I have chosen to use Frankenstein by Mary Shelley with my Advanced 8th Grade English students for several years. So when I had the chance to visit the area in which much of the novel takes place, I took advantage. Despite the sunshine, the majesty of this mountain was inspiring in its sheer height. It … More In Search of Frankenstein
Famous diarist Anne Frank was born in Frankfurt, Germany, moving to Amsterdam when she was four. To try to save his family, spice merchant Otto built a small shelter for his family and several friends in the attic of his business. We visited this site in 2009 and anyone with interest in the subject should go there. … More The Final Destination for Anne Frank
Leaving Copenhagen we headed to Gothenburg, Sweden spending two nights and doing a little bit of shopping and eating before we left for Oslo, Norway. An easy trip we followed major highways until reaching the capital city where a significant beautification project has most of the city center under construction. BUT despite that Oslo is … More The Rest of the Story, Scandinavian Road Trip
One of the nice things about where we live in Italy is its closeness to many different areas. Mike has been to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, a beautiful town in Bavaria, several times but never has had time to be a tourist. So we decided a road trip was in order. The area is surrounded by mountains, … More A Road Trip: Destination Bavaria
After almost ten years, we finally gave our daughter her graduation trip to Europe. First stop – Munich, Germany. I discovered that the treat of visiting familiar places is that you spend your time visiting and rediscovering favorites: a brat at the Hauptbahnhof, a stroll to the Marienplatz, and dinner at The Augustiner were just … More Returning to Some of My Favorite Places
Spain was invaded by many different cultures. Evidence of this is in abundance so we scheduled a time to view the ancient wonders. Situated on the Mediterranean, offering lovely seaside views. is Peniscola and Tarragona, Spain. Peniscola has a castle that sits atop of the old part of the city surrounded by stone walls. Upward … More Visiting the Past, Spain Part Three
This was my third trip to the eternal city, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite places to visit. While the attitude of the people can be trying to Americans I find that if I drink, relax and take in the atmosphere, it is a very special place indeed. Where else can you go … More Roma, Italia
I signed up for a two-hour Nordic Walk using walking sticks. When the time came Mike and I were the only people wanting to walk and the trip was canceled. Disappointed we asked the front desk for other options and she pointed out a nice walk across a mountain. It was a short distance from … More Oberstaufen, Germany Part Two
For a mere 48 Euros, we decided to take a day bus trip to Switzerland. Beginning at 9:50, Mike and I climbed aboard an air-conditioned (rare in this area), comfortable bus with a tour guide in traditional Bavarian dress (lederhosen on a somewhat stocky man – not exactly Brad Pitt.) The route took us to … More Switzerland
Our destination for the second week of this European vacation was Oberstaufen, Germany. This is a small town in the southwest part of Bavaria. Nestled in the mountains is a tourist destination for the local people. We stayed at Mondi-Holiday, a resort with chalet-type apartments. While tiny, they had all of the things we needed … More Oberstaufen, Germany Part One