Our European Adventure 2007

Our European Adventure
For our 25th Wedding Anniversary (July 10, 1982-2007) my wife, Fran and I, along with our two children, Jill and Sara, had a whirlwind tour of four beautiful European Countries: Italy, Switzerland, France, and England. The weather was perfect with 12 sun-filled days. We traveled on planes, buses, trains, subways, taxis and double-decker buses. It was a great blessing to us to experience the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells of some of the greatest cities in the world. Below is an itenary of the trip with a few snap shots of the family. During the weeks to come I will post other writings of the trip, especially lessons I was reminded of while on the trip.

Saturday, July 7
We flew from Nashville to Philadelphia before crossing the ocean to Rome, Italy. This whole day was spent in flight or waiting for a flight.

Sunday, July 8
After losing six hours we arrived in Rome around 9:00AM. The tour company, Globus, met us and took us to the Villa Pamphilli hotel. The hotel had a shuttle into town so we headed off to explore. We went to the Vatican where the Pope had just finished speaking. We went into the courtyard and were overwhelmed. From there we went to the Castel Sant’Angelo, an ancient castle on the Seine River from which we had a great view of the city. Back at the hotel we met our tour group and went for a delicious Italian meal, 6 courses and all were wonderful.

Monday, July 9
The hotel had a huge breakfast to start the day off right. We toured the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. To say the insides of the Vatican are ornate would be an understatement. Gold, statues, paintings, and mosaics were everywhere. After a bite of lunch we headed over to the Colosseum and the ancient buildings of Rome before and during the times of Jesus, Paul, and Peter. The Colosseum was the place where Christians were killed by the gladiators or lions and wild beasts. I felt as if we were standing on hallowed ground. We were on our own after this and went to the catacombs. These hand-dug burial tunnels ran for miles and were where the Romans would bury their dead. The guide said many Christians were buried in the Catacombs after being killed at the Colosseum. We went back into Rome and finished the day with many beautiful sights.

Pictures from Rome, Italy:

Top Left: St. Paul’s Bascilica

Right: Colosseum
Below: Trevi Fountain

Tuesday, July 10 – Our 25th Wedding Anniversary
This special day began with a great breakfast and then a bus ride through the Italian countryside as we left Rome and drove to Florence. It was a beautiful day to spend remembering how blessed we have been these past 25 years. Florence is an important city for the arts as we could see at the Academy of Fine Arts. Many sculptures and paintings throughout the city but the most famous was Michelangelo’s David. As like many of the art pieces of that time the statue needed a few more clothes on. We visited several of the large cathedrals in the city and had some time for shopping. Our anniversary was a memorable day in Italy.

Wednesday, July 11
A quick early breakfast began the day and then we were off to explore Venice. The city is built on a series of islands so we had to take a water taxi from the bus stop. The canals, gondolas, and footbridges were beautiful. We toured through St. Mark’s Basilica where the remains of Mark the writer of the second gospel are kept. As with other of the large churches the walls and ceiling were covered with gold, mosaics, and artwork. Outside St. Mark’s we went to the top of the bell tower from which we could see the whole city. As part of the tour we also went into a glass factory and saw a demonstration of how they make their famous glasswork. Fran had waited until this stop to buy a special anniversary present and she bought a beautiful purple glass vase. We finished the day exploring the alleys, bridges, and shops. We got lost several times but that was part of the fun and excitement of Venice.

Thursday, July 12
Today, we left Italy and drove through the Swiss Alps to the mountain village of Engleburg. On the way we passed through the 6,935-foot high St. Gotthard Pass with many great views of the Swiss Alps. The road wound back and forth up the mountain and gave us quite a drive. The village of Engleburg sits in the mountains just under Mount Titlis. The girls went out hiking and we enjoyed the evening with a cool mountain air stroll. Our tour was a family tour so there were several teens on the trip for Jill and Sara to get to know and The road wound back and forth up the mountain and gave us quite a drive. The village of Engleburg sits in the mountains just under Mount Titlis. The girls went out hiking and we enjoyed the evening with a cool mountain air stroll. Our tour was a family tour so there were several teens on the trip for Jill and Sara to get to know which helped them have a break from always being with mom and dad.

Friday, July 13
A larger mountain city named Lucerne was the destination for this day. We began exploring the shopping areas and found several good souvenirs. The old city wall and towers were open to the public and we enjoyed the history. For lunch we had a picnic on the steps of a beautiful church beside a river. Swans were all around and we became very popular as we feed them our leftovers. The whole day was filled with the majesty of the mountains.

