My heart is full

Les Gorges du Fier, Lovagny, France 

There is nothing sweeter for me than having my entire family together. Breanna and Nathan were both able to visit us for a long weekend and I could not stop saying "my heart is full." What an absolutely joyous time we had.

Bre and I just got back from Athens, Greece on Thursday afternoon in time to grab a few groceries before Doug picked Nathan up at the airport. I was so excited to have all of us under the same roof for the next 2 1/2 days. We were all quite tired from the previous long days but that could not stop us from celebrating Nathan's 24th birthday with chicken fajitas and chocolate cake. We took an evening walk to Parc de Bastions, played a floor sized game of chess and walked through old town Geneva to finish the day. 

The walkway through the gorge

Doug and I had found a couple of places we wanted to visit in France, so the next day we grabbed our passports, packed a lunch and ventured to a place called Gorges du Fier (Gorge of Fire) in Lovagny, about 40 minutes from Geneva. It was a beautiful sunny day and the drive through the rolling hills of France was delightful. We found signs that pointed towards the gorge which helped supplement my researched directions. After buying our tickets, we proceeded down a path, across a bridge and stepped onto a wooden platform secured to the side of the gorge. The sight of the gorge was stunning. We couldn't believe how beautiful it was as we walked through the rock cut by the swirling River Fier below us. I was shocked by the fact that the platform we were walking on had been totally under water just the previous week because of a rapid snow melt in the mountains. We could see the high water mark on the side of the rock above our heads and now the water was 75 feet below us. We took our time, admired the scenery, laughed and chatted, and took lots of photos! This was a perfect beginning to the day.

Annecy, France

  

We returned to the car and drove 15 minutes farther down the country lan to the town of Annecy, a medieval town complete with castles, cobblestones, and canals. It was the perfect stop for lunch. We found a bench next to the lake and ate our picnic lunch as we looked out at the sailboats and small cruise ships lining the shore and the mountain peaks rising across from us. Doug and I have a favorite bakery in town which was just the right place to stop for dessert. This time we tried a delicious lightly sugared flaky pastry that melted in our mouth. We walked along the canals, gazed into shops, appreciated the architecture, shared stories, plans and laughter and I marveled at how blessed I am. I could not stop smiling.

Zip lining over the water fall

Our next stop was about a 40 minute drive winding along the coast of Lake Annecy past several small towns until we climbed the green hills through the town of Seythenex. We arrived at the empty parking lot, climbed a few stairs and were welcomed by Sebastian at the Grotte and Cascade of Seythenex. We asked if it was possible to go zip lining and were assured we could. Sebastian was so kind, explained everything in English, and trained us for our adventure over the waterfall. We got into our (lifeline) harness, put on our helmets and donned one leather glove (our braking system). We practiced clipping our 2 carabiners and our pulley onto the wire, rode a practice wire that was 7 feet off the ground and we were ready to fly 130 feet above the waterfall. I was feeling a little nervous but definitely excited and so thrilled to do this as a family. We followed Sebastian as he climbed the path to the waterfall and the zip line platform. I was giddy as we kept going higher. Finally we reached the platform and I was first in line to sail among the treetops. I climbed up, fastened myself securely in place, sat in the harness, edged my way to the end of the platform, smiled hugely, waited a bit gathering my courage, edged a little farther, and took the leap. Oh. My. Gosh. Too. Much. Fun! I squealed in delight. It was beautiful, smooth, and all I had hoped for in our adventure. I could hear Bre as she began to sail down the cable. Then Nate, and finally Doug. What a great ride! 

Enjoying our time in the caves

We then had 20 minutes to walk around the waterfall before our guide took us into the caves. These caves were formed by erosion from the glacier water that found its way into the rock. Our guide, Sophie, told us about all the formations, what caused them, and let us climb up the slippery slide. She was very knowledgeable, friendly and kind. She gave the tour in both English and French. We reminisced about Doug and Nate's experience caving with Boy Scouts as we ducked our way throughout the cave. (I actually had to duck too). We walked for about 40 minutes through the tunnel until it was time to leave the cave and begin our journey home. What a fantastic day.

