Category: Travel

“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God.” Psalm 90:2

(The fjord approaching Kotor, Montenegro)

Earlier in the year, when we first visited Montenegro, I wondered where exactly was this place? I found out it was nestled along the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, which is on the eastern side of Italy. If you were to draw a line parallel to the equator eastward from Rome, you would come to Montenegro. Geographically, it lies just north of Albania, west of Serbia, and south of Bosnia and Hertzogovina, with Croatia (our next stop) slightly northwest. It is a mountainous country with a Mediterranean climate, which means it has hot, dry summers and autumns and cold winters a little more inland.

It was actually first settled by the Romans in the fifth century BCE (formerly BC), and later fortified by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian in 535 CE (formerly AD). After Byzantine rule ended around 1000 CE, Austria, France, and Russia each had a time of governing the region until 1918 when Kotor became part of Yugoslavia. (Some of us remember that country!) Montenegro was part of that country until achieving its independence in May 2006.

(Symbol of Venice in the city wall)

Like most of the important ancient cities, Kotor was walled for its own protection. The old medieval city has a carved inlay in its outer wall of a lion with a book, which is a symbol of the Venetians. These walls stand 65 feet tall and 49 feet wide! Heavily influenced by Venetian art and handiwork, frescoes and gilded altars can be seen in St. Tryphon’s cathedral.

(Venetian-built wall around the old city of Kotor)

(city gate)

(“Pillar of Shame” – People who had committed offenses were shackled to this post for passersby to ridicule and throw things at them. I wonder how our world would be if every town had one of these today?)

Five interesting facts about Montenegro:

1. Favorite foods include seafood like squid, mussels, prawns, eel, and trout, and specialties such as “salata od hobotnice” (octopus salad) and “karadorde vasnicla” (breaded veal cutlet roll stuffed with cheese).

2. The old city of Kotor is built like a maze, and it is easy to get lost in its streets (a medieval corn maze perhaps?)

3. Local fauna include bears, deer, martens, wild pigs, wolves, foxes, and wildcats.

4. Montenegro boasts the largest lake in the Balkan region, Skader Lake.

5. Montenegro is not yet part of the European Union, but it does use the Euro as its currency.

(Part of the city wall)

Kotor has become one of my favorite places in the Mediterranean region because of its cobblestone streets, old churches, medieval setting, and rich maritime history.

 

Next stop: Dubrovnik, Croatia

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6

Today is our first day to try out the trailer. We have a reservation at Tugaloo State Park in northeast Georgia near Lake Hartwell. It’s unseasonably hot… still in the mid-90s, but perfect lake camping weather, so we are excited!

First things, first. Before we even left home, we made lunch in our trailer, which was still parked inside the shop! We dined on two delicious sub sandwiches with chips, while we surveyed our new “domain.” It looked like everything was ready for our departure. The fridge was filled with yummy foods that would definitely last us for a few days; the cabinets had neatly stacked containers with everything from clothing to dishes to dry goods, and the little things that made it special for us were in place.

Reminds me of another trip I will soon be taking. I’m not sure exactly when that will happen, but I am definitely getting prepared for it now. It’s going to be so exciting that I am telling everyone about it! Many of my family and friends have already gone there ahead of me, and I know they’re waiting for me to join them, and I can hardly wait!

I won’t have to pack anything for this trip because everything is going to be provided for me when I get there! I am going to have a new wardrobe… garments of white and even a couple of crowns!!! As for food, there will be a huge banquet where everyone will be gathered together, and we will feast for seven years!!!

I won’t have to take my trailer to this place because I’m going by air! I’ll have a personal escort, and the actual journey will be quick… so quick it will seem like the twinkling of an eye! The best part of this trip is that it won’t cost me anything! It was bought and paid for long ago by my Saviour, Jesus. He offered it to me as a gift when I asked Him to forgive my sins, and now I will finally get to thank Him face-to-face! I’m sure you’ve figured out where I’m going. I hope I see you there!

