January and February 2020

Home again after almost a month of traveling. Almost 3 weeks in South Africa with family, then off to Europe for 8 days that will be etched in my memory forever. 

 

Time with Jacob and Seb, and a visit or two with Melody were priceless, as it always is. Never can spend long enough there. 

 

Arrived in Munich on a Tuesday, stayed until early Thursday morning. Wednesday a quick walk around town then on to Neuenschwanstein Castle, which is the stuff fairy tales are made of. No photos inside, and it really defies description. But the stairs! Hundreds of steps up and then all those stairs down, not to mention the incline just to get up to where the castle is perched on the side of a hill. I did take the horse drawn carriage for most of the trip to the top, all but about the last several hundred yards so I was panting when I began the stairs to begin with.

 

Thursday morning I boarded the train for Klagenfurt for a short visit with a long-time internet friend. We have been on the same discussion forum for close to 20 years and to meet her and her family after so long was such a treat. And such a coincidence that her aunt, who I also got to meet, had spent many years in Johannesburg in a neighborhood that Jacob is very familiar with. (And I brought home an Austrian beer and cake in my bags. Soooo good.) Dagmar is such a wonderful guide and so knowledgeable about her town it was a very special visit.

 

Friday morning it was off to Zurich, Switzerland where I met another forum friend for an overnight visit. Saturday Gemma accompanied me on the train for part of my next leg to Chur where I boarded the Bernese Express for a trip through the Bernese Alps. We were able to share coffee and a sunrise over the lake before I caught my next train and she headed home. 

 

The trip through the Bernese Alps was so packed with beautiful scenery it was really unbelievable. I wanted to hop through the window and stay in some of those villages I saw. It seemed like they were beckoning and calling my name. I kept thinking of all the people who escaped through these mountains during WWII to the safety of Switzerland and was very humbled by the human spirit to be able to conquer those mountains on foot, often in ill health and without proper clothing. 

 

I made it to Rome late Saturday evening, was able to find a hotel right across from the Termini train station so was all set for 2 wonderful days in Rome. 

 

Now, those of you who know me well know that I am directionally challenged and frequently spend time somewhat confused (not REALLY LOST) just not entirely sure where I am. Rome was no exception. I never did find the Trevi Fountain, I spent Sunday morning looking though and saw part of Rome that made me just want to sit down and ponder things (and eat gelato, both of which I did). I did see a cool fountain though. 

 

Sunday afternoon I did find the Coliseum in time for my pre-booked tour time thanks to the generosity of a gentleman from Poland who spoke no English, and of course languages is another of my challenges, but through sign language, gestures and the word Coliseum he figured out where I wanted to go and actually accompanied me on the metro to my proper stop, gesturing when I was to leave the train.

It's pretty humbling to walk on stones that gladiators and Roman senators trod. To walk around the 2nd floor and look down into what as the underneath of the Coliseum where the gladiators and animals awaited their fates. 

 

I was completely exhausted when I left so back to the hotel and a good nights rest. I woke up the next morning not entirely sure if I was still alive because of all the walking I had done over the past few days I was pretty sure I had found some muscles in my legs and lower back that previously didn't really exist.

Monday afternoon was my pre-booked visit to the Sistine Chapel so that morning I once again set out to find the Trevi fountain. No luck again despite maps and directions from kind strangers. Found another marvelous fountain and some more of Rome that left me wanting to stay for another week or two. 

 

Finally (again after a couple of false starts) found the Vatican (I know you should not be able to have such a hard time finding things, but it's that directional issue again). Walked around the wall of Vatican City to get to the entrance and was really telling myself that all that pain was good for me. Uphill walking in a bit of heat is good for the soul, right? Where was one of those horse drawn carriage rides or cabs that I had seen earlier when I needed it the most? 

 

I made it though. And I made it all the way through the halls (LOTS of halls) to the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo, right? His work is genius, we all know that. But what got me was the tapestries that were in the halls before you got the chapel. I had to just stand and stare and wonder how long it took to weave them. Having done a bit of weaving and having a love for all textile art, I was blown away by the intricacy of these pieces of art, and I'm still wondering about the makers of them. 

 

So Rome conquered me. I would love to go back and spend at least 2 weeks just exploring. I don't think you could do it justice in 2 weeks though. I met a couple that spends half their year there and half in New York City. I might have to look into that (not the New York City part, the Rome part). 

 

PS:  Reading back over this as I post it I realize just how wonderful this trip was and wonder if I will ever be able to travel so freely again.  The world has certainly changed.