Once upon a time...
...there were three fair maidens who wanted to see the world. There was the eldest maiden, Donna, who had traveled in these lands before and was known as the grandmother of the trio. Rebecca was the youngest maiden, of only 12 years. She had hair the color of the sunset and was known as the granddaughter. The third maiden, Erin, was in the middle, she was both daughter and mother in the group and had waited many years to experience this adventure.
Paris 2010
Their fairytale had started many years before this adventure. It had begun, of course, with a dream to see far away lands. The three generations had spent many winter afternoons watching travel shows, movies, and reading books that would transport them to exciting locations. They started saving money, and plans were dreamt about. Then, the terrible storms of life depleted their treasure chest. Life gave the ladies important lessons about CARPE DIEM when several family members and friends passed away within months. But fear not! The three maidens would not be stopped. The usual knight in shinning armor just would not do. What they needed was Rick Steves! Armed with their passports and a sense of adventure the three set off for their first European trip together! The trio had a magical time in Paris on Rick's Paris in 7 days tour in 2010. The maidens were enchanted with the magic that Rick and his team spun, and were planning their next European trip before they even had left the land of macarons, crepes, and baguettes.
And this is where a new chapter begins....
The decision was made that Germany, Switzerland, and Austria would be the next lands of exploring. (Although the youngest of the trio was really hoping for Ireland.) The noble knight, Rick Steves, was a hero again. The ladies could not refuse the prior voyage and early booking discounts, so the trip was booked before the snow had settled on their Pennsylvania cottage. All winter long they practiced counting in German, sang along to The Sound of Music soundtrack, and hiked through the neighborhood to prepare for long days of walking. When the damsels escaped from their daily chores of school and work, they were ready to begin their early summer journey. The Grandmother was excited to practice her language skills. Long, long ago, she had studied and taught German. It was also a notable trip, as the Grandmother would be celebrating her 69th year during the voyage.
Join us, the three maidens, as we explore the enchanting lands of Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. We think traveling with Rick and his team is perfect for our three generations. It is active for the younger in the group, educational for the older in the group, and fun for all three of us! Since this was not one of Rick's Family Tours, Erin made sure that Rebecca's age and interests were taken into consideration. We share some of these ideas in the Tween Tips on the following pages.
This fairytale shows the fun and experiences that we enjoyed, not all the facts that Rick's guidebooks provide.
Click your magic wand ( also known as a mouse) on the pictures below, or on the city links at the top of the page.
Trier, Germany
We explored the old city of Trier, Germany, but first we got a stamp in our passports that not many people have...
Baden-Baden, Germany
The town of Baden-Baden, was hot-hot, but fun was still had! Did the three ladies take a dip in the baths?
Murren, Switzerland
How many cable cars does it take to get to the cliff side village of Murren?
Munich, Germany
While the maidens did enjoy the pretzels in Munich, they also indulged in another guilty pleasure...
Salzburg, Austria
The hills were alive... with the Sound of Music! Before we could see our "favorite things" in Salzburg, we had a THRILL ride up one mountain, and down another.
Hallstatt, Austria
Hallstatt is like stepping into a fairytale, although for us it was a puddle-filled fairytale.
Vienna, Austria
In Vienna we cooled off with museums and gelato. We also found a famous Austrian's footprints...