Can you believe we are doing this?

In the morning we took the tram to Carouge, a nearby street market, to check out the local produce. The sights of the colorful fruits and vegetables were enticing and the smells of the flowers, spices, roast chicken, freshly baked bread were amazing. After we walked around the market, we headed to Mont Saleve. The mountain is in the French Prealps and is called the Balcony of Geneva. We took the bus to the border of Switzerland, walked into France and took the cable car to the top. Our plan was to hike down the mountain. As we took the ride up Nate and Bre remarked, "how do you get down that?" Doug and I hadn't ever hiked it so we didn't know, but we had seen a trail sign and knew it was possible. After we exited the cable car we hiked 20 minutes uphill to the Observatory for our picnic lunch with a magnificent view of Geneva. It was a little overcast so we could not get a clear view of Mont Blanc but we clearly saw the valley far below us. When we were ready to head down, we found the trail head sign letting us know it was a 2 hour hike down the mountain. We were all in. 

Our hike down this mountain 

The hike down the mountain was better than I could have imagined. It was breathtakingly beautiful. We walked towards the cliff, entered into the dappled light of the tree lined path, and carefully picked our way down the narrow, switchback trail. The Grand Gorge trail was well marked but it was really steep. Every once in a while we got a peak at what was coming next and couldn't believe what we were doing. It was a sheer drop off this mountain and the valley floor was a long way off. The ground beneath our feet changed frequently from a dirt path to one filled with rocks, to shifting loose rock where the rushing water created the gorge, to a path covered
with deciduous leaves. We continued to travel lower and lower. The path gradually began to level. A pasture appeared and the view of the mountain stood before us. We paused to appreciate what we had just experienced. We realized we had climbed through the cleft in the rock. We finished our hike and returned to the apartment thankful for this time together.

After dinner we spent the evening playing Euchre. Family game night fun made me so happy. I cherished every moment with Nathan and Breanna. 

Biking along Lake Geneva

Doug took Bre to the airport the next morning while Nathan and I explored the old city of Geneva. We walked through the Parc Bastions, up the hill paved with cobblestones, past the old stone wall, to the Hotel de Ville and then St. Peter's Church. We headed down to the new city filled with stores selling expensive watches, chocolate, and clothing. We then walked to the Plainpalais street market filled with clothes, fruits and vegetables, breads and cheeses, and food ready to eat. Doug met us here for a falafel lunch.  We grabbed the tram to Nations where we rented bicycles to tour the city. Doug and I got on electric bikes while Nathan chose to get a bit more exercise. I loved the electric bike! We rode 20 miles on bike trails through the Botanical Gardens, along the lakefront, through the Parc des Eaux Vives, and continued past the beaches. There are a lot of hills in Geneva but the electric bike made all of them fun for me. Nathan loved the ride on his bike too.

CERN 

We turned in our bikes, grabbed a tram and headed to the Globe of Science and Innovation CERN building. CERN is a large nuclear physics research facility with many buildings and also the particle accelerator located 300 feet under the ground on the France and Switzerland border. We appreciated the sculpture which represented centuries of scientific exploration filled with formulas, quotations, and discoveries.

We headed back to the apartment for homemade Bruschetta and Capresse, with fresh pesto and pasta for dinner and great conversation. I felt so blessed to have had this amazing time with family.

It's all Greek to me

Botanical Gardens with Bre

Breanna arrived in Geneva Monday morning and we quickly took advantage of our time together. After dropping off her luggage, we jumped on the tram to the Botanical Gardens. It was so beautiful and peaceful in the park. Earlier this spring I had watched the creation of an exhibit out of various sticks of wood. Now I was captivated by the finished designs. We continued our walk along the banks of Lake Geneva mesmerized by the beauty of the lake and mountains. We walked 2 miles until we reached the center of town. It was time to get home to shop for groceries, cook dinner and pack. We were leaving early the next day.

Tuesday morning Bre and I traveled to Athens, Greece on a 6 a.m. flight out of Geneva. We landed in Athens by 9:30 a.m. with our backpacks and grabbed the metro to our stop in the heart of the city. It was our plan to go to the hotel, check our luggage and head to the beach. It was a beautiful, sunny, warm day and I was so excited to be here with Bre.

