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HIDDEN GEMS
September 17-20, 2026
Kathy and I have traveled through Frankfurt, Germany, via air and land many times, but we have never been to Frankfurt until this adventure. We were surprised with the many hidden gems we discovered in the city and surrounding area.
Frankfurt is an important center of commerce and banking and a major transportation hub for Europe. After it was destroyed by allied bombing in World War II, the city leaders decided to not recreate the old but instead build the new. As a result, the city has a skyline defined by skyscrapers, earning it the nickname, “Mainhattan,” since the River Main runs through the city. Several years ago, the population, nostalgic for the beauty of the past, pressured the city leaders to recreate a several block area as it would have looked before the war. Called the Römerberg, this cobblestoned space, filled with half-timbered buildings, quaint and/or majestic churches and restaurants, is now a major gathering place for locals and tourists. Our wonderful hotel was situated nearby and I enjoyed walking the area in the crisp and sunny weather.
We took day trips to nearby Wiesbaden and Idstein. Wiesbaden is one of Germany’s famous spa cities. Its casino is well known and its thermal baths refreshing. We enjoyed ambling around the attractive buildings and enjoying the beautiful weather. The five-spired (some 300 feet) Lutheran Cathedral was imposing. We were on a mission, however, to find a necklace for Kathy. Her father, long decreased, had traveled to Germany 74 years ago and thought Wiesbaden his favorite city. While there, he bought Kathy’s mother a necklace. Kathy remembered it from childhood and had an image of it in her mind. It was a stone mined in the area. Alas, although we found the long established family store that once mined the stone, the mine had closed a decade ago, and the stone was no longer available. At least we tried.
Idstein has not yet been discovered by tourists. Its altstadt (old town) is more than quaint. Beautiful hand carved and ornamented wood buildings, colorfully painted and half-timbered, lined the area. It had an upper and a lower village with stone-arched walking bridges.The highlight of the village is the amazing Unionskirche (Lutheran Church). A nondescript exterior hid the overwhelming interior, known locally as the German Sistine Chapel. Large frescoes of Biblical scenes covered the ceilings and walls. One’s eyes didn’t know where to focus. Breath-taking is apropos.
Germany is in a major overhaul of its train system and it bit us on our way back to Frankfurt from Idstein. The village is down hill from the train station that is now closed for renovation. I reminded Kathy if we go down, we’ll have to go back up! We left the village early to make the trek back up. I was so winded that I was walking like a “drunken sailor” on the steep upward trudge! Finally, we made it with 20 minutes to spare. Yea—Not YEA! We inquired of an attendant how to get to platform 2 from where the train was to arrive. He smiled and said, “If you walk very fast, you can make it???” We could see the platform, and we had 20 minutes. He said there was only one way to reach platform 2 since the simple and easy way was closed during the remodeling. He pointed, “Walk that way until you see a bridge, cross it, and on the other side come back toward the station and then over to platform 2.” I kid you not—the bridge was over a quarter of a mile away and when we approached it, we saw no way to ascend to the bridge until a young man ran past us and climbed a hidden stair case. Yes, cut into the earth and reaching up to the bridge was a rough hewn three-tiered stone stairway. I was now deliriously tired! Across the bridge I stumbled as Kathy, spry as ever, urged me onward. On the other side, we had to walk quite a distance to a pedestrian street that ran parallel to the tracks. Younger folks scooted past us. Figuring correctly they were rushing to the platform, we followed. Finally, all the way back, Kathy pointed to the walkway leading to the platform. I knew the train had to be close, so I told Kathy to go ahead. People were now running past me! Oh, no. There was a descending walkway towards a tunnel. As I headed down, the train was pulling up. Once inside the tunnel, I encountered a multitude of people descending a long staircase as they scurried from the train. Gasping for air, I pulled myself up the final 32 steps as I heard the conductor’s whistle blow, signifying the train was pulling out. NO!!!!!!!! On my final step, I looked up to see two angelic passengers forcing the train doors to remain open as Kathy bid me on. Once onboard, the doors slammed behind me and the train pulled out. I collapsed into a seat, thankful to God that I had made it…indeed, thankful that even after two knee replacements and a multiple myeloma cancer diagnosis and treatment, I could still experience these hidden gems of travel.
