A Schwan Song of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland
Now that we're home from our tour and have had several months to reflect on it, our travels around Germany, Austria and Switzerland seem almost incredible. We got to see places we scarcely could have imagined, like the Alps and Neuschwanstein Castle. We got to walk the streets where Holy Roman Emperors and a youthful Mozart once waltzed. And we got to meet fascinating people, from our incomparable tour guide Donald to our tour group buddies to our local guides that showed such pride in their hometowns. Each city was special and spectacular in its own way. Traveling with the tour increased the value of our time by eliminating travel worries and making sure we got a front row seat to most of the top sights. It also provided opportunities and encouragement for us to embrace local culture, even if it meant getting out of our comfort zones. Below, each of us has listed a favorite thing from our time in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. If we'd had space, we could have listed many more.
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Our Favorite Things (of the Whole Trip)
Jody: The Variety
Planning this trip, I was looking forward to the castles, but in the end I was struck by the variety that this trip presented. We began our journey in the Rhine Valley in the tiny village of Bacharach. It was a step back in time - a really big step back. You expected a cobbler to pop out of his shop, measure your foot, then make you a pair of shiny new shoes. The tour ended in the sophisticated, metropolitan city of Vienna sporting its designer boutiques and big city feel. The start of the journey was in a hot valley, but mid-way through the trip we were at the Top of the World crunching through snow and ice. We feasted upon the savory brats and bretzels of Germany, consumed mass quantities of cheese fondue and raclette in Switzerland, and devoured the best Black Forest cake that Donald could find. We sang along to The Sound of Music and mourned those lost at the hands of the Nazis. It was a trip of extremes, but we were never alone. We had the companionship of our family and our new tour friends. Being shy, it is difficult for me to enjoy spending time with strangers, but the fourteen days of our tour allowed time for me to make a few friends and get to know everyone in our group a little bit. My family and I got to know farmers and educators, investors and programmers, retirees and students. We even know that the couple we met on our train trip to Trier has a room for us if we ever travel to Chicago. Traveling with family is great, but making new friends is wonderful.
Planning this trip, I was looking forward to the castles, but in the end I was struck by the variety that this trip presented. We began our journey in the Rhine Valley in the tiny village of Bacharach. It was a step back in time - a really big step back. You expected a cobbler to pop out of his shop, measure your foot, then make you a pair of shiny new shoes. The tour ended in the sophisticated, metropolitan city of Vienna sporting its designer boutiques and big city feel. The start of the journey was in a hot valley, but mid-way through the trip we were at the Top of the World crunching through snow and ice. We feasted upon the savory brats and bretzels of Germany, consumed mass quantities of cheese fondue and raclette in Switzerland, and devoured the best Black Forest cake that Donald could find. We sang along to The Sound of Music and mourned those lost at the hands of the Nazis. It was a trip of extremes, but we were never alone. We had the companionship of our family and our new tour friends. Being shy, it is difficult for me to enjoy spending time with strangers, but the fourteen days of our tour allowed time for me to make a few friends and get to know everyone in our group a little bit. My family and I got to know farmers and educators, investors and programmers, retirees and students. We even know that the couple we met on our train trip to Trier has a room for us if we ever travel to Chicago. Traveling with family is great, but making new friends is wonderful.
Jill: The People
I was looking forward to seeing all of the wonderful sights in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Being of German heritage I had always wanted to see these countries. The sights did not disappoint. From the castles around every bend to the Swiss Alps to the Austrian lake district, it was one WOW moment after another. My biggest take away from the trip is all of the people we met. Not only our tour mates, bus driver and tour guides, but the Germans, Austrians, and Swiss. Everywhere we went we met friendly people proud of their country and their heritage. We are all different but we are a lot alike, too. |
Lex: The Swiss Alps
Our first two days in Murren were drizzly and overcast with thick clouds and fog, but we awoke on the morning of our third and last day in Murren to bright sunshine and brilliant clear blue skies. While there were many spectacular sights and experiences on our wonderful trip, my overall favorite was seeing and hiking the Swiss Alps. |
Rick: The Schilthorn
My favorite of the many wonderful experiences on our tour was Day 6 at the top of the Schilthorn. Stepping out of the gondola, I found we had risen above the fog; and there it was: a breathtaking 360 degree view that topped any I could recall (sorry Grand Canyon). Clouds drifted by obscuring then revealing the Eiger, the Monch, and the Jungfrau - snow-covered peaks galore. The rest of the Schilthorn visit was also top notch - who doesn't love James Bond and hot chocolate? |
Justin: Murren Via Ferrata
My favorite activity was the Murren Via Ferrata, a mile long trail accompanied by a continuous series of long cables. By wearing a harness and attaching yourself to a cable you can ensure your own safety (but not peace of mind) as you navigate the trail’s gravity-defying path. The thrill of crossing above a roaring waterfall using a “bridge” composed only of three individual steel cable is unbelievable. Murren Via Ferrata was a perfect combination of terror and beauty, tranquility and anxiety. |
Elyse: The "Little" Things
Don't get me wrong: I loved going to big castles like Neushwanstein and Burg Eltz, visiting extraordinary museums like Vienna's Kunsthistorisches Museum and Munich's Imperial Treasury, and standing atop the Schilthorn in the Alps. But upon returning home, I've found that many of the things I remember most fondly about the tour were the little details and the everyday opportunities to live like a local. I loved camping out in Trier's lively downtown square, taking early morning walks through Salzburg and stopping at an Austrian coffee house, and sitting shoulder to shoulder with thousands of others in Munich's beer garden. One of my favorite memories of the Alps was stopping along the trail with six of our fellow tour group members for a picnic lunch. I also enjoyed speeding through the German countryside in a summer luge sled (with teenagers heckling us to go faster) and trying out the Swiss Alp horn (only to realize it's not my true calling). I was thankful that, with 14 days to spend in Europe, we had time to see the big stuff and appreciate the little things, too. |