrived at 10:30 a.m. and headed off on our own walking tour of the city.
We made our way to the Piazza del Duomo and toured the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and viewed the famous bell tower. The exterior of the cathedral, the second largest cathedral in the world, is amazing, much more elaborately decorated than the interior, which was quite stark in comparison to the other cathedrals we have visited in Italy. The cupola is one of the largest in the world. Construction on the church began in 1296 and took 140 years to complete. The bell tower is 292 feet high and decorated with the same coloured marble as the cathedral. We then made our way to the Piazza della Signoria and the Palazzo della Signoria where we viewed a copy of Michelangelo’s statue of David. Unfortunately this was the only artwork we were able to view today. Ideally, we would have loved to have toured the Uffizi Gallery, Italy’s most important art collection with works by Da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo, and the Accademia, but we just didn’t have time for this kind of thing today.
After some gelato, which is the most amazing ice cream I have ever tasted, we crossed the Ponte Vecchio, the oldest bridge in Florence lined with goldsmith’s shops, and walked to the Pitti Palace before turning back and making our way back to the train station, where we were back on the train by 3:30 in order to catch our shuttle in Livorno at 5:00 p.m.
We all agreed that this was a much more relaxed day then the hectic day in Rome yesterday. It helped that we weren’t trying to tour several different sites and that the temperature was a much more pleasant 28 C.
The last three days in Italy have been great. We have thoroughly enjoyed the sites and have said many times these past three days that we need to come back again some day!
We made our way to the Piazza del Duomo and toured the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and viewed the famous bell tower. The exterior of the cathedral, the second largest cathedral in the world, is amazing, much more elaborately decorated than the interior, which was quite stark in comparison to the other cathedrals we have visited in Italy. The cupola is one of the largest in the world. Construction on the church began in 1296 and took 140 years to complete. The bell tower is 292 feet high and decorated with the same coloured marble as the cathedral. We then made our way to the Piazza della Signoria and the Palazzo della Signoria where we viewed a copy of Michelangelo’s statue of David. Unfortunately this was the only artwork we were able to view today. Ideally, we would have loved to have toured the Uffizi Gallery, Italy’s most important art collection with works by Da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo, and the Accademia, but we just didn’t have time for this kind of thing today.
After some gelato, which is the most amazing ice cream I have ever tasted, we crossed the Ponte Vecchio, the oldest bridge in Florence lined with goldsmith’s shops, and walked to the Pitti Palace before turning back and making our way back to the train station, where we were back on the train by 3:30 in order to catch our shuttle in Livorno at 5:00 p.m.
We all agreed that this was a much more relaxed day then the hectic day in Rome yesterday. It helped that we weren’t trying to tour several different sites and that the temperature was a much more pleasant 28 C.
The last three days in Italy have been great. We have thoroughly enjoyed the sites and have said many times these past three days that we need to come back again some day!
July 17, 2009
This morning we docked in the port city of Civitavecchia and took a 75 minute train trip into Rome. Unfortunately, by the time we caught the train there were hardly any seats left, so we had to stand near the washroom area of the train for the entire duration of the trip. We got off the train near the Vatican City and spent the morning touring St. Peter’s and the Vatican Museum, including Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. We expected long line-ups to enter St. Peter’s, and had doubts about even getting in to the Sistine Chapel, but were pleasantly surprised to be able to visit both without very little waiting. The amount of art in St. Peter’s and the museum is overwhelming, but we tried to take in as much as we could before lunch. After lunch near the museum (where we set a new record price for a meal – 85 Euros, or around $135 CDN – needless to say, this wasn’t my first choice but I lost out to those who wanted to sit down for their meal in a restaurant) we caught a bus for the Coliseum.
We planned to exit the bus at the Piazza Venezia, the largest marble monument in Italy. As the bus stopped, Karen and the boys got off but the rest of us were blocked by a woman with a bunch of shopping bags who wouldn’t let us out. Before we knew it, the doors closed and the bus was off down the road. As we drove off, Karen motioned that they would stay at the bus stop. The bus wound its way around the piazza and took off down another road for several minutes before stopping. Karen’s parents and I walked back to the piazza and then had to figure out which road we had left Karen and the boys. Karen’s father and I each chose a road, and fortunately, Dad spotted Abram and we were eventually reunited.
We walked to the Coliseum and toured the interior. Like yesterday, the temperature was around 35 C. and we were fairly tired, but we did the best we could before catching the metro back to the main train station where we ran to catch our train. Karen’s Mom literally hopped on the train seconds before it departed at 3:39 p.m. We managed to all find seats and made it back to Civitavecchia by around 5:00 p.m. We later learned that the next train was suspended, and at least one couple we talked to who are from Vancouver had to hire a taxi for 100 Euros to get back to the cruise ship. So, we considered ourselves fortunate!
We planned to exit the bus at the Piazza Venezia, the largest marble monument in Italy. As the bus stopped, Karen and the boys got off but the rest of us were blocked by a woman with a bunch of shopping bags who wouldn’t let us out. Before we knew it, the doors closed and the bus was off down the road. As we drove off, Karen motioned that they would stay at the bus stop. The bus wound its way around the piazza and took off down another road for several minutes before stopping. Karen’s parents and I walked back to the piazza and then had to figure out which road we had left Karen and the boys. Karen’s father and I each chose a road, and fortunately, Dad spotted Abram and we were eventually reunited.
