Travelscope’s Guatemala Travel Partners

“A big, beautiful travel book” -USA Today

Answering the difficult questions that today’s savvy travelers ask—where’s the best place for a beach getaway in March? What are my options if June is the only time I can take a vacation? I’m getting married in November, where would be the perfect place for a honeymoon?—this is the must-have book for anyone planning a vacation or a longer adventure.

Consultant Editor Joseph Rosendo and a team of travel experts have combined inspirational narrative with sumptuous photography to bring over 130 global destinations to life, from snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef or cruising the Galapagos Islands to marveling at the mighty Victoria Falls or grazing at the Galway Oyster Festival. Domestic getaways aren’t overlooked, either: the fall foliage in Northeast Vermont is radiant in September; the funky, sunny Florida Keys are an ideal February getaway and both the jaw-dropping California Coast and lush Kaua’i make for fantastic October trips.

DK Eyewitness Travel Guides are loved for their visual excellence and quality information. Now, Where to Go When takes the Eyewitness experience to the coffee table and is bound to give even armchair travelers itchy feet.

Highlights include:

• Over 350 vacation ideas, organized month by month
• Superb photography captures the very essence of each destination
• Tailored vacations in six themes – Festivals & Culture, Unforgettable Journeys, Natural World, Luxury & Romance, Activity Breaks, Family Getaways
• Covers travel mainstays like New York and Rome, plus the more exotic, like La Paz and Timbuktu
• Practical information on getting there, transportation, weather, accommodation, suggested itineraries, and food
• Helpful list of dos and don’ts
• 5-year calendar of events and an overview of the world’s weather

$40, Hardcover, 9780756630737, 336pp, October 2007

For more information, or to purchase: Click here

Rosetta Stone

Rosetta Stone Inc. is changing the way the world learns languages. Rosetta Stone provides interactive solutions that are acclaimed for the speed and power to unlock the natural language-learning ability in everyone. Available in more than 30 languages, Rosetta Stone language-learning solutions are used by schools, organizations and millions of individuals in over 150 countries throughout the world. The company was founded in 1992 on the core beliefs that learning a language should be natural and instinctive and that interactive technology can replicate and activate the immersion method powerfully for learners of any age. The company is based in Arlington, VA. For more information, visit RosettaStone.com®.

Porta Hotel Antigua

The Porta Hotel Antigua in the heart of the world renowned and enchanting city of La Antigua Guatemala is perfectly situated for exploring the region’s baroque architecture, colonial history, local craftsmen and women, traditions, volcanoes and coffee plantations.

• Distinctive Guatemalan decorations and accessories from its rich history adorn guest accommodations
• Lush gardens, beautiful pools and quaint patios encourage relaxation.
• A delightful variety of Guatemalan and International dishes are offered at Los Moros Restaurant. El Conquistador Bar serves snacks and beverages.
• Ceiba Spa features traditional treatments combined with European products for the ultimate spa experience.
• The beautiful gardens and plazas are the perfect setting for social and corporate events. The Convention Center offers meeting space for up to 420 persons with state-of-the-art technology.
• Families love the Porta Kids Club, a fun experience for kids from 5 to 12 years.
• Porta Hotel Antigua – the place for an incomparable experience!

And on the shores of Lake Atitlan, one of the most beautiful and mystic lakes in the world, the PORTA HOTEL DEL LAGO, enjoys a prime location with breathtaking views of the Lake and its majestic volcanoes.
click here for more info.

In ART WOLFE’S TRAVELS TO THE EDGE, internationally acclaimed photographer Art Wolfe continues his work as an artist, teacher, advocate and guide by inviting viewers to experience remote, awe-inspiring locations across the planet. Over the course of his 30-year career, Wolfe’s stunning pictures have interpreted and recorded the world’s fast-disappearing wildlife, landscapes and native cultures. During the series, Wolfe’s curiosity, hope and enthusiasm serve him well as he explores spectacular glaciers, stunning deserts, colorful rainforests, remote mountain peaks, important tribal gatherings and untouched habitats. High Definition images reveal the beauty and wonder of locations including Patagonia, Peru, Bolivia, Alaska, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Madagascar, Nepal, India and South Georgia Island.

The first references to Scotland’s central city of Edinburgh were in the notes of Ptolemy, an ancient Roman writer who made his comments in the year 160 AD. The first site in the area to be colonized was probably a hill called Arthur’s Seat.

Precisely which Arthur actually took a seat here isn’t quite clear. Romantics like to point to the legendary King Arthur of the Round Table. But there is no evidence to support that view. There is, however, considerable evidence that the hill had at least four prehistoric forts and an ancient farming community.

Immediate seating for Camelot or not, it’s definitely a spot from which you can see a lot. And just below Arthur’s Seat — Old Town.

Edinburgh’s Old Town is one of the oldest communities in Great Britain and much of it has remained intact.

One of the things I like about the Old Town was that all economic levels of the society lived in the same house. The rich and famous lived in the middle, the poor and unknown at the top and the bottom. And they were in regular contact with each other. They met each other in the hallways, on the staircases, in the courtyards. And they knew a lot about each others’ lives. If someone in business was being dishonest or a magistrate handed down an unpopular opinion in the courts, they would be confronted about those issues when they got home. And often the confrontation took the form of a flying bucket of garbage. I like that system a lot. As I see our public officials leaving their elegant homes in their chauffeur-driven limousines, I wonder if it wouldn’t be a good idea to have a law that said that all government officials had to go to work in public transportation. Just to keep them in touch.

