The Beefeater was a robust guy with a booming voice. “It’s not a restroom–you don’t go there to take a nap. It’s not a bathroom–you don’t go there to take a bath.” Scanning the tourists to the Tower of London, he bellowed, “You know out there to whom I am speaking. ‘It’s a toilet!’ Don’t mess with the English language!” With that introduction, we walked through 900 years of English history as we saw the Traitors’ Gate and the Bloody Tower and the graves of important figures of history and the Crown Jewels of England and many other sites in this fascinating building complex of English royalty and intrigue.

It was a great day in London. The weather was clear, and the temperature was nearly perfect. We walked along the River Thames; walked across both the London and Tower Bridges; lolly-gagged in the Borough Market–with its dizzying array of food products–and people-watched in Picadilly Circus–reminiscent of Times Square in New York City. Fleet Street, the old publishing center and the financial district of The City of London, were interesting. We absorbed much today.

Friends of Allen Krahn–ask him if he knows how the term “hang over” came about? Spoiler alert–the answer follows. On hanging days in the village green across from Hyde Park, multitudes, indeed, whole families would gather for the spectacle. Alcohol was consumed by some in excess, and they would end up sleeping in Hyde Park. So the drunk folks watched the hanging and stayed over, hence, they “hang over.” Such is the educational stuff of traveling. WEG

A Pub–Must be London

September 20, 2016

Our first meal in London was in The Constitution, an elegant English pub. What better pub food is there than fish and chips, unless it is bangers and mash? Ours came with pea mash and home-made bread and butter. We all convinced Allen Krahn to put the malt vinegar on the fish. His response? “Well, if that’s the way they do it…” (He liked it!) The Guinness for Kathy was slow tapped, just the way it is supposed to be. After a long day in the air from Houston, and the train ride into London, the Graumann’s and Krahn’s are worn out. Our hotel is well-placed in Belgravia, within ear shot of Big Ben’s chimes and Westminster Abbey to the east and Buckingham Palace to the north. Our journey begins! WEG

Our rented vehicle, a Mercedes van that holds nine (we were upgraded) was a comfortable way for our six bodies (Berg’s, Krahn’s and Graumann’s) to travel Tuscany. It took us through hill and dale, and now we needed to return it to the Florence rental center near the train station. Dan drove and all of us navigated, except Charlotte who prayed. Roads are not well marked and, once in Florence, we needed to avoid the restricted zone, where non-authorized–we were not authorized–vehicles are forbidden and electronically ticketed with a hefty fine. The problem is that the train station borders the restricted zone. Having been in Florence before, I was well acquainted with the train station location, but getting there on authorized roads caused apoplexy. It may be possible we crossed one forbidden place. I will know in three months if a fine appears on my credit card, which is what happens in Italy. Thankfully, once we saw the stazione (train station) directional markers, we were able to navigate successfully to our destination. We had given ourselves plenty of time in case we got majorly lost, and we arrived over an hour early.

The trek to Pisa from Florence is via a crowded regional train. And crowded it was. Once there Dan headed out quickly to the leaning tower in order to take the climb. It is a memorable experience. The rest watched either Dan climb or the luggage. The Duomo (cathedral) and shopping rounded out the experience.

Back to the regional train we took the short hop to La Spezia where we will stay overlooking the Bay of Poets (Lord Byron wrote his poetry while he looked out upon the bay) and an ancient castle next to the Mediterranean in the small hamlet of Lerici. What a sight it is–outstanding!

PS. Dan had some unfortunate events during the day. First, he left his new and wonderful camera with precious memories captured on the chip on the train. It is gone, gone. Then, he was pick-pocketed of E200 (about $230) by gypsy women who entered the train behind him and exited the train after. An Italian man ran up hurriedly holding his own wallet and pointing and saying something we did not understand immediately. He was telling us the women pick-pocketed. Too late, Dan saw his empty wallet on the floor of the train car. Thankfully, his credit cards and passport were intact. Eventually, after the angst, Dan (and Charlotte) decided to let it go and enjoy the rest of the trip, which we shall.

WEG – September 6, 2015

A travel experience is more than the facts of the journey–it is also a life teaching moment and life altering as well. It is an enjoyment in time and of space that leaves a lasting impression on the soul.

First, some fun facts of our ten and a half month “vacation.”
+We traveled enough miles to go around the globe three times.
+We visited sixteen countries–from Austria to the United Kingdom/Gibraltar.
+We visited eighteen states in the United States–from Arizona to Washington.
+We spent the most time in Florence, Italy.
+We revisited Barcelona three separate times.
+We traveled on every mechanical mode of transportation (save the space shuttle) available.
+We took two transAtlantic cruises, one Rhine River cruise, and one Mediterranean cruise for six weeks on the water.
+We drove every inch of the U.S. west coast Highway 1 from Southern California to near the border of Canada. (In Oregon, the number changed to 101.)
+We saw all nine of our siblings.
+We experienced the heights of the Alps and the lows of the Krakow salt mines.
+We lodged in 73 hotels, 3 apartments, 5 resorts, 3 cruise ship staterooms and one sibling’s home.