We walked to the Coliseum and toured the interior. Like yesterday, the temperature was around 35 C. and we were fairly tired, but we did the best we could before catching the metro back to the main train station where we ran to catch our train. Karen’s Mom literally hopped on the train seconds before it departed at 3:39 p.m. We managed to all find seats and made it back to Civitavecchia by around 5:00 p.m. We later learned that the next train was suspended, and at least one couple we talked to who are from Vancouver had to hire a taxi for 100 Euros to get back to the cruise ship. So, we considered ourselves fortunate!
July 16, 2009
Yesterday was a day at sea, which was relaxing. The highlight was around 8:30 p.m., when we passed through the narrow channel separating mainland Italy from Sicily. It was still daylight, and we had a great view of the area.
In the morning we docked in Naples and took a bus tour to Pompeii, the famous ruins that were buried when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. We took a tour through the cruise ship, which was very informative. The temperature was around 35 C. so we all had plenty of water for the morning.
After lunch on the cruise ship we headed out to explore the city of Naples in the afternoon. We hired a taxi for two hours and drove through the city. Frankly, Naples is a pretty rough city, and we were told numerous times to watch our valuables. Naples is also not one of the more attractive cities in Italy. However, we spent an hour at the Museo Archeologico Nazionale viewing some of the hundreds of sculptures, mosaics, and other items from Pompeii and other the surrounding area. Other highlights included the Duomo of San Genarro, the largest cathedral in Naples built in the early 13th century, the Castel Nuovo built in 1282, the Palazzo Reale, built in 1602, the Teatro San Carlo, one of Italy’s most famous opera houses, and the Galleria Umberto. By the end of the afternoon we were exhausted, mostly due to the heat, and we retreated to the cruise ship for a shower and dinner.
In the morning we docked in Naples and took a bus tour to Pompeii, the famous ruins that were buried when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. We took a tour through the cruise ship, which was very informative. The temperature was around 35 C. so we all had plenty of water for the morning.
After lunch on the cruise ship we headed out to explore the city of Naples in the afternoon. We hired a taxi for two hours and drove through the city. Frankly, Naples is a pretty rough city, and we were told numerous times to watch our valuables. Naples is also not one of the more attractive cities in Italy. However, we spent an hour at the Museo Archeologico Nazionale viewing some of the hundreds of sculptures, mosaics, and other items from Pompeii and other the surrounding area. Other highlights included the Duomo of San Genarro, the largest cathedral in Naples built in the early 13th century, the Castel Nuovo built in 1282, the Palazzo Reale, built in 1602, the Teatro San Carlo, one of Italy’s most famous opera houses, and the Galleria Umberto. By the end of the afternoon we were exhausted, mostly due to the heat, and we retreated to the cruise ship for a shower and dinner.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
July 14, 2009
We docked near Santorini this morning and after a leisurely breakfast we were tendered ashore at around 9:30. To get to Fira, the largest city on Santorini, you can either climb a path with 600 steps, take a donkey up the same path, or take a cable car. Karen and the boys chose to take a donkey while I accompanied Karen’s parents on the cable car. Once at the top we admired the beautiful view of the ocean and the town from various vantage points and wandered through the narrow streets looking through some of the shops. We also explored both the Catholic church and the Orthodox cathedral. Both had beautiful artwork in the Byzantine style. Most of the buildings on Santorini, as in Athens, are white, and the churches often have a blue domed roof, which really stands out against the sea of white buildings.
In the afternoon Karen’s Dad took Sol and Isaac back to the cruise ship while the rest of us took an island bus to the town of Oia, located at the northern tip of the island. We had a great time walking through the town and taking pictures of the beautiful scenery. We had read that this was the most picturesque of the town on Santorini, and were glad that we had taken the time to travel to it.
In the evening we took in the show, featuring a pianist, while the boys hung out with other kids their age on the ship.
In the afternoon Karen’s Dad took Sol and Isaac back to the cruise ship while the rest of us took an island bus to the town of Oia, located at the northern tip of the island. We had a great time walking through the town and taking pictures of the beautiful scenery. We had read that this was the most picturesque of the town on Santorini, and were glad that we had taken the time to travel to it.
In the evening we took in the show, featuring a pianist, while the boys hung out with other kids their age on the ship.
July 13, 2009
This morning we were up fairly earlier to get ahead of the masses in Athens. After we docked in Piraeus, a port city around 7 kilometres from Athens, we walked around 10-15 minutes to a bus stop where we caught a public bus to downtown Athens – Syntagma Square. Once we arrived we decided to pay a few Euros each to hop aboard “The Happy Train,” a train on wheels that had a route through Athens that included the Acropolis. We could hop off and on throughout the day, and the train came every half an hour. It was a good economical way to go and saved us a lot of walking in the hot sun (the temperature was around 34 C. today).
Once we arrived at the Acropolis we hired a tour guide for the seven of us and she guided us around the site for the next hour, giving us a lot of history and answering all of Sol’s questions. Sol is a bit of an expert on ancient Greece, having studying it in grade seven this year. The site was full of people, which we expected, but we were able to get close to some of the buildings, including the Parthenon, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion, and the Propylaea, and get a good look. Unfortunately much of the Parthenon is covered in scaffolding. Beginning in 2002, work began on restoring much of the structure, and this will continue until 2012. We could see how they have inserted new marble into the existing columns, which was interesting. Fortunately, the front of the Parthenon is visible so I got some good pictures. We also walked to the mount where the apostle Paul gave us speech about the “unknown god” to the Greeks as described in the Book of Acts.