ANNE DOIG DIRECTOR OF TOURISM CITY OF EDINBURGH

We begin by taking you to the top of the most famous building in the city — Edinburgh Castle. You can see the city is very dramatic, because it’s a city born from fire and sculpted by ice. This whole area was under a shallow tropical sea that was subject to intense volcanic activity. Eventually when the ice came, one time there was two miles of sheet ice on top of this area and when it moved, it tipped up so dramatically that the ice scraped away all the soft debris and earth and rock and left seven hills that Edinburgh was created on. These hills are still volcanic hills.

Saint Margaret’s Chapel is the oldest building in Edinburgh. It dates back to the eleventh, twelfth century. The castle was taken in 1313 by the Scots again when they took it back from the English. They razed it to the ground. So everything went except the chapel. So it predates 1313. The Scottish military can still hold their weddings and christenings in that chapel. It’s a very tiny chapel. So if it’s a wedding, it’s much to the delight of the father of the bride because it only holds sixteen people so it’s not an expensive wedding, he loves it.

This is actually quite interesting because we’re standing here looking at the oldest building in the castle to the right and the very youngest opposite us. And you’d never really believe that that was the youngest building on the rock, it was actually built between 1923 and 1927. The weathered rock used to build this war memorial was originally part of a chapel called St. Mary’s On the Rock. It was a Catholic chapel which was demolished during the turbulence of the

Burt Wolf—Travels & Traditions

Reformation. But being Scottish, they didn’t waste anything, right? Recycling is nothing new to the Scots. They kept all the original stonework until they had another purpose to build on this site. And it was after the First World War they wanted to build a memorial to all the Scots who died in World War I. All the Scots who died and all the conflicts of the twentieth century are listed by name in books in this memorial. People come from all around the world to visit Edinburgh Castle, and they might have a grandfather or an uncle or something who died in the First or Second World War, and they can go to the books inside and their names will be there. So it can be really quite a touching experience.

The origins of the Old Town of Edinburgh and the city begin with the castle, which was a fortress. And what happened was we had several periods of invading armies and so what the people did is they built these scattered houses and huts in the shadow of the old fortress for protection, and as the city increased its importance and eventually became a capital, there was a huge population concentrated on this rocky ridge, and so there was no room for the city to expand out the way, it had to develop up the way because it was a walled city. So it became a vertical city. So there was a tumble of tall tenements developed all the way down from the castle down a spine of rock. So you can forget about Manhattan being the place where the skyscraper was developed; the skyscraper/high-rise development, first in the world, was right here in Edinburgh and that’s a superb example. Some of the buildings were fifteen, sixteen stories high.

The man that Jekyll and Hyde was based on lived right here. His name was William Brodie; his title was Deacon Brodie and he was a well-respected man in the city. But at night, he became a burglar. So this wave of crime was well-known but they couldn’t catch the thief. Why not? Because he was chairing the committee examining it. So eventually he was caught red-handed. There was another twist to the tale, because when he was executed, he was actually executed on the new, improved gallows. He designed the trap door and he was the first person executed. So the double life of William Brodie inspired Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

In 1752, the Lord Mayor of Edinburgh secretly published a proposal for the improvement of the city. He complained that there was no place for the merchants of Edinburgh to do their business, no safe repository for the public records, no meeting place for the magistrates and the town council. The New Town was constructed to meet the needs which the Lord Mayor so rightly described. And everyone who could get up the money moved from the Old Town to the New Town. The exodus from the Old Town was so fast and so dramatic that it has come to be known as “the great flitting.”

ANNE DOIG

The New Town of Edinburgh was built at the same time when there was an outburst of amazing intellectual energy. It was a period in our history known as the Golden Age, the enlightenment. And the New Town of Edinburgh was really the physical manifestation of what was happening in the minds of the people at that time. So in contrast to the Old Town, described by Stevenson as so many smoky beehives, the New Town was light; it was a city of nature, gardens, reason. The streets were laid out symmetrically. Squares were balanced at either end. That’s quite amazing that the architecture would follow the intellectual thought of the period.

You can read all about the people by reading the buildings. You can still see the wide doorways, lovely fanlight windows, the original lamps which would have been whale oil, then gas and now electricity.

And this is a typical house from that period built by one of the greatest men in our history; the greatest architect of the eighteenth century was Robert Adam. So this house belongs to the National Trust, but they’ve brought it back to the way it was back in 1790s. This is exactly the way the people would have eaten. You see the china’s Wedgwood. Everything came to the table at the same time. So you have the soup, fish, vegetables. Butback in the eighteenth century they ate everything all at once.

And typically of the eighteenth century, they had chairs on the outside. So there was a big space in the middle, because they might have spontaneous dancing, Scots dancing.

Along with Slovenia, Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia on June 25, 1991, which triggered a Croatian war for independence.  Serbian people living in border areas of Croatia revolted, supported by the Yugoslav Army and the ensuing months saw combat between various Croatian and Serbian armed forces. During this stage of the war, the independence of Croatia was recognized by the international community, while the Serbs proclaimed their own state, and by early 1992 troops were entrenched. This stage of the war left hundreds of thousands refugees on the Croatian side. In 1995, the Croatian Army successfully launched two major offensives to retake the rebel areas by force, leading to a mass displacement of the local Serbian population from those areas. A few months later, the war ended upon the negotiation of the Dayton Agreement. A peaceful reintegration of the remaining Serbian-controlled territories was completed in 1998 under United Nations supervision.