Next, the lasting impressions:
+Having family and friends at home who pray for you and support you is the solid foundation that allows you to savor your adventure.
+God’s creation and the creations of humanity fostered by God are awesome and inspirational and leave images in the mind and soul that photography, while important, cannot duplicate.
+Experiencing is more fulfilling than traveling.
+Having friends join you on a journey is rewarding. Thank you, Carolyn, Randy, Melisa, Ken, Paula, Allen and Rhonda and our grandchildren, Mikayla, Miranda, Aurora and Micah for enriching our lives with your presence.
+Tomball’s sister city relationship with Telgte, Germany, is valuable. Blessings to our Tomball and Telgte friends.
+Revel in the unexpected, such as when you need a stopover for a night and pick a place of which you have never heard and find a gem that few discover–Bacharach, Germany, for instance. Or, when you cannot find your tour up a mountain and end up driving instead, such as at the Rock of Gibraltar.
+When you venture beyond your comfort zone, impactful memories are created. Such as walking into a darkened village late, late in the evening with not a soul awake, looking for your hotel, such as at Monterosa, Italy, in the remote Cinque Terre village.
+People everywhere are the same.
+It is good to come home.

God bless you all, and thanks be to God for His blessings in our lives throughout this journey. WEG

I had not tasted roasted chestnuts since our stay in Sevilla, Spain, early in our 2013 journey. Today, I found them in Avignon, France. They taste just as they did in Sevilla–soft, warm, nutty, sweet. The vendor served them from a large shallow kettle kept hot by an open flame. Since we were walking towards the Palace of the Popes to get a view in the soothing evening air before darkness set in, I asked the vendor how late he was open: “Seven,” he replied. We arrived back around six, and he said to me with a smile that it was not seven yet and he could not sell me any!

Avignon is a place of wonderful history and classic French architecture. The Palace of the Popes and city fortifications are classic French gothic. The old center blends into a tapestry that is muted in color, yet rich in detail. As the bright pink sky hovered over the ancient city walls and towers, I could imagine that those who lived here centuries ago found it as breathtaking as I. WEG

Lausanne, Switzerland, is situated on Lake Geneva looking across to the French Alps. The large lake is a deep blue, and the Alps are snow capped–a majestic sight! The villages that stretch out along the lake around Lausanne are French in character, as this is the French speaking area of Switzerland. The majority language in Switzerland is German with Italian predominating along the Italian borderlands.

Interestingly, palm trees and other such types of vegetation grow in certain parts of this area. Because of the geography, a microclimate allows for tropical vegetation in an area that is surrounded by snow.

Our short day trip took us to Montreux. Along the way, vineyards rose up on terraced hills. The rock-walled terraces had man-made water channels that allowed rain and snow melt to course through them. Today, waterfalls flowed through the terraces as the water rushed to the lake. The grape vine leaves are now gold and red. We passed the vineyards that make Chardonnay. Such a fantastic sight.

Our destination was the Chateau de Chillon. It is one of the most photographed castles in the world. As home base to the powerful House of Savoy, it occupied a prominent place in the history in the Middle Ages. We enjoyed discovering its ramparts and rock foundations, its paint decorated walls and ceilings and its towers and terraces. It is beautiful to behold; yet, powerful. It was home and fortress, and it has withstood the test of time. WEG

First Luzern, then Grindelwald. Central Switzerland is beyond beautiful. We did not have much time in Luzern. Kathy and I had been here before, but the return visit reminded us of the beauty of this city on a powder blue mountain lake. A mix of German and French architecture, the city was aglow on this sunny and pleasant day. I was in shirtsleeves. A market with colorful awnings and local products lined the lakeside below the Old Town. We walked the old wooden Kapellbruecke (Chapel Bridge), constructed in the early 1300s, for which the city is famous, with its interior paintings and gingerbread wooden slates.

Our train ride to Grindelwald had scenery that rivaled our Glacier Express train experience. The majesty of creation, simply put, is extraordinary! Grindelwald is a wonderful small mountain village set in a valley surrounded by some of Switzerland’s most scenic mountain peaks. One is the Eiger, the setting for several movies. Our hotel has an outdoor patio that has a panoramic view. Our welcome to the hotel included sparkling wine served on the patio. The sun was warm, and I was able to be in shirtsleeves–high in the Alps in November, no less. The peaks are snow-covered, yet the valley is lush green. Such refreshing sights.

Tonight, our friends Ken and Paula joined us for a meal in a traditional Swiss restaurant. We dined on fennel soup, roesti (fried grated potato served with sauerkraut and smoked sausage), raclette (fried cheese served with boiled potato, gherkins and pearl onions) and apfel (apple) strudel. It was tasty and very atmospheric, a fitting conclusion to a fine day. WEG

The iconic train journey across Switzerland is the Glacier Express, and today our friends Ken and Paula and Kathy and I were able to ride on it. It is aptly named as it crossed deep gorges and hugged the side of the mountain at high altitudes. Snow-capped peaks stood out against the sky, and mountain waterfalls cascaded down steep cliffs. The autumn colors were at peak density and the golds were particularly striking. What a memorable trip, made all the more so by the beauty of the Matterhorn in Zermatt, where we debarked for several hours.

Have you ever had a day planned when something totally unexpected happened and your day was enriched as a result? That was our day today! The journey was spectacular, but the activities at a cemetery in Zermatt were touching and impressive. Today was All Saints Day, and the city churches had a ceremony remembering the faithfully departed. A robed procession with crucifix and candles walked through the city as church bells pealed, followed by hundreds of people to the beautiful cemetery in the center of the city where each grave had been meticulously cleaned and planted with fresh flowers. Family members gathered by each grave site to light candles as a red and black uniformed band played Christian hymns. It was a heart-warming scene that brought a tear to the eye as old widows knelt down at the grave of a husband, helped by their adult children or grandchildren, or parents stood with heads bowed at the grave of a child. It was a sound and scene that will leave a lasting impression. WEG