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

When we all get to heaven
What a day of rejoicing that will be,
When we all see Jesus
We’ll sing and shout the victory!

(from “When We All Get to Heaven” by Eliza Hewitt)

“There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.” Hebrews 4:9

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Is there someone you know who might not be ready for that final journey? Why not share with them how to book that heavenly trip today!

“Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.”  Proverbs 3:23-24

This was definitely an early day for us. We had to be at our meeting point by 7:45 am! That meant if we were going to have breakfast, it would be a quick grab and go, so we could catch the Metro around 7:15 am. The last time we were here, the Metro station in front of our hotel was closed, but this time it was open! Yay! We hopped on and rode it to the Ottaviano station, then followed the written instructions to our meeting place. There were tons of people there on the steps checking in, so we joined in with the throng. We met our guide and before we knew it, we were headed into the Vatican. We were quite grateful that we had booked the “skip the line” tour!

The Vatican is the smallest city-state in the world, and it is in Italy. It is a sovereign state as of 1929, and it is the papal residence. It is the center of the Roman Catholic Church with the Pope as its head, and it is protected by the Swiss Guard.

As we entered the grounds, we first saw the Vatican gardens, which included our first “close-up” view of the St. Peter’s Basilica dome.

The first part of the tour took us to the Vatican Museums. Here we saw sculptures, paintings and tapestries. The painting here is by Raphael, and it includes many artists and philosophers who made important contributions to Italy. It is known as “The School of Athens.’

Center – in red: Plato; in blue: Aristotle; reclining on steps in blue: Diogenes; Left – in olive: Socrates;  man in white with book: Pythagoras; writer with orange boots: Michelangelo; Right – man in red with compass: Euclid; man in orange holding globe: Ptolemy; man in black hat & red shirt (partially hidden): Raphael (the artist).

There were very beautiful tapestries. This one is of the resurrection of Jesus.

This was a room dedicated to the “Immaculate Conception.” This is a papal doctrine that declared Mary to be sinless from the moment of her conception.

After the museums, we went into the Sistine Chapel. This is the place where the new popes are chosen. Michelangelo painted the ceiling and walls in this chapel.

The Sistine Chapel

One of the more famous frescoes on the ceiling

After the chapel, we headed to St. Peter’s Basilica. This church is supposedly built over the tomb of St. Peter. It is a working church, and they have two masses daily, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

Clockwise from top-left: St. Peter’s Basilica, altar area, inside the dome, Michelangelo’s La Pietá, statue of St. Peter, interior of basilica

When our Vatican tour was over, John decided to climb to the top of the dome on the basilica. He climbed over 500 steps and stepped out on the pedestrian area on the top of the dome. His view was amazing!

Looking down on St. Peter’s Square from the top of the dome of the basilica

Top: The fenced in area around the top of the dome is where he was; Bottom-left:stairway to the top; Bottom- right: John on the top

By now, it was time for lunch. Samantha had recommended a restaurant, so we thought we’d try to find it. It was the Il Vero Alfredo Ristorante. It was just a short 3-mile walk (ugh!) from the Vatican. John ordered their famous fettuccine Alfredo, while I ordered spinach and ricotta ravioli. We also shared an order of delicious zucchini fries!

Clockwise from top-left: the signature dish, fettuccine Alfredo; Il Vero Alfredo Ristorante; bread and olive oil; an outside table; balsamic vinegar, EVOO, and Coke Zero (the perfect trio); ricotta and spinach ravioli; zucchini fries (yum!)

We strolled to the Spanish steps to catch the Metro back to our hotel. Unfortunately, this ride was more traumatic than fun. I became the mark for a team of pickpockets. Despite their best efforts, God protected me, and nothing was actually taken. (See my “Watch Out!” devotional blog for the details.) We made it back to the hotel, a bit shaken, but safe and sound. A very special thank you to all of you who have been praying for us!

