Family

What We Learned During our 29-Day Epic Europe Family Adventure

June 19, 2016 by Shelli

Greetings from 30,000’ in the air, somewhere above England. We are just starting our long flight back to the United States. Our hard-earned, dream-come-true Epic Family Europe Adventure is coming to an end. It’s been an unforgettable experience, and one that has impacted us in so many ways. (I’m adding this sentence on Sunday, June 19: As we drove into our small town of Lander, Wyoming, a charming town in the foothills of the Wind River Range that is home to just 7,000 people, one of our sons remarked from the backseat, “It’s so great to be here. It’s the same, but somehow it feels different.” This says it all, really. We are changed because of all that we have seen and experienced and learned that was new and different.)

During our great adventure, we kept a family journal. At the end of every single day, we each contributed our thoughts about what was special or noteworthy about the day’s events, and what we’d like to have on record. (I’ve also blogged throughout this great adventure. In fact, this is my 15th blog post. If you’re interested, all previous trip reports from this Epic Family Adventure include are listed and linked to at the bottom of this blog post.)

Today, as we sat in Heathrow for two hours waiting to board this flight, we all shared with each other takeaways and observations we are taking home with us from this experience. They are numerous. I’m including them below. First I’m listing mine, and then I’m going to include some of the notes from Jerry and the boys. I hope you enjoy!

Takeaways and/or observations from our 29-Day Epic Europe Family Adventure:

• I still love my family! In fact, I love them more today than I have ever loved them. Before this trip, we were a close family. By design, we have a pretty simple life, and we spend a lot of time together. We just finished spending almost every single moment of every single day for 29 days together, sometimes in tight quarters. We traveled on trains together, buses and planes. We were packed together like sardines on many subway rides. Some of our apartments and flats were quite small. We did everything together. I was expecting that our relationships with one another, and as a family would be enriched, but also that there’d be a lot of arguing. There was even more enrichment than I expected, and less arguing than I expected. I have made new discoveries about each of our sons, and my husband. The togetherness we have experienced, combined with the fact we got to discover and see so many new sights together was priceless. Sharing this type of adventure as a family is in itself a reason to make a trip like this happen!

• We are very lucky in the U.S. We have it so good in so many ways. I believed we had it great in many ways, but now I know it firsthand. For one thing, our restrooms. We have them everywhere, and they are for the most part clean, and free. True, sometimes we buy a candy bar or pack of gum at a convenience store in order to use the restroom, but we don’t have to pay an attendant $1 to use the bathroom, or wait in long lines to use them, and compared to Europe, they’re abundant.

• Kindness is a universal language, and it matters a lot. In so many countries, we didn’t speak the language, and were able to get by with kindness, and knowing how to say Please, Thank you and I’m sorry in the native language. Smiling and showing appreciation is important, and goes a long way when traveling to foreign countries.

• I love wine. I loved red wine before this trip. Now I love it even more. In Italy, I became accustomed to drinking red wine on a very regular basis. And Portugal had inexpensive, delicious wine. It was the good life – shall I say, La Dolce Vita. (After my 16-day NOLS course in Alaska in 2011, upon my return, I had to learn how not to yell bear calls. We had to make bear calls so often. After this Europe trip, I will have to learn how to not drink wine every single afternoon and evening!)

• We need to walk to places more often. We logged, on average (and including our rest and travel days), 24,500 steps (10-11 miles) a day. We walked everywhere, and, except for the hikes from train station to apartment in each new destination, when we had our big duffel backpacks on, no one complained! It was just our way of life. We saw more, had more freedom and independence, and slept better each night. We all agreed that we ought to walk to more places in Lander. (The boys related how walking to Mr. D’s for donuts is only 1,500 steps. Considering our 24,500 steps/day average, this seems pretty reasonable!)

• Related to the previous takeaway… when you’re fit you get to see a lot more of a place. We had no problem walking from morning ’til night, and as a result we saw more and experienced more than if we were not fit, AND we slept better each night.

• For 29 days, we watched no television, and followed no news. I didn’t miss it – the bad news, especially all the Trump stuff.

• I loved being exposed to so much diversity. The people we met in each of the cultures we experienced were unique and different, fascinating and wonderful. The people watching, also, was remarkable and part of experiencing each place. While every area we toured had lots of diversity, we noticed it especially in London, where reportedly more than 300 languages are spoken.

• You can’t experience a culture without eating its foods. I love food. At home, by choice, I live with a lot of food restrictions, and am very disciplined. I indulge, but only occasionally. For this trip, I wanted to fully immerse myself in the experience, and that includes all of the delicious foods. What a treat! I loved the attention put into the food and wines and desserts, and the experience of slowly eating and enjoying consuming it. Italy, in particular, influenced me. They are laid back, and take their time at cooking foods, and gathering to enjoy it, always with lots of family and friends around. As our oldest son put it so perfectly: “Tasting and enjoying food, and just eating food quickly are not the same thing.”

• At least in our experience, with relative ease, in Europe, trains can get you anywhere you want to go. We explored destinations in 7 countries, almost all by trains. And the Underground in London is nothing short of remarkable. We could go anywhere using the subway, and always be somewhere even if we made a wrong connection. (By the way, Jerry is nothing short of a Hero. He deserves ALL of the credit for navigating and successfully orienteering us throughout 7 countries in Europe. He was responsible for figuring out our Rail pass, and all of our train connections. There were 100, give or take, train connections in all, and we made all of them thanks to Jerry!)

