Europe Part 2: Cathedrals, Waterfalls and Limestone

A disclaimer:  Because we waited too long to post this, there’s a lot to tell you.  We considered just keeping it short and sweet, but got a request to go ahead and write about everything (blame Tracey).  If long blogs bore you, please skip to the senses and lessons learned :)

Click Here to see the full Europe Part 2 Highlight Album

For the past few weeks we traveled from Switzerland down to the Adriatic coast via Milan and Ravenna, took the ferry over to Split, Croatia, and then traveled up through Croatia into Slovenia and back down through Italy through Venice and Florence to Rome. 

Switzerland to Italy

The trip into Italy from Switzerland was a stunning one through Swiss tunnels and impressive switchbacks where motorcycles zipped by us on blind curves at angles closer to the ground than vertical.  Apparently, all of Europe goes on holiday in August leaving on Saturday and one of the tunnels was closed—we passed kilometers of stopped traffic that makes I-70 ski traffic on a Sunday afternoon look like a cake walk.  

Milan Duomo

We’d been lucky with the weather and hadn’t had to deal with much heat, much to Xander’s delight, but the heat caught up with us in Italy, which we encountered for the first time when Carolyn led everyone astray in Lake Como walking up the wrong hill to try to visit a beautiful villa, that, once we finally found, ended up being pretty boring.  I guess you can’t win them all—and at least Jim got practice driving through streets so narrow he had to fold in the mirrors. 

Ravenna Mosaics  

Our travels took us  near Milan to a surprisingly nice hotel where Liam learned that the “sink for short people” is actually a bidet—these kids are getting so cultured J Driving across Italy we stopped at the Milan and Ravenna Duomos, where we got to see incredible architecture, stained glass and mosaics.  Even as religious and art illiterate as we are, we were all in awe of these incredible buildings. 

 Next we stayed in the small Italian hill town of Petritoli, where Rotary friends from Denver, Carolyn and Paulo, were incredible hosts and shared their amazing 4 story villa with us.  It was wonderful to explore the area with “locals” from home.  Below is a poem that Liam wrote about our rejuvenating time there:

Oh my the sky as I lie on the chair

Enjoying the Italian Hill Country with Carolyn and Paul

In which nothing can compare

To the refreshing air

Or the grassy farm filled hills

With a couple of scattered mills

Which will me to a thrill.

The coast of Italy not so far

In this pleasant castle terrace

Atop a towering castle wall.

The stracciatelli feeling good

In my belly as I look at the

White walls of the secret church

Inside the town of Petritoli.

Now I have to say goodbye

To playing Shanghai

With a super nice guy

And the beautiful blue sky.

Our adventure continued with new type of accommodation-- the overnight ferry from Italy to Croatia.  We had no idea what to expect of our “economy berth,” but it turned out to be good with air conditioning which was key - given how hot it was (33 C).  We were happy not to be one of the passengers sleeping on the deck; worth our extra 20 Euros for sure!  Split is a dynamic port city with soviet-style blocky apartments and the amazing Diocletian’s Palace complex.  We beat the crazy heat taking a dip in the Adriatic sea- along with swarms of vacationing Europeans. After our quick trip to Split we headed north because we opted to go to national parks over going south and visiting Dubrovnik.  It’s surprising how many “don’t miss” places and things we need to skip even with all this time.

Swimming at Krka National Park

Both Krka National Park and Plitvice Lakes National Parks were amazing, despite the heat and crowds.  In Europe, each car’s license plate has a country letter, like the state plates in the US- so we could confirm that the variety of people and languages came from places ranging from D, B and NL (Germany, Belgium and Netherlands) to PL and SLO (Poland and Slovenia).  Of course, people continue to think we’re from France because of our trusty just off-the-line Peugeot, so you never really know. The water color and clarity in the lakes, rivers, and waterfalls is otherworldly (and also good for a chemistry lesson).