Bosnia-Hercegovina gained its independence during the 1990s as well but the ensuing war took a serious toll on the land and its people. It’s been under the jurisdiction of the United Nations. Bosnia itself is the chief geographic region of the modern state, and forms its historical backbone.

Politics aside, Croatia and Bosnia are beautiful, particularly the former. With four and a half million people in a country the size of West Virginia , Croatia has a rugged and dramatic Adriatic coastline that extends 1,100 miles. But wait, there’s more, because when you add in the 1,185 islands off-shore, the Croatian coastline triples. And it is magnificent.

Two of my favorite communities are at the northern and southern ends of the coast. Opatija, in the north, is often called the Nice of the Adriatic. It is one of the oldest resort towns on the eastern shore of the Adriatic. The Croatian Riviera extends for eight miles. Croatians, and many Western Europeans who’ve been visiting for years, say this region has everything the French Riviera has, at half the cost. Long before the tourists came, Benedictine monks arrived and built St. James Monastery. In fact, Opatija means monastery in the Croatian language. The non-religious began descending on the town more than a century ago. In 1884, Villa Angiolina was the first accommodation for outside guests. Villa Amalia followed, after that, the Hotel Kvarner, and then came people from Western Europe. By the way, all three of those facilities still exist. Opatija has many more hotels, of course, plenty of places to eat, and lots of stores. Although there’s no beach as such, you can still swim in the sea. It’s cold at first but quite pleasant once you become adjusted to it.

At the northern edge of the Riviera, the small town of Volosko seems more interested in fishing and boating than in swimming or sightseeing. And that’s what is so captivating about Volosko. It makes you think you’re visiting in the 1940s. It’s a 30-minute hike from Opatija or about a ten-minute ride. I met David and Barbara Brook of  England who describe the region as “absolutely gorgeous”. They come here even though friends back home cautioned them not to visit Croatia because they think the Baltics are still at war. “I tell them not to be so foolish,” says David Brook. He and his wife will continue to enjoy this lovely place for years to come.

Another thing that’s so great about Opatija is that you can travel in either direction and discover outstanding places. Go east and you’ll find the island of Krk, one of the most northern islands of the Mediterranean/Adriatic. It features jagged coasts, bays and inlets, beaches, and rocks. There’s a fierce North wind which is so strong it tears vegetation from the rocks, leaving nothing but stone in its wake. Krk is also a wine-growing region and the town of Vrbnik is the best place to enjoy the fruit of the vine. Don’t expect cabernets or chardonnays, though. Krk has its own distinctive grapes and a savvy traveler will want to explore the new varieties. One other thing to look for in Vrbnik: the narrowest alley in the world. Ask the locals to help you find it.

Off the island of Krk there’s a smaller island: Koshljun. On it you’ll find a small Franciscan monastery, formerly a Benedictine abbey. It’s a quiet respite from the 21 st Century.

Returning from Krk Island, head west, past Opatija and you’ll reach the Istrian peninsula, partially in Croatia and partially in Slovenia. This is a melting pot, where Slavic, Roman, and Germanic cultures intermingle. There’s a very strong Italian influence and, in fact, some towns have both Croatian and Italian names. Italian and Croatian are both spoken there. Italian cuisine is common.

The town of Rovinj is on the western side of the peninsula and features a dramatic harbor and marina, a wonderful outdoor market, as well as red-roofed buildings and the magnificent Church of St. Euphemia, complete with a Venetian bell tower and a figure of St. Euphemia at the very top.

At the southern trip of Istria, be sure to see the Roman town of Pula and its imposing Coliseum, once the sixth-largest amphitheater in the Roman Empire. And don’t leave the peninsula without stopping in Hum, said to be the smallest town in Croatia, and possibly in all of Europe. There are just 16 homes in the village. Along the route to Hum, there is a series of ancient monuments, evoking the history and heritage of the Istrian region.

Driving the Croatian coast is a breathtaking experience and there are interesting towns and beaches along the way.

One such town is Split, wedged between the Mountains and the palm-lined waterfront. Split is replete with Roman ruins and several museums. It was once the residence of Roman Emperor Diocletian. He built a palace here in the 3 rd Century and when it was finished, he stepped down from his royal throne and retreated to Split. His burial mausoleum later became the Cathedral of St. Dominius, one of the smallest cathedrals I’ve ever seen.

At the southern edge of the Croatian coast is one of the most enthralling towns in Europe: Dubrovnik. Croatians say it is one of the world’s most beautiful fortified cities. Author George Bernard Shaw was so enchanted with the city he dubbed it the Jewel of the Adriatic. The jewel was tarnished and damaged heavily during the Yugoslav civil war but international contributions have restored the city to its previous splendor. The Old Town is the main draw; its main thoroughfare, called The Stradun, is a cobblestoned ribbon through the center of the ancient section. Dubrovnik was founded in the 7 th Century when it was actually two settlements, across a channel from each other. In the 12 th Century, that channel was filled in, the Stradun was created, and two towns became one. Dubrovnik is derived from the Croatian word Dubrava, which means Oak Woods, the trees which once grew near the city.