My first glance of the countryside revealed an arid landscape with rocky mountains surrounding the airport. As I looked closer, I saw the beauty of palm trees, flowers planted by the roadside and olive groves dotting the hills. The airport was about 12 miles from Athens which took 40 minutes by metro. I was thankful so many signs were written in both Greek and English because it was really difficult to match the Greek symbols to the address of the hotel I held in my hand. I had picked a hotel just a short walk from a metro station for convenience. This was a short 2 day visit and I wanted to take advantage of every minute. We reached our hotel without any difficulty and in a matter of minutes we were headed to the beach by bus.

Voula Beach

We wanted to go to a sandy, private beach so we could have beach chairs and an umbrella. Our receptionist had suggested the beach at Voula. She said "once you get there just pick one." I hoped it would be that easy. After about 30 minutes on the bus we had our first glimpse of the beaches. We knew our beach was still 30 minutes farther down the coast so we stayed on the bus and enjoyed the view. Some beaches were stony, some sandy, but all were enticing. We kept going hoping we could find the beach we wanted once we got off the bus. We were so surprised when we arrived. The area was beautiful and perfect. We began walking along the sandy beach not quite sure how things worked. We saw there were different kinds of lounge chairs denoting different owners. We found someone who explained we just needed to pick our chairs and then pay 2.50 euro for the chair for the rest of the day.
That was easy.

We picked chairs next to the sea with an amazing view of the clear, hazel colored water and nearby islands. It was the middle of the week so the area was not crowded.

We laid out in the sun for hours, waded in the water, read a little, slept a little, talked a little and had the best time. Listening to the water lap against the shore rejuvenated both of us. The blue skies, warm sun, salty air and gentle breeze made this a picture perfect day.

It was time to leave long before either of us were ready to go, but we slowly walked back to the bus encouraged by the thought of authentic Greek cuisine for dinner. The Athinaikon Restaurant was near our hotel and calling our name. Bre had Moussaka and I tried their homemade spicy sausage dish. Both were fabulous.

The Parthenon on Acropolis

In the morning I went to the rooftop terrace of our hotel to catch a glimpse of the Acropolis. Bre and I had spotted it in the distance the day before but it looked so far away. The Acropolis was clearly visible from the 9th floor of the hotel but I still wondered about the climb. After breakfast we headed out to see as much of the city as we could.

Stefanos explaining the sites

We went on a 3 hour free walking tour beginning just a short distance from our hotel. Stefanos was our very knowledgeable tour guide. He actually worked as an archaeologist but picked up extra money leading tours. He shared a wealth of information with us and said, "I will give you just enough so you want to study more on your own." He did a great job all day. We also met some really nice people; students from Michigan, missionaries from Wisconsin, a grad student from London, and a couple from New Zealand.


We began at Monastiraki Square where the Pantanassa Monastery was built in the 10th century. We then walked through the Monastiraki Flea Market which had a little bit of everything for sale. The streets were narrow and filled with booths and people. It was a great place for people watching as we wound our way through the area.

Ancient Agora

We saw the Ancient Agora where all the commerce, political decisions, religious and cultural activity occurred in Athens. Ancient, as in 3000 B.C. It was hard to fathom that much history. Later in the day, Bre and I walked around in the ruins of the area and appreciated how much the excavations revealed.

Hadrian's Library

We walked on towards the Roman Agora which was built when Rome occupied Greece. It was built by Julius Caesar and Augustus. All this history in just a few footsteps was almost overwhelming. We saw the Tower of the Winds, a marble clocktower built in the 2nd century B.C. We passed Hadrian's Library, built in 132 AD, which was more like a cultural center as it had lecture halls, held 16,000 scrolls, and a theater.

Changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier

We continued to wander through neighborhoods where the old and the new blended beautifully into the current city of Athens. The Mikri Mitropoli (small cathedral) built in the 13th century sat next to the Cathedral of Athens built in 1832. We walked one block to Ermou Street and were greeted by all the modern shopping stores. We headed to Constitution Square for the changing of the guard. The soldiers guard the tomb of the unknown soldier and every hour a symbolic ceremony is held. A dog sat at the soldiers feet until the ceremony was completed and the new guard was in place.

