Like all good stories, the time has come for us to close the current chapter and move to the next.  At the end of February, I was notified that I had been selected for a new job and that, despite our assignment extension late last summer, we'd be moving in Summer 2020 (subject to COVID-19 delays of course). 

This news has been bittersweet for us. We've genuinely loved living in Germany and Europe as whole. The location, pace of life and the amazing travel opportunities have been such a blessing for our family. Yet, all the while, we knew that this was a temporary assignment. Yes, there are thousands of Americans who have made Europe their permanent home, but we have never felt such a calling. This has been an amazing season of our lives and we will miss our life here in our corner of SW Germany; but we are excited for our next chapter. 

As we've written in previous posts, we love the mountains. We loved their proximity when we resided in Colorado, longed to be closer to them when we lived outside Washington, D.C., and have relished exploring sections of the Alps--even if we didn't do as much of it as we wanted to. The dramatic peaks of the Alps are a sight that won't be easily forgotten. How do they compare with the grandness of the Rockies? 

We'll let you know in a few months once we move back to Colorado. 

This post has been a year in the making... more recent trips are forthcoming. 😀

Living in Europe affords the ability to do things that many would not normally consider. Take Thanksgiving for instance. Thanksgiving is a day of turkey trot 5Ks, bountiful meals, sports, family and friends. After arriving in Germany back in 2017, we made the decision that Thanksgiving would be a strategic travel opportunity for our family. 2017 took us to Disneyland Paris; in 2018, we set off for Rome!

Rome is a place that I've read about, studied, and dreamed about visiting. Few currently occupied and in-use cities can match its more than 2,700 years of existence. Including our travel days, we spent eight days in Rome and the surrounding areas. Yes, we could have done Rome in three or four days; but with young kids, having the extra days to spread things out allowed us to enjoy a more leisurely pace through the city.

Rome can be divided into three categories when planning an itinerary. Ancient Rome, Christian Rome, and Modern Rome.

Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome was the major draw for me--the Republic, the Senate, the Forum, the Punic Wars, the triumvirates, the caesars, the slow decline and fall of the Empire. This is the history that has held my fascination for most of my life. Driving on the shuttle from the Ciampino airport south of the city to our AirBnB,  I realize we're driving on the Via Appia; a few minutes later, we're driving next to, then through the Servian Wall. While many of the Republican and Empire sites have been sacked, carted off, or are otherwise in a state of ruin, large sections and locations are intact.

Our AirBnB was about 20 minute by street tram to the core of Ancient Rome. It was a two-bedroom apartment located right next to a tram, bus, and train station. While not located in the core of Rome, we managed to save money by staying further out.

First on the agenda was the Colosseum and the Forum. The Colosseum is enormous--pictures do not do it justice. It is a massive structure, and the fact that it was designed and constructed between AD 70-80 makes it even more impressive--reinforced by the fact that while covering a smaller footprint than modern stadiums, the Colosseum still sat 80,000 spectators at a time... the same as MetLife Stadium (home to the NY Giants and NY Jets). The best tip we can offer is to purchase your Colosseum tickets for a specific timeslot ahead of time to minimize your waiting. 

Between the Colosseum and the entrance to the Forum stands Constantine's Arch. Dedicated in AD 315, the arch is in pristine condition. Adjacent to these was the eastern entrance to the Forum complex. While the Colosseum and Constantine's Arch were impressive, the Forum was the beating heart of Ancient Rome. This is where the Republic was founded and run for over 700 years. Walking in the same place as many of the great Roman statesmen once did is something I'll not soon forget. South of the Forum proper sits the Palantine Hill imperial complex where every Caesar starting with Augustus made their residence.

On the Northeast corner of Piazza Venezia sits Trajan's Forum, Mercado and Column. Trajan's Column is especially impressive since it documents the campaign of the only person to have successfully conquer and pacify what we now know as the Middle East. Trajan himself stood and looked out over the Persian Gulf. 

The last bit of Ancient Rome for our trip was a day-trip out to Ostia Antica, the former port city of Rome. Ostia, was easily my favorite site visited. Yes, Trajan's Column, Titus' Arch were impressive to see, but Ostia gave you a better understanding of how the average Roman citizen lived. It is a fairly well preserved complex, with many buildings still featuring their original designs. The baths with their intricate in-laid tile mosaics; the other baths with their intact steam rooms and restrooms; and my personal favorite, the fully intact Roman tavern, complete with bar, kitchen and outdoor seating.