By noon we were finished with the Acropolis, and we were able to visit a few other sites in Athens, including Hadrian’s Library, Hadrian’s Arch, and the Panathinion Stadium, built for the 1896 Olympic Games. We also did some shopping in Monastiraki Square before catching the metro back to Piraeus. Outside the metro station we came across a flea market run by mostly west Africans. We made a few purchases and then walked around 20 minutes back to the cruise ship, taking a shuttle bus for the last stretch.
In the evening we watched “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants II,” which winds up the story in Santorini, where we will be docked tomorrow.
Once we arrived at the Acropolis we hired a tour guide for the seven of us and she guided us around the site for the next hour, giving us a lot of history and answering all of Sol’s questions. Sol is a bit of an expert on ancient Greece, having studying it in grade seven this year. The site was full of people, which we expected, but we were able to get close to some of the buildings, including the Parthenon, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion, and the Propylaea, and get a good look. Unfortunately much of the Parthenon is covered in scaffolding. Beginning in 2002, work began on restoring much of the structure, and this will continue until 2012. We could see how they have inserted new marble into the existing columns, which was interesting. Fortunately, the front of the Parthenon is visible so I got some good pictures. We also walked to the mount where the apostle Paul gave us speech about the “unknown god” to the Greeks as described in the Book of Acts.
By noon we were finished with the Acropolis, and we were able to visit a few other sites in Athens, including Hadrian’s Library, Hadrian’s Arch, and the Panathinion Stadium, built for the 1896 Olympic Games. We also did some shopping in Monastiraki Square before catching the metro back to Piraeus. Outside the metro station we came across a flea market run by mostly west Africans. We made a few purchases and then walked around 20 minutes back to the cruise ship, taking a shuttle bus for the last stretch.
In the evening we watched “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants II,” which winds up the story in Santorini, where we will be docked tomorrow.
July 12, 2009
Today was a mostly non-eventful day as we relaxed aboard the ship while we cruised the Adriatic Sea on the way to Athens. We stayed fairly close to the coast and usually saw land – the coasts of Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, and Greece. We also saw the Italian coast on occasion. The only incident to report had to do with Isaac.
Today was one of two days when we told Isaac that he could chose whatever he wanted to eat, and eat as much as he wanted to. Well, he made it to dinner and after his second piece of pizza and second glass of chocolate milk, he complained about a stomach ache and decided to go to his room. Well, as he was running down the hallway towards the stateroom he threw up all over the hallway carpet. Staff cleaned things up the best that they could, but the odour was definitely still there as we passed the hallway hours later.
We finished off the evening watching the movie “Mama Mia.”
Today was one of two days when we told Isaac that he could chose whatever he wanted to eat, and eat as much as he wanted to. Well, he made it to dinner and after his second piece of pizza and second glass of chocolate milk, he complained about a stomach ache and decided to go to his room. Well, as he was running down the hallway towards the stateroom he threw up all over the hallway carpet. Staff cleaned things up the best that they could, but the odour was definitely still there as we passed the hallway hours later.
We finished off the evening watching the movie “Mama Mia.”
Sunday, July 12, 2009
July 11, 2009
We arrived in Split, Croatia at 7:00 a.m. Split is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for Diocletian’s Palace. Knowing that we were here until 5:00 p.m., we slept in a bit and eventually boarded the tender at around 9:45 for Split. We arrived a little after 10 a.m. and immediately entered Diocletian’s Palace. The palace was built by Roman Emperor Diocletian as a retirement home near the end of the third century, and much of the exterior walls still stand today. By the 7th century, people began to seek refuge within the walls and throughout the centuries many buildings were constructed within the former palace, including the main cathedral. We took a 90 minute tour of the palace and the medieval section of the city, and then hiked up the hill for a great view of the city, the harbour, and the mountains and islands beyond Split.
After enjoying some gelato (Venice ruled the city for several hundred years, so there is a strong Italian presence that is evident throughout the city), we toured the basement or cellar of the palace. The cellar was used as a garbage pit by the city for many centuries, but was excavated in the last 50 years. Work continues in some sections, but much of the cellar has been excavated and has helped researchers to reconstruct the original palace and life during the Roman Empire. Eventually Karen’s parents and the boys had had enough, so they went back to the cruise ship while Karen and I continued exploring the city for another hour before returning to the ship.
The boys and Grandpa enjoyed the pool and Karen and I had a nap and relaxed before our first formal dinner of the cruise, followed by a show. Tomorrow will be a relaxing day as we are at sea all day.
After enjoying some gelato (Venice ruled the city for several hundred years, so there is a strong Italian presence that is evident throughout the city), we toured the basement or cellar of the palace. The cellar was used as a garbage pit by the city for many centuries, but was excavated in the last 50 years. Work continues in some sections, but much of the cellar has been excavated and has helped researchers to reconstruct the original palace and life during the Roman Empire. Eventually Karen’s parents and the boys had had enough, so they went back to the cruise ship while Karen and I continued exploring the city for another hour before returning to the ship.