Jim's happy place

Next, we headed north to Slovenia (not to be confused a la George W Bush with Slovakia, which is 2 counties to the north) not knowing what to expect, but left understanding why LOVE is in the county name.  This country, which was created in 1991 as part of the collapse of the Soviet Union, has a statue of a poet instead of a war general in Ljubljana’s (the capital city’s) main square.  We stayed at a guest house outside of charming Lake Bled.  We’ve been pretty insular, so it was a highlight for all of us to get to know  other guests from Israel, Austria and the UK over our several dinners together. Turns out “Spot It” is an awesome game for kids in any language.  In Slovenia, we paddle boarded above giant carp, took an alpine slide, awkwardly paddled a defective row boat in the rain, rafted on emerald waters, walked above the biggest underground ravine in Europe and Jim (finally!) was able to fly fish.   The water was so clear you could see the trout and grayling from about 400 feet above the river.  

Dreaming of Gladiators

Finally, we headed back around to Italy and had several quick day trips in Venice, Florence and Rome.  Liam loved the glass animals in Venice (probably the best thing ever to carry around the world in a backpack), we all thought the Galileo Science museum in Florence was really cool and Rome, well, who doesn’t like envisioning 100 lions appearing to fight gladiators while gazing at maze underneath what was the Coliseum floor?

It’s hard to believe that tomorrow we leave our first continent (and our beloved car) to travel to Ethiopia. We’re excited and a little queasy (but that’s probably from the Malaria medicine…)

Cradle of humanity, here we come.

Senses:                                             

Carolyn: The marble buttresses and statue-topped spires criss crossing the Milan skyline from the terrace on top of the Duomo Cathedral; The juxtaposition of intricate mosaics and detailed fresco paintings on the high ceilings of the Ravenna Basilica; the bubbling waterfalls cascading under my feet on the boardwalk wandering through Plitvice national park as I marvel at the fish that look like they're floating in air underneath the crystal clear water; looking for Indiana Jones or Golumn to scale down the tenuous  explorer path cut into the cliff side on the enormous cavern of the underground ravine

Liam: The beautiful scenery of the grassy farmland hills as I won Shanghai card game against Xander; the force of the powerful white rapid waterfall as it tried to pull of my swimsuit as I struggled to hang on the rope at the bottom of the Kvar waterfall; the magnificent scene of the Julian Alps as we drove on the dizzying 54 switchback road to rafting; The waterfall and river rumbling beneath my feet in the massive cave that looks like it was made by aliens

Xander: The horrible heat disappearing as I dunk my head into the clear turquoise water of the Adriatic sea to discover fish lurking at the bottom; The rain pounding down on me as I paddle the boat off the oar rails trying to get to the church on the island in the middle of Lake Bled; The drip of the stalactite piercing me in the head as I look at the 200,000 year old stalagmite named giant in the Skocjan caves

Jim: The haunting glow of the thin cut marble windows in the Ravenna basilica; the wispy clouds over the gorge as I catch a rainbow trout I targeted in the perfectly clear Sava Bohinjka; The amazing display at the Galileo Museum on how they constructed and drew wooden globes in the 15th century; Amazement of the expansive collection of Egyptian, Greek, and Roman artifacts "gathered" under the direction of various Popes

Lessons Learned:

·       The Milan Duomo is the only white marble gothic church in Europe
·       Gothic architecture is cool because of the spires and arches where everything meets together
·       Make sure ice cream is stable before you lick it on a hot day or you will lose it.
·       Switzerland has a one-time 40 CF toll sticker vs  Italy, which has a lot of tool booths.
·       If people are stopped on the highway for a closed tunnel, take the pass around
·       Rocky beaches are great because you don't get sand anywhere
·       Diocletian was the last roman emperor to persecute Christians
·       Even an uncrowded Croatian beach is pretty crowded
·       The overnight ferry is a great way to get from Italy to Croatia as long as you're not sleeping on the deck
·       Above 30C is hot!
·       Ljubljana has a statue of a poet in the main square instead of a war general
·       They eat horse meat in Slovenia
·       Toilets in Europe have 2 buttons depending on the number you go
·       You have to put the key in the slot to get the electricity to work in many European hotel rooms
·       What you think is flavored cream cheese may be spreadable tuna fish
·       Sun reflecting off the white limestone helps to make the emerald color of the Soca river
·       River valleys are V shaped, and glacial valleys are U shaped
·       You need a vignette sticker to drive on toll roads in Slovenia (15 euros for a week)
·       College is free in Austria and Slovenia, as long as you don't take too long (average is 7.5 years)
·       Slovenia became a country in 1991
·       In Israel, lunch is the main meal of the day
·       It snows in Jerusalem
·       Slovenia had a similar economic crisis as Greece, but It's so small it didn’t really matter (two million people and about 6% the physical size of Colorado)
·       Slovenian flag has the coat of arms, (mountains, river, stars) although they were considering a pink elephant design
·       Plichnich designed most of Ljubljana, including the dragon bridges, library, university and main square.  He really liked columns.
·       Fly fishing is reasonably affordable in Slovenia (90 euro for a 3 day license)
·       Several of the 54 switchback on Vsric pass have cobblestone to increase the traction
·       Campers are pulled by all types of cars (not just big trucks)
·       Hemmingway drove an ambulance in the Soca Valley in WWI that inspired a farewell to arms
·       The Orient Express went through Slovenia on the path between Paris and Istanbul
·       They currently only have nighttime mosquitos in Austria
·       Look up and around, even if you're trudging straight up a hill
·       Horses are big business
·       Lipija horses train for 5 years to perform dressage and the “bad” horses are worth about 200,000 Euros
·       Stalagmite dripstones grow 1cm every 50 - 150 years
·       The human fish lives for 150 years and eats once every 10 years.  It has no eyes or ears, is white and snakelike, with hands and feet
·       Science used to be used as a party trick
·       Water can be moved uphill using a water screw
·       They didn’t know how to precisely determine longitude until the late 1700s
·       The gladiators and wild animals were housed in the maze like structure under the floor of the coliseum.  They used to get there through tunnels
·       Romans destroyed rome by taking all of the marble, etc from the palaces and temples to build other buildings in the city center (like St. Mark’s Cathedral)
·       The Pantheon still has the largest freestanding concrete dome in the world
·       Emperors of Rome were worshipped as gods after they died
·       It took until the industrial revolution to match the technology in ancient Rome

Europe Part 1: Canals, Castles & Cascades

(Click to link to highlight album)