• Rome is my new favorite city. All of the Piazzas, the old age and remnants of a time that was thousands of years ago, the statues and fountains, and little restaurants, the street performers and gelato, vino and food… We had some really meaningful walks and evenings in Rome, not to mention all of the sights we explored at a very deep level.

• Germany was raucous, fun, festive and “on time.” We loved it, and immersed ourselves in the beer gardens, the way of life, the scenery of the Bavarian Alps, Marienplatz, outdoor markets, etc.

• Restaurants in Italy and Portugal are small and very personal. Some felt like you were eating in someone’s house, and the service & pride in their food were exceptional. And, I like that they tried to earn your business. Outside most restaurants was someone with a menu trying to convince you to eat at their place. This was not obnoxious selling, but rather prideful inviting, and there is a difference.

• It is hard on your feet to walk so many steps and miles on marble and granite and cobbled tile streets! I don’t want to complain, but the feet protested quite a lot at the end of the day. But I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything, and walking on marble floors and tiled streets was temporary. There are not a lot of those surfaces in our beloved Wyoming!

• Sometimes in the hiking world we call them trail angels – someone you meet on the trail who is helpful. We met some real angels on our trip. These were people who appeared as if out of nowhere to offer help when we needed it. (We had to disembark a train in Paris, and find another train station to find our next connection, all in a very short time period. We didn’t speak French, and this was a lot of pressure to try to get help and find the train station. We were struggling and wandering a little aimlessly outside of the train station, when a father who was pushing his daughter in a stroller approached us out of nowhere and asked if he could help us. This happened again in Monterossa, Italy, when a German man & woman showed us the way to an alternative trail once we learned the Cinque Terre Trail was closed. We had another angel in the form of an elderly lady in the Lagos, Portugal train station. These experiences cause me to love humanity even more, and have inspired me to pay it forward.

• Our boys were eating us out of house & home BEFORE this trip… With all the good food everywhere this was going to potentially be a problem for our budget in Europe, and indeed, by Day 12, we were way over budget when it came to food. (Usually our vacations are a week long, and managing a food budget for a family that includes growing boys isn’t an issue. But for a 30-day trip, managing the food budget was critical, and we didn’t start out doing very well. Add to this the boys were asking for food constantly. I am not exaggerating, and I was beginning to get depressed having to say No so often! You would have thought we weren’t letting them indulge at all, and we were saying Yes a lot, contrary to their continued asking for things. Switzerland, in particular, broke the bank. So, our solution? We decided to delegate the daily food budget management to our sons – or, specifically to our middle son, Hayden. We all chose Hayden because, of the three boys, it is well-established that is he is the saver of money. Once we gave Hayden the budget, he did a great job of keeping us on budget for the remainder of the trip, while still allowing them to indulge significantly. We even had some “2-gelato days!” This turning the budget over to one of our sons was a learning experience for all of the boys, and it was liberating for Jerry and I to turn over. (It was fascinating to see how Hayden strategized on all of our behalf, and to see how all of the boys became more miserly about what they asked for, and what they ultimately got once we explained that “money doesn’t grow on trees,” and that we had only a finite amount of it! Among other things, we observed the boys were willing to go longer between eating, and that they deliberated more when it came to ordering a small (1 scoop), medium (2 scoops) or large (3 scoops) gelato. Once they were in charge of gelatos, we ordered many more smalls and mediums! 🙂 We saw the boys often discussing, depending on the day and if we were in Italy or Portugal, if the bulk of money would be spent on dinner, or several treats throughout the day with just a pizza by the slice at night, vs. an entire pizza for each of them.)

• Before this trip, I had already been working hard to minimize and slow down on our accumulating of stuff. I definitely have a long way to go on this goal, as I’m quite a consumer. But this trip has made it more clear than ever that accumulating stuff is ridiculous. It costs money, requires space, and is not sustainable, not to mention it keeps us from spending our hard-earned money on ore important things – namely, experiences.

• When riding trains from one country to another, go to the bathroom before getting off train, so that you can use your short time while changing trains efficiently, and not have to pay to use the WC (Waste Control).

• Don’t be afraid to open a closed door. We discovered some really cool and beautiful places by daring to open a closed door. We were surprised every time by what was on the other side.

• Rainy days are sometimes welcome. The few rainy days we had made it possible – and even pleasurable – to do some laundry, to write, to read, to nap – to “chillax.”

• Always make the effort to see the sun set. We saw so many sunsets, and so many of them were extra meaningful. Our family likes to “chase the sunset” – race to a high place or to the edge of somewhere to get there right as the sun sets. We do this often in Wyoming, and on our adventures to national parks, etc. We chased sunsets upon arriving in Rome for the first time, and during our last night in Rome, and again upon our first arrival to Lisbon, Portugal. In Rome, after checking into our AirBnB, we hit the ground running toward the Sant ‘Angelo Bridge, and enjoyed seeing that wonderful sight for the first time, marveling at the beautiful statues of angels, as a harp player strummed a beautiful song in the background and the sun set. It was magical. Then, on our last night in Rome, we walked to St. Peter’s Square, with the fountain and Basilica in the background, our boys played fetch as the sun set behind them, and Jerry and I sat together and watched them. I had an overwhelming feeling of God’s presence, and have probably never felt so blessed. And, let me not forget to mention the sunsets in Rome’s Piazza Navonia, especially one night as the boys watched all of the street performers, and Jerry and I enjoyed a cheeseboard and wine tasting. Then, as we arrived at Lisbon, Portugal, for the first time we checked into our flat and then raced up several staircases and many maze-like and steep uphill, anciently-tiled narrow streets to reach the apt overlook, Ponta Del Sol, where we saw watched as the sun set and cast its angled light over the Tagus River. Other meaningful sunsets were on the beach in Lagos, Portugal, with Jerry after a romantic dinner date. Another was walking along the boardwalk above the Ligurian sea’s shoreline with the boys, as we ate gelato. Another was on the balcony of our flat in Moneglia, Italy, with the church bell ringing in the background. We also had unforgettable sunsets in Munich. As we returned to our flat each night in Munich, we watched men play chess in the park, and people gather on the beaches at sunset along the Isar River.

