Category: Country
-
Day 2: Big Ben, Westminster, and Royal London 🏴 🇬🇧
On February 11, we introduced our Ben to the other Ben — Big Ben, gleaming after recent restorations. The tower (technically the Elizabeth Tower) was completed in 1859 and has been London’s timekeeper ever since. During World War II, its chimes continued even as bombs fell on the city, a symbol of endurance broadcast across…
-
The Magic Behind the Movies — Harry Potter Studios 🏴 🇬🇧
The Warner Bros. Studio Tour – The Making of Harry Potter was much larger and more detailed than we expected. The sets, costumes, and props from the films were incredible — walking into the Great Hall felt like stepping straight into the movies. We strolled down Diagon Alley, peeked into Hagrid’s Hut, and watched green-screen…
-
Arrival in London — Bridges, Franklin, and the Sky Garden 🏴 🇬🇧
Our family’s first trip to London began late on February 9, with a flight from Frankfurt-Hahn to Stansted Airport. By the time we reached the city, the streets glistened with rain under the glow of black cab headlights — exactly how we imagined our first London night. The next morning, February 10, we set out…
-
Day 5: Neuschwanstein Castle — A Fairytale Farewell 🇩🇪🇺🇸
On January 16, we began our journey home with one last stop: Neuschwanstein Castle, near Füssen, Germany. Rising high above the valley, its white towers piercing the winter sky, the castle looked exactly like the storybooks promised. Its name, Neuschwanstein, means “New Swan Stone” — a reference to King Ludwig II’s emblem, the swan, which…
-
Day 2–4: Skiing and Sledding Under the Stars in Ischgl 🇦🇹
On January 13, we arrived in Ischgl, Austria, a lively ski town nestled deep in the Tyrolean Alps near the Swiss border. The drive up wound through mountain valleys dotted with chalets, frozen rivers, and church steeples poking through snow. Ischgl sits at over 1,300 meters (4,260 feet) and is part of the vast Silvretta…
-
Day 1: Arrival in Austria — Lakeside Beauty in Lindau 🇩🇪 🇦🇹
Our Alps skiing trip began with a drive south from Germany toward Ischgl, Austria, but we couldn’t resist making a stop along the way in Lindau, a stunning lakeside town on the eastern edge of Lake Constance (Bodensee). Nestled near the borders of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, Lindau has been a crossroads of cultures for…
-
Day 4: Vikings and Farewells 🇩🇰
The first morning of 2023 was calm and clear. We visited the National Museum of Denmark, exploring exhibits that trace the country’s history from Stone Age hunters to Viking explorers. The Viking section was especially fascinating — showing how Scandinavian seafarers reached as far as North America centuries before Columbus. That legacy of exploration and…
-
Day 3: Fairytales, Freedom, and Fireworks 🇩🇰
Our first stop was Amalienborg Palace, home to the Danish royal family. We watched the Changing of the Guard, a precise and time-honored ceremony led by the Royal Life Guards who have protected Denmark’s monarchy since 1658. At the time, Queen Margrethe II—Europe’s longest-serving monarch—had just announced her upcoming retirement, making the moment feel particularly…
-
Day 2: Tivoli Magic and Danish Dreams 🇩🇰
Our second day in Copenhagen was pure magic. We spent it at Tivoli Gardens, one of the world’s oldest operating amusement parks, opened in 1843. Walt Disney famously visited Tivoli before creating Disneyland, inspired by its clean design, joyful atmosphere, and charm. Tivoli was transformed for the holidays — fairy lights twinkling above cobblestone paths,…
-
Day 1: From Malmö to the Aquarium 🇸🇪 🇩🇰
Waking up from the overnight train in Country #15 — Sweden, we arrived in Malmö to the sound of light rain and the sight of pastel-colored buildings shimmering in the puddles. After a Scandinavian breakfast of dark bread, salmon, and coffee strong enough to wake a Viking, we explored the compact old town before boarding…