It’s been exactly a year since Ron and I began our 5-Week Epic European Excursion, traveling through Switzerland, then hopping on a Viking river cruise that took us along the shores of France and Germany all the way down the Rhine River to Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
Then we train-tripped down to Belgium (think the world’s best beer and chocolate), and then to France—first to Bayeux and nearby Pointe du Hoc where the Allies scaled the cliffs under fire during WWII. After that, we headed to Paris where we hung out with street artists in a spot overlooking the entire city and later visited an underground jazz club. We concluded the trip with a cooking class taught by the Frenchiest chef you can conjure.
For this trip, think Castles, cobblestone streets, historic WWII sites (including the Anne Frank House), precious Piccasos and Van Goghs, hiking in the Swiss Alps accessible only by gondola, and enough cheese and coffee in all five countries to make us ponder why gold is the measure of wealth.
When we returned, we immediately began caring for my father-in-law (Pa to me) who had just been diagnosed with terminal cancer. We stayed with him every single day—from the hospital to the acute care center to his home. We moved in with him and cared for him until he passed. I feel honored to have been by his side.
Through grief, we handled his financial tasks, spent months repairing and prepping his house for sale, sold it, and just this week, finalized his affairs.
The year gave us the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.
So, here I am—here we are—Ron and I—beginning a new normal.
Life goes on.
Here are five things I’m looking forward to this summer.
No. 1
Planning Another European Vacation
Travel is rich with learning opportunities, and the ultimate souvenir is a broader perspective.—Rick Steves, American Travel Writer
I think of our 5-week Epic European Escapade every single day. We spent weeks and weeks planning it and I wouldn’t change one iota (well, maybe my getting COVID). I really do plan to blog about it with all the zillion pictures we took and thoughts I need to share. I just couldn’t before due to Pa’s illness and passing. I’m just getting around to it and there’s a lot to share. Stay tuned.
Many people tell me they could never plan a trip to five countries. I confess it is a tough gig. I almost gave up.
Of course, I could hire a travel agent. It would be so much easier. And as I get older, I can see myself—maybe, perhaps—handing over the control—uh, I mean, task— to someone else. I understand why others do. I suspect, though, that I’d have so many details to share and questions to ask that I’d practically be planning it myself anyway.
But I digress.
Yes. I like control when planning a trip. But it’s more than that.
Hear me out:
Planning a trip is at least one-third of your adventure!
In planning, you’ll have already mastered much of the things people find challenging when they travel. For example, you’ll understand the train schedules better and get tips on easy transfers (and if there is a problem, you will know what to do). You’ll understand the differences in currency and become comfortable with the calculations. You’ll know when to buy tickets (it’s never when you’re there) and learn the best restaurants and foods to enjoy. You’ll feel more comfortable exploring and won’t have to adhere to strict schedules that may not suit your style. In essence, you’ll have a richer experience and be less stressed.
You’re there to travel. So travel!—Rick Steve’s
I don’t mean to research every little thing. Leave some room for spontaneous magic. But, the basics—transportation, currency, cultural idiosyncrasies, and major historical facts —will prove useful. Consulting travel books to get the gist of a place is essential.
We like Rick Steves’ travel books.
We’ve used them wholeheartedly on all of our European trips. Planning those trips gave us confidence to travel to places Rick Steves doesn’t cover, like when we visited Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
For planning next year’s trip, we are using Rick Steves’ Scandinavia travel guide book and then adding a few other destinations we learned about from his other books.
We loved our Viking River Cruise last year so much (a friend’s recommendation, not Rick’s), so we’re trying their ocean cruise this time. We chose a cruise based on the best time to visit the area, then worked the rest of our trip around it—pre and post. One reason we chose a cruise is to meet people and have time to visit with them. I know several folks who’ve made life-long friends on cruises.