Zappeion Hall

The National Gardens were lovely, shaded (much appreciated), and filled with walking trails. We grabbed another bottle of cold water and walked to Zappeion Hall, built in 1888 for the modern Olympic Games. It has been used in some fashion for every Olympic Games held in Athens since then. We walked up the steps, entered the portico, and looked at the open atrium. The cool air inside the building welcomed me as I appreciated its historical significance.

Panathenaic Stadium 

It was a short walk to the stunning Panathenaic Stadium. The entire stadium was built of white
marble for the Olympic Games of 1896. This was the same site where the ancient games were held in 776 B.C. We also learned the origin of the Marathon race began at these games to commemorate when Greek warriors ran 25 miles from Marathon, Greece to Athens to defend the city against the Persians. Again I was bombarded by the history of Athens.

Temple of Olympian Zeus

Bre was excited as we walked back through the Roman Agora and saw the Temple of
Olympian Zeus. It was one of the sites she really wanted to see. The remaining 15 columns (out of 109) showed how large this temple really was. Nearby we saw Hadrian's Arch, built in 132 AD as a gate between the Ancient Agora and the Roman city of Athens.

Climbing the steps up Mars Hill

Our tour was almost finished but I was most looking forward to Mars Hill. We continued our walk
toward the Acropolis as Stefanos told us the history of Athens and the myths surrounding the temple of Athena. Under the threat of rain, with lightning in the distance, we climbed the marble rock of Mars Hill. The marble was very slippery and the climb steep. Stefanos explained the marble had been polished over the years by the leather sandals of the many people who had climbed this hill before us. This hill is also called the Areopagos. It was here that Apostle Paul first spoke to the people of Athens about Jesus. I took some time to be still as I contemplated Paul's speech.

On top of the Areopagos (Mars Hill)

The storm quickly approached and the skies threatened to open up with a torrential downpour so we carefully walked off the hill back to where we began our tour. The rain began as we stood under the awning of a building and said goodbye to Stefanos and our new friends. Bre and I knew we were headed back to the Acropolis but chose to grab Gyros for lunch (they were so delicious) and our raincoats first. We were much more familiar with the streets of Athens and felt confident as we walked back to the Acropolis. The hill was not as difficult as we thought it would be and the view of Athens was incredible. Just as we got to the Acropolis the sun came out and the temperature grew even warmer. We wandered along the north slope fascinated by the construction of the many buildings of the Acropolis during a time without modern equipment. The Parthenon was built after the Greek forces defeated the invading Persian armies of Darius and Xerxes in 500 B.C.. I was amazed as I learned it used 22,000 tons of white marble from a mountain 17 miles away.

At the Parthenon

We climbed the steps to the Parthenon and looked out over the city of Athens. We walked down the south side through the ruins from the Theatre of Dionysos and then visited the Acropolis Museum. The Museum was incredible. It was actually built on the site of an archaeological dig and the floor tiles were clear so we saw the ruins below our feet. The statues from the Acropolis were in the museum for protection from further ruin. The entire side of the museum was a window which gave us a spectacular view of the Acropolis.

We left the museum and wandered through the streets toward our hotel and dinner. We sat at an outside table at a Mediterranean restaurant and enjoyed the ambiance and delicious food. We shared stories until the lights came on and our eyes began to close.

I loved experiencing Athens with Breanna. The laughter we shared and the memories we created far exceeded anything I could have imagined.

Milan and Venice, Italy

Doug and I began our trip to Milan and Venice, Italy for a long weekend. We grabbed our GPS and camera, ready for an adventure.

