Memories

Europe is a special place for both of us. We have been there several times before and we both have different memories that we take home with us. This time was no different. Here are some of them, in random order.

The Food. Why does this subject come up first, especially for two regular dieters? Well, here is our philosophy. We diet and work out regularly at home in order to prepare for the trip. But when we actually arrive in Europe there is no way that “the diet” is going to interfere with the great food you will find everywhere, especially in Italy. It’s in Italian restaurants where Eric’s fondness for Italy really begins to show up. He knows all the special foods of the various regions and looks forward to sampling all of them, and so do we. Even if lunch is just a few pieces of bread and a hunk of cheese, if you are careful when you visit the grocery store you can find some real delights in just those two items. And this is true in all the countries we visited.

The People. I love the Italian people because they are so passionate about life. Listen to two Italians talk and they often sound like they are arguing with each other, but are only speaking in an animated way which is their nature. And when you smile and speak respectfully to them you can make a friend very quickly. The owner of a small shop right next to our hotel on Lake Como was a good example. When we first asked him directions he was very business like, but when we got interested in his town and his family history he really opened up and used all the English he could muster to tell us everything about himself. And when we returned and told him goodbye, he warmly held our hand, wished us the best and gave us some post cards of the area to take with us. How much we miss while traveling in another culture is if we neglect the personal parts of the journey!

The Sea. In Italy, especially, the sea is so important. It touches every border, except the north, and in the north they have the lake districts. This influences the way they build their houses and where they build their houses, the food they like and serve others, and it colors so much of their culture.

The Quaint Houses and Hotels. Old and quaint is often the way we define Europe. And we are not turned off by the age of things over there. Some of the most beautiful houses in the world are to be found in Switzerland. Kathy’s great grandmother was born and lived in a beautiful chalet in the village of Reuti, up on the mountain near the Interlaken valley. In this village they have a whole score of houses that date from the 1600’s and are beautifully preserved. Her great grandmother’s house was built in 1642 and is still going strong.

In Italy the oldest homes have plaster coming off the houses and revealing the brick underneath. But instead of this becoming a turnoff, they have developed a whole decorating scheme based upon this image. It is here where we believe Switzerland has it over almost everybody else. It is the garden spot of the world. The massive roof systems, the stained and aged wooden beams, the red tile roofs, the art work on the plaster walls, all make these houses so photogenic.

The Fabulous Views. Again, Switzerland scores big in this area. We are hikers and to get out and hike through the wilds of this rugged and awesome country is a special delight. But the Italian villages also appeal to American tastes in the way they can take a small space and put so much into it, whether it is on a high hill or a gorge or by the sea. They exude charm everywhere.

Another Memory. Another thing I personally will take away from my experience this year is this: how little one really needs to survive comfortably while traveling. My lost luggage started out as a major problem, became a simple irritation and then, after time, was no big deal. I found out that I really didn’t need all of those things that I packed in there to either survive or enjoy the trip. Being a preacher I can’t help extrapolate that lesson to life. How much do I really need in life to survive and be happy. To survive? Very little. To be happy? Well, now we aren’t talking about things at all. We are really talking about a proper mental attitude. And there is only one person that can help you obtain that: Jesus Christ—for whom, by the way, we dearly thank for bringing all these travel experiences into our lives that we may praise Him all the more.