Tomorrow: The Colosseum

The Adventure Begins!

We had a full day planned today despite the heat and humidity. Our first adventure began with a tour to the Doges Palace. It turned out that the doges were men who basically were in charge of Venice. A doge was like the head honcho of the group of men who made laws and governed the territory. He was chosen for life, and this palace was where he lived.

Clockwise fro top-left: Doges Palace, inner courtyard stairs to second level of palace, two paintings (most paintings were commissioned by individual doges who always had themselves included in the painting), courtroom of Palace, huge room that would accommodate more than 2,000 people for specific gatherings

This palace was also the place where trials were conducted, and so it was also connected to a prison. There were two levels on the prison. The upper level was for political prisoners, and they were incarcerated in relative comfort. One of the more famous political prisoners here was Casanova. The lower level was for the “common” criminal. Living conditions here were harsh, and many prisoners died due to poor nutrition, sanitation, and general care. There was a bridge that connected the palace to the prison. It was known as the “Bridge of Sighs” because the prisoners sighed as they crossed knowing they would probably never leave the prison alive. There were tiny openings where they could get one last glimpse of the outside world before being placed in their cells.

Clockwise from top-left: Walking the Bridge of Sighs, prisoner’s last view of outside world as he walked the bridge, cell bars, lower level cell, prison corridor

The second part of our tour took us to St. Mark’s square to see the Basilica of St. Mark. The square itself was huge. There was a bell and clock tower as well as two large pillars at its entrance. Between these two pillars, public executions were held. Superstitious Italians will not pass between these pillars for fear of bringing bad luck upon themselves. Once in the basilica, no photos were allowed, but it was an interesting structure. Lots of gold-plated mosaics and paintings on the outside of the basilica. It is said the “body” of Mark is here. Our guide said that his body had been in Alexandria, but the Venetians “borrowed” it, and then never gave it back. He is supposedly in the coffin in the church. The inside of the church is dark, with blue marble columns, lots of wooden chairs and a very uneven floor due to the foundation settling beneath it. The floor has an intricate patter in it, and there are large red curtains throughout the basilica. There is a special door for the doge to enter and attend the services, which is also used for special people that would want to attend the basilica’s service. The outside of the basilica is very ornate, and in its baroque arches there are paintings of various events. One is the “Last Judgment,” and another is the theft of Mark’s body from Alexandria.

Clockwise from top-let: painting in outer arch, front of basic, St. Mark’s Square tower, Venice’s symbol – the lion, arch painting that depicts the theft of Mark’s body

Part three of our tour was a motor boat cruise through the canals. We saw lots of different bridges and buildings. We even came out of one canal into the Venice lagoon and nearly intercepted a regatta race! Boats are everywhere on the canals, going in every direction. When one gets too close to another, they simply honk a horn and the offending boat veers out of the way!

Clockwise from top-left: apartment building, heading up a side canal, part of the Grand Canal, regatta races in Venice Lagoon, heading for a bridge on a side canal, passing the Doges Palace in a motor boat, the Rialto Bridge.

After that, John and I decided to go for a gondola ride. We started in the Grand Canal near the Doges Palace, turning into a smaller canal and sailing under the Bridge of Sighs. This must be a popular canal for gondolas because when we entered it, we found we were not alone! There were a lot of other gondolas coming and going! Since gondolas have no horns, it was interesting to see them all maneuver around each other, barely missing one another as they passed, or tilting the gondola to miss the side of a bridge. It was lots of fun! We even passed one gondola where a man was serenading the couple riding in it.

Clockwise from top-left: Heading into the Grand Canal, gondola traffic jam, Us and our gondolier, heading for the Bridge of Sighs, view of the side canal we were in from the Bridge of Sighs

It was a perfect way to end our time in Venice. Tomorrow, we leave for Rome.

