It’s July, and we have a very special event coming up. Celina’s first trip to Europe after 985 days of stay here at home. She is going on a round trip with a group of students and teachers from Germany to Austria, Italy, and Switzerland. Ten exciting days (minus one day because of the time difference and the long flight) with their American friends through their former home country and vacation destinations. Only we parents sit here now and look stupid and have to work. But we are happy to do that for Celina from the bottom of our hearts.
Celina’s Travel Report:
First, my parents take me to the airport in Austin on 07/13, where I meet the group of my fellow travelers (30 teens, three counselors/teachers, and two parents). We check in our bags at the baggage counter, pick up our tickets, and then it’s off to the security check. It will be extremely exciting because it will be my first long trip abroad without mom and dad. And even though I had to stifle my tears as we said goodbye, the excitement of what’s to come is more tremendous!
Day 1:
After landing in Frankfurt, we drive, partly completely overtired, to Rothenburg ob der Tauber to visit this medieval town. It is a very interesting place, and I buy a crusader ring for my dad to surprise him when I get home.
We continue to our hotel in no man’s land, where we (actually quite tired) move into our rooms. In my room, there is a very interesting shower, because there is a big mirror there and opposite there is a window that points into our bedroom. This is already a strange construction.
We are divided into three different buildings, and we all have phones too, but because there are these big windows in Germany, we all sit at the window with paper and pens and communicate with each other by drawing and writing. This is very funny.
After dinner, we have some free time to explore the area. And since we have a big golden field next to us and the sun is setting nicely, we decide to take some cool photos. While doing so, the US teenagers make their first experience with an electric fence…. Well, I had warned them before 😉
Day 2:
After a hearty breakfast with German specialties, we will visit Linderhof Castle, built by the “crazy” Ludwig II – the only castle where he actually lived.
Our day continues with a drive past Neuschwanstein Castle (the fairy tale castle). Then follows a trip to a well-known discount grocery store, and I finally buy my favorite chocolate again, chocolate kisses, and a 1kg pack of German Haribo gummy bears. That must be now simply times. Afterward, it goes on to dinner in a small city. Well, for me, real German food is instead something like Rouladen or Bratwurst, but in some areas, you are also boiled pork with mustard sauce, potatoes, and mixed vegetables. That’s not really my thing, but we eat what’s on the table. And maybe it helps if you tell yourself that the cook has made an effort in the preparation… In any case, we go to a great viewpoint after the meal (on the recommendation of the said cook).
Day 3:
We start our day with history lessons and a visit to Dachau.
It is impressive and cautionary to see how the black-and-white images from history books and documentaries come to life at this site, and there is a certain heaviness in the air as you walk around the grounds.
After this somewhat melancholy excursion, we first go to lunch at BMW World, and here Jameson (our car freak) also gets his money’s worth. And I finally get a curry sausage again and then even a motorcycle under the butt …
So freshly strengthened, we now go on a tour through Munich to get to know some of the most important sights. While we explore the city center of Munich, we accidentally come across the Love Day – Parade. The city center is colorfully decorated, and there is a party atmosphere. Of course, this is very exciting and fun. And yes, I can’t resist buying a Dirndl T-shirt.
And then it gets really fun again because some of us ride our bikes through the English Garden, swim in the Isar River, and stop in the park to eat ice cream and people-watch. That’s especially fun in a group like this (but it’s also a bit exhausting because you have to pedal yourself on the bikes).
We go to the Wirtshaus am Hart for dinner, where we end the day with typical Bavarian specialties before we drive back to our hotel.
Day 4:
After we have “slept in” and had breakfast, a long bus ride is on the agenda today. It goes via Austria to Italy, and a stopover in Innsbruck is, of course, an absolute must! This city, surrounded by the beautiful Alps, is simply fantastic. So we stroll through the town, visit the Swarovski Museum, and hurray … there is DÖNER!
Unfortunately, our time in beautiful Innsbruck is limited because the journey continues to Italy, to beautiful Verona. So we pass the time in the bus, to the chagrin of our bus driver, with common more or less beautiful singing.
In Verona, we visit the beautiful old town, the fair, and Juliet’s house, eat ice cream and buy numerous souvenirs.
Afterward, during a fantastic sunset, we drive to our hotel, where we end the day classically with pasta and red wine (yes … we are allowed to drink alcohol during our Europe trip, but I can’t stand it).
Day 5:
Today is an absolute highlight of this tour on the program because it goes to Venice. I love this city, and we start with a boat tour and island hopping between Venice, Murano, and Burano.
In addition, there is a guided tour of the city, and a ride in the gondola may not be missing, of course. We all love this city!
After a very intensive and successful day, we go back to the hotel for dinner and, of course, drink red wine.
Day 6:
Today is a travel day because it goes from Italy to Switzerland. But since we are well on schedule, we make one more stop. Hurray, I still see my beloved Lake Garda and the wonderful Sirmione. Here we eat pizza, take a boat ride, and some go swimming. And I get a bottle of Malvasia wine as a surprise for Mom.
After this excellent and unplanned excursion, the journey continues toward Switzerland, passing beautiful landscapes until we reach our hotel in the late evening.
Day 7:
Today we start the day with a sightseeing tour of Lucerne, a charming city. Afterward, we will take a boat ride across Lake Lucerne and head up to Mont Pilatus by cogwheel train. Here we enjoy the magnificent view before taking a ski gondola back down the mountain. Unfortunately, in the middle of the ride, we get the first summer rain of the trip – which means lightning, loud thunderclaps, and gondolas swaying and stopping. It’s a wild adventure that lasts about 15 minutes. But we all arrive back at the station in one piece.
In the evening, there is a special experience on the program – a Swiss fondue dinner including music, alphorn blowing, and yodeling.
Day 8:
In the early morning, we start our return journey toward Germany. A stopover in Heidelberg is not to be missed. We visit the city and enjoy the quieter day after it got very late yesterday.
We spend our last night in a hotel in Heppenheim, and tomorrow, we leave bright and early for the airport in Frankfurt and then finally back home.
Day 9:
We go to the airport, and then our plane takes off in the direction of home, where our parents are already waiting excitedly for us. Our goodbyes to each other are all the more heartfelt after this exciting trip. And we know that this trip will bind us together forever.
Thank you to everyone … it was a fantastic trip.