Saturday, July 14
An early breakfast and departure put us on the road headed out of Switzerland and into France. The border crossing was extremely smooth with a short stop at the checkpoint. The ride through France took most of the day and we arrived in Paris around 5:00PM. After checking in to the hotel, we headed off with a family we met on the trip, Wilson, Jennifer, and Jessica. They had been in Paris before and were familiar with the Metro system. The French Metro is their underground subway system. What a ride. We went to the opera district and shopped until the stores closed. Sara had money burning her pockets and she found a pretty dress just as the shop was closing. We happened to be in Paris on Bastille Day, France’s Independence Day and were told of a great fireworks show at the Eiffel Tower at 11:00 PM. We headed in that direction and passed the Royal Palace and the Louvre. It took several hours to locate the Metro stop for our escape back to the hotel after the fireworks. In the process we discovered a McDonalds in the heart of Paris. We found a good view of the Eiffel Tower and watched the show. The movement of thousands of people after the fireworks was exciting. Everyone was moving toward the Metro stop as fast as they could walk. After a short wait we got through and had a short ride to the hotel.


Sunday, July 15
Back on the bus we had a French guide give us a tour of the city. We went up to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower and it was a beautiful view. We passed by many of the sights of Paris: the Opera, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame Cathedral, and many other buildings and monuments. We ended the tour at the Louvre which is a huge museum with a crystal pyramid in the front. We saw the Mona Lisa and thousands of other paintings, sculptures, and historical artifacts. The most interesting was a display from ancient Egypt.

From there we went through the beautiful streets to Notre Dame Cathedral. It was around 5:00 PM and they were having an organ recital. The music resonated through the stone interior. We caught the Metro and headed to the Sacred Heart Basilica. The beautiful white church sat high on a hill and over looked the entire city. As we climbed the stairs there was a gathering of young adults singing praise songs to the Lord Jesus Christ in English. Inside the church, the people were observing Mass and we stayed for a few moments and then slipped out. We went to a few local shops and bought a crepe and two baggets for supper in a local park. People in Europe seem to like to go outside in the evenings to walk, talk, and visit. A Metro ride back to the hotel brought an end to a wonder-filled day.

Monday, July 16
After an early breakfast we went to the train station in Paris for a ride on the super fast, 200-mph Eurostar

which travels from Paris, France to London, England. The train had several passenger cars and our entire tour group filled up one. The girls and several of their friends had special table seats that sat eight. They played cards and just enjoyed the ride. It has been a blessing to have other kids for Jill and Sara to be with on this trip. The train ride took a little over two hours as it sped across the continent. Going under the English Channel too less than twenty minutes. Once in London we headed to the hotel and then into the city for exploration. Our first shock was changing money. It took over two dollars for each English pound. Then to the tube, London’s underground subway system. Our first stop was Piccadilly Circus, a famous roundabout in the heart of London. From there we walked through St. James Park and ended up in front of a magnificent building, Buckingham Palace. An afternoon tea party was just leaving the palace and we had the opportunity to see the special invited guests. The queen was not at the party but others of the royal family had attended. We then walked past Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, and the London Eye. We asked about fish n’ chips and were directed to a small outdoor area across from the Tower of London. The fish was great and the chips were what we would call french fries. We enjoyed the meal and the view of the tower. Back on the Tube to our hotel and we called it another full day.

Tuesday, July 17
Breakfast was the first attraction of the day. It was a full English breakfast with three large buffet lines, an omelet bar, and more food than a person could and should eat. We tried blood pudding, fish cakes, and other English delicacies. An English tour guide greeted the group and off we went to see the city of London. We stopped at St. Paul’s Cathedral and toured the massive facilities. We had purchased a London Pass that also allowed us to go up into the dome of the church into the Whisper Room and on up to an outside terrace which gave a great view of the city. Back on the bus we went to Buckingham Palace and watched the changing of the guard. We toured the Queen’s Art Gallery and the Royal Muses (stables). The number one plan for the afternoon was to go back and tour the Tower of London. It was an impressive castle, complete with moat, towers, high walls, and jewels. The crown jewels are on display and they are impressive. We went the Shakespeare’s Globe Theater for a tour but it was closed during a performance. A small museum was nearby and included on our London Pass called Britain at War. It gave a perspective of London during the bombing of World War II and the devastation and confusion of those days. We stopped for a tour of the Tower Bridge and then took a boat ride on the Thames River. By then it was well past dinnertime and we walked to China Town which is near the theater district. All the Chinese restaurants looked good but then we saw a small storefront restaurant with eight or ten roasted ducks hanging in the windows, dripping under the heat lamps. We had roast duck, roast pork, fried rice, and egg noodles. It was a feast. On the way back to the hotel we rode a double-decker bus. That was a great way to close out a great day.

Wednesday, July 18 - The best day of the trip!

I say it was the best day of the trip because it was the day we headed back home. We left the sights, smells, and sounds of London, Paris, Rome, Venice, and the Swiss Alps. Trips to other parts of the world are exciting with many new and beautiful sights, but nothing can rival the thrill of "Going home." As we boarded the huge airplane and prepared for the flight I said a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord for 12 days of beautiful weather with my family in a fascinating part of the world. The flight was over quickly and before I knew it we were back at our home in Tennessee.

There and back again, to the glory of God.

Our European Adventure 2007.