Dubrovnik introduced the first medical service in 1301 and the first monastic pharmacy in Europe in 1317. The city’s been a gathering place of painters, poets, and writers in the past but now it’s tourists who gather here in huge numbers. Dubrovnik is so popular it can be overcrowded on a Summer day when several cruise liners and tour groups come to town at the same time. Mayor Dubravka Suica has developed a plan to spread out the tourist flow, encouraging visitors to come year-round, not just in Summer. She says the weather is mild during Winter months, making the city a great place to visit. Since it is often very hot and sticky in Summertime, Dubrovnik may appeal to many when temperatures cool down. There are shops and restaurants tucked away along side alleyways and they are worth a visit. But my advice to visitors is this: if your health permits, walk the wall all the way around the town. It’s a memorable hike.

Croatia has its charm and natural beauty. It has recovered from war. For Bosnia-Hercegovina, rebuilding will take more time. It was seriously affected by civil strife and is still a long way from stability.

On this episode of The Seasoned Traveler, I did stop in one town with a heartwarming story: Mostar. The settlement itself goes back to Greek and Roman times and in the 15 th Century something significant happened. The townsfolk built a bridge across the Nevetva River-wooden, hung on chains. They recruited men to guard the span, who were called Mostari. That’s probably how the town got its name. After the Turks took control of Mostar, the wooden structure was replaced by a stone bridge in 1566. It stood until 1993 when the bridge was destroyed during the war. Mostar was devastated by eight months of fighting: 3,000 people died, thousands fled town, and 5,000 buildings were destroyed. As part of the recovery, an international effort was undertaken to rebuild the bridge. It was finished and dedicated in 2004. Mostari still guard the sparkling new bridge but they also jump from the center of the span to the delight of tourists (tourists have to pay them, of course). Each summer, Mostar hosts an international bridge diving and jumping competition, bringing athletes from the world over to the small city. As war wounds heal, others are coming to Mostar too. Travelers are discovering Bosnia and are beginning to come for a visit. I think the new bridge alone is worth a trip.

www.croatia.hr

Travel Details

Milan’s Monumental Cemetery

Europe’s most artistic and dreamy cemetery experience, this grand place was built just after unification to provide a suitable final resting place for the city’s “famous and well-deserving men.” Any cemetery is evocative, but this one — with its super-emotional portrayals of the deceased and their heavenly escorts (in art styles c. 1870–1930) — is in a class by itself. It’s a vast garden art gallery of proud busts and grim reapers, heartbroken angels and weeping widows, too-young soldiers and countless old smiles, frozen on yellowed black-and-white photos (a long walk from Metro: Garibaldi FS, or tram #3, #4, #11, #12, or #14).

Peck Deli

Peck is an aristocratic deli with a fancy coffee/pastry/gelato shop upstairs, a gourmet grocery and rosticcerìa on the main level, and anenoteca wine cellar in the basement. Even if all you can afford is the aroma, peek in (Via Spadari 9, tel. 02-802-3161). Try the risotto.

Last Supper

Reserve several months in advance to see this Renaissance masterpiece in the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Because of Leonardo’s experimental fresco technique, deterioration began within six years of its completion. The church was bombed in World War II, but — miraculously, it seems — the wall holding The Last Supper remained standing. The 21-year restoration project (completed in 1999) peeled 500 years of touch-ups away, leaving a faint but vibrant masterpiece. In a big, vacant, whitewashed room, you’ll see faded pastels and not a crisp edge. The feet under the table look like negatives. But the composition is dreamy — Leonardo captures the psychological drama as the Lord says, “One of you will betray me,” and the apostles huddle in stressed-out groups of three, wondering, “Lord, is it I?” Some are scandalized. Others want more information. Simon (on the far right) gestures as if to ask a question that has no answer. In this agitated atmosphere, only Judas (fourth from left and the only one with his face in shadow) — clutching his 30 pieces of silver and looking pretty guilty — is not shocked.

Reservations:Reservations are mandatory. These days, because of the hype surrounding Dan Brown’s blockbuster novel The Da Vinci Code, spots are booked several months in advance — so plan ahead. To minimize the humidity problem — even though the damage has already been done — only 25 tourists are allowed in every 15 minutes for exactly 15 minutes. Prior to your appointment time, you wait in several rooms, while doors close behind you and open up slowly in front of you. The information posted on Leonardo is mainly in Italian.

It’s better to book by phone. If you call, you’ll have a greater selection of days and time slots to choose from, since the website doesn’t reflect cancellations (tel. 02-8942-1146, or from the US dial 011-39-02-8942-1146; booking office open Mon–Fri 9:00–18:00,
Sat 9:00–14:00, closed Sun; the number is often busy—once you get through, dial 2 for an English-speaking operator; the process takes about two minutes and you’ll hang up with an appointed entry time and a number; pay with cash or credit card upon arrival).

If you book online using the official website, you’ll see a calendar that will—ideally—show available time slots. If the days are blank, it means that all the slots for those days have been filled— or it can mean that the website (which seems user-unfriendly) isn’t functioning well. If you can’t find a spot when you need it, try calling instead, because cancellations show up on the website as booked slots (www.cenacolovinciano.org).

Last-Minute Tickets: While “reservations are required,” if spots are available (more likely on weekdays and late) you can book one at the desk (even if Sold Out sign is posted). If fewer than 25 people show up for a particular time slot, you can get lucky. But those who show up without a reservation generally kill lots of time waiting around. Only un-prepaid spots are given away if the ticket holders don’t show up; prepaid no-shows are not resold.