The boys and Grandpa enjoyed the pool and Karen and I had a nap and relaxed before our first formal dinner of the cruise, followed by a show. Tomorrow will be a relaxing day as we are at sea all day.
July 10, 2009
We were up early this morning, grabbed breakfast at 7:30, and were off the boat to Venice. We took a Celebrity water taxi to St. Mark’s Square, and began the day by taking a look at the hotel where Karen’s parents stayed, which is located very near the square. I had booked their hotel for them using their Aeroplan points. I knew that it was supposed to be a fairly nice hotel, but when we saw it we agreed that I had made a fantastic choice for them. They thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and the great location.
After walking around St. Mark’s Square we toured St. Mark’s Basilica. We were amazed at how it seemed as though every square inch of the basilica had been decorated with a painting or some sort of sculpture, and the tiled mosaics on the floor were incredible. After we returned to the square we had to do the obligatory feeding of the pigeons, which Sol and Isaac enjoyed. We then took a free taxi to one of the larger islands in Venice, Murano Island, where we toured a glass factory and store. Murano Island is famous for its glass, and after touring the island we could see why. I have never seen such works of art in my life. Of course many of the pieces cost thousands of dollars, but in the end Karen was able to find some glass jewellery at a reasonable price.
We returned by taxi to St. Mark’s and continued our touring of Venice until the early afternoon, when we returned to the cruise ship. Departure from Venice was at 3:00 p.m., and we sailed right past St. Mark’s Square on our way out to the Adriatic Sea. It was a great time for picture taking, and in the end I had taken around 275 pictures of the city. Venice is truly amazing.
After walking around St. Mark’s Square we toured St. Mark’s Basilica. We were amazed at how it seemed as though every square inch of the basilica had been decorated with a painting or some sort of sculpture, and the tiled mosaics on the floor were incredible. After we returned to the square we had to do the obligatory feeding of the pigeons, which Sol and Isaac enjoyed. We then took a free taxi to one of the larger islands in Venice, Murano Island, where we toured a glass factory and store. Murano Island is famous for its glass, and after touring the island we could see why. I have never seen such works of art in my life. Of course many of the pieces cost thousands of dollars, but in the end Karen was able to find some glass jewellery at a reasonable price.
We returned by taxi to St. Mark’s and continued our touring of Venice until the early afternoon, when we returned to the cruise ship. Departure from Venice was at 3:00 p.m., and we sailed right past St. Mark’s Square on our way out to the Adriatic Sea. It was a great time for picture taking, and in the end I had taken around 275 pictures of the city. Venice is truly amazing.
July 9, 2009
We had an early breakfast in the hotel and then headed off for Venice. Our plan was to arrive around 8:30, drop the rental van off at Hertz, and then take a taxi to the hotel near St. Mark’s Square where Karen’s parents were staying. However, a funny thing happened on the way to Venice. Have you ever set a GPS for a destination, only to look down and see your vehicle driving, not on a highway, but through the middle of a field? Well, that happened to us. As we neared Venice, I saw a sign that indicated that I should turn right towards Venice. However, the GPS said to remain on the highway for a number of kilometres, so I continued driving. After a few minutes I realized that we were no longer seeing signs for Venice but instead we were seeing signs for Trieste, which is north of Venice. There were no exits to be seen for a number of kilometres, and we began to worry that we would not have the van at the Hertz location in Venice by 9:00 a.m., and would have to pay for more than a week, which would cost us over $100. After several minutes, an exit was available and we took it. Fortunately, the GSP located us on another highway, and we arrived in at the Hertz office at 8:58!
As we drove in, we realized that our cruise ship was sitting in the dock, located near the Hertz office. After realizing that a water taxi to St. Mark’s Square was going to cost us 60 Euros for a return trip (that’s $100 CDN), we changed our plans and walked with our luggage to the Celebrity dock. After dropping off our luggage, we phoned Karen’s parents and told them to meet us. We decided to wait at the luggage check-in point, so that we could board the cruise ship together. Well, an hour went by and there was no sign of them, even though we had spread out at the dock. After a second hour had passed, we concluded that we must have missed them, and we boarded the ship. We headed for deck 10 to lunch, and within a few minutes we met Karen’s parents. They had taken a water taxi to the cruise ship port, and someone from Celebrity checked their luggage in for them, which explains why we didn’t see them checking in their luggage!
We had a great reunion and spent the rest of the day on the cruise ship catching up on the previous two months. Karen and I felt a strong pull towards the water taxis transporting people to St. Mark’s Square, but we knew that we would have tomorrow to tour the city, so we admired the sites from a distance.
Karen’s parents have a stateroom with a window, while our two staterooms are across the hall from them. During the afternoon our bags were delivered and we were able to unpack and settle in to what will be our floating home for the next 12 days. The kids had fun exploring the ship and enjoying the pool and hot tub, and we all enjoyed the incredible food on the ship.
As we drove in, we realized that our cruise ship was sitting in the dock, located near the Hertz office. After realizing that a water taxi to St. Mark’s Square was going to cost us 60 Euros for a return trip (that’s $100 CDN), we changed our plans and walked with our luggage to the Celebrity dock. After dropping off our luggage, we phoned Karen’s parents and told them to meet us. We decided to wait at the luggage check-in point, so that we could board the cruise ship together. Well, an hour went by and there was no sign of them, even though we had spread out at the dock. After a second hour had passed, we concluded that we must have missed them, and we boarded the ship. We headed for deck 10 to lunch, and within a few minutes we met Karen’s parents. They had taken a water taxi to the cruise ship port, and someone from Celebrity checked their luggage in for them, which explains why we didn’t see them checking in their luggage!
