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Private Notes
From the French town of Chamonix, we hop on a gondola lift with Rick and glide past Mt. Blanc and glistening glaciers, touching down in Italy. Then we train over to Appenzell, Switzerland, on the Glacier Express Railway and find Swiss traditions thriving in yodel-happy, cowbell country
From high on the German and Austrian border, Rick makes his way down to Innsbruck, the historic capital of the Hapsburgs. We slap-dance the night away in a nearby Tyrolean village before turning to feudal Italy at Reifenstein Castle. Then we're out-of-doors, zooming up rock cliffs and hiking through alpine meadows in the Italian Dolomites.
On the loose in France's countryside, we drive up Alsace's Route du Vin for miles of vineyards, half-timbered villages and feudal fortresses. We head to Verdun to walk the trenches of World War I before visiting Reims Cathedral to marvel at Gothic splendor and Chagall's stained glass. Our final stop is Epernay, the bubbly birthplace of champagne.
Here in southern Spain, we explore Granada's Alhambra — Europe's last and greatest Moorish palace, and we soak up the sun on a Costa del Sol beach. We check out British-influenced Gibraltar and feed its famous monkeys. Finally, a day trip to Africa takes us to Tangier, where we plunge into the exotic markets of old Morocco.
Denmark's Copenhagen welcomes visitors with remnants of Viking days and cosmopolitan flair. We join the locals for lunching, biking and boating before ending the day in the Tivoli Gardens amusement park. For a glimpse of long-ago Denmark, we board a train, then ferry to Ærø Island for a reminder of the world of Hans Christian Andersen.
In Stockholm, Sweden's capital, we browse in the old town, see an opera at the baroque Queen's Theater, and commune with earlier centuries of Swedish life in a vibrant open-air museum. We then board a ship for a scenic overnight cruise through the Baltic Archipelago in order to explore 19th-century sights in modern Helsinki, Finland.
Norway's seafaring past lives on in Oslo, where its harbor holds remnants from long-ago oceanic adventures. We head to the Norwegian Resistance Museum, which chronicles Norway's brave stance against the Nazis, and leave the city to ride the scenic rails and cruise a fjord. Finally, in Bergen, we stroll the Hanseatic quarter, discovering links to the city's history.
Rick and his family head to Ironbridge Gorge — the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution — and Blackpool, a beach town with neon night life. A scenic drive takes us to the calm Cumbrian Lake District — home to Wordsworth's cottage, hearty walks and sheep shearing. We end in the Norman cathedral at Durham, enjoying its Evensong service.
After a double-decker bus tour of London, we visit the reconstructed Globe Theatre and Churchill's Cabinet War Rooms. With London as home base, Rick and his family take day trips to Stratford, Warwick Castle, Cambridge and York. Along the way, we stop for a traditional English tea and enjoy a steam-engine trip.
We explore the Peloponnese Peninsula before taking on frenetic, sprawling Athens. Seeing beyond its crowded streets, we return to the city's incredible, historic core, climbing to the majestic Acropolis and exploring a centuries-old market. While in Greece, we sample retsina wine, eat scrumptious specialties and even learn a local dance in the Plaka.
The Greek Islands' sunny climate, great beaches and relaxed culture attracts travelers from all corners. Island-hopping on the Aegean ferries, we visit touristy Santorini, ride a motorbike around Samos, and hang out on barely known Lipsi. With tips from the tourist office, we find offbeat ways to enjoy the islands and our own picturesque places to stay.
We visit spectacular Greek ruins at Ephesus and Aphrodisias and ancient hot springs at Pamukkale before traveling up the Meander River and steaming in a Turkish bath. Rick provides tips on staying healthy in foreign countries, and makes exotic Turkey feel more familiar, showing its devout Muslim beliefs and compelling blend of ancient and modern nomadic life.
In central Turkey, we folk-dance through tea-soaked and hospitable ancient villages, seeing geological wonders, cliff dwellings, and the red pottery kilns of Avanos. Leaving the camel rides and carpets behind, we arrive at the modern city of Ankara to learn about Ataturk — the "father of the Turks" — who led this sultans' empire through to the twentieth century.
At Europe's gateway to Asia, we explore the historic, crowded city of Istanbul. We get lost in the Grand Bazaar, feast like kings at a fishermen's wharf, and follow stories of the Byzantine Empire at St. Sophia and Topkapi Palace. We board a boat on the churning Bosphorus to see the Bridge of Galata and the elegant Dolmabahce Palace.
Egypt offers a visual potpourri of high energy and ancient mystery — from chaotic Cairo to the silent temples and tombs near Luxor and the Valley of the Kings. We explore pharaohs' pyramids at Giza and gold treasures at Cairo's National-Museum. Each stop on the route — including a trip down the Nile — leaves an unforgettable imprint.
In Jerusalem, the Holy Land's capital city, we see Israel's past unfold, with Jews praying at the Wailing Wall, Muslims worshipping at the Dome of the Rock, and Christians celebrating at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Near chic Tel Aviv, we stop to enjoy a Mediterranean beach, as we watch fishermen on the Sea of Galilee.