The past few weeks we traveled from the canals of Amsterdam and Belgium, through the Germany countryside to the Swiss Alps.  We had a few days when we were in three countries in 4 hours, which is pretty incredible coming from a state that is hard to get out of in the same amount of time. 
The crazy streets of Amsterdam with their hundreds of thousands of bikes and tram and bus traffic coming from all directions were a big change from the relaxing beaches of Texel—Xander was especially unenthusiastic about the crowds and cigarette smoke—but we managed to have fun none the less.  Between a fascinating city tour that included the red light district, the NEMO Science Center that had a teen exhibit with explicitly positioned wooden models, and the just like Denver smell of marijuana drifting out of the coffee houses, we figure we’ve covered much of Liam’s “growing and changing” unit for this year.  Yay “world school”!  However, art appreciation was a bit of a bust as Liam decided he’s “done with museums with paintings in them" after 2 hours in the Rijksmuseum.
We agreed with all of the guidebooks that Bruges, Belgium is a charming city with its scenic canals, cobblestone alleyways and delicious chocolate. Did we mention the chocolate?  No, just ask Liam—He mentioned wanting to get some every 5 minutes for two days (for good reason :) ).  That kid is not wanting in the persistence department.   We saw our first castle, Castle Gravenstein, on a rainy blustery day in Ghent, Belgium, complete with an art exhibit on death and a display of instruments of torture.  Bwahaha.  (Seriously, part of the art exhibit was a blue-lit dungeon with spooky music.) As Xander noted “Don't get people angry during medieval times, you'll probably get tortured and killed.”  We took a wonderful detour up to Breda, Netherlands to meet friends of friends, Jollette and her fantastic family - They took us out to a great meal and ordered off the menu for us (we typically buy food at grocery stores because we know what we’re buying and it’s MUCH cheaper).  It was great to get a little snapshot of living in the Netherlands vs our mostly tourist view.  
Next we made our way down through the German countryside, exploring castles and marveling at the eye popping funicular rides and stunning tall trees in the Black Forest.  We shared a good meal and Hefe-weisen with Britta, Andrea and Justine from the Carolyn’s work Frankfurt office.  Another highlight for Germany was an exciting day at Europa Park-  a cross between six flags and Disney.  We are at the short-lived phase where the whole family is at the same ride “level.”  Although no one would go on the Silver Star roller coaster with Carolyn (minimum age, 11.)  
Finally, we spent a week at a Swiss Chalet (e.g., fairly rustic cabin with no wireless- oh the horror!) in Stechelberg, Switzerland in the Lauterbrunnen glacial valley.   The valley is surrounded by glacier mountain peaks like Jungfrau and Eiger and plummeting waterfalls hundreds of feet long that have carved caves into the granite.  We spent our time alternatively hiking, zip lining, taking cable cars and “trotti” scooter bikes up and down the shockingly steep cliff side wanderwegs (trails).  The first night we were there, August 1st, was Swiss National day inspired by the Federal Charter of 1291 celebrated with yodelers, alpenhorns and kids parading with fire lit torches.  (Switzerland clearly has a longer history and less safety-obsessed parents than the US.)

Bro Wanderin'

We spend a lot of our time figuring out what to do/see/where to go next.  We average about 2-3 days ahead.  We are working on balancing flexibility and stability and trying to fit everything in without burning out.  But things work out.  For example, we somewhat inadvertently missed going to Cologne and the must-see Rhine river valley, but ended up in an Air B&B oasis in Schmitten, Germany, storming castles and getting shot around a not-so-lazy river by jets at a local spa.  We were also annoyed that we booked a non-refundable hotel for 2 nights on the wrong side of town from where we were planning to go, but it turned out to be great and we were able to walk to the incredible Strasburg cathedral in France.  It’s who you’re with, not where you are, right?   Of course, as Xander pointed out, “You will always eventually get sick of somebody.”  Luckily, food and sleep and some lonely time are easy resets.
Favorite senses from the past few weeks:
Liam: The sharp pain of my skin squealing against the wood and screw at the log park outside of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam; the intricate look of the huge bells and wires after I was winded climbing up in the 300 steps at the belfry tower in Bruges, Belgium; walking on top of the dance floor on the truly amazing colossal 55,000 gallon barrel of wine underneath the Heidelberg castle; the powerful and humbling sight of the beautiful Strasburg cathedral as I stared at its magnificent stained glass windows
Xander: The dim, spacious annex reveals itself as I climb through the hidden doorway behind the bookcase at the Anne Frank house; the smooth cool texture of the metal chains as I swing with them to victory over dad (twice) on the mini rope course playground in the Hessenpark, Germany; wind blowing across my face at the top of the Baden Baden tower as I look down over the green Black Forest mountains and the swift floating paraglider; the bright blue sky hovering above the clouds climbing the glacier above the Lauterbrunnen valley
Carolyn: The humbling sight of the pictures Anne Frank pasted to the wall in her secret annex house; the silky feel and exquisite taste of Belgium chocolate melting in my mouth at the chocolate museum in Bruges, Belgium; the toe tapping sound of the fiddler and his band playing in the busy courtyard in front of the awe-inspiring Strasburg cathedral; the flashes of hundreds of mini firework explosions whose sound reverberates down the sheer mountain valley long after they finish
Jim: The whoosh of sports cars zooming by at twice my speed as I drive the speed limit on the German highway; the dizzying climb up the worn stairs overlooking the gargoyles and flying buttresses, Strasbourg Cathedral; The smell of alpine plants and flowers as we hike through the forest to the top of the glacial cliffs to the small town of Gimmelwald.