Getting There: Take the Metro to Cadorna or Conciliazione (plus a 5-min walk), or hop on tram #16 (catch it just off Piazza Duomo on corner of Via Mazzini and Via Dogana), which drops you off in front of the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie.

La Scala Opera House and Museum

The statue of Leonardo behind the Galleria is looking at a plain but famous Neoclassical building, arguably the world’s most prestigious opera house: Milan’s Teatrale alla Scala. La Scala opened in 1778 with an opera by Antonio Salieri (of Amadeus fame). At Milan’s famous opera house and its adjacent museum, which have recently both undergone a lengthy restoration, opera buffs can see the museum’s extensive collection and get a glimpse of the theater.

Museum: The collection — well-described in English — features things that mean absolutely nothing to the hip-hop crowd: Verdi’s top hat, Rossini’s eyeglasses, Toscanini’s baton, Fettuccini’s pesto, original scores, diorama stage sets, costumes, busts, portraits, and death masks of great composers and musicians. The museum allows you to peek into the actual theater. The stage is as big as the seating area on the ground floor. The royal box is just below your vantage point, in the center rear. Notice the massive chandelier made of Bohemian crystal (Piazza della Scala, tel. 02-887-974-730).

Opera: The show goes on at the world-famous La Scala Opera House. Schedules vary, but the opera season is nearly year-round (show time 20:00), and ballet and classical concerts are held from October through June (tel. 02-7200-3744; for automated booking, call 02-860-775 and press 2 for English. While tourists are usually keen on seeing an opera in La Scala, note that many of the performances are actually in a second hall, the Arcimboldi Theater. On the opening night of an opera, a dress code is enforced for men (suit and tie).

Risorgimento Museum

With a quick 30-minute swing through this quiet, one-floor museum thoughtfully described in English, you’ll learn the interesting story of Italy’s rocky road to unity: from Napoleon (1796) to the victory in Rome (1870). It’s just around the block from the Brera Art Gallery at Via Borgonuovo 23 (Metro: Montenapoleone, tel. 02-8846-4176).

Albergo Milano

Albergo Milano, located right in the old town, is graciously run by Egidio and his Swiss wife, Bettina. Fusing the best of Italy with the best of Switzerland, this well-run, romantic hotel has eight comfortable rooms that offer extravagant views, balconies, or big terraces (tel. 0341-830-298, fax 0341-830-061, hotelmilano@varenna.net). This place whispers luna di miele — honeymoon .

In ART WOLFE’S TRAVELS TO THE EDGE, internationally acclaimed photographer Art Wolfe continues his work as an artist, teacher, advocate and guide by inviting viewers to experience remote, awe-inspiring locations across the planet. Over the course of his 30-year career, Wolfe’s stunning pictures have interpreted and recorded the world’s fast-disappearing wildlife, landscapes and native cultures. During the series, Wolfe’s curiosity, hope and enthusiasm serve him well as he explores spectacular glaciers, stunning deserts, colorful rainforests, remote mountain peaks, important tribal gatherings and untouched habitats. High Definition images reveal the beauty and wonder of locations including Patagonia, Peru, Bolivia, Alaska, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Madagascar, Nepal, India and South Georgia Island.

First, some history:

Josip Broz Tito established a communist government in the country then known as Yugoslavia. Fiercely independent, Tito managed to distance himself and his country from Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and Soviet domination. During the entire Cold War period, Tito took his country down a liberalized path in agriculture, management of workers, trade with Western nations, art, education, and travel between the West and Yugoslavia. He was a strongman who managed to hold together a nation of independent-minded regions. When he died on May 4, 1980, in Ljubljana, it was the beginning of the end of Yugoslavia. Divisive leadership followed and differences became more pronounced. By 1991 parts of the country were in rebellion. Slovenia declared its independence and fought a ten-day war with Serbia. Other regions, like Croatia and Bosnia-Hercegovina, endured longer and more costly wars but Slovenia emerged relatively unscathed. As its neighbors fought, Slovenia grew and prospered.

As of 2004, it is a member of NATO and the European Union, now using the Euro as its currency, with a healthy economy, a stable democracy, and a large welcome mat for tourists. A nation of just two million people and the size of New Jersey, it stretches from the Julian Alps, through the plains, to the shores of the Adriatic Sea. Mount Triglav is the highest peak in the mountains and it can be snow-capped even in June.

My vote for the prettiest place in the mountains is Bled and its perfect lake. Given the number of foreign visitors, Bled is popular with lots of people. Some have dubbed it one of the most magnificent mountain resort areas in Europe. Lake Bled is encircled by thick forests and rugged Alpine peaks. And up on a rocky cliff overlooking the town is the stately 16 th Century Grad, or castle. The view from the Grad is grand. And one’s eyes are drawn downward to that little green dot in the middle of the lake. In fact, it’s the only permanent island in the entire country and home of the Church of the Assumption, which attracted early Christians as early as the 9 th Century. The only way to get to the island is on the non-motorized boats, called pletnas. Lake Bled does not permit any motor boats. The pletnas are hand-made by the 18 local families who have special licenses to operate them and they remind visitors of Venice.
You can glide across the waters of Lake Bled, you can swim them, and you can take the waters. The town is blessed with a series of springs, chilly at first, but bracing and refreshing after an initial jolt. The upper classes have been coming to Bled for scores of years for the pleasure of it.