• Plan b can be as good as plan A. The Cinque Terre Trail was closed during our time in the area due to landslides from rains. At first this was a major bummer. Hiking the Cinque Terre Trail was something we were really looking forward to. But, thanks to a wonderful German couple we met, we discovered an alternative hike that was amazing in its own right. (From Monterossa to Levanto.)

• Do not hydrate when toilets are holes in the ground that are not kept clean. The worst toilet was the one at the Monterossa, Italy, train station. We were especially hydrated when in that area due to the hiking we had planned, and going to the bathroom, at least for me, was a problem. It was a hole in the ground, with no toilet paper available, and very gross and unclean that you had to wait in line for.

• As we expected, there are more nude sunbathers in Europe than in Wyoming. 🙂

• Italians are passionate. While in Italy, we often saw couples, in all age categories, kissing passionately.

• Tight, skinny jeans are everywhere in London, often considered the Fashion Capital of the World. After seeing so many people wearing these jeans, especially when I was in the hip and happening part of the city to give my presentation to leaders at the Sapient office, I wanted to wear some. Of course, I’ll have to work off all of the carbs first. 🙂

• We stayed in flats & apartments. Every time we’d arrive at a new destination, we’d load on our heavy Patagonia Black Hole Duffels/Backpacks and walk one half to one-and-one-half miles to find our AirBnB, flat or apartment. We all agreed that it was exciting and a little like unwrapping a present whenever we searched for our accommodations. In Rome, after struggling to find our flat, we finally found it. We had to pass through a door that was cut into an ancient bigger door, through a gate, and up one flight, two flight, and one flight more more, and through one more big green door to arrive at our surprise — a sprawling flat in a 17th Century building in central Rome. We learned from the flat’s owner that Gioachina Rossini, who composed the opera, The Barber of Seville, once lived in the flat!)

• We opted to stay in flats and apartments, and to avoid hotels, and that was an amazing plan. By staying in the central part of each destination, in an apartment or flat, we had more of a cultural immersion experience.

• I often feel insignificant with respect to the spectrum of time – for example, when I hike in Grand Canyon, which includes layers of rock that is billions of years old. But during this trip, it was more apparent than ever how short one life is. Particularly in Rome, where we stood on the floor of a home that was built in 64A.D., & walked the sacred street (date?), a 90-year life seems like less than a blip. By the way, words fall short in describing how it felt to stand, walk – and to touch – such ancient remnants, and to be transported so far back in time. It was nothing short of remarkable.

•Being open, flexible and unscheduled allows you to happen and stumble into things. We had many unexpected surprises as a result.

• That said, for a trip of a lifetime like this one, which was a significant investment of time and money, a certain amount of planning is critical to ensuring you have a trip of a lifetime. On the advice of some good friends who are world travelers we did schedule some private small group tours for particular attractions, such as the Neuschwanstein Castle, Vatican, Crypts and Catacombs and the Colosseum. These tours were invaluable. After each one, we remarked that we couldn’t have imagined seeing the colosseum on our own without a tour or seeing the Vatican Museum without Alberto there to give us in depth, and what felt like “insider” information. The same goes for the biking in the Bavarian Alps, and hiking to Neuschwanstein Castle. We were privy to so much additional fascinating and rich information thanks to our guides.

• Michelangelo was a badass. We learned so much more about Michelangelo and his life and artistic pursuits by our Vatican Museum private guide, Alberto. We were enamored by Michelangelo’s sculpture, David, in Florence, and Pietà, St. Peter’s Basilica, as well as his famous and inspiring frescoes in the Sistine Chapel in Rome.

• Keep a journal, or a family journal on a trip like this. Our experience lasted 29 days and included a wide range of deep experiences. There’s no way we could remember some of the details of each of our experiences had we not written them down when they were fresh at the end of each day. We will be forever grateful for our leather-bound, hand written journal will be a priceless memento for our family and probably our best “souvenir.”

• Jerry and I (and Wolf) didn’t drive for 29 days. And, for that matter, we didn’t see any open roads. As we walked everywhere, we still had to dodge the traffic-filled streets of Rome, Munich, London, etc. It was hopping. So we didn’t drive, and we didn’t see open roads for a month. That was okay. But now that we’re back, it’s good to have wide and “open” roads.

• Some people have remarked that, given all we saw and did in a month’s time, our schedule and days must have been crazy. They were not! When we had tours, they were usually 3 hours so we had lots of free time to do as we wished the rest of the time. We had long train rides to rest and recover in between major destinations. There were naps and lots of laying around, despite all we saw. And, I read a 531-page book (All the Light We Cannot See) during the trip.

• We are, at most, a middle class family. We saved and planned for this trip. We don’t have car payments, even though we need a bigger car. (Our family car, year 2000, is on its last leg, and has 180,000 miles on it.) For several years, we have eaten out only once per month, and we have made several other sacrifices in order to make this dream of a trip come true. I can tell you, every single hardship and No we had to say in recent months and years to make this possible, was worth it.

• A trip like this was a dream come true. There is no other way to describe it! But it also makes us appreciate, and love even more, what makes our beloved frontier of Wyoming, so wonderful. We are looking forward to returning to our simple life and the wide open spaces of Wyoming.