Entering the Mont Blanc Tunnel

We left Switzerland, traveled through France and entered Italy through the Mont Blanc tunnel. The four hour drive was filled with beauty. The majestic mountains were green and blue with evergreens until brown rocks jutted out sharply above the tree line. The twisting switchback road led to the 7.2 mile tunnel deep through the heart of Mont Blanc. The blue glacier ice hung onto the mountain in deep crevices and glistening, brilliant white snow covered the top of Mont Blanc. Medieval castles stood guard on top of the peaks in each valley. Waterfalls cascaded through ravines into rapidly flowing rivers below.  We traveled through a tunnel and over a bridge into a valley until another tunnel ushered us into the next valley. Over and over we went through mountains until suddenly everything was level and we reached the plains. Farmers were making hay and growing corn in their fields for the small herds of cows grazing on the pastures near the barn. Row after row of grape vines wrapped themselves around trellises on the steeply inclined terraces. A lone coyote walked across the field of foot high corn plants. A photo could not do justice to the profound beauty before us. Doug loved the two Lamborghini's that flew past us while we kept to the speed limit. Tickets are never fun, but substantially more difficult in a foreign country. We arrived in Milan just as the sun was setting.

Milan World Expo 2015

The United Kingdom Pavilion

After a great night sleep and a good breakfast, we headed to the World Fair. The Expo Milano 2015 was called "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life." It was all about food; the relationship of people to the earth, biodiversity, sustainability, feeding the entire world, and productivity. The expo was on 490 acres and there were over 145 countries participating in this 6 month fair. We saw many things but we had our favorite pavilions. Austria created pathways surrounded by trees and plants to provide breathable air. The United Kingdom built a giant metal beehive complete with the sound of bees that we walked through giving us a bee's eyes view of the flowering garden below us. Switzerland filled four towers; one with coffee, one with salt, another with apples and the final one with water. Everything was free and we could take as much as we wanted but they were not going to refill the towers. We were encouraged to think about those who would come after us so there would be enough for everyone, even if they came at the end of the fair in October. I heard people say, "only take one." The architecture of Vietnam's pavilion was built to look like trees and Malasia's building was built out of self sustaining materials from the region. It was a great topic for a world fair that addressed a great need. 

Northern Italy countryside

We left the fair, took the bus back to our car and then drove 3 hours to Venice. Northern Italy is beautiful. This part of the drive was fairly flat with rolling hills that came into view as we continued to get closer to Venice. Castles and church spires stood tall on the hills, while farmland and small groups of homes reminded us of the communities living here. 

We arrived in town just outside of Venice where our hotel was located. In Venice, buildings are given their address based on when the building was built. They are not in sequential order. Our GPS kept saying we had arrived at our hotel but we could not find it. It was already dark, the roads were unfamiliar and I couldn't get my phone to work. After circling the area 3 times, we stopped at a hotel and asked them directions to our hotel. I know, right. Awkward. Thankfully, the woman at the reception desk spoke English and was friends with the manager at our hotel. She gave me directions, a map and a number to put in our GPS that would get us closer to our hotel. We arrived without any further difficulty. 

We have learned things on our adventure, like, be flexible, laugh often, enjoy the process, relax. Still, I was a bit apprehensive as we got on the bus toward Venice on Friday. There was a transportation strike that went into effect at 9 am. I wanted to get on a vaporetto before the strike so we left the hotel at 8, walked to the bus stop and got on a fairly full bus which was considerably packed by the time we arrived on the island of Venice twenty minutes later.

I saw a ticket booth as soon as we got off the bus, bought our two tickets and grabbed the first boat I saw. Unfortunately, the boat I chose was going in the opposite direction of where I wanted to go. We stayed on the boat until it got back to where we started and jumped on the correct boat one dock down from us. This boat was jammed full with barely standing room for all of us. But it was worth it. The view from the water was stunning as we saw the city unfold before our eyes. The buildings literally reached the edge of the canal and many of them had a landing for a boat to dock. We traveled down towards San Marco, our stop for the day, when suddenly the boat docked and we were all told to "get off". The strike had begun. We followed the crowd and twisted our way through the narrow paved streets for about 15 minutes. As we walked, we noticed, every once in a while, directional arrows on the buildings pointed us toward San Marco. We now understood how people found their way around the twisting streets.

