Eleven Awesome European Destinations

AWESOME EUROPEAN Eleven

DESTINATIONS

Cia doluptia essus ex et Vollent

Photo by Michael Olwyler

Most of our Roots & Wings readers are travellers who like to explore European destinations. Some make these journeys out of their bucket lists. Many more turn these experiences into lifelong journeys. From our readers’ contributions this time - Italy, Germany and France top the list.

France The Road Less Travelled

Text & photos by Michael Olwyler

Michael was raised by adventurous parents who took him from his home in Pennsylvania, USA, to the magical town of San Miguel de Allende in central Mexico in the 1950s. He returned to the States to finish high school, and soon after was captivated by the majestic beauty of the high mountains of the Sierra Nevada east of San Francisco. He got a job with the Yosemite National Park where he picked up photography to immortalise nature. As a wilderness ranger for the US Forest Service, he worked his way from trail crew worker to management, but always stayed tied to the wilderness.

Then the travel bug took him to far away places like South East Asia, South America and Africa. He began working with the International Programs of the Forest Service and Colorado State University’s Center for Protected Area Management until his retirement in 2008.

Since then Michael has been archiving and accessioning the 40,000 black and white images taken by his parents, both photojournalists. He has already published “San Miguel and its people” and is currently working on photographs of the Philippines and the San Francisco Bay Area rock & roll era of the 1970s and ‘80s.

Michael shares his travel photographs online and here, some stunning photos of his 10-day trip in June 2019, which takes us on a path around the “white mountain” Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Europe, crossing Switzerland, Italy and France; a call of the wild, to a road less travelled.

Covid restrictions permitting, he should once again be “hitting the trail” this year, aiming for the Dolomites in Italy and the Berner Oberland in Switzerland.

Notre-Dame de la Gorge, Les Contamines Montjoie, France

Slovenia Lake Bled

Ma. Crizelda T. Arambulo

Lake Bled is a beautiful glacial lake in the northwestern region of Slovenia. A picturesque and serene escape set amid forests and mountains, you can’t help but stare at the view and silhouette of the Julian Alps. For a unique Lake Bled experience, visit Bled Island on a traditional Slovenia ‘Pletna” (covered rowboat) that could carry 20 passengers, propelled by an oarsman who stands and rows with two oars. Rising from the pretty island church is the 52 metres high free standing bell tower. Visit the Church of the Assumption to ring the 16th century wishing bell for a blast of good luck for your journey ahead but only after climbing the 99 stone steps!

Italy Summer in Venice

Pilar Karen Sun

I loved my visit to the most romantic city of Venice in the Veneto region of Italy. The architecture, the pink and white marble buildings, and the gondola rides crisscrossing hundreds of islands in the Adriatic Sea amazed me the most. Instead of walking the streets and roads, we travelled on waterways and canals. While exploring restos across Piazza San Marco, we met a Filipino ice cream vendor who was only too happy to top up our vanilla ice cream cones for free! Visiting St Mark’s Basilica during high tide was an experience, walking on planks set up by the locals within minutes of rising water. Venice is magical and

Spain Guggenheim Bilbao Museum

Becky Torres

Hans Christian Andersen once said “to travel is to live.” Very apt description for the joy of discovering new places to explore and be surprised by on our European tour. The town of Bilbao was our first stop in Spain, motoring out from Barritz, France. Bilbao is known for the Guggenheim Bilbao Museum, representing an architectural 20th century landmark by Frank Gehry with its rich collection of artworks on exhibit. Near the banks of the River Nervion was Louise Bourgeois’ massive bronze sculpture of the big Spider Guggenheim named Maman.

Germany Mainau Island, Konstanz

Janet Marie Ledesma

Have you seen more than a thousand variety of roses - queen of flowers - in one place? Mainau Island in Lake Constance, Germany exhibits a veritable firework of blooms in each turn of the season. Our summer visit to this 45-hectare flower island offered an impressive park landscape with magnificent flower displays, an arboretum of centuries-old trees, a greenhouse with tropical climate, a butterfly garden and the castle of Frederik I, Grand Duke of Baden overlooking the lake. Anyone wishing to offload stress, this is the place to visit in Europe!