Other takeaways and observations from Jerry and the boys:

• We didn’t need to wear that many outfits. (This is from our youngest son, Fin. So funny, we have several photos that all look like the same photo, of Fin posing next to a huge Margherita pizza, wearing his Arizona Cardinals t-shirt and a huge smile.)
• We saw the Pope, which was a surprise. We didn’t think we would have the opportunity, and we ended up being within 30’ of him.
• To become world travelers, we have to start somewhere. This has been a terrific start, and it has whet each of our appetites. We all want more of this.
• Food is very delicious, and given all of the destinations we visited, we were fortunate to get to try a wide range of foods in a relatively short amount of time. This was a gift, and we now appreciate food more. (One son added, “Really tasting food, and just eating food, are not the same thing.”)

• Art can be whatever someone creates and is committed to. (We were struck by all of the street performers we saw, whether it was someone holding a pose for hours on end, playing and singing Pink Floyd in front of the Pantheon, accordion bands, two people sitting with seemingly invisible heads, etc., we were enthralled. And in Portugal, in particular, there was wall art everywhere, and it was intriguing and beautiful, weird and spectacular all at once.)

• You can go back in time in the present moment.

• Religion is a large part of life in Europe. There are churches are everywhere. (Churches were everywhere, and we stopped in to many of them. They ere all beautiful and unique. We visited 17 churches, and in each one, lit a candle, prayed and thanked God for all of our blessings.)

• Pork knuckles are epically delicious.

• Grilled sardines are very tasty, and a staple in Portugal.

• Olives. Pesto. Vino. Salami. Pizza. Cheeseboards. Tiramisu. Gelato. Fondue. Obazda. Augustiner beer. Pork knuckles. Yum.

• We also saw, and met, many beggars. Poverty is everywhere. I know we have it in our Lander, WY area, but it isn’t as obvious to us as it was on our Europe trip, especially in places like Pisa and Rome.

For fun, here are some statistics our son, Wolf, computed at the end of our adventure:
29 days:
40,320 minutes
310 miles of walking for EACH of us
11 pizzerias
18 gelatos (each, and there are 5 of us so technically 90.😅)
26 Calzedonia ads (Only our teenage sons noticed these!)
7 countries
87 man buns
2 pianos
10 languages
9 pretzels (each)
17 churches
4 planes
5 bus/taxi services
100, give or take, train connections
6 tall mountains
5 Epic hikes
11 apartments/flats (including some remarkable AirBnBs)

Totaling up to one heck of a life-changing, epic and unforgettable experience for our family.

If you’re interested, here are all of my previous blog posts about this Epic Europe Family Adventure so far:
• From Wyoming to the British Museum and Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew in 24 hours
• Big Ben, River Thames, Tower of London and Ice Cream
• Munich Day 1: Glockenspiel, Deutsches Museum, Englischer Garten and Beirgarten
• Biking in the Bavarian Alps, Exploring Neuschwanstein Castle, Epic Beer & Food
• Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland: The Land of Many Fountains, Cows with Bells and Epic Food
• Zermatt: Gornergrat Glacier, the Matterhorn, Mountain Lakes and More Delicious Food
• Moneglia, Italy: The Cinque Terre, Epic Focaccia, Pizza, Pesto, Wine, Olives, and Gelato
• Leaning Tower of Pisa, Michelangelo’s David, Cathedral of Florence, and Giotto’s Bell Tower.
• Rome, Part I: Ponte Sant ‘Angelo, St. Peter’s Basilica, Piazza Navona & More
• Rome, Pt. 2: Capuchin Crypt, Catacombs of Priscilla, and Ancient Underground Churches
• Rome, Pt. 3: The Pope, Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, and a Date
• Rome, Pt. 4: The Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and our Last Night in Rome
• Lagos, Portugal: Stunning Beaches, Kayaking Through Caves and Passageways – and R&R
• Lisbon, Portugal: São Jorge Castle, Miradauros, Tagus River, Portuguese Wine, and Live Fado

Lisbon, Portugal: São Jorge Castle, Miradauros, Tagus River, Portuguese Wine, and Live Fado

June 15, 2016 by Shelli

Greetings from Lisbon – the hilly, coastal – and stunning – capital city of Portugal.

(By the way, this is my 14th blog post published so far during our 29-day “Epic Europe Family Adventure.” If you’re interested, all previous trip reports from this Epic Family Adventure include are listed and linked to at the bottom of this blog post.)

On the move. The boys walking to the bus station in Lagos.

We rode a bus from Lagos to Lisbon, and hit the ground running. Well, not quite running! After all, we had on our backs our 90L Patagonia Black Hole duffel/backpacks, and Lisbon, is well, like climbing hills over and over again. The city’s main neighborhoods are built up, up, up.

The boys, snarfing sandwiches in the Camões Square, in Lisbon, after arriving by bus.

Jerry and the boys, leading our "Amazing Race" to find our AirBnB. — Jerry and the boys, leading our “Amazing Race” to find our AirBnB.

The boys, leading us up, up, up in the hills of the city of Lisbon.

You go through narrow passageways – in Wyoming we’d call them alley ways – only these are all cobbled with ancient tiles, and beautiful meandering paths that help you access different neighborhoods, restaurants, shops, cafes and bars. Both sides of these are lined with very tall, colorful, old buildings. There is wall art everywhere, and vines, and distressed stucco, and also 18th Century tiled walls. And, it seems, always lively music coming from somewhere.

We have logged many steps exploring this beautiful city’s nooks and crannies.