We walked around the Piazza San Marco, rode the elevator to the top of the tower for beautiful views of the island and port, visited St. Mark's Church, walked to the water's edge, watched people riding in gondolas down the narrow canals. We climbed over bridges, wandered the streets, peaked into churches, shopped for treasures, tasted great gelato (strawberry cheesecake for me and peanut butter for Doug), had a delightful late lunch, and began to make our way back to the bus. The strike was only operating in the evening between 4:30 and 6:30 pm. We made it back and even got to shop at the mall next to the hotel.

The next day as we went back to Venice, I felt so much more relaxed. The weather was beautiful. I understood the transportation. I knew how to find my way around the island. I cherished every moment. We went to an art exhibit, wandered for a few hours watching people, found a nice restaurant with a great view, listened to musicians playing in the streets, sat at the canal and watched the traffic on the water, and kept remarking how amazing this trip had been. It was then time to say good bye to Venice and drive back to Milan for the evening.

Our GPS, my dear friend "Gen", directed us to our hotel without any problem. She began the trip telling us to "follow the highlighted route" to which I said, "we will do our best". The roads frequently have many names and numbers and they don't always match what "Gen" tells us but we have been successful so far with only a few recalculating statements from the GPS .

On our last day, we traveled into the city of Milan to see Duomo, Milan's Cathedral. This cathedral is the fourth largest in the world, the largest in Italy (St. Peter's is in Vatican City). It was completed in 1965. The first stone was laid in 1386. I was amazed when I learned there were 135 spires and 3,159 statues. There's even a statue of Napoleon because he helped push to finish the facade. This cathedral was where Napoleon crowned himself emperor. We climbed the 201 stairs to walk on the top of the cathedral and it was so worth it. We saw the spires from this new perspective which was simply stunning.

After we wandered around the area, saw Da Vinci's statue, and walked through the 5 story iron and glass covered Galleria (absolutely beautiful) it was time to begin our journey home.

We were headed back toward the Mont Blanc tunnel. The traffic is carefully regulated through this 7.2 mile, two lane, multi-country tunnel. There are customs on both sides of the tunnel since one side is Italy and the other France. Only one vehicle per every 150 meters is allowed in at a time so the traffic can back up significantly. We were 23 miles from the tunnel when signs began appearing. It seemed like there might be an issue but since we are unable to read Italian, or French for that matter, we weren't sure what was happening. At one point 99 percent of the cars exited the highway but we kept going forward. Traffic slowed, then stopped. It took about 2 1/2 hours to reach the tunnel. Doug and I laughed and joked, took pictures, made up stories, hoped the tunnel wasn't closed, and loved every minute. I have to say it was the most beautiful, awe inspiring, drop dead gorgeous scenery I have had the pleasure of enjoying. Once we entered the tunnel the remaining hour to Geneva was clear sailing. I can't wait to do it again!

Geneva's Treasures

Wisteria Garden

It has been an extremely beautiful spring with warm days, blue skies, and gentle breezes. I have been enjoying walking in Geneva especially along Lake Geneva and the Arve River. I often sit at the banks watching people and breathing in the scents of the lilacs, tulips, daffodils, wisteria, rhododendron, and pink and white flowering trees.

I thought it funny that I traveled to places outside of Geneva to visit museums but hadn't been to any here. I discovered treasures at the Tavel House and the Museum of Art and History and realized there are many more places I have yet to discover in Geneva. I also have realized I have more to discover when I get back to Ohio.

The Tavel House is the oldest home in Geneva and was built in the 13th century. It is a mansion complete with turrets outside and filled with items of life in Geneva throughout the ages. There was a fully furnished 12 room apartment on one floor, paintings and carvings showing Geneva in the Middle Ages on another floor, and a huge metal relief map of the old city on the third. In the basement were various coat of arms and coins from the ages. The building was beautiful with its vaulted open beam ceilings, tall wooden doorways, and many windows looking out towards the Cathedral and narrow cobblestone street. The back stairs opened to an enclosed courtyard with ivy climbing on the walls. I tried to imagine life here in the Middle Ages.