Christian Rome

Moving forward in history, Ancient Rome gave way to Christendom and the history of the Roman Catholic Church was on full display. The cathedrals were grand, ornate and incredible works of architecture. If I'm being honest, I was disappointed with St. Peter's Basilica (right). Yes, it was grand and ornate--as were nearly every church throughout Rome--yet, there was something distinctly out-of-place--lifeless is the word that comes to mind. The Vatican Museums were impressive for the wide array of artifacts that it housed, not only from the centuries of Christendom, but also from the Ancient Roman and Greek periods as well--seeing the School of Athens in-person was amazing! While the tour was okay, you pay for it (or the self-guided version) in order to gain access to the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo was talented beyond words, and photos cannot do justice to seeing his work with your own eyes. One of the highlights of the many churches/cathedrals we visited was an intricately painted ceiling that when viewed by the mirror in the center of the floor, provided a captivating 3D effect.


 Modern Rome

Modernity has left its mark on this ancient capital. The Alter of the Fatherland dominates the Piazza Venezia and soars above the Forum, and Trajan's Column. Trevi Fountain was spectacular to see in person, as was the Spanish Steps. Just up the road from the Piazza del Popolo, was a Children's Museum that we spent an afternoon at. The boys loved this place! They had free run of the entire facility that was comprised of numerous hands-on activities for kids up through elementary school to engage with. Both boys loved the water-based activities.

Random Thoughts

The legacy of the Roman Republic and Empire can be seen throughout the city. No matter where you are, you're likely to encounter some piece of antiquity. While walking to the Spanish Steps prior to taking the kids to the Children's museum, we walked through the Piazza del Popolo, in the center of which sits an Egyptian obelisk (right) that was brought back to the capital by Augustus.

The Castel Sant Angelo (below, right), which rises above the Tiber near the Vatican, while modified and expanded throughout the centuries, started out as the mausoleum of the emperor Hadrian. 

Walking back to Piazza Venezia from the Pantheon by way of Piazza Navona, we walked past the Largo di Torre Argentina (below, left), an ancient roman theater complex (a small one mind you), where Julius Caesar was assassinated.

Rome was a great trip for us, and one which we all returned from surprisingly well rested. We had six full days in Rome, and toward the end, it got to be long. As stated earlier, Rome can be done in 3-4 days, but they'll be long days. We enjoyed having the ability to take our time and not rush from place to place in an effort to see everything. 

Veteran's Day is special every year. While Americans take time out to honor our servicemen and women, the day carries significantly more meaning throughout the rest of the world. November 11th is Armistice Day--the day the the Great War, World War I, formally concluded. It is a day that brings most of Europe to a halt. 2018 was the Centennial and fell on a Sunday, which meant Monday was the holiday observance. With a three-day weekend available, we headed west to Paris.

Transportation To and Around Paris

Getting to Paris from western Germany is one of the easiest travel experiences we've had. Instead of the five hour drive, we opted to take the Intercity Express, or ICE, train from Saarbrucken (book here) and arrived at the Gare de l'Est in the 10th Arrondissement less than two hours later. Tickets for the ICE ran about $200 round trip with the boys traveling for free.

Getting around Paris itself was straightforward with a myriad of options available to a visitor. Aside from the ever-present taxi/Uber/Lyft options, Paris is served by a phenomenal metro and bus system. RATP operates the system and makes it easy for the Parisian visitor to see all the city has to offer. The train system is comprised of three key segments, the metro (14 lines), the regional trains (13 lines), and the trams (10 lines). To utilize the overall system, the best option is to purchase a Paris Visite pass that is available in 1, 2, 3, or 5-day lengths. The five-day pass, valid for central Paris (Zones 1-3), at present costs 38.35 Euro for adults and 19.15 Euro for children (age 4-11). If you're seeking to head out to Versailles, you'll need to select the Zone 1-5 pass. Additionally, we'd highly recommend downloading the RATP app for your iOS or Android phone. The app provides an offline system map as well as real-time arrivals for all trains, trams and buses.

While we did not use it, another great option is the Hop-On/Hop-Off Bus that runs throughout the city and stops at the most commonly visited sites across the city.

Lodging

Before proceeding forward, it has to be stated that if you're seeking to stay in Paris, you need to expect small rooms, and the closer you get to the Seine River, the more expensive your lodging is going to get. With that out of the way, we stayed in a two-bed family room in the centrally-located Ibis Styles Lafeyette Opera hotel located near the Grands Boulevards Metro, a few blocks East of the Paris Opera. The Ibis Styles is a no frills hotel, but did allow for us to drop off our baggage while our room was being prepared--a great feature that would prove beneficial when we were departing.