First up yesterday, after disembarking the bus from Lagos, we walked up, up, up to meet our AirBnB apartment’s host. When it comes to our AirBnB and other apartment picks, we have been so rewarded! We have hit nothing but jackpots on our various accommodations. (In Munich, we had an apartment in an old building that was centrally located…a 20-minute walk from everywhere that mattered. In Rome, we stayed in a 17th Century, and this one in Lisbon is in an 18th Century building)

After settling into our Lisbon digs, we set off to go explore the 11th Century Moorish São Jorge Castle.

Here are some photos from the Castle, which is situated atop Lisbon, affording panoramic views of the City of Lisbon and it’s colorful neighborhoods and views of the spectacular Tagus River, the longest river on the Iberian Peninsula.

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After the castle, we followed the advice of our generous and kind AirBnB host, Tiago, who is a local. He suggested we walk down to the Praça do Comércio, so we did. There, situated along the Tagus River is a huge square (commonly known as Terreiro do Paç), complete with a huge outdoor big screen that displayed live the soccer game. Jerry got a beer, the boys played foosball at one of the many foosball tables and I took some photos. On one of end of the square is the impressive stone, triumphal arch, Rua Augusta Arch, which was built to commemorate the city’s reconstruction after the 1755 earthquake.

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From there, we headed back up, up, up. It was dinner time, and we wanted to try out a place Tiago recommended, a cafe in a place called the Teatro da Garagem. But first, we stopped by a restaurant and tried some pastels de bacalhau (Portuguese codfish cakes). They were yummy!

After lots of hiking up staircases, and up long tiled hills in narrow passageways, we found the Teatro, and the cafe inside. Wow. Like so many places in these old cities, you enter a non-descript door and then are blown away. That’s what happened after we walked downstairs inside the theater. Huge walls of windows, like a giant sunroom, with staggering views of the city of Lisbon, and a piano player, and complete charm. We ordered a cheeseboard and some portuguese wine (for Jerry and I), and cokes for the boys.

Here is a photo and a video:

Cheeseboard at the cafe in the teatro da garagem.

After a great dinner and a full day, we dropped the boys back at the apartment and chilled for an hour or so, before Jerry and I headed back out. Our goal: To find some live Fado!

Fado is soulful music that gets it roots from the early 1800s.The word Fado comes from the Latin word fatum –or, fate. After walking literally a total of 4 miles, in and out of neighborhoods, up hills and down hills, stopping at various bars and terrace restaurants, and through DJ’s parties, and a reggae patio party, we stumbled into our prize, Fado Maior, where there were two amazing performers singing. I’m including a clip of the woman, Milene Candeias, as well as the male performer. I didn’t catch his name, but he was also amazing. NOTE: I didn’t want to disturb the atmosphere or performances with the flash on my camera, so I’m sharing these only for the audio. I hope you enjoy the Fado music as much as I did!

Milene Candeias:

Male performer:

Here are some other photos I captured in Lisbon, including many wall art photos:

Thanks for following along on this Epic Europe Family Adventure. We’re approaching the end… Lisbon represents our last destination. Please check back every now and then, though, as I’ll be continuing to write, and publish adventure blog posts once I return to my beloved frontier of Wyoming.

Lagos, Portugal: Stunning Beaches, Kayaking Through Caves and Passageways – and R&R

June 13, 2016 by Shelli

Greetings from Lagos, Portugal. I write this from the balcony of our apartment overlooking the ocean, enjoying a soup-bowl-sized cup of coffee Jerry just served me. The boys are still in a slumber. It is Day 22 of our 29-day Epic Europe Family Adventure, and I have not a single complaint…

Greetings from Lagos, Portugal! Dessert before dinner. Something for each of us. :) — Greetings from Lagos, Portugal! Dessert before dinner. Something for each of us. 🙂

(By the way, this is my 13th blog post published so far during our 29-day “Epic Europe Family Adventure.” If you’re interested, all previous trip reports from this Epic Family Adventure include are listed and linked to at the bottom of this blog post.)

We rode a bus from Lisbon to Lagos. We disembarked the bus, and quickly converted our Patagonia Black Hole duffels into backpacks, and started our walk to the apartment we had rented near the beach. This was one of our longer walks from train or bus to hotel, but at the end of this one was a beach and an ocean – and rest and relaxation. So, though it was very hot and sunny, and our bags were heavy, and the last half mile uphill, and our apartment was up three floors of steps, the boys “leaned in,” and were like eager beavers.

The boys, with their heavy Patagonia Black Hole backpacks on, on our mile-and-a-half, uphill walk to our apartment near the beach.

The boys leaning in during the final half mile of our walk to our beach apartment.

Lagos is in southern Portugal’s Algarve region, the southernmost region of continental Portugal. The Algarve is the most popular tourist destination in Portugal, and one of the most popular in Europe, and we can sure see why. Pronounced Lah-goosh, Lagos is situated along the bank of the Rio Bensafrim.

We are in an area known as Praia Dona Ana. Some of the locals we have talked to claim this to be one of the most beautiful places on Earth. We concur! We have been to beaches in Mexico, Hawaii and California, and so far, this particular beach, Dona Ana, is our favorite. I think the best way to describe this part of our Epic Adventure is to say it is our “R & R” portion. As I write this, we are colored by the sun, and moving at a snail’s pace. It is wonderful.

Months ago we had booked a half-day kayaking tour that promised to take us into caves and through the many grottoes and narrow passageways for which this area is famous. We couldn’t wait to get on the water, and to see some of the natural wonders beyond the epic sandy beach. We were not disappointed!

