A ride through Europe

Covid got in the way of our 30th anniversary. We had booked a trip to Israel and were planning on taking our children/spouse. The long tunnel that covid seemed to be was never ending and our plans were cancelled. But around May, we booked our trip…this time, just the two of us as Ashton and Ben were into baby mode with the birth of our first grandchild.

Thirty (now 33) years, seemed like a milestone only older people achieved. I have come to realize that age is a perspective. The older you get, the younger the next decade seems. Only this decade comes with 30 year old children and now the title of grandparent. So, yes, grandparents are a young group of people.

I booked us a Viking tour thru the heart of Europe. Starting in Budapest, we have floated on the Danube River and learned about the long history of Hungary, Slovakia, Austria and now Germany.

Three overriding things have captured my thoughts. 

1. The architecture.

The grandeur of both the governmental buildings and even more so the houses of worship are breathtaking. From the details in the stonework to the inlays in the floor; vision, talent, and a creative mind(s) certainly were at work. Many of the structures are 1000’s of years old or older and are still standing. Large gates, epic wooden doors, and granite columns will be forever a reminder of the designers desire to build something that would last more than just a generation. As one example, the Hofburg Royal Palace in Vienna; a 13th century palace built, opened in 1279, with a capacity of 4900 people. All I could think about was how they built this baroque style building with no power equipment or tools. There isn’t just one big palace or cathedral to see in these cities, they are stacked on top of each other. 

2. The gardens

The gardens that made the greatest impression on me were the ones in Salzburg. Designed with a baroque pattern where everything is in excess and built with symmetry. Both the architecture and the gardens are built with equilibrium in mind. It provides a balance to the eye. The colors were amazing. We were here at the end of growing season and were able to see the color of the flowers and the beginning of fall foliage. Perfect timing! The daily temperatures hovered around 6o F. The most impressive gardens we visited were the Mirabell Palace and Gardens. Built and cultivated in 1606 by Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich for his love, Salome. These gardens are known by most Americans whether they realize it or not. This was  the most significant shooting location of the famous Hollywood musical, “The Sound of Music”. As you will recall, Maria and the children dance around the Pegasus fountain located in the gardens in front of the palace. There they were singing “Do Re Mi”.  This American movie about the Von Trapp family is clearly evident in Salzburg. The gardens made me want to go to Lowes and buy more flowers, but I realized it would be fall when we returned.

3. The music

Our first concert was in Vienna and was called the “Mozart” concert. The musicians were amazingly talented. Their love of the music was evident in their performance and as an added bonus we saw a couple ballet dance and another couple sing opera. Mozart’s music called for all the forms of artistry to shine. The next day, we visited and heard the renown Vienna Boy’s Choir. The group “sub”group of singers were from ages 10-14 years old. Not only were they disciplined and polite, they sang beautifully. Music is a significant thread in the fabric of Vienna and Salzburg. They are most proud of Mozart. Born in Salzburg, on Elizabeth’s birthday, January 27, 1756. His story is too significant to pen in this blog, but the overall story is he left Salzburg because of pay and the restrictions given to him by the Roman Catholic church. Elizabeth loves his whimsical and playful style of music composition which can also be quite dramatic. Me? I like Bach who is from Eisenach, Germany, a town we did not visit. 

We are half way finished with this trip. Today we are in Nuremberg, the second largest city in the German State of Bavaria. This city held great significance in Nazi Germany. The Nazi party chose this city as the site for huge Party conventions - Nuremberg rallies. Held in 1927, 1929 and then annually from 1933-1938. The location was the backdrop for Nazi Propaganda and ideals. Later it was the location for war crimes. 

I’m looking forward to today.