Across the lake from the village center, there’s a former royal retreat which is now a posh hotel. But it was once a place to relax and rest for President Tito himself. He spent a lot of time here and one of his passions was watching Western movies. His favorite actor was John Wayne. Of course.

Deeper in the mountains, the resort area of Bohinj is enchanting. It’s located within Slovenia’s only National Park. Lake Bohinj is the country’s largest lake, 2.5 miles long. Trails take hikers up into the Alps, complete with flower-filled pastures in Summer and deep snow in Winter. Like Bled, Bohinj is a teeming tourist town in all kinds of weather.

Heading southeast, the mountains give way to the fertile plains around Skofja Loka, among the best-preserved towns in Slovenia. Walk across one of Europe’s oldest stone bridges into the charming town square. Then, march up the hill to the old fortress which protected the hamlet from invaders. Most visitors enjoy a stop at the centuries-old Inn, which is still in operation. My favorite room is the kitchen, with walls charred from years of cooking.

The Slovenian capital is Ljubljana, the place where Tito died. It is one of the tiniest capital cities I’ve encountered but its Old Town is magnetic. Lovely bridges cross the Sava River. I enjoyed the Triple Bridge and the Cobbler’s Bridge. The latter dates from the 13 th Century. (The locals set up shop each weekend from June through October at an Arts and Crafts market, between the Cobbler’s and Triple Bridges). But Ljubljana itself is much older than that, with roots going back to Roman times. Ruins and relics are evident across the city’s Old Town. High above this district, the 1,000-year-old Grad (castle) lords over the small city below. Be sure to march up the steps to the top of the castle tower; the view is stupendous.

Southwest of the capital, Postojna Caves are four million years old and the most popular attraction in the country. Actually there are seven caverns, stretching some 13 miles down into the rocky depths. You hop on a train and descend into the well-lit caves. Bring a jacket because the temperature down there is a constant 47 degrees F. There are absolutely amazing formations within the chasm but equally interesting is a resident of the darkness down here: proteus anguinus is a pure white, blind Salamander and it’s the only creature capable of surviving in the cool, damp, dark environment. Peter Stevin, the Postojna Caves manager, says the number of visitors is rising steadily and more foreigners are now coming to look. He, like most Slovenians, is not shy to say Postojna Caves are the most beautiful caverns anywhere in the world.

After you come up above ground again, take a nine-mile drive to Predjama Castle, carved into the mouth of a rock cliff. There’s been a fortress on the spot since the 12 th Century. Legend says it was once home to a wily knight and in his honor, the castle holds regular jousting competitions by contemporary knights.

Finally, as you head toward Slovenia’s portion of the Istrian Peninsula and the Adriatic coast, don’t miss the town of Lipice, birthplace of the famous stud farm of the Lipizzaner horses. The farm holds demonstrations by the prominent ponies most days of the week.

On the food front, there’s a mouth-watering dessert served in Bled that you really should sink your teeth into. It’s called Kremna Rezina, a vanilla custard and cream cake that melts in your mouth and warms your heart. Have a slice with strong coffee and think only warm thoughts.

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The first ascent of the Jungfrau on August 3, 1811 caused quite a sensation. In those days the area in today’s UNESCO Region was strictly reserved for a few daring adventurers. These days, thanks to the mountain railways, footpaths and biking trails everyone can experience a variety of adventures in the Jungfrau Region. The mountains around Grindelwald, Wengen, Mürren and Lauterbrunnen continue to hold a great fascination and, in the meantime, offer something to suit everyone from action-seeking sports enthusiasts to aficionados looking for relaxation. A trip from Wengen or Grindelwald to the Jungfraujoch, Europe’s highest train station at 3,453 metres above sea level, transports visitors into the magical world of eternal snow and ice. From the opposite side of the valley above Mürren, on the top of the almost 3,000 metre-high Schilthorn, day-trippers can enjoy the best views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau triumvirate. Far below in the Lauterbrunnen valley the spectacular Trümmelbachfalls have been open to visitors for around 100 years. Here 20,000 litres of water per second thunder down into the “valley of 72 waterfalls”. For more information visit www.MyJungfrau.ch.

Traditionally, Rhine ships are long and sit low in the water. They’re long because they can’t be wide—the river is too narrow and the locks are even narrower. They can sit low in the water because they’re not worried about ocean waves and heavy seas. The ancient Romans understood the commercial value of the Rhine and maintained a Rhine fleet to protect its trading boats. Moving things on the Rhine was cheaper than moving things on land. As a result, the river is lined with some of Europe’s oldest and most famous cities — Basel, Strasbourg, and Cologne are perfect examples.

The Rhine River has inspired painters, operas, symphonies, and books—and in recent years, tourists. So I decided to take a cruise along the Rhine from Amsterdam in the Netherlands to Basel in Switzerland.

We started out in Amsterdam and cruised its canals. on to Cologne in Germany with its thousand-year-old cathedral. The next stop was Koblenz to check out its castles. We docked at Rüdesheim, a classic wine village. And Heidelberg for a drink at its 300-year-old tavern. Strasbourg for some of the best food in Europe. Then the medieval town of Breisach and finally the Black Forest. We ended up in Basel, Switzerland and headed home.