We had a great reunion and spent the rest of the day on the cruise ship catching up on the previous two months. Karen and I felt a strong pull towards the water taxis transporting people to St. Mark’s Square, but we knew that we would have tomorrow to tour the city, so we admired the sites from a distance.
Karen’s parents have a stateroom with a window, while our two staterooms are across the hall from them. During the afternoon our bags were delivered and we were able to unpack and settle in to what will be our floating home for the next 12 days. The kids had fun exploring the ship and enjoying the pool and hot tub, and we all enjoyed the incredible food on the ship.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
July 8, 2009
This morning we were greeted with blue skies and warm sunshine again. We drove a half an hour to Locarno, located on a beautiful lake in southern Switzerland, and walked around for a while before heading south into Italy. We enjoyed a nice lunch at one of the service stops along the highway and arrived in Altavilla Vicentina near Vicenza, less than an hour west of Venice. We checked into our hotel, a Best Western, and were pleasantly surprised at how spacious it was. It is basically two separate rooms in the corner of a floor, with a common hallway. The price is very reasonable as well, which I like.
We drove into Vicenza, and after navigating the incredibly narrow streets and ending up on a pedestrian mall (the third time I have done this in Europe) we found a parking spot and explored the town. Vicenza is famous for the villas and public buildings designed by Palladio. We toured one of the villas and then grabbed some gelato, which was fantastic.
In the evening we had some laundry to catch up on, so we found a laundry nearby and did a few loads. We then grabbed a pizza ($5.00 CDN! – I’m liking Italy already) and headed back to the hotel. We also spoke with Karen’s Mom on the phone. Her parents arrived in Venice today and we will meet them tomorrow for the cruise.
Tomorrow morning we will get in to Venice early and board the ship at noon. Everyone is pretty excited.
We drove into Vicenza, and after navigating the incredibly narrow streets and ending up on a pedestrian mall (the third time I have done this in Europe) we found a parking spot and explored the town. Vicenza is famous for the villas and public buildings designed by Palladio. We toured one of the villas and then grabbed some gelato, which was fantastic.
In the evening we had some laundry to catch up on, so we found a laundry nearby and did a few loads. We then grabbed a pizza ($5.00 CDN! – I’m liking Italy already) and headed back to the hotel. We also spoke with Karen’s Mom on the phone. Her parents arrived in Venice today and we will meet them tomorrow for the cruise.
Tomorrow morning we will get in to Venice early and board the ship at noon. Everyone is pretty excited.
July 7, 2009
This morning we woke up to cloudy skies and rain, which was disappointing considering we had planned to spend the morning on my mini-version of an Anabaptist study tour. In the end, we toured the Grossmuenster church, saw Zwingli’s statute, and saw the home of Conrad Grebel, located just a few blocks away from the Grossmuenster. Our drive south through the Alps was fairly dreary, although we were able to see some nice sites here and there. We arrived in Bellinzona, a small town in southern Switzerland, in the middle of the afternoon and settled in to our hotel. The cheapest hotel I could find with fairly decent reviews was located right in town. For $200 CDN we got one whole room with a bathroom just a bit larger than a porta-potty. Our keys were in an envelope in a box outside the front door, and we helped ourselves to the room. We had paid through Expedia, so I guess they had all the information they needed, including our credit card, so they didn’t see the need to check us in. Kind of strange, but it worked.
We had not had any lunch so we wanted to have an early dinner at around 4:00 p.m. before doing some exploring. Unfortunately, all of the restaurants we checked told us that they couldn’t serve us until 6:00 or 6:30! I couldn’t believe it, but we grabbed a snack and headed off for some touring.
Bellinzona is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and famous for the three medieval castles in and above the town. It was a little cool and breezy, but we ventured to one of the castles and had a great time exploring the grounds and part of the long wall that surrounds much of the city. From the one castle we could view the two others, and it made for a spectacular site, with the Swiss Alps rising in the distance.
Dinner was a simple pasta dish for each of us, with three soft drinks and a litre of water. Total bill? $125 CDN. I don’t care if there is anyone here reading this who is from Switzerland – this country is nuts in terms of the cost of items. How anyone can justify charging $10 for a litre of water (they simply don’t provide you with water from the tap) is beyond me. It is obvious to me that the country’s economy is completely out of sync with the rest of Europe in terms of salaries and the cost of goods in the country. Diesel fuel that is just over a Euro a litre in Germany and Italy is 1.60 Euros in Switzerland. I’m glad I didn’t have to fill up driving through the country.
We had not had any lunch so we wanted to have an early dinner at around 4:00 p.m. before doing some exploring. Unfortunately, all of the restaurants we checked told us that they couldn’t serve us until 6:00 or 6:30! I couldn’t believe it, but we grabbed a snack and headed off for some touring.
Bellinzona is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and famous for the three medieval castles in and above the town. It was a little cool and breezy, but we ventured to one of the castles and had a great time exploring the grounds and part of the long wall that surrounds much of the city. From the one castle we could view the two others, and it made for a spectacular site, with the Swiss Alps rising in the distance.