Czech Republic Prague

F Jakob

One summer evening, as we were driving into Prague, Czech Republic’s capital and largest city, my wife and children were taken by the fairy tale sight of Prague Castle from a distance. It lifted off the ground, a mesmerizing sight with its majestic illumination, seemingly floating on the clouds. That same evening, we toured the medieval Charles Bridge on foot, across the Moldau River. It’s about 500m long and 10m wide arch stone protected by towers and adorned by baroque-style statues. The family enjoyed traditional goulash on bread bowls in the Old Town Square. It remains a favourite family destination.

Russia St. Petersburg and Moscow

Matez Quirante Chua

Uniting classic and modernity, Russia’s St. Petersburg and Moscow are true wonders. Cultured and old, the contrasts between them attract many visitors. A visit to the famous Hermitage Museum and its 300 million artifacts, to the Tsar’s Winter Palace, to St. Isaac’s Cathedral, or to the Fortress of Sts. Peter and Paul is to tread in the footsteps of opulent royals. The awesome but imperialistic way of life of the Tsars can rival the most sophisticated of European settlements west of the Baltic region. A major attraction is the Church of Savior of Spilled Blood, built from 1883-1907 with its ornate colorful mosaic dome. The symbolic center of all of Russia is found in the Kremlin and Red Square where St. Basil Cathedral, an Orthodox Church-turnedmuseum is located.

Italy Leaning Tower of Pisa

Mae Itchon

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is breathtaking; it is one of the most remarkable architectural structures from medieval Europe. The tower is a campanille or Bell Tower 60 meters tall, leaning at about a 10-degree angle. It stands next to the Cathedral of Pisa in the Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles) in the city of Pisa, Italy. It is massively leaning and the buildings surrounding it are very attractive. It was an amazing sight that invites fun photo ops holding up the tower or pushing it over.

Germany Massive Art on Berlin Wall

J Joseph

Long before I was born, history recorded the city of Berlin as divided physically and ideologically into two contrasting zones. The Cold War halved this city with a wall 155 km long and 4 meters tall, and did the most unthinkable, brutal, and tyrannical acts the world has ever experienced. By the time the wall was demolished in 1989, it had became a massive gallery of murals thanks to Thierry Noir, French artist popularly credited as leading pioneer of art on Berlin wall. While you are in Berlin, among the ‘must-see’ landmarks are the Holocaust Memorial, the Brandenburg Gate as symbol of reunification, Potzdamer Platz, and Checkpoint Charlie.

Italy The Amalfi Coast

Text by Marites Bautista Photo by Fhe Busadre Perez

Amalfi Coast is a fantastic 50-kilometer scenic stretch of coastline in the southern edge of Italy’s Sorrentine Peninsula, Campania region. My husband and I were seated on the front row of our bus, feasting on the views of the mountains, sea cliffs and holiday villas dotting the coast where people spend time in tranquility. Amalfi being the gateway, led us to Naples and Sorrento where we particularly enjoyed Ristorante Pizzera Tasso’s specialty dishes and drinks. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me. Meravigliosa esperienza!

Switzerland Einsiedeln

Betsy von Atzigen, in memory of Barbara Jance

Einsiedeln in canton Schwyz, central Switzerland, is one of the most memorable summer destinations my late mother ever visited. It is a very important pilgrimage place in Europe that hosts the relics of St. Meinrad and the miraculous Black Madonna statue in a majestic baroque Benedictine monastery whose history spans over a thousand years. We walked a wellmarked forest path up the mountain for the Stations of the Cross. A few meters away is the world’s largest nativity scene - Diorama Bethlehem. Pilgrims collect water from the Fountain of Our Lady believed to have healing properties. Pilgrims around the world come here for prayer and solace.