June Steves: Losing My First Travel Partner

While two weeks has passed since her death, I’m still coming to grips with my mother being gone. I’ve had a busy holiday season and, in the midst of so much else churning all around me, I wanted to share with my friends on Blog Gone Europe the news of her passing. In case you might be interested, I’ve gathered here memories of my first trip to Europe when my travel partner was my Mom, photos of us in 1969 and in 2011, her obituary, and an essay I wrote from the notes of the talk I gave at her memorial service.

Memories of Travels with June

When I think of how my Mom catapulted me into the wonderful life I’ve enjoyed, it was she who first took me to Europe. As my Dad was busy doing business with European piano-builders (he imported pianos), Mom was my first travel partner.

Back when I was a 14-year-old who had hardly set foot on an airplane, together we were immersed in the wonders of Europe. On that first dip into Europe, we stood in front of our first hotel in the Netherlands watching bicyclists gather at a stoplight on the way to the fields — wooden shoes filling their little handlebar baskets. Mom helped me collect a cigar box full of sugar cubes wrapped with advertising from the restaurants we visited all over Europe. Together we collected souvenir pins to fill my Bavarian felt hat. Venturing into our first subway ride ever, we found our way to a stop called Trocadéro, emerged, turned the corner, and set eyes for the first time on the jaw-dropping Eiffel Tower. Together we puzzled at buildings that looked both new and ancient (Neoclassical monuments in Paris) — built in the style of ancient Rome, but dating only from the age of Napoleon. When friends in Germany gave us a tin of white asparagus, we opened it and marveled together at what looked like a rare albino vegetable. And, with Norwegian relatives, we traveled to the fjord where we found the actual house from where my mother’s mother left for the “New Land” — in her case, Canada.

On that first trip, I was attached to my Mom — literally — as back then a mother and her child could share the same passport. And flying home from that first foreign adventure, I have a hunch my Mom had a hunch she had helped plant in me a seed that would sprout into a lifelong passion for travel. One of my favorite photos is of me and my Mom with our hosts in Austria in a dusty village on the border of communist Hungary. It was 1969, and Mom had just introduced me a man (far left) who claimed to have witnessed the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914, which kicked off World War I. Whether he actually saw it or not, the story he told had me wide-eyed — and when I look back on it, I think it was a pivotal moment in my life that directed me toward my history degree and a passion for learning and teaching through thoughtful travel.

June Erna Steves (1931-2011)

June was born of Norwegian immigrants Harold and Erna Fremmerlid on June 29, 1931, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. She died in Seattle early in the morning on Thursday, December 29, 2011. She passed away from complications after a heart attack, surrounded in love by her family and pastor.

June grew up skiing and enjoying family, friends, and the great outdoors as a child in Edmonton. She left the homestead and moved to White Rock near Vancouver, where she went to high school. Her family then moved to Seattle where her father started and ran Oslo Electric Company. She lived near Green Lake with Harold, Erna, and siblings, Harold Jr., Sylvia, and Norman.

Once in Seattle, June soon met Dick. (June struck him as so gorgeous; she nearly knocked him off his skates at a local roller rink.) They were married in 1951. June supported Dick as he finished his university studies, taught band in public schools, and tuned pianos. June ran the home front in Crown Hill, Kenmore, and Edmonds with love and energy, raising with Dick three children: Rick (born 1955), Janis (born 1956) and Linda (born 1958). Later, June helped Dick run “Steves Sound of Music” — their store, in which they imported great European pianos.

Each weekend for decades, June organized camping and boating excursions. She harvested the sea and cooked it up expertly. She was a traveler, a skier, a parent, a partner, and a friend who complemented Dick as if a match designed in heaven. She will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, first mate of the good ship Junie, and friend who provided a Christian foundation for an entire family. Those who survive June — her husband, three children, six grandchildren (Caleigh, Nicole, Tyler, Kelsey, Andy, and Jackie), and brothers Norman and Harold — will remember her with thanks and love.

While we will miss June dearly, we celebrate her eighty years on this earth as a lifetime well lived and filled with adventure, a passion for life, and love.

June Steves, My Mom

Losing your mother takes you places you’ve never been. There’s a void. You see things differently. You realize how much emotion is inside you. You find there’s a bucket of tears reserved especially for our mothers.

As this experience unfolded around me, it was as if God had a plan. Just hours before Mom’s death, I visited a friend of mine who has just a few months to live as cancerous tumors take over his brain. I wanted to spend a few quality moments with my friend, and we ended up talking at length about death and love. His mystical Muslim approach to love and God and his passion for the teachings of Rumi inspired me. I had a rich afternoon with my friend exploring how we are here to give love. How death is part of life. How people are good. Nature is good. God loves us. And how, in death, we see God’s love and learn more about how we can love each other. I had never had such a talk before. I had never thought so deeply about death.

My phone rang during our time together, but I didn’t answer it. After leaving my friend’s house, I checked in and learned that my Mom had been taken to the hospital. First diagnosis: pneumonia. But it was worse. A few minutes later, we learned she had had a heart attack and would need a pacemaker. Half an hour after that, the doctor was on the phone asking about Mom’s end-of-life wishes. Within the hour, I gathered with loved ones at Mom’s deathbed.

Exploring the meaning of death with my friend serendipitously helped prep me for my mother’s death. At 1:30 a.m., on December 29th, 2011, I held Mom’s hand and stroked her head as she peacefully took her last breath.

In thinking about my Mom’s life in the context of her death, I see God’s love more clearly, and I’ve been learning about how we can love better.