Dinner was a simple pasta dish for each of us, with three soft drinks and a litre of water. Total bill? $125 CDN. I don’t care if there is anyone here reading this who is from Switzerland – this country is nuts in terms of the cost of items. How anyone can justify charging $10 for a litre of water (they simply don’t provide you with water from the tap) is beyond me. It is obvious to me that the country’s economy is completely out of sync with the rest of Europe in terms of salaries and the cost of goods in the country. Diesel fuel that is just over a Euro a litre in Germany and Italy is 1.60 Euros in Switzerland. I’m glad I didn’t have to fill up driving through the country.
July 6, 2009
This morning our boys were treated to their first official continental breakfast at the hotel in Kirchzarten. Of the three boys, Solomon is the most taken by it all. He thinks that we should have meat and cheese for breakfast every day now, just like the Germans. It would have been nice to explore the Black Forest area, but instead we headed east and then south to Schaffhausen, Switzerland. The town is beautiful with murals painted on many of the buildings, built in various architectural styles. We climbed up the top of the castle tower and had a nice view of the town and the Rhine river.
Lunch was another learning experience for us. We decided after yesterday that it probably makes more sense to have a light lunch and a light dinner instead of a snack or two and then a larger dinner. So, we found a pizza place and chose what we thought were five individual pizzas, each around $4.00 CDN. Well, when the pizzas came, we were surprised at the size, but most of us were able to polish them off, so we thought we had made a good decision. Well, the bill came and it was $80.00 CDN! We have found several times now that for some reason we are being misinterpreted when we order, even though Karen is pretty good with her German (I am pretty pathetic, but I try). Needless to say, we are drastically changing our eating approach while in Switzerland. I cannot believe how expensive everything is here. But enough of that.
After Schaffhausen, we drove a few kilometres west to Rheinfall, the site of the largest waterfall in Europe. Well, it is nothing compared to Niagara Falls or some of the smaller waterfalls we have seen, but it was scenic nonetheless. We then drove 20-30 kilometres east to Stein am Rhein, also in Switzerland. This town is absolutely beautiful. Many of the buildings on the major street are elaborately decorated like no other town I have seen. While here, we purchased Swiss army knives for each of the boys, as we had promised back in Canada. The boys were all very pleased with their gifts.
After Stein am Rhein, we drove around a half an hour south-west to Zurich, and checked in to our hotel. I wasn’t expecting much, given the ridiculous prices of hotels in Zurich, and our quoted price of 200 Francs (around $220 CDN). However, when we opened the door we were surprised to see three bedrooms and a kitchen. At that point we were off to the grocery store across the street to pick up food for this evening and tomorrow morning (we could eat breakfast here at the hotel, but the price is 14 Francs per person - $15 CDN). I wasn’t feeling very well (too much sun and not enough fluids I think) so Karen and the boys explored the neighbourhood in the evening while I prepared for tomorrow.
Tomorrow will be my version of a mini-Anabaptist study tour as we roam around Zurich. I am totally pumped, but I have picked up some vibes that other family members aren’t feeling the same level of excitement!
Lunch was another learning experience for us. We decided after yesterday that it probably makes more sense to have a light lunch and a light dinner instead of a snack or two and then a larger dinner. So, we found a pizza place and chose what we thought were five individual pizzas, each around $4.00 CDN. Well, when the pizzas came, we were surprised at the size, but most of us were able to polish them off, so we thought we had made a good decision. Well, the bill came and it was $80.00 CDN! We have found several times now that for some reason we are being misinterpreted when we order, even though Karen is pretty good with her German (I am pretty pathetic, but I try). Needless to say, we are drastically changing our eating approach while in Switzerland. I cannot believe how expensive everything is here. But enough of that.
After Schaffhausen, we drove a few kilometres west to Rheinfall, the site of the largest waterfall in Europe. Well, it is nothing compared to Niagara Falls or some of the smaller waterfalls we have seen, but it was scenic nonetheless. We then drove 20-30 kilometres east to Stein am Rhein, also in Switzerland. This town is absolutely beautiful. Many of the buildings on the major street are elaborately decorated like no other town I have seen. While here, we purchased Swiss army knives for each of the boys, as we had promised back in Canada. The boys were all very pleased with their gifts.
After Stein am Rhein, we drove around a half an hour south-west to Zurich, and checked in to our hotel. I wasn’t expecting much, given the ridiculous prices of hotels in Zurich, and our quoted price of 200 Francs (around $220 CDN). However, when we opened the door we were surprised to see three bedrooms and a kitchen. At that point we were off to the grocery store across the street to pick up food for this evening and tomorrow morning (we could eat breakfast here at the hotel, but the price is 14 Francs per person - $15 CDN). I wasn’t feeling very well (too much sun and not enough fluids I think) so Karen and the boys explored the neighbourhood in the evening while I prepared for tomorrow.
Tomorrow will be my version of a mini-Anabaptist study tour as we roam around Zurich. I am totally pumped, but I have picked up some vibes that other family members aren’t feeling the same level of excitement!
July 5, 2009
This morning our first stop was Baden-Baden, the site of several famous baths and a casino. We toured the casino and spent a couple of hours wandering around the city. Baden-Baden is a beautiful little town with many attractive buildings. We took a peek into the grounds of one of the baths or spas and were quite envious of the people getting their treatments.