(A lot) of lessons learned:
* If you feel like you're not carrying enough stuff, you're not and you've probably left something behind
* You need to check in and out of trams in Amsterdam
* Red lights were the original botox
* Amsterdam was like the Amazon.com of the 1600s
* Amsterdam buildings have hooks so that people can pully up large items that can't fit up the staircase.  This often ends up breaking windows
* Anne Frank lived in the secret Annex for 2 years
* Rembrandt painted "The night's watch" in 1642?  It is famous for showing the action of the guardsman and his use of light.  In 1975 someone slashed the picture with a knife, but they mostly fixed it.
* There are no moose on art that we could find in the Rijksmuseum
* There are parrots flying around the Voldenpark in Amsterdam
* Don't walk on red paths (bikes!)—especially when you think you’ve finished getting across the street but there’s still a bike path to cross
* People who drive BMWs are jerks everywhere
* If there is a chocolate museum go, because you get free samples
* Bells work like music boxes/clocks and use a lot of gears
* Milk chocolate wasn't created until 1887
* Find the green spots on the map for breaks 
* Never underestimate the size of a place by the front door
* Xander sneezes at least 10 times every morning
* Dutch people are the tallest people in the world
* Seeing local friends is always worth the detour
* The Roman Empire spread all the way to near Frankfurt Germany
* Test out a hotel safe without valuables in it before you lock everything in and can't open it back up
* German rabbit are really fat
* It's a lot easier to keep track of your money if you keep track of your money as you spend it
* Sometimes it's good to spend an extra day
* German pigs are much bigger than expected
* Castle ruins are great places for hide and seek
* What you think is steak may actually be pork
* Wasps love to torment Liam
* Castles were used as rock quarries during the 1700 and 1800s 
* Funiculars are diagonal trams that go straight up a hill
* It's fun to storm castles
* The most efficient path is not always the best path
* European hotel breakfasts are way better than in the US
* Take advantage of a WC (i.e. bathroom) if you’re near one
* People in Germany speak less English than in the Netherlands
* Carolyn is guaranteed to get drenched on water rides
* There are no water fountains in European amusement parks; there are, however, many cigarette vending machines
* Bring a raincoat if you think you're going to go on a water ride
* The Swiss alps has an extensive and expensive system of cable cars
* Switzerland isn’t in the EU.  They use Swiss Francs instead of Euros.  You don’t need to show your passport to get into the country.  However, you do need to have a highway toll sticker on your car.  (Thanks to Jollette for helping us get one back in Breda!)
* There are concrete avalanche bunkers all across the Lauterbrunnen valley
* Hiking trails are called Wanderwegs in German
* Side trips are often worth it
* Sometimes it's good to ditch the tour
* Switzerland is steep (in both elevation and price)
* Swiss hiking estimate times are ways shorter than American hiking estimate times
* Cheese fondue is yummy and easy to make (and way cheaper than at a restaurant)
* The only thing to be afraid of for a 85 kph/800m zipline in the Swiss alps is the anticipation waiting for an hour in line beforehand

We're currently in Split, Croatia after a fun few days in Italy (thank you to Carolyn and Paul for an amazing respite in the beautiful Italian hill town of Petritoli-)We're heading to Plitvicka National Park tomorrow, up through Slovenia, then back down through Italy via Venice and Florence en route to Rome.  If you know anyone in any of those places that would like to meet up, please let us know!

We love your comments-- please keep them coming :)

A Picture is Worth...

When you can't speak the language, one thing you pay attention to a lot more are the signs.
As one of the the things he's "collecting" (along with rocks, which is great if all you have is a backpack) is pictures of interesting signs he see's along the way, and coming up with his own interpretations of meanings. (Please suggest alternatives!)

Here's installment #1: (Click on the picture below to go to the photo album)

Signs of the Liam