We also have enjoyed hiking the cliffside trails to get that exhilarating and spectacular vantage of the shoreline and grottoes. We also made sure to explore the Ponta de Piedade Lighthouse, the beautiful Igreja Santa Maria church (in which we lit a candle and offered prayers for all those wounded and killed in the mass shooting in Orlando that we learned about this morning), Forte Ponta da Bandeira, which according to PlanetWare was built in the 17th century to defend the approaches to Lagos harbor, this square-shaped, pocket-sized fortress remains in remarkably good condition considering its age. Situated over a wedge of sand overlooking a shallow bay, four turrets shaped like spinning tops set at each corner help distinguish the fort’s squat profile. A narrow moat lends the stronghold an impregnable quality, and sightseers have to cross a drawbridge to reach the inner courtyard. We also walked to the Castelo de Governadores, a medieval castle, which are 16th Century walls, after reading about them in Lonely Planet: Aside from its hedonistic appeal, Lagos has historical clout, having launched many naval excursions during Portugal’s extraordinary Age of Discoveries.

And, from Portugal-Live.net: Historically, Lagos’ greatest allure has been its geographical position. Lying opposite the north African coast in the Bensafrim estuary, it attracted settlers, foreign invaders and became a focal point for discovery voyages at the time of Portugal’s Golden Age of Discoveries. Prince Henry the Navigator brought fame to the region by founding his navigation school in nearby Sagres, by residing in Lagos and building his famous caravels in the town. Lagos soon became a hub of maritime activity as explorers such as Gil Eanes, the first to round Africa’s Cape Bojador in 1434, departed from the town in search of new land and fortune. Vessels returning laden with riches and slaves transformed Lagos into a base for African trade and brought increased wealth and prosperity to the area.

Following are photos (and two videos) that are better than my words…

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A view from a clifftop trail Jerry and I hiked.

The sunsets, like everything here, are stunning:

16th Century walls that used to protect the city of Lagos.

A beautiful church in Lagos, Portugal, the Ingreja Santa Maria.

The Ponta da Piedade Lighthouse, Lagos, Portugal.

And some miscellaneous photos from the town of Lagos:

We are approaching the end of this great epic journey. We have about 6 days left until I do a presentation in London, and then we will board a flight back to the U.S. We will be happy to reunite with our family and friends, and of course, our beloved Lander, Wyoming. But until we have feet on the ground in Wyoming, this epic adventure is not over, and we still have experiencing and discovering to do! Thank you so much for reading this blog, and for following along with us on this great adventure.

Next up: Lisbon, Portugal!

Rome, Pt. 4: The Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and our Last Night in Rome

June 9, 2016 by Shelli

Hello again! We are still in Rome. It is our last day here; we leave tomorrow around lunch-time. As we were eating lunch on a bench in a piazza today, our middle son, Hayden, remarked, “I never want to leave Rome. I love it here.” Indeed, we have fallen in love with Rome. We are totally smitten. We all had high expectations for Rome, and we all agree they have been exceeded. Yes, it’s that great.

(By the way, this is my 12th blog post published so far during our 29-day “Epic Europe Family Adventure.” If you’re interested, all previous trip reports from this Epic Family Adventure include are listed and linked to at the bottom of this blog post.)

Today, as per usual, we explored many sights on foot. However, the highlight of the day, by far, was our guided tour of Rome’s Colosseum.

Rome's Colosseum, which opened in 80 A.D., and is the largest amphitheater ever built. — Rome’s Colosseum, which opened in 80 A.D., and is the largest amphitheater ever built.

The massive stone colosseum, known as a Flavian Amphitheater, is the largest amphitheater ever built, and I am here to report that it is massive. The building’s dimensions 615 feet long and 510 feet wide, with a base area of 6 acres. The Colosseum was commissioned to be built in 70-72 A.D. by Emperor Vespasian as a gift to the Roman people. In 80 A.D., Vespasian’s son, Titus, opened the Colosseum with 100 days of games. These games included combats between gladiators (who were slaves) and wild animal fights. The Colosseum was used for four centuries.

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It is hard to describe how it felt to stand in the arena – something so massive and old, and that was at one time a place of such raucous and violent “sporting events.”

During our family’s daily gelato fix, and during that, we shared what we found to be the most interesting points learned during the Colosseum tour. I’ll share some of what we all mentioned as learning highlights from that conversation…

• There were usually three events. In the morning was a hunt, complete with a wide range of animals, ranging from lions, bears, leopards, tigers, wolves and wild boars. During lunch, on display were the public executions, where wild animals were set loose to kill criminals for all to watch. Then the afternoon event was the gladiators who fought one another.

• By the way, apparently, the gladiators were not tall and handsome and ripped like Russell Crowe. Rather, the gladiators were “more like Danny DeVito.” Apparently, the gladiators were fed lots of barley to fatten up their stomachs in an effort to provide additional protection for their internal organs.

• Some people attended the events at the Colosseum.

• During the Colosseum’s 100-day opening, 9,000 animals were killed, and 2,000 gladiators were killed.

• As an event approached, the animals were not fed, and they were caged so they’d be more aggressive come the day of the event.

• There were 20-30 elevators/”lifts” that lifted up wild animals, as if magically, through “trap doors” in the colosseum’s arena floor during the events. Each lift required 6-8 slaves to manually operate them and lift the animals up. Their working conditions were awful… they were under the arena floor, in pitch dark (with a small oil lamp), surrounded by wild animals, and their roars and their waste, no circulating air, and add to that, there was a sewer under the arena.