Day of Discovery

I don’t think anything could have prepared me for Venice. I knew it was a city built on water with lots of canals, but that first moment of seeing the Grand Canal when I stepped out of the train station made me stop in my tracks.

All I remember doing is hitting John’s arm, saying “That’s it! That’s the canal!”

The next hurdle was getting to our hotel. First we had to get a water bus ticket. Even when you read the explicit instructions in the travel books, it is still challenging. First, from where did you buy your ticket? Second, to which platform do you go, and in which direction? Third, where do you get off?

The ticket office is the building in the distance with the yellow sign This is before we got our ticket. The lines grew exponentially by the time we got there, but who doesn’t love standing in a long line with the hot sun beating down on you? Of course, since we had just arrived, everything was exciting. Our travel book told us to board bus “B.” No problem, right? Wrong. All the water buses were numbered! Was it #1 or #2 or “N”? Finally, we decided it was #2 after studying the departure board. But was it the right choice?

Who cared! After being herded like cows onto the water bus, we were now riding on the canal, savoring every moment!

These are a few sights we saw on our first canal ride.

Our hotel was very nice , but it was like being a detective trying to find it. We got off at the right “stop,” but there was not a single sign to direct you nor was there anyone anywhere to ask a question. It was like being dropped off on a deserted island. The few who got off with us quickly disappeared into a residence. We were alone. What did we do? Turned on the GPS. What did it tell us? “You are there!!” Hmm… that was helpful.

This is looking back at the water bus stop.

All the buildings looked alike. No street names could be seen anywhere. We started to check out the doorways. Aha! We found a museum. How did I know it was a museum? The welcome mat in the recessed doorway had its name on it. (I actually hoped it was our hotel in disguise, but it was not.) This wasn’t too helpful since we knew we weren’t staying in a museum, but maybe there was someone inside who could help. I went in and looked around. No one. We moved on. What about this street? Again, no street sign or building sign. How does anyone know where to go in Venice? (Never again will I complain about the streets with multiple names in Georgia!)

I hesitate to call this a street. This was one of the narrow walkways that intersected with the “main” one we were on. We decided to walk to the end and back, after all GPS insisted everywhere we walked was “it.” We walked to the building with the two plants, and guess what! This was it! The name of our hotel was on the welcome mat in the recessed doorway! (No point in having a sign when you have a doormat.)

I felt so silly. Who wouldn’t know this was a Marriott?

Tomorrow, our Venice adventure will officially begin.

Today we woke early after a good night’s sleep. We headed down for breakfast, which was quite tasty before going to the lobby to await our tour guide.

Inns River

Our first stop was the Triumphal Arch, which was built in 1765. This arch was to commemorate the marriage of Archduke Leopold to Spanish princess, Maria Luisa. Unfotunately, Leopold’s father died suddenly during the festivities, so one side of the arch is “”in mourning” for the emperor, while the other side is dedicated to the wedding.

Hofkirche
Innsbruck became a wealthy empire from silver and salt mining under the leadership of Maximillian I. He wanted to be remembered through the ages, so he had a huge tomb built for when he died. This is the Court Church housing the tomb of Emperor Maximillian I. It is quite ornate and actually serves as a church although it’s original intent was solely to be a tomb. Two years before Maximillian died, he changed his will to include being buried in his birthplace and not in the tomb.

The tomb of Andreas Hofer is also here. It is very small, but as the “father of Austria,” he is important to the people as well.

Bell Tower
Built in 1450, the city tower is the oldest structure in the city. However, the roof is not original. It was built during the Renaissance, whereas the tower is gothic. A man used to live in the tower to stand watch over the city. In the event of danger, he would ring the bell to sound the alarm.

Bell tower is blue structure in distance.

Empress Maria Theresa
She ruled from 1740-1780. She was very progressive, especially in education. She started the first integrated school for boys and girls.

This painting is on an outside wall of a building.

Golden Roof
Here is where the emperor and empress would watch tournaments between knights or dances on the town center.