I appreciate that divine love in how my Mom and Dad were such a great couple. Their love inspired people in its simple purity. The way they loved each other, especially those years when it was within the dictates of Alzheimer’s, was emblematic of what love is all about.

My Dad chose not to talk at Mom’s memorial service. He didn’t need to. His love of June was more powerful than any spoken message. It was love 24/7, all over town. It was “June and Dick.” Dick loved June and June loved Dick. They were a team.

In the last few years, it was an Alzheimer’s love. While Alzheimer’s disease is a terrible curse, with my Mom’s death, I found it actually had a silver lining. Alzheimer’s, while a horrible shroud that keeps out so many joys of life, also blanketed away the aggressive and shrill dimensions of modern life. Alzheimer’s made Mom and Dad’s love more simple: two children of God together. Not fancy — just pure. To me, their love became even more inspiring.

I see Mom’s heart attack as divine deliverance from a very difficult road ahead. Mom suffered a cuddly, cheery, even humorous brand of Alzheimer’s. And, with death, she was spared its ugly stage. On December 29th, June Steves flew out of her riddled brain. She left Alzheimer’s on the hospital bed and was given freedom.

We are so blessed that she was cheery and a joy until the very end. She sang her heart out by candlelight at church on Christmas Eve. Together we lit each other’s candles and sang “Silent Night.” The day before she died, an unusually big and joyous assembly of grandchildren gathered with Mom at a Chinese Restaurant. Mom was high-fiving, singing, spinning a lazy Susan heavy with yummy dim sum, and snatching dumplings off Dad’s plate.

Sorting through photos in preparation of Mom’s memorial service, it was clear that Mom dedicated her life to family. Some may wonder: What did she do? In a conventional sense, not much. She held no prestigious positions. She won no big awards. But if we are here to love — as Jesus teaches us, and as my ailing friend helped teach me — she was a true champion.

In retrospect, Mom’s life was one of selfless devotion. She made it her purpose to help her family spread its wings and for each of us to fly. Mom lived the prime of her life in a Mad Men age when women were silent heroes at home. She never took her eyes off the target: caring for her family. And all of us were huge beneficiaries of that.

In my Mom’s family, being “good stock”  was the ultimate compliment. Her mom and her mom’s mom always talked about that. It must be a Norwegian thing…good stock to survive a hard life. It was as if offspring were plants that needed to survive a winter snow. Mom certainly was good stock. In fact, my fear was that her tough Norwegian body would long outlive her Alzheimer’s brain. In that regard, her death was both timely and a blessing.

At home, she was the classic mom…very traditional. But at sea — vacationing on their beloved boats (the RikJanLin and, later, the Junie) — look out. June Steves was a fierce hunter-gatherer. Across the San Juan Islands, when it came to catching clams, oysters, and crabs, she was like Xena…“June the Warrior Princess.”

Mom never tried to be a fancy intellectual. But looking back, she was wise in disguise: Work hard. Be patient. Pull up a prawn trap using your body more than your arms. To stretch your juice, simply add more water. Never fold up a canvas tent damp. The best way to control nature is to obey her. Learn to type — you might find that useful someday. And Jesus loves you (one of her favorite hymns).

A hospital is a sterile place to die. I’m not comfortable in that environment. That night, after considering the industrial efficiency of it all and how death must get almost routine in the ICU, I met a woman whose job title was “flow supervisor.” Despite being surrounded by softly beeping monitors, stainless steel, and latex gloves, I was struck by how—gathered around her bed–we created a completely different zone, a circle of love.

For the last few years, my Mom has been an Alzheimer’s June. It can be pretty unglamorous. Looking at her on her deathbed — even with her pale face, drained of life — I saw a noble woman of beauty and strength. I saw the power of maternal love. I saw, and I will remember, a strong, timeless woman of good stock — Viking stock.

Collecting my thoughts about Mom’s death, I find myself going ethnic…going primeval. Coming together as Mom died, we cradled her. It was as if we created with our family, loved ones, and pastor a Viking ship in some torch-lit burial ceremony a thousand years ago in Norway, the home of her ancestors.

At that dreaded but epic moment, I appreciated cyclical nature of life. June Steves brought us in, and those she raised and loved saw her out.

They say we get four score, and anything beyond that is a bonus. Mom lived four score and six months to the day. God blessed us with her. He blessed our Mom with a full and well-lived life. Her life was a beautiful 80-year-long arc. She lived her last few years as a child again. And, finally, God took her home in a merciful way.

On the last day of 2011, friends and family filled Trinity Lutheran Church in Lynnwood, creating another circle of love. While we grieved Mom’s death, we also celebrated her life and all she brought to this world. You understand the treasure of friends and loved ones in a new way when they come together at such a memorial.

If I could tuck a little note for my Mom onto that Viking ship as it sails away, here’s how it would read:

Dear Mom: I now enter a stage of my life with that void that only those who have lost a mother can truly understand. I’ll savor precious memories of you until I see you in heaven — where I have a hunch we’ll ultimately sit together with Dad, Jan, Linda, and other loved ones too, enjoying the heavenly equivalent of a campfire on the beach at sunset in a place very much like Sucia Island, sharing a bucket of fresh-caught butter clams. As you look down on all of us as we carry on, enjoy the view. We love you. And we’ll treasure how you touched us and how your beautiful spirit will endure in our lives forever. Amen.