An illustration on exhibit at the Colosseum that shows what was going on under the arena floor before and during events as slaves worked with the caged animals, and had the task of operating manual lifts so the wild animals would each appear, as if by magic, onto the arena floor.

• Gladiators were trained for 6 months, so they didn’t just get picked one day, and put out to fight the next.

• Even though the gladiators were slaves, they were famous, and admired by some.

• According to our guide, the gladiators were chosen from a wide ranging regions of Italy “so that they would be less likely to bond, since they’d be going at battle and were instructed to kill.”

• The steps in the colosseum were purposely built to be very steep, so that the entire crowd of people could exit the amphitheater in about 15 minutes time. We also learned that “arena” means sand, and that the Colosseum used sand because it was easiest to remove and clean up and replace in between events.

A close up of the area under the arena, where wild animals were contained.

Remains of a sculpture from the Colosseum. Most everything was looted, except for a small quantity of remnants such as this one.

Getting a guided tour of the Colosseum was a fantastic experience that I highly recommend. Our guide was fantastic. We learned so much more than we would have had we just walked through the Colosseum on our own.

We then enjoyed a tour of the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill that was also fascinating, even if it was a little more exciting than we bargained for. (It rained, and there was a lot of lightning and thunder over and around us.) I hope to write about that fabulous tour in a future post, but for now, am including some photos, with captions, from that part of the tour at the very end of this blog post.

During our daily gelato break today this afternoon, I was asking everyone to mention some of the things they love most about Rome. One son remarked, “I don’t want to leave Rome. I love this place.” We have all fallen head over hills for Rome! We all came up with the following ways to describe this fabulous place, use the letters of ROME:
Jerry: Rich, Outstanding, Moving, Exciting.
Me: Romantic, Old, Masterful, Epic.
Wolf: Rich, Old, Miraculous, Extravagant.
Hayden: Renaissance, Ominous, Mastery, Exciting.
Fin: Riveting, Outstanding, Margherita pizza, Enjoyable.

Later, the boys put collared shirts (polos!) on for the first time during this adventure and we all went out to Piazza Navona, one of our new favorite places, and had one last epically delicious Italian dinner. We had a wonderful time! Here are some photos and videos.

Boys, all (sorta!) dressed up for our last Italian dinner.

Sant 'Angelo Bridge as the sun starts to set. — Sant ‘Angelo Bridge as the sun starts to set.

Hanging out in St. Peter's Square. — Hanging out in St. Peter’s Square.

A perfect ending to a perfect day - Tiramisu! — A perfect ending to a perfect day – Tiramisu!

Photos from Roman Forum and Palatine Hill tour:

Remnants of a temple under which Marcus Aurelius' parents are buried. — Remnants of a temple under which Marcus Aurelius’ parents are buried.

Roman Forum remnants. This is former site for the Vestal Virgins.

For now, thanks for reading this blog, and for following along with us on this Epic Europe Family Adventure.

Next up: Portugal!
If you’re interested, here are all of my previous blog posts about this Epic Europe Family Adventure so far:
• From Wyoming to the British Museum and Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew in 24 hours
• Big Ben, River Thames, Tower of London and Ice Cream
• Munich Day 1: Glockenspiel, Deutsches Museum, Englischer Garten and Beirgarten
• Biking in the Bavarian Alps, Exploring Neuschwanstein Castle, Epic Beer & Food
• Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland: The Land of Many Fountains, Cows with Bells and Epic Food
• Zermatt: Gornergrat Glacier, the Matterhorn, Mountain Lakes and More Delicious Food
• Moneglia, Italy: The Cinque Terre, Epic Focaccia, Pizza, Pesto, Wine, Olives, and Gelato
• Leaning Tower of Pisa, Michelangelo’s David, Cathedral of Florence, and Giotto’s Bell Tower.
• Rome, Part I: Ponte Sant ‘Angelo, St. Peter’s Basilica, Piazza Navona & More
• Rome, Pt. 2: Capuchin Crypt, Catacombs of Priscilla, and Ancient Underground Churches
• Rome, Pt. 3: The Pope, Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, and a Date

Rome, Pt. 3: The Pope, Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, and a Date

June 9, 2016 by Shelli

Well, it’s Day 17 of our 29-day Epic Europe Family Adventure. We have had so many exceptional and unforgettable experiences. This is our third day in Rome, and it has nothing short of Epic. It started by seeing Pope Francis!

(By the way, this is my 11th blog post published so far during our 29-day “Epic Europe Family Adventure.” If you’re interested, all previous trip reports from this Epic Family Adventure include are listed and linked to at the bottom of this blog post.)

Jerry and the boys, in front of St. Peter's Basilica, waiting for the Pope. — Jerry and the boys, in front of St. Peter’s Basilica, waiting for the Pope.

After seeing the Pope, we hurried over to the Vatican Museum to meet our private guide for a tour of the museum and the Sistine Chapel. We were all exhilarated about seeing Pope Francis, and as we dodged in and out of traffic and crowds of people to get the museum, where we met Alberto and started the tour.

The Vatican Museum is one of the largest museums in world. I knew it was big and spectacular, but I had no idea what we were in for. Now, by now, I realize you may think I’m just easily blown away. After all, it seems like the last 2-3 posts I’ve remarked how I’ve been blown away. But really, I’m not easily blown away. These sights are just spectacular.

Following are several photos of works of art that particularly inspired awe for me.

I had to get this photo since I am fan of this guy, Marcus Aurelius and his works.

A sarcophagus that was for a couple, with a scene of Greeks fighting Amazons.