Town Artwork
A painting of St. Christopher is this orange building. He is the patron saint of travelers, it was believed if you saw his portrait in the morning, you would have safely through the day.

In the old town of Innsbruck, one can see the original walkway. By McDonald’s, there is a painting in the ceiling of the walkway. It was painted in 1507 and shows a “battalion eagle” illustrating the vast empire of Macmillan I. He once said the sun ever sets on Austria because his empire was so huge.

This sculpture honors the farmers and locals took up arms against Napoleon who fought with the Bavarians (Germans) in 1703.

Imperial Palace

Built in 1499, it was the seat of government and finance for the Hapsburg family.

Dome of St. James Cathedral
In 1249, the cathedral was first built, then in 1721 the Dome of St. James was added.
It is in the style of baroque architecture. There is a 1534 painting from an east German friend of Martin Luther, Lucas Grana the elder. It is known as the “Reformation Madonna” because it had no halo on Jesus or Mary. It is the most copied painting in Catholic Churches.

Ottoburg Resstaurant
I had my first real Austrian food for lunch. I ordered wienerschnitzel. What a surprise to find out that this was actually a pork cutlet!

The dining culture takes some getting used to. It is a culinary experience that is definitely not rushed!

High Above Innsbruck
We decided to ride the funicular and gondolas to the top of Mt. Hafelekarspitze (7,585 ft). Of course, John headed for the summit while I photographed his adventure. It was quite a bit cooler here than down in the valley.

Clockwise from Top-left: gondola ride, summit of mountain, peeking over the edge, view from the “almost-top,” Innsbruck below

Republicu Cafe
Dinner was pizza with ham and mushrooms for John and grilled sausages for me. So hoping I am actually getting something similar to a kielbasa. Well, my dinner was closer to a spicy hot dog, but it was good! John said his pizza was the best he’s had so far. I took a bite. I didn’t agree. I preferred the one we had the first night in Rome. We had apple strudel for dessert. Not bad, but I will take gelato any day!

Prosciutto and mushroom pizza, grilled sausages and fries, apple strudel

Next stop: Venice, Italy

Psalm 16:11 “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.“

Nothing like starting your day with a gondola ride up a mountain! The ride started with a small 4-seat bucket for the first 3/4 of the ride. The views were amazing, unless you looked down!

Once we reached the second station, we switched to a 52-person gondola for the last leg of our trip.

When we reached Pilatus Klum (6,795 ft), we were greeted by a man playing a tune on the alpine horn. A little bit later he played “Amazing Grace,” and it was beautiful!

John decided to hike to the summit (7,000 ft), so off he went. If you look carefully, you can see him waving his hat. Of course, I stayed below to capture the epic moment on my camera!

We had panoramic vistas in every direction. We could see the Alps and the towns below, all the while being serenaded by alpine musicians.

I decided John couldn’t have all the fun. While he chose to go up the mountain, I chose to go inside it! Not only was it less strenuous, it was also quite a bit cooler. Look closely and you can spot me peeking through one of the openings on the mountain’s side.

After a picnic lunch of peanut butter, cheese, crackers and cookies on the other side of the mountain, we boarded the cog train to Alpnachstad. This train descends at a 48 degree angle! Yikes! (I did not look down on this one either!) The photo on the left is from a post card to show the steepness of the descent. The two on the right are photos of the train that was right behind us on the track.

We chose to return by boat instead of train, so the last part of our day was in a boat on Lake Lucerne.

We arrived back in Lucerne after a great day outdoors. Tonight, we are planning to have pizza and gelato! (You’d think we were back in Italy!)

“My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.” Psalm 71:23

Today we embarked on “The Golden Pass,” another scenic train ride. This one was from Montreux to Luzern, Switzerland. Once again, there  wasn’t a whole lot to write about in regards to these photos, but I thought I’d share some of the sights we saw as we  rode the rails! I hope you like them.

