There were moments when we thought we couldn’t take another step. Then in a flash that feeling of exhaustion would give way to exhilaration as we took in a sight like the view of Paris from the Eiffel Tower. Yes, the aerial view of Des Invalides, Notre Dame, the Arc de Triomphe and the River Seine was well worth the trek to the second level - all 600 stairs.

 

A recent trip to Europe which I shared with 33 area students and four amazing adults – all many years to my junior – delivered one fairy tale moment after another.

 

Battling for top billing, perhaps, was a day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany and a cliff railway ride into the Swiss Alps - specifically Mount Pilatus. 

 

The castle experience came after a lengthy bus ride through rural Germany. Dozens of sleepy travelers perked right up upon first glimpse of the 19^th century Romanesque palace. Our ultra cool EF Tour guide Stephan began telling us the story – about how the reclusive King Ludwig II dreamed up the retreat and paid for it himself. It took 17 years to build and the king lived there only 172 days before falling ill and subsequently drowning. After a steep 1.5-kilometer hike, we found ourselves on the Marienbrucke suspension footbridge where we hung out with hundreds of other castle admirers and snapped photo after photo of the very castle that inspired those in various Disney fairytales. We were also treated to a formal tour of the interior – in all its colorful, imagination-nurturing glory.

 

The 7,000-ascent into Mount Pilatus, the kids said, was like a dream. As our tram climbed, the temperatures dropped and we eventually found ourselves inside a cloud. Occasionally, we popped our heads out of our train car to snap a selfie. That kind of background is hard to come by. There were layers and layers of mountains, those closest also the most defined and dotted with cowbell-wearing cattle, wildflowers and evergreens. The only thing missing were some yodeling lasses, but an elderly gent playing “Amazing Grace” on the alphorn more than sufficed.

 

I could go on and on about the European landmarks and sights, from the architecture and festive atmosphere of Prague in the Czech Republic to the dynamic graffiti-style art on the former Berlin Wall to the elegant diving swans of Lake Lucerne.

 

But it was sometimes the quiet, more unassuming moments that I loved most. Such was the case when en route to Switzerland, we stopped off in Innsbruck, Austria for an afternoon of sunshine and R&R. In the picturesque little city hugged in snowcapped mountains, we found an inviting café and basked in espresso and raspberry cheesecake as we wrote postcards to home. The memory of the moment still lingers. The postcards; well, they still haven’t made it.

The European lifestyle was likewise impressionistic. Sleek in an understated, put-together kind of way, the women carried themselves extremely well – even when traveling via bicycle, high heels and all. Hotel rooms were small, but comfortable; nothing fancy. The twin beds were always scooted close together and were dressed in a cocoon of fluff. Energy consciousness always in the forefront, there was no AC in the rooms. And many times, hallway lights turned off when there was no activity in the area. Such was never the case in the lobby or entry areas of each floor where Wi-Fi was the most accessible.  Yes, we Americans showed our true colors when it came to the importance of social media. That was, of course, because we wanted to connect with all of you.

 

The food made impact – from the thin-crusted pizza, gelato and luscious quiche of Paris to the meat, potatoes and schnitzel of Germany. And because of all that exercise, we found we could eat our fill without packing on the vacation pounds.

 

As we popped in and out of six different European countries, we were often cashing in our currency. We used Euro, Koruna and Francs. It paid off to always have a ready stash of coin because even a trip to the bathroom required a deposit. Some, like the one featured below, was worth the price of admission. As not every bathroom door featured the pant- and skirt-wearing stick figures, it was most helpful to know the boy-girl designations in the various languages. Perhaps equally important was the word for exit – memorably “ausfahrt” in German and “sortie” in French. That knowledge was most helpful in winding our way out of the metro stations, where we were often entertained by a variety of performers – from vocalists to accordionists and violinists. A unique version of “Hit the Road Jack” is forever burned into our memories.

 

As I watched the skies explode with fireworks this Fourth of July weekend, I reminisced about my recent European travels; grateful for the opportunity to explore new lands and eternally thankful for the country I call my home.  It’s the land of the free – and that includes free bathrooms!

 

Editor’s Note: The aforementioned trip was shared with students of Bridgeport, Liberty and South Harrison High Schools and organized through EF Educational Tours. My daughter BHS French Teacher Madame Deanna Garrett, organizes the trip every other year. The next tour will be the summer of 2017. Plans will begin shortly after the school year begins. The trip is open to upperclassmen of the French program and other students as space is available. 

 

Julie Perine can be reached at 304-848-7200, julie@connect-bridgeport.com or follow @JuliePerine on Twitter! 

 

See more photos from Bon Voyage European Tour 2015 HERE. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Julie Perine can be reached at 304-848-7200, julie@connect-bridgeport.com or follow @JuliePerine on Twitter!