Our European experience began following guide books of an author we did not know, Rick Steves...We made our first European venture to attend our son's wedding in a church right on the edge of the Rhine, above Dusseldorf...Upon returning to the US and seeing some of Rick's TV broadcasts, we realized how much we had missed doing the tour on our own...So, we decided to join Rick's 21 Day Best of Europe tour...What great fun, with a good group, super guides and we experienced terrific sites everyday...We bought into Rick's program and also did independent travel along with his featured tours...over the years we have attended several of Rick's SF Bay area lectures and have followed the Forum and his TV and audio presentations...This 2014 tour is our thirteenth Rick Steves Europe Tour and for 2015 we're scheduled for a Fall Heart of France Tour...
It is always an amazing experience to fly cross North America, looking at the plains and mountains and thinking of earlier Europeans who walked to cross this land, then to look at the white capped wind whipped Atlantic and imagine of the discomfort of those who plowed through the waves on crowded wooden sailboats to reach the promise of the USA...
Our connecting West Coast flight (usually over 20 total travel hours--and are easy when compared with the travelers of the 1700/1800's) was smooth with a flawless arrival and then a timely train departure all within the super clean and efficient Frankfurt Airport complex...Our train headed out along the Rhine for Koblenz, and then a train change and on to Trier...We shared our ride with several elementary to high school aged students returning home from school and departing at several of the small village stops...Along the Rhine were great views of a campground full of RV's, freight hauling river boats battling the current, rapids with a castle protected on an island, and memories of our previous visits through the canyon lined with ancient medieval castles and past the village of Bacharack..Arrival at the tour staging site, Trier...
Please note: A CLICK on upper left, will enlarge single photos or start media presentation...
It is always an amazing experience to fly cross North America, looking at the plains and mountains and thinking of earlier Europeans who walked to cross this land, then to look at the white capped wind whipped Atlantic and imagine of the discomfort of those who plowed through the waves on crowded wooden sailboats to reach the promise of the USA...
Our connecting West Coast flight (usually over 20 total travel hours--and are easy when compared with the travelers of the 1700/1800's) was smooth with a flawless arrival and then a timely train departure all within the super clean and efficient Frankfurt Airport complex...Our train headed out along the Rhine for Koblenz, and then a train change and on to Trier...We shared our ride with several elementary to high school aged students returning home from school and departing at several of the small village stops...Along the Rhine were great views of a campground full of RV's, freight hauling river boats battling the current, rapids with a castle protected on an island, and memories of our previous visits through the canyon lined with ancient medieval castles and past the village of Bacharack..Arrival at the tour staging site, Trier...
Please note: A CLICK on upper left, will enlarge single photos or start media presentation...