The next morning, we met our friends, Tom and Nancy, at the Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof (main train station) after their flight into the Frankfurt airport. Together, we departed Frankfurt by train to meet our friends, Randy and Melisa, who had arrived earlier in Schwerin, Germany. We rejoiced as our autumn adventures together in northern Germany begin. WEG
Held Captive in a Cab
August 30-September 10, 2025
Athens, the cradle of western civilization and democratic principles, is sprawling and, in most places, nondescript as far as architecture is concerned. The historic sites, such as the Acropolis, are awesome. To think that many of the greats of history walked these areas is humbling. Prior to leaving for Greece, I had a day of infusions for my multiple myeloma and I slept little on the flight over. Even arriving two days early so that we could tour the historic sites before boarding our cruise, I was “out of it.” Thankfully, we had been to these sites several years before. Still, I powered forward as long as I could. Eventually, I told Kathy, “I’m done,” and got an Uber back to our hotel. She stayed with our travel friends at my encouragement. Upon arrival at the hotel I began to exit the Uber cab and the driver said, “You have to pay!” I replied, “I have paid on the Uber app.” He said, “NO—this is a cash only cab,” and he would not accept that I had paid through Uber. He finally said that Uber would have to refund me. I had no cash—I had left it with Kathy. The stand-off began! I was so tired I wanted to just lay down and sleep in the cab. On the narrow street in front on the hotel, cars began to line up and honk. My brain was in a fog! I should have said, “Let’s call the police and have them settle this,” but did’t even think of that. Finally, the cash cab became a credit card cab, and I paid for my ride a second time at a rate higher than what I had already paid to Uber. I needed to sleep and, once in the hotel room, collapsed on the bed, not even removing my shoes to sleep, sleep, sleep!
Greek cooking class—six courses—was wonderful. I cannot spell nor pronounce the foods we prepared. Twelve of our travel friends had a fun time eating the foods we prepared. Friend Melisa was excited to try the Greek dessert donuts we had prepared. The lead chef placed a bowl of fried donut hole shaped delicacies covered in honey and cinnamon in front of me. Melisa rushed over to grab one. As she pushed one into her mouth, I cried, “Melisa, they are raw!” Her eyes widened in fear; her mouth froze, and her hand instinctively went to her mouth. I started laughing hysterically, and she realized I was kidding. Still days later, she has not talked to me :-).
One evening meal, we walked to a highly recommended restaurant near our hotel. My whole squid—tentacles and all—stuffed with feta and tomatoes was supremely delicious.
Our cruise of the Greek Isles and Istanbul (two days) and Ephesus in Turkey has been delightful. The white (lime) washed cities, often lining the mountainous cliffs overlooking the clear blue and turquoise waters below, were enchanting. Blue-domed Greek Orthodox churches dotted the heights and old Greek windmills added a unique aura as we walked the hand-laid smooth stone lanes. Istanbul was impressive, and our group of friends frequently commented on how clean and “beating expectations” it was. The Blue Mosque, however, was less than I expected. Still, the intricate blue tiles were beautiful. The Hagia Sophia, the ancient and magnificent Christian Church, was faded glory since so much of it is covered over inside. It is now a mosque and any mosaics with human images that can be seen by worshipers are covered over since Islam forbids such imagery in worship spaces. Ancient Ephesus, where the Apostle Paul was persecuted and where an early Christian congregation was founded, has magnificent ruins. Stone columns line the 3000 year old stone street that leads the way to the proudly standing tall Library of Celsus. Two amphitheaters, one seating 25,000, draw attention. It is hard to believe that 80% of the city has yet to be excavated.
The fan favorite port of our travel buddies is Rhodes. Santorini and Mykonos were wonderful, but Rhodes was not only accessible, but architecturally different, since it contained many Byzantine elements including the stone walls and round towers that ringed the city. The port where the mighty Colossus of Rhodes (one of the ancient world’s seven wonders) once stood still beckons with its clear waters.
There were nineteen in our friends’ group that traveled this far; fourteen of us will continue on to Milan tomorrow.
WEG
The Doomed Cathedral of Beauvais
I was somewhat in trepidation walking into the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Beauvais, France. One could see how a patchwork of bracing keeps what remains standing. The cathedral is both imposing and sad. The vision was to build the largest cathedral in France, possibly even the world, back in the 13th Century. Construction began quickly and effectively and soon a transept and the choir (altar and music area) arose. It was majestic–the highest interior height (still to this day) achieved in the gothic form. Then, one by one, calamities struck. Part of the 154 foot high vaulting over the choir collapsed and repair work took needed funds from other projects. The nave was never to be built because of a fateful decision to build the highest spire ever conceived over the altar before construction on the nave began. Sure enough, reaching 492 feet in height, the spire made the cathedral the tallest building in the world until it began to move and finally collapsed in 1537. If the nave had been built first, as originally planned, it is highly possible the spire would not have fallen. Wars, especially the 100 Years War, came and went, and funds dried up. Then, during the French Revolution, anti-clerical elements destroyed the statuary that was a hallmark of the exterior, and interior treasures in the cathedral were hauled away. Later, the Beauvais Cathedral became a patchwork as efforts were made to conserve what remained.
What remains is still imposing! The one transept and the choir are immense and show how glorious the entire cathedral would have been. We took time to view the cathedral’s beautiful astronomical clock containing 90,000 components and 50 moving figurines including numerous functions it can fulfill. It played and chimed and figures danced as we watched.
The rest of Beauvais is small city France, and we enjoyed walking the streets and finding patisseries. Tomorrow, we train to Paris’s Charles de Gaulle airport (less than an hour away) for an EasyJet flight to Copenhagen and the next day a flight home. We have thoroughly enjoyed our trip and yet, we are happy to return home, God willing, to our family and friends!
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