Dining

With the incalculable number of dining options available to us, we have to admit that we ate dinner at Five Guys twice. After 18 months of no American food options, it was an enjoyable treat. Breakfast on Sunday took us to Kozy Lafayette. I first discovered Kozy and their amazing Weekend Brunch through the Top Paris Restaurants Instagram feed, and Janet and I were both excited to finally experience it ourselves. The food lived up to the pictures! If you're looking for a great breakfast on the weekend, check out any of their three locations across the city. 

Sights to See

Eiffel Tower

Thankfully our tickets were for a set time slot and moved to a shorter line--only to find out that for security reasons, the tower had been fully evacuated. Out time slot came and went, and we ran into friends and their kids from our church who were also visiting for the weekend. After a short wait, we made it into the tower and took the lift up to the second platform. Upon arrival, we weaved our way to the lift that took us to the summit, 906 feet above the ground.



Following our ascent we made our way across the Seine toward the Trocodero metro station. We paused to let the boys ride the carousel (there are two, one next to the Eiffel Tower and the other located on the right bank). Ascending the steps, we were presented one of the iconic photos of Paris.


Musee d'Orsay / Musee de l'Orangerie / Louvre

Like Parisian dining options, there are seemingly countless museums to visit. With our limited time, we opted to visit the top three, and were not disappointed.  Sunday took us to the Musee d'Orsay and the Musee de l'Orangerie. Arriving at the d'Orsay in the pouring rain, we were greeted by an exceptionally long entrance line (what else would Parisians and tourists do but go inside while its raining), but were promptly pulled out of the line by one of the staff and taken direct to the entrance--all due to having Sam in the stroller!  A huge thanks to the d'Orsay staff for looking after families!

The d'Orsay sits in a converted railway station on the Left Bank. The architecture is amazing, and could stand by itself without the various masterpieces that reside within its walls. The museums of Europe present special exhibitions throughout the year and during our visit, it was a Picasso one. The list of great works of art is long in the d'Orsay, but we were able to view some famous Van Goghs. Will's favorite in the museum was a modern sculpture of a Polar Bear.

Across the Seine, and a couple of blocks northeast of the d'Orsay sits the l'Orangerie. This is a extremely small museum (even smaller than the Van Gogh in Amsterdam--more on that in a separate post), yet is home to Monet's Water Lilies. Encompassing an entire floor of the museum, these four large canvases were amazing to view in person.


Our last full day in Paris took us to the Louvre. Words cannot describe this masterpiece of architecture, let alone the masterpieces of art contained within its halls. Will was able to view the Mona Lisa amidst the crowds of tourists, and Janet thoroughly enjoyed exploring the Dutch masters wing. I was most eager to get into the near-East and Greek wings and these did not disappoint. Some of my personal favorites were the Winged Victory of Samothrace, the Code of Hammurabi, and the  winged human-headed bulls that guarded the gates of Sargon II's capitol, Dur Sarrukin.


Saint Chapelle and Notre Dame

No trip to Paris is complete without visiting Notre Dame. We are so incredibly thankful that we took the time to stop in light of the recent catastrophic fire that has closed the cathedral for the indefinite future. Entry was free.

Often overlooked, Saint Chapelle is, in our opinion, more stunning than Notre Dame. Notre Dame is grand and iconic, Saint Chapelle is simply breathtaking. The stained glass windows stole the show, but we were equally fascinated by the intricate tile work beneath our feet.

"What are you thinking, Keith?"

I stopped and turned to look at Janet.  "This is surreal.  It's one thing to read about something, to understand the history, even to see the dramatization of it... its entirely different to be here to see things for myself; I can only imagine what Normandy will be like."

"Sort of like Gettysburg was?" Janet inquired, bringing back the memories of walking that battleground: standing where the 20th Maine Regiment stood on Little Round Top, gazing across the fields from Cemetery Ridge and visualizing Pickett's charge.

After a long moment, I replied, "Yes, exactly..."

Memorial Day weekend holds a special place on our family calendar. The weekend is about more than barbecues and the unofficial start of summer; it is a time to pause, take stock and remember the sacrifice of those who went before us to ensure that we live with the freedoms that we so enjoy and oftentimes take for granted. In 2017, our family went to Arlington National Cemetery and took the time to honor the men and women who are interred there. My most vivid memory is of Will laying a yellow rose on the headstone of one of the many tombs of the unknown that are spread out across the grounds.