Our skeleton trip so far:
Since airfare is often cheaper flying into and out of the same destination, that determined our start and end city. Here’s the outline:
We’ll begin in Oslo, Norway, then travel by train to Stockholm, Sweden. We’ll stop in a few coastal cities and make our way to Copenhagen and a few other towns in Denmark. From there, we’ll travel to Berlin, Germany. Then we’ll continue to Amsterdam in the Netherlands and embark on the cruise. That will take us to various ports in Denmark and Norway, including the famous fjords, before we disembark in Bergen. We’ll spend another week or two traveling by train back to Oslo. Five weeks, full circle.
No. 2
Purchasing a New Home In a Different Area
Ah. This again. I know I’ve talked about buying a new home and moving ad nauseam, but here we linger. Now that we’re no longer caring for any parents, we feel ready to take action.
We’ve made traveling to potential locations our hobby, and honestly, it’s quite fun! We’ve been busy making short excursions to charming towns and cities to learn if we want to live there.
One day we’ll find the one.
A picture of my dream home adorns my vision board, so I’ll trust the process.
No. 3
Crafting Christmas Presents
Too early? Nah. I’m determined to make several presents this year. The hardest part is choosing what to make. I created a gift guide in the Notes app on my phone. Whenever I get an idea for a gift, I jot it down. I also keep a record of past gifts. It’s surprisingly hard to remember what I gave everyone. Since I juggle so many ideas, I forget which one I settled on.
But this year, I’m a head of the season. I’ve ordered the supplies and I’m ready to get started. I hope the summer sun and distractions won’t derail me. I prefer starting in fall, but we all know how quickly it warps into December.
Speaking of gifts… I also keep a basket full of presents labeled with names and occasions: Nicole/Christmas, Brandon/Birthday, etc. Since I’m often out and about, I shop all year and buy things I love as I go. It’s difficult to find things I love on demand, so I’m always on the lookout for unique or special finds.
No. 4
Reading
I love buying books. A lovely day is one spent wandering through a bookstore and stumbling upon a gem I didn’t know I needed. It speaks to something in my life at that moment. What baffles me is that I could return the next day and might not even notice that same book.
Why is that?
I suppose my mindset and curiosities hold themselves differently depending on the day. And it’s probably why, sometimes, I shelf the book and don’t always read it right away.
So, it’s time to get reading! I hope to go through my literary treasure and give all those words some light and air.
No. 5
Taking a Stained Glass Class
As I write, Ron is in Alaska fishing halibut, salmon, rock cod and other enormous creatures from the sea.
Me? I spent a day strolling 4th Street in Berkeley, California on a perfectly delightful day—the kind you see in Hallmark movies, where store windows glisten and diners sit curbside, stabbing at rainbow salads and sipping sparkly cocktails, their shopping bags piled at their feet like presents under a Christmas tree.
After dining at Tacubaya on their most unusual version of a chile relleno I’ve found (hint: it has sweet potatoes), I crossed the street to the The Stained Glass Garden—a craft supply shop, gallery, and school for making art out of glass you color yourself.
The shop bustled with energy.
Customers oohed and aahed over kaleidoscope treasures made of glass, jewels, and trinkets. Some pieces seemed gallery-worthy. I saw tiny teapots half the size of a thimble set askew in grout, along with other glass treasures. My favorite pieces were those where the artist used pewter as if painted with a brush. Ooh! I want to take that class!
A clerk invited me to peek in on a class in session. Buckets of glass shards in rainbow colors anchored the tables. Students on metal stools smushed black goo into the crevices of their designs. It looked messy and magical.
Ooh! I want to take that class as well.
Many class sign-ups displayed Sold Out signs—which, of course, only makes me want to take them even more. Sold Out means popular for an exciting reason in my book.
If you want to join me, please let me know. Let’s make a day of it!
What are you looking forward to this summer? I’d love to hear your list!
Like lists? You might enjoy this post:
.https://deborahbass.com/50-things-to-do-before-i-turn-sixty/
And the follow up:
. https://deborahbass.com/50-by-60-update-50-things-to-do-before-i-turn-sixty/