This story started five years ago when I shared the following in a blog post:
July 2020: In a few short days, I will join the millions of people who live and thrive in the sexagenarian decade. I’ll be wandering into the land of early bird specials and receiving Medicare postcards in the mail. I’m not very nervous looking over the edge.
I had, however, hoped to celebrate on a grand scale. I had wanted to travel to Europe and take a picturesque river cruise; I wanted to watch my 50s bobbing in the wake behind me. I wanted to kick off the joy that the new adventures of this decade hold.
But of course, that’s off. With COVID and two more months of cancer treatment, I’m not going anywhere. The best-case scenario is that I’m on those shores within a year or two.
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Well, it took a little longer, but it finally happened. Flying to Amsterdam on the 4th of July, we eventually arrived at the boat that would take us down the Rhine River.
First, we had a day to happily meet up with one of my oldest friends and her husband, who would join the cruise, and we spent the afternoon strolling the Dutch canals and having coffee and cake (and maybe a beer) by one of the many bridges.
It was extraordinary to walk past Anne Frank’s home (it was too crowded in the front to take a photo), but we saw the Westerkerk church; the same church which rang the bells Anne heard every day from her hiding place.
The trip was eight days, and we visited six cities. It’s too much to share it all, but there were some highlights.
My favorite moments might include slowly cruising down the UNESCO World Heritage portion of the Rhine, which showcases over 40 castles scattered on the hillsides. That evening, we also walked up a zig-zaggy steep (!) incline to reach the Rheinstein Castle, built in the 1300s, and have a glass of champagne there. How does one convey enchanting in German? Der Zauber or Die Magie.
One day, I had the delicious opportunity to try an authentic quiche Lorraine at lunch in an open-air cafe in Strasbourg. I had a view of the magnificent Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg. In fact, we toured it right before lunch, and saw its famed astronomical clock, which was rebuilt for the third time in 1842.
Certain parts move once a day and others more frequently. It calculates time and dates, and shows the current positions of the planets and a lunar globe showing the phases of the moon. It has three panels representing the three Fates. I had to snap a photo of the skeleton looking down as he represents the finite passage of time (Death) which includes a figurine of a baby and an old man passing in front of it every 15 minutes.
Mind-blowing. I could have stood there all day and still seen new things.
And on my actual birthday (yes, I’m 65 now) we walked the medieval streets of Colmar, France. I entered a patisserie and ordered a delicious layered cream pastry to celebrate. As a devotee of Christmas (apparently, they have a huge seasonal Christmas market and year-round stores there) I walked the streets feeling like I was walking in the middle of a Dept. 56 Christmas village display (minus the snow) and I purchased ornaments at La Magie de Noel. I can’t wait to hang them in five months. Oh, one ornament I actually bought in Heidelberg.
Which brings me to a funny story. We had a tour guide in every city. In Heidelberg, her name was Melanie(!) We sort of hit it off, so when she needed to leave us briefly to retrieve some delicious German chocolates for us, she handed me the flag and pronounced that I was in charge (for about three minutes!) I took my responsibility very seriously.
I guess I have one more funny story too. We had received books last Christmas about Germany and European travel. One of the book’s titles was “German Men Sit Down to Pee” (and other Insights into German Culture). Well, we were in Koblenz, Germany (just an hour south of Cologne) and I needed to use the restroom. It was in a small hall in a public building. I opened the door and realized immediately that there were two interior doors–one left and one right. Unfortunately, the one on the right stood wide open, and there was a man standing, and…yep. As I rushed to the door on the left, my first thought was, German men do NOT sit while they pee! In fact, the very same “situation” happened to my friend in another city.
All of it was like being inside a fairy tale. I almost made it to the Black Forest (a staple in a good fairy tale), but plans changed. Upon my return, a friend asked, “Did it meet your expectations?” Understandably, I think she thought that five years is a long time to hold on to such impossibly high expectations.
My answer was instantaneous. YES. Exploring cities, riding bikes, the boat gliding past cows and goats (and occasional industrial sites) — the answer will always be Yes! I was so grateful to fulfill my wish that I took everything in. Even after five long years, the trip exceeded my expectations.
I understand that there are travelers out there much more seasoned than I. They take incredible adventures. Me? Not to other continents, really. This was a gift; a gift to see the cobblestones of some genuine history. We learned so much about the Netherlands, Germany and France.
Since childhood, I have always been drawn to fairy tales, and now I got to briefly live in one.
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