Our next stop was Strasbourg over the border in France. The highlight was, yet again, another cathedral. The cathedral in Strasbourg is absolutely spectacular, especially from the outside. It has literally hundreds of various figures carved into the walls, and the interior is also very impressive, although we thought the stained glass windows in Speyer were more attractive. We splurged a bit and had various cheesecakes at a bakery.
We then took a more scenic drive off of the autobahn to Freiburg and then to a little town in the Black Forest called Kirchzarten, where we checked into our first hotel during our time in Europe. We are using credit card points for most of our hotels, which is really saving us a lot of money. In many cases we need to book two rooms because most hotels in Europe only have double or triple rooms. We had a typical German meal and then had some ice cream before retiring for the evening.
The weather has been quite warm while in Germany, and often fairly humid. I would say the average high temperature has been around 30 degrees Celsius. A few clouds roll in and we might have a sprinkle or two, and then we are back to sunshine again. It sometimes feels warmer here than in Ethiopia, due to Ethiopia’s high elevation and dry climate. Oh well, we can’t complain at all. We are having a great time, although we need to be a little more deliberate in planning kid-friendly activities a bit more. The cathedrals and castles are getting to be a bit much for Isaac, although Richard can’t seem to get enough of them!
Our next stop was Strasbourg over the border in France. The highlight was, yet again, another cathedral. The cathedral in Strasbourg is absolutely spectacular, especially from the outside. It has literally hundreds of various figures carved into the walls, and the interior is also very impressive, although we thought the stained glass windows in Speyer were more attractive. We splurged a bit and had various cheesecakes at a bakery.
We then took a more scenic drive off of the autobahn to Freiburg and then to a little town in the Black Forest called Kirchzarten, where we checked into our first hotel during our time in Europe. We are using credit card points for most of our hotels, which is really saving us a lot of money. In many cases we need to book two rooms because most hotels in Europe only have double or triple rooms. We had a typical German meal and then had some ice cream before retiring for the evening.
The weather has been quite warm while in Germany, and often fairly humid. I would say the average high temperature has been around 30 degrees Celsius. A few clouds roll in and we might have a sprinkle or two, and then we are back to sunshine again. It sometimes feels warmer here than in Ethiopia, due to Ethiopia’s high elevation and dry climate. Oh well, we can’t complain at all. We are having a great time, although we need to be a little more deliberate in planning kid-friendly activities a bit more. The cathedrals and castles are getting to be a bit much for Isaac, although Richard can’t seem to get enough of them!
July 4, 2009
This morning we headed out from Frankfurt and began our drive south. Our first stop was Worms, the site of a well-known cathedral and a place famous in Reformation history. This is where Martin Luther was called to appear before Emperor Charles V and the Diet of Worms in 1521 and supposedly uttered the famous phrase “Here I stand. I can do no other.” He probably didn’t really say these exact words (in German of course) but the sentiment is probably close enough. We had a little shower during our time here, but had a good look around the town centre anyways.
After Worms we continued our drive south to Speyer, the site of another well-known cathedral. We all agreed that this cathedral was fantastic, especially the stained glass windows. After touring around the cathedral, we headed back into the van and drove to McDonald’s. We had promised the boys that after two months in Ethiopia we would hit a McDonald’s as soon as we could. Over 30 Euros later (that’s close to $50!) I made it clear that this is probably the last time we will do this.
We continued our drive south and stopped in Karlsruhe, where we parked downtown and toured the palace grounds, which include a large park. We took a little train ride around the park, which Isaac really enjoyed. The only driving “incident” we had that day was when, while being guided by the GPS, Richard ended up driving down a pedestrian mall meant only for the tram. After a few pedestrians made their feelings quite clear to us, we quickly found an exit and were no worse for the experience.
We then met our host family for the evening, arranged through Mennonite Your Way. It was a Funk family from a Mennonite church in the area. They were very hospitable and had a nice room for the five of us. We showed them some of our Ethiopia pictures and talked about people we knew in common (the Mennonite world tends to be pretty small – one of their former pastors was one of our seminary professors, and we knew the brother of one of the church members!).
After Worms we continued our drive south to Speyer, the site of another well-known cathedral. We all agreed that this cathedral was fantastic, especially the stained glass windows. After touring around the cathedral, we headed back into the van and drove to McDonald’s. We had promised the boys that after two months in Ethiopia we would hit a McDonald’s as soon as we could. Over 30 Euros later (that’s close to $50!) I made it clear that this is probably the last time we will do this.
We continued our drive south and stopped in Karlsruhe, where we parked downtown and toured the palace grounds, which include a large park. We took a little train ride around the park, which Isaac really enjoyed. The only driving “incident” we had that day was when, while being guided by the GPS, Richard ended up driving down a pedestrian mall meant only for the tram. After a few pedestrians made their feelings quite clear to us, we quickly found an exit and were no worse for the experience.
We then met our host family for the evening, arranged through Mennonite Your Way. It was a Funk family from a Mennonite church in the area. They were very hospitable and had a nice room for the five of us. We showed them some of our Ethiopia pictures and talked about people we knew in common (the Mennonite world tends to be pretty small – one of their former pastors was one of our seminary professors, and we knew the brother of one of the church members!).