Living in Europe for the last year has made the sacrifices of these servicemen and women that much more tangible as European history and military history are oftentimes synonymous. Being able to walk the battlefields where many sacrificed their lives for our nation has been an unspeakable honor, yet still a humbling experience. This past Memorial Day, we traveled two hours northwest to Bastogne, Belgium.

For the aspiring military historian, Bastogne is full of history and meaning. It was pivotal during the German counter-offensive during the Ardennes Campaign in December 1944 and is known the world-over due to the actions of the Screaming Eagles of the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division and most recently made famous through Steven Ambrose's book Band of Brothers, and the HBO dramatization thereof.

Second only to the beachheads of Normandy, Bastogne was a personal must-see with us living on the continent. Our visit began with lunch at Le Nuts, a cute French bistro located in the main square. The bistro's name recalls the one-word response that Brigadier General McAuliffe sent to the German commander  upon his demand to surrender. The food was excellent and the interior was adorned with photos past and present of members of the 101st including Easy Company. Their locally brewed Airborne beer was decent and was served with a mug in the shape of an infantryman's helmet.

Our next stop was the Eglise Saint-Pierre and could be reached by a short ten minute walk down main street from Lt Nuts. Walking around Bastogne was quite the experience. While most of the town was destroyed by artillery during the weeks-long battle, the citizens vowed to rebuild their city and dedicate it to the American soldiers who defended and in many cases gave their lives. As a result, Bastogne flew as many American flags as there were Belgian. Saint-Pierre was an extremely modest  place of worship when compared to the more ornate brethren located throughout Europe.



Content with our explorations of the city proper, we traveled just outside the main city to the Bastogne War Museum and the Mardasson Memorial. The museum was incredible and covered the entirety of the Second World War from the initial seeds laid following the Great War. The museum moved throughout the two preceding decades with displays and exhibits seamlessly integrating audio and movies, and culminated with the full rescue of Bastogne by the U.S. Army in January 1945.



Located adjacent to the museum is a Mardasson Memorial which is a nearly three-story granite edifice in the shape of a star and identifies every U.S. Army or Army Air Corps unit that participated in the Ardennes Campaign. Words cannot describe the impact, so theses photos will have to suffice. Before we could set off for home, there was one remaining stop that we had to make...

We were standing in their footsteps, in the middle of the forests northeast of Bastogne (GPS Coordinates 50.033510 N, 5.752694 E), and the #Smolyboys were laughing and running between the foxholes dug by Easy Company nearly 74 years prior. Somehow, just as it was when we visited the St. Mihiel American Cemetery last Veteran's Day, the boys' laughter is the most fitting tribute and memorial to these men: the opportunity to run, to be kids, to enjoy their freedom that was paid for though untold sacrifice. 

It has been a little over a year since our family boarded a plane for this European adventure and a tremendous amount has transpired during that time.  Of course, there are the unending recounting of our travels as well as the tips and advice that we'd like to pass along to others, but equally important is the personal growth that we have seen in ourselves. 

Living abroad inevitably forces one out of their comfort zone and ultimately for our own betterment. Prior to our arrival, it was merely a dream to visit Europe and see a handful of the major locales. Since then, it has been necessary to constantly work on learning languages (yes, plural; or at least the rudimentary elements of them), learning to shop on the local economy (subject of a forthcoming post), as well as adapting to local cultural idiosyncrasies. 

Looking back at the past year, I'm honestly amazed at all we've seen and done already: eight countries and nearly six thousand kilometers (over 3,700 miles) driven strictly for travel and sight-seeing purposes, and that doesn't include repeat visits to a handful of locations. Our most frequented place of travel is France due to its proximity to us. 

The last few months have been extremely busy for us from that travel perspective and I have a myriad of posts that require finalization including Bastogne, Switzerland, Garmish-Partenkirchen and Strasbourg. Amidst the past-trips are the never-ceasing plans for future ones as we enter the holiday-laden time of the calendar. We have many plans afoot and they'll be shared in due time. 

Many have asked what our favorite trip has been thus far; that answer varies depending on who is answering it. For myself and the #Smolyboys, it is our trip to Pisa, Italy this past January; for Janet, it is the Netherlands this past March. 

What are your thoughts?  Which location have you most enjoyed reading and learning about?