Lake Geneva

 

Chateau D’Oex

 

Rougemont

 

Gstaad

 

Schönried

 

Zweisimmen

 

Boltigen

 

Spiez

 

Interlaken Ost

 

Meirigen

 

Brünig-Hasliberg

 

Lungern

 

Sachsen

 

Sarnen

 

Luzern

“Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.” Deuteronomy 5:33

 

“Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” Psalm 37:4

I am on official Matterhorn watch. When we arrived in Zermatt yesterday, it was raining. We had no idea our hotel room was going to have such a nice view until John looked out and asked me if I thought the ghostly mountainous image in the distance could be the Matterhorn. I looked in the direction he was pointing, and I exclaimed, “Yes!” while in my mind I wondered, “Is this the best view we’re going to get?” I knew the weather forecast was not a good one, but I knew our God could do anything, so I prayed for better weather and an opportunity for John to see this mountain.This morning when I looked out, I saw a tiny spot of blue. It reminded me of the story in I Kings 18. Just a tiny cloud produced a “great rain.” I hoped my little patch of blue sky would produce a cloudless opportunity to view the Matterhorn.
If you know my husband, you know his love for mountains. He wanted so badly to ride the gondola up to a viewpoint, so I kissed him goodbye and sent him on his way. My job was to monitor the Matterhorn from our balcony. I was ready for when God was going to clear away the clouds and I could get “the picture.”
The view was getting better! The mountain was playing hide-and-seek in and out of the clouds, which was why I sat by the window, camera in hand, ready to run out onto the balcony the moment the peak appeared!

As I sat observing the clouds dissipate, the thrill of watching God work brought tears to my eyes. Why would He do this for us? Such a tiny thing in the overall scheme of things, yet the God of all creation chose to move the clouds away so His children could catch a glimpse of a mountain He made. How great the Father’s love!

Psalm 27:24 “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD”

Psalm 147:7-8 “Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.”

While I was in Zermatt taking my pictures of the Matterhorn, here is what John was doing at 7,979 feet.

This is what John saw at 12,739 feet.

Top-left: Just over his hat, you can see the Matterhorn.
Top-right: Matterhorn peak
Bottom: Matterhorn Glacier Paradise station

For the record, it’s supposed to be raining right now.

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Isaiah 52:7 “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!”

“This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

Today we embarked on our 8-hour journey to see the Matterhorn (No, we are not going to Disney!) We are hoping to get a glimpse of the 4,478 meters high (14,553 feet) peak during our stay in Zermatt.

Morning in St. Moritz

 

We left St. Moritz around 9:15 am, and as we rode through the Alps, I listened to an instrumental CD of Christmas music. Some may think it’s too soon (never!), but Christmas hymns were perfect for the serenity of the Alps.

There were many river gorges on this trip, but the Rhine River Gorge was particularly striking. It is sometimes referred to as the “Swiss Grand Canyon.” According to the Swiss, the headwaters of the Rhine River are here.

We passed through many small towns, where homes dot the hills. Some are found very high on the hillsides. Everything looked so serene. The places we saw reminded me of the book, Heidi, a childhood favorite of mine.

Finally, we headed up to higher elevations, leaving the green valleys below. The highest point for us on the Glacier Express was Oberalpass. We were 2,033 meters (6,607 ft) above sea level and, due to the steep grades, we made the journey with the help of the cog wheel.

I thought we would see glaciers on this trip, but so far, not a glacier in sight! However, we did see lots of interesting scenery.

Past winter avalanche path

 

Pedestrian bridge across a river gorge

 

Cows grazing on the slopes of the Alps

 

Lai da Curnera Dam – An alpine dam that is over 500 feet tall. It is the 8th largest dam in Switzerland.

 

Finally, just before reaching Zermatt, we saw this glacier!

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This is my Father’s world, And to my listening ears

All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.

This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought

Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas; His hand the wonders wrought.

 (from “This is My Father’s World” lyrics by M. D. Babcock)