Emperor Claudius. (The eagle signifies power)

All of the floors are marble, many have intricate designs like this one, made from little tiny tiles of marble from all over the world. Many of the floors in the Vatican Museum were repurposed from Roman homes, etc. Our guide, Alberto, said this particular one was from a swimming pool in a 2,000-year-old Roman home!

This is a mummy of a 19-year-old princess.

A magnificent bronze statue representing Hercules.

The ceiling of one of the many corridors we explored in the Vatican Museum.

We loved the map paintings of Italy's different regions. They date back to 1582, and were all completed in 33 months, and, compared to Google Maps, their accuracy is 95%. — We loved the map paintings of Italy’s different regions. They date back to 1582, and were all completed in 33 months, and, compared to Google Maps, their accuracy is 95%.

This is a Life of Jesus tapestry. It is stunning! It took 7 years to make this tapestry, which is almost 500 years old. (Our guide said it took one man one year to make one yard of this. There were many who worked on it, and it was laborious and detailed work!)

The Sistine Chapel was our last stop, and we were full of anticipation… The Sistine Chapel is the official residence of the Pope, in Vatican City. The chapel gets its name from Pope Sixtus IV, who restored the chapel from 1477-1480. The chapel serves as a place of both religious and functionary papal activity, and is the site of the Papal conclave, the process by which a new pope is selected. The fame of the Sistine Chapel lies mainly in the frescos that decorate the interior, and most particularly, the Sistine Chapel ceiling and The Last Judgment by Michelangelo.

Before entering, our guide provided a lot of interesting insights that we didn’t previously know. Originally, the Sistine Chapel’s vaulted ceiling was painted blue and covered with golden stars. The walls were adorned with frescoes by different artists. In 1508, Pope Julius II (who reigned from 1503-1513) hired Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the chapel – to change its appearance entirely. Before this time, Michelangelo had gained fame through his work as a sculptor, especially as a result of his great works, David, and Pieta. Our guide explained that at first Michelangelo wanted no part of the project. He loved 3 dimensional work too much. But, our guide explained, about a year later he was compelled to say yes and he began his work on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

The importance of the project was pressure enough, but add to that the working conditions the artist had to experience. Paint and other materials would fall onto his face as he lay on scaffolding to paint much of it. Because he was painting on a ceiling, his neck was always craned, and he had the challenges that came with fresco painting (working with fresh and wet plaster, under a time crunch). It took Michelangelo, who started the project when he was 32 years old, 4 years to finish.

Like I said, visitors are not allowed to take photos, so I don’t have any photos to share. I just can’t find adequate words to describe the experience of standing in such a spectacular chapel and being totally immersed in the beautiful – seemingly miraculous paintings – that tell such important stories so visually and in such an inspiring way. The impact of my experience will be lasting.

While nothing is as good as standing in the chapel yourself, and looking at, and taking in, Michelangelo’s frescoes, the good news is this is perhaps the next best thing – a virtual 360-degree look at the Sistine Chapel, provided by the Sistine Chapel.

Well, after that glorious and epic first half of our day, we found a pizzeria and ate another delicious meal before continuing on foot to see some more sights.

We walked next to the Trevi Fountain, which was designed by Italian architect Nicola Salvi and completed by Pietro Bracci. Standing 86 feet high and 161 feet wide, the Trevi is the largest Baroque fountain in the city, and one of the most famous fountains in the world. We can see why. I’m including a photo below.

Trevi Fountain, one of the world's most famous fountains. — Trevi Fountain, one of the world’s most famous fountains.

After having a gelato while sitting in front of the spectacular Trevi Fountain, we went looking for the Pantheon.

The Pantheon. The The Pantheon (temple of every god) is a building in Rome, on the site of an earlier building commissioned by Marcus Agrippa during the reign of Augustus (27 BC – 14 AD). The present building was completed by the emperor Hadrian, and probably dedicated about 126 AD.

The Pantheon (temple of every god) is a building in Rome, on the site of an earlier building commissioned by Marcus Agrippa during the reign of Augustus (27 BC – 14 AD). According to Wikipedia, the present building was completed by the emperor Hadrian, and probably dedicated about 126 AD.

The altar, and the interior of the Pantheon is beautiful.

The building is circular with a portico of large granite Corinthian columns (eight in the first rank and two groups of four behind) under a pediment. A rectangular vestibule links the porch to the rotunda, which is under a coffered concrete dome, with a central opening (oculus) to the sky. Almost 2,000 years after it was built, the Pantheon’s dome is still the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome. The height to the oculus and the diameter of the interior circle are the same, 142 feet. It was staggering to look up at. (see photo)

The Pantheon's Dome, which is 2,000 years old, remains the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world. — The Pantheon’s Dome, which is 2,000 years old, remains the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world.

The Pantheon is reportedly one of the best-preserved of all Ancient Roman buildings, probably because it has been in continuous use throughout its history. (Since the 7th century, the Pantheon has been used as a church dedicated to “St. Mary and the Martyrs,” but informally known as “Santa Maria Rotonda.” The square in front of the Pantheon is called Piazza della Rotonda.

To cap off what was another inspiring and fulfilling day for my family and I, Jerry and I went on a date night. The boys were excited to get epic pizza from a pizzeria that is next door to our apartment and some other snacks. They were actually looking forward to a night of “chillaxing.” So Jerry and I headed to the wonderful and romantic Bernini Ristorante, which is just steps away at the Piazza Navona. Here are a couple of photos:
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Jerry's and my first round last night. Delicious! — Jerry’s and my first round last night. Delicious!

Thank you for reading my blog, and for following along with us on this Epic Europe Family Adventure.

Up next: The Colosseum!