Category: 2022
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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…
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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,…
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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…
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Cologne’s Cathedral, Chocolate, and Christmas Cheer 🇩🇪
Our final day took us to Cologne (Köln), where the majestic Cologne Cathedral towers over the city — its spires stretching 157 meters into the sky. Even from outside, the Gothic architecture was breathtaking, especially against the winter mist. Inside, the cathedral houses the Shrine of the Three Kings, believed to contain relics of the…
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Skiing in Neuss and Savoring Japan in Düsseldorf 🇩🇪
The next morning, we trained to Neuss, just outside Düsseldorf, for a first-time skiing experience at Alpenpark Neuss (Skihalle Neuss) — Germany’s first indoor ski slope. Inside the giant temperature-controlled dome, snowflakes floated gently from above as we learned the basics of skiing on real snow. The kids took to it instantly — gliding down…
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Wuppertal’s Penguins and the Suspension Train 🇩🇪
We boarded an early train north for a weekend adventure through western Germany — our own “Training Through Christmas” journey. Our first stop was Wuppertal, known for its steep hills, historic architecture, and one-of-a-kind transportation system. At the Wuppertal Zoo, we met some of the most interactive penguins we’ve ever seen — diving, darting, and…
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Day 10: Rome Countryside & Farewell — Ruins, Roads, and Reflections 🇮🇹
Our final morning in Italy started differently — not with a monument or museum, but with a bike ride through the Roman countryside. The route followed the Appian Way (Via Appia Antica), one of the oldest and most important roads of the Roman Empire. Uneven stones and scattered ruins reminded us that this was once…
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Day 9: Rome & Vatican City — Faith, Power, and Ancient Stones 🇮🇹
We started the morning early to beat the crowds at St. Peter’s Basilica, arriving just as the sun lit up the massive dome. Even from outside, the scale is humbling — the columns of Bernini’s square stretching wide like open arms. Inside, every inch tells a story of devotion and ambition, from Michelangelo’s Pietà to…
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Day 8: Naples to Rome — From Rick Steves to the Colosseum 🇮🇹
Our last morning in Naples began with a Rick Steves walking tour through the city’s historic center. His narration guided us past narrow alleys lined with laundry, open-air markets, and churches that seemed to appear on every corner. Naples is loud and layered — ancient Greek ruins underfoot, Baroque façades above, and scooters weaving through…
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Day 7: Naples & Pompeii — Fire, Ash, and the American Footsteps of Liberation 🇮🇹
Naples greeted us like a burst of energy — scooters zipping past, the aroma of espresso and fresh pizza in the air, and the chaos of a city that refuses to be tamed. It was a sharp contrast to the elegance of Florence, but one that felt deeply Italian in its own way: raw, passionate,…