I recently returned from Europe. My husband and I spent roughly two weeks, first in Amsterdam, then to Salzburg, to Florence, and then to Rome. I gave a paper on Nella Larsen’s novel, ‘Passing,” to a small audience in a session of New Directions in the Humanities. This was the catalyst for our extended journey.
In Amsterdam, we visited the famous Rijksmuseum–absolutely incredible place–the Van Gogh Museum, equally amazing if a bit overcrowded; we went on a canal cruise, of course–stunning views and so much fun to wave at passengers in other cruise boats! We walked, and walked, and walked. I lost a few pounds, actually, and unintentionally. The food was delicious. But you can’t see a city unless you walk its streets, yes? We found the people to be wonderful, the atmosphere welcoming. Transportation around the city is super ease: trams were our main mode when we were not walking–but the city busses were also very convenient. We were in the city twice, actually–once on the way down into Germany and Italy, and once on the way home. We could not initially find tickets to the Anne Frank house, so we decided to stop over for a few hours on our way back to Seattle. What can I possibly say about that experience? If you have the opportunity to go, do so. If you have read her diary, it will come to life for you in a whole new way. I read it many, many years ago when I was in junior high. The impact of being in that space and seeing the artifacts, listening to the story on our headsets was tremendous. Especially in our current sociopolitical atmosphere, being in that space was devastating.
In Salzburg, a gorgeous city on a beautiful river, the Salzach, the sun was shining every day. It is a wonderfully walkable city. We did not find it crowded at all. Perhaps it is the time of year, but we did not have to wait in line for anything. My favorite part of the city was to walk along the river right around sunset. Apparently it is a favorite for many people because, while not overly crowded, more people seemed to be out at the time of day. The highlight for me was our Sound of Music tour! The film shaped my life in many ways–it reinforced my love of music, leading me to major in piano and voice in college. Being so up close with some of the areas that were important in the film just made me love it more. It became real to me. If you’ve considered going to Salzburg, I highly recommend going, but also make sure to sign up for this tour.
Florence is my favorite city on earth now. It’s true what they say about the light in that city–it is just luminescent. We stayed in a boutique hotel near the Duomo–it was only a few steps away, so of course we did a tour of Brunelleschi’s Dome as well as the Uffizi Gallery. One of our favorite things about Florence was its walkability, and its beautiful walks by the river, the Arno. My favorite day was when we walked up to the Piazzale Michelangelo. From this point, you can see for miles! It was an amazing day, one I will never forget. The art, the views, the river, the people, the food–Florence has it all. It is truly a romantic city.
Which brings me to Rome. I’ll just say it: I loved Rome BUT by the time we arrived, it seems that the high point of tourism was beginning. So. Many. People. Just like us, they were there to go to the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel–which, by the way, you just MUST see at some point in your life. Pictures, of course, can never do justice to the amazing beauty of these sites. My advice: don’t go in the summer. If you can, go during off-season for tourists. I’ve been advised that you’ll probably still run into crowds, but not quite so large. And it won’t be so hot. Our favorite place to hang at the end of a long day of touring in the heat was an outdoor bar called The Tree Bar. It was around the block from our hotel and was a favorite with the locals in that neighborhood, not far from the river. Go to this website for a review: https://www.fodors.com/world/europe/italy/rome/restaurants/reviews/tree-bar-166316320
We found the atmosphere to be relaxing and laid back–families with small children seems to like it because of the playground adjacent. The bartender seemed to think that not many “foreigners” regularly came by, but if you are in the neighborhood, you should go! Along with your glass of wine, you may get a small bag of appetizers, offered with every order!
Rome was our last major destination. As I said, we went back to Amsterdam to catch our flight home as well as to see the Anne Frank museum. We saw so much, ate such good food, walked thousands of steps, and came away with a bit of larger perspective of the world and our place in it.
If I could give one gift to the world, it would be the gift of travel, of getting outside of your own experience if only for a few days–the world becomes more of a home–its people become less strange and more kin. I can’t wait to plan our next trip abroad!
Ciao for now!
Curious Girl 