Sunday, July 5, 2009
July 3, 2009
We spent the day driving along the Rhine exploring the many small towns and castles. We stopped in Ruedesheim and took a two hour river cruise. It was very beautiful and so relaxing that Sol actually fell asleep. The day started off incredibly hot but in the early afternoon the clouds rolled in and we even had a short shower which was a welcome relief. In the afternoon we explored Marksburg which is one of the bigger castles along the Rhine in Braubach, just south of Koblenz. It is the only Rhine castle that has not had to be restored due to damage from a war. The tour was interesting and would have been even more informative if it has been in English!
On the way home, we finally mastered the GPS in our van and were able to get home without opening a single map. This is a great relief for me since the pressure of navigating was starting to stress me (and Richard!). We got back to the house and of course, Elvira had more food waiting for us! They have been incredibly hospitable to us.
On the way home, we finally mastered the GPS in our van and were able to get home without opening a single map. This is a great relief for me since the pressure of navigating was starting to stress me (and Richard!). We got back to the house and of course, Elvira had more food waiting for us! They have been incredibly hospitable to us.
July 2, 2009
We have begun the next phase of our journey as we arrived in Germany this morning. We managed to get a few hours of sleep on the overnight flight from Ethiopia although we certainly didn’t feel rested. We rented a van at the airport and managed to find our way to Sasha and Elvira’s house (Sasha is a cousin of Richard's father) here in Frankfurt. They have welcomed us very warmly despite their lack of English. My rusty German is certainly getting a work out! However, they do have one son who is studying Engineering and who is quite proficient in English so he helps us out when the language barrier gets too overwhelming.
The biggest culture shock has been the abundance of marvelous food around us! Elvira seems to get great joy out of feeding our boys and she has been doing that continuously since we arrived. And the boys have obliged by eating more than I’ve ever witnessed them eat before. Simple things such as sliced meats and cheese to make sandwiches are such a special thing now. We will need to make sure that the weight that some family members lost in the past two months isn’t gained back in the next two days!
We spent the afternoon sightseeing in Frankfurt. Sasha and Elvira’s house is located a block away from the U-Bahn so we were able to use public transportation. There is not a lot of history in Frankfurt since they entire city was completely bombed in WW II and has had to be rebuilt. However, we enjoyed doing some shopping and checking out the few historical buildings that remain. In the evening Elvira took us to a nearby mall where they were showing all sorts of Ferrari’s at some sort of special show.
Tonight I will finally sleep well again since the malaria medication is now entirely out of my system. After reading that the possible side effects that include insomnia and anxiety I realized that my sleep issues and feelings of panic started in Arber Mench when I began taking malaria pills. Now that I have discontinued for the past few days, I’m feeling like a new person!
The biggest culture shock has been the abundance of marvelous food around us! Elvira seems to get great joy out of feeding our boys and she has been doing that continuously since we arrived. And the boys have obliged by eating more than I’ve ever witnessed them eat before. Simple things such as sliced meats and cheese to make sandwiches are such a special thing now. We will need to make sure that the weight that some family members lost in the past two months isn’t gained back in the next two days!
We spent the afternoon sightseeing in Frankfurt. Sasha and Elvira’s house is located a block away from the U-Bahn so we were able to use public transportation. There is not a lot of history in Frankfurt since they entire city was completely bombed in WW II and has had to be rebuilt. However, we enjoyed doing some shopping and checking out the few historical buildings that remain. In the evening Elvira took us to a nearby mall where they were showing all sorts of Ferrari’s at some sort of special show.
Tonight I will finally sleep well again since the malaria medication is now entirely out of my system. After reading that the possible side effects that include insomnia and anxiety I realized that my sleep issues and feelings of panic started in Arber Mench when I began taking malaria pills. Now that I have discontinued for the past few days, I’m feeling like a new person!
June 30, 2009
Our last full day in Ethiopia..... We awoke to a huge thunderstorm outside with lightening flashing magnificently and rain pouring down. Rainy season has definitely arrived and makes us ready to move on to Europe where we hope to encounter summer again!
We spent the day completing tasks in the library, cleaning out the apartment and packing. Sol and I got to go for one more long walk together and Isaac spent time taking final pictures of the campus. We have certainly had an amazing experience here in Ethiopia and will treasure these memories forever. Isaac is convinced that he will come back here since he thinks he likes Ethiopia even better than Canada! We are so grateful for this opportunity.
Tomorrow morning the College says farewell to us at their morning chapel and then we head in to Addis for the day to spend some time with friends and get a few things done. We fly for Frankfurt at1:45 a.m. (technically July 2nd). We are looking forward to some personal holiday time in Europe tracking down long-lost relatives in Germany and introducing the kids to some amazing sites and rich history.
We spent the day completing tasks in the library, cleaning out the apartment and packing. Sol and I got to go for one more long walk together and Isaac spent time taking final pictures of the campus. We have certainly had an amazing experience here in Ethiopia and will treasure these memories forever. Isaac is convinced that he will come back here since he thinks he likes Ethiopia even better than Canada! We are so grateful for this opportunity.
Tomorrow morning the College says farewell to us at their morning chapel and then we head in to Addis for the day to spend some time with friends and get a few things done. We fly for Frankfurt at1:45 a.m. (technically July 2nd). We are looking forward to some personal holiday time in Europe tracking down long-lost relatives in Germany and introducing the kids to some amazing sites and rich history.
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