Museum of Art and History

I went to the Museum of Art and History of Geneva to discover another treasure. When I walked up to the building I was taken aback by the large building covering the entire city block. It was grand with its large columns and statues on the roof. The five story building was built with a courtyard in the center that had tables and chairs which invited me to sit for a bit. The first two stories were filled with antiquities from Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The next floor had musical instruments from the 1700"s, stained glass windows, sculptures and ceramics. Then, after climbing the grand double staircase, I found 30 rooms of paintings from the 15th to 21th century. All the while I was looking at the art and history I was marveling at the grandeur of the building.

Doug and I have enjoyed our evening walks after dinner. One of our favorite walks has been through the parks along Lake Geneva. We've marveled at the sailboats on the lake in front of us, the majestic Alps in the distance, and the white swans near the shore. The beauty took our breath away. At dusk, the lights strung along the pathway illuminated our steps as we reluctantly made our way home.

Saleve, France

Doug and I also went to a nearby mountain in Saleve, France for a bit of hiking. We got on the tram next to our apartment, transferred to two different buses, arrived at the border of

Switzerland and then walked into France. People of Geneva call Saleve their mountain even though it is located in France. It is located just 5 km outside of Geneva. I was excited to ride the cable car to the top of the mountain. The nearly vertical cliff allowed us to ascend in less than 5 minutes but the view around us was spectacular. We saw people sitting on a large grassy area just as we exited the cable car. We grabbed a spot on the edge of the mountain and appreciated the view. The city of Geneva unfolded before us; the jet d'eau rising from Lake Geneva, the spires of St. Peter's Basilica, the Rhone and the Arve rivers flowing through the city, and the Jura mountains across from us filled our field of vision. We knew there were hiking trails all over the mountain and followed them up to get a view of the Alps. We met great people along the way from all over the world. We watched paragliders take off from the edge of the mountain and soar on the air currents. We hiked along roads and paths following one trail after another. We loved wandering without having an agenda. Each area was simply gorgeous and I can't wait to go back.

Standing at the edge of Saleve

I spent a delightful day in the Old City of Geneva with my friends, John and Sharon. We wandered the streets, visited St. Peter's Basilica, saw the Reformation Wall in Parc de Bastions, and went window shopping. We talked and shared stories and travel adventures. We had a divine appointment during lunch. I know, right! We had been looking for a casual restaurant and wandered the streets for a while until we found a restaurant serving sandwiches. It was just what we wanted. The owner spoke English (he was from Scotland) and kindly showed us how to order our panini sandwich. We sat at our table, prayed and began to eat. A few minutes later the owner came back, said he noticed we prayed and that he just didn't see that very often any more. He shared his story and we had an opportunity to talk about how much God loves us even when we don't love him back. As we left John remarked, "you never know who might be watching and we must never be embarrassed to be a witness."

Berlin, Germany

Berlin Cathedral

This trip affected me in ways I did not expect. It has been 70 years since the end of WWII in Europe and 25 years since the collapse of the Berlin Wall. 

On Saturday, Doug and I headed by metro to Alexander Platz in the city center. I had difficulty figuring out the metro-subway-train system so we walked down the street, Unter den Linden, toward the Brandenburg Gate. Seventy percent of the city had been severely damaged at the end of the war and buildings were surrounded by cranes signalling there was still more work to be done. 

"Mother and her dead son" 

The wide street lined with Linden trees and reconstructed buildings pointed the way to the triumphal arch of Brandenburg Gate. We saw so much as we walked down this street. We visited St. Mary's church and the Berlin Cathedral; one simple in design, the other ornate. We stood beside the River Spree and watched sightseeing cruises take passengers down the gentle, curving river. We entered the Memorial to victims of war and tyranny built after WWI, but now it honored the memory of all who have suffered from war. We stopped at Museum Island aware of the antiquities housed inside. At a square next to Humboldt University we saw giant, colorful bean bags next to shelves of books to read. We grabbed a bean bag, closed our eyes for a moment and enjoyed the rays of the sun. It wasn't until later that evening when we realized this was the same square of the infamous book burning on May 10, 1933.

Brandenburg Gate

At the top of the Brandenburg Gate sits a statue of a chariot pulled by 4 horses. It was built in 1788 to represent peace. So many historically significant events happened here; Napoleon rode through here when he conquered Germany, a military procession for Hitler marched through the gate, JFK's speech reminded everyone that "when one person is enslaved no one is free" and Ronald Reagan's plea to Mr. Gorbachev to "tear down the wall" was spoken here. We also got to see the temporary exhibit of multiple bronze and iron horse statues that had just been installed.

The Reichstag

We found the Reichstag around the corner from the Brandenburg Gate. It has been burned, bombed, rebuilt, left isolated between the Berlin Wall, wrapped in fabric and turned into the home of Germany's parliament. 

We walked through a large urban park called Tiergarten, full of paths for bicycles, runners and people out for a stroll. The lush green trees surrounded us, the birds were singing, and the lilacs filled our senses. It was peaceful, beautiful and refreshed us.

Victory Column

In the middle of Tiergarten stood a Victory Column with a large winged statue at the top. We entered, learned about its history, and climbed the 285 circular stairs to the top. The view of the city was stunning.

Inside the monument was a small historical museum. I was struck by photos of the Brandenburg Gate that showed its bombed state at the end of WWII, the barbed wire around it when it stood between East and West Berlin, and the mass of people climbing over it when the wall came down.

Holocaust Memorial

We walked back through the Tiergarten to find the Holocaust Memorial. I knew the memorial was 2711 concrete blocks of various heights that reminded people of sarcophagi. I was not prepared for the 5 acres of row after row of concrete slabs on uneven ground that heaved as if even the earth was grieving. Most of the slabs were taller than I which made me feel closed in and alone. In the midst of the memorial an occasional flowering tree had been planted in the stark monochromatic field of concrete. The informational building onsite provided a look into the personal tragedy of the victims. One quotation stood out to us, "if it happened once, it can happen again." 

We both felt overwhelmed by the weight of our visit and returned to the hotel for some time to reflect.

Standing on the Berlin Wall

After standing on the Berlin Wall marker on Saturday, Doug and I planned to see Checkpoint Charlie on Sunday. First we got on a tour bus and listened to the narrator as we rode around the city. We saw the Russian Embassy near Brandenburg Gate, and the American Embassy next to the Holocaust Memorial. We saw beautiful, pastel colored townhouses lining the streets and gallerias with designer shopping, crossed old bridges over the River Spree, gazed at the Charlottenburg Palace, and went to a flea market.

Checkpoint Charlie helped me understand how the city of Berlin was divided after WWII and how fragile peace was for the world. It was here American and Russian tanks faced each other. Divided by a few yards physically but many yards politically, WWIII threatened everyone. 

Checkpoint Charlie

After dinner we walked a couple of blocks to a section of the Berlin Wall still standing. When we arrived, we found we were standing on the former headquarters of the Gestapo, SS and Reich Security force. The area had been totally demolished and forgotten until the creation of a documentation center. We walked along this long wall reading of the terror and persecution that happened here with the excavated torture rooms below and the remains of the Berlin wall above us. Then we went inside the center to read more about what happened at this site. The building was totally surrounded by glass including the ceiling. I felt the light denied the darkness and evil any place to hide. We found ourselves ready to go back to our hotel. It had been a full day.

East Side Gallery graffiti

On Monday, we felt like we understood the metro-subway-train system so we took the metro to the East Side Gallery. What I missed was how to actually get from the metro to the gallery but after a somewhat anxious detour we found it. (Read, "ooh, I don't think we should be here".) The East Side Gallery is a memorial for freedom and is decorated with world famous graffiti. 

We can be those people

As we walked along the wall we spotted this graffiti and thought of Vineyard Cincinnati. What a great reminder to be one of the small people doing small things. We just need to do them with great love to change the world.

We finished walking the 1.3 km along the wall and grabbed a train to Potsdamer Platz. Potsdamer Platz was a busy commercial intersection in the city of Berlin, was heavily damaged in WWII, divided by the Berlin wall, and is once again becoming an important commercial area. We walked through the Mall of Berlin, shopped in the galleria and grabbed dinner before saying goodbye to Berlin.