By this point we’d become pretty efficient at re-packing suitcases and clearing out of apartments.  Richard had gone out and brought back pastries for breakfast, and then we were out the door. We took the water bus back to the car park, and then loaded up our car and began the drive to Milan.  The drive itself was pretty uneventful, there wasn’t anything too remarkable about the Italian countryside that we covered, except that it was so Italian; vineyards and stucco homes with tile roofs.  

We hit the outskirts of Milan around lunchtime so we just went to IKEA for lunch again.  Then we made our way to our hotel so we could check-in and leave the car behind.  The hotel in Milan was really nice.  It was air-conditioned and newly remodeled and had a nice lay-out.  We wished we were staying there longer, and I think every single one of us considered skipping out on Milan and spending the day in the apartment…  

But we took a bus into the city centre anyway, without any kind of a plan, and just walked and explored.  (If you can’t tell, we were getting pretty burned out by this point.)  

The first thing we saw when we came up from metro was the Duomo Cathedral.  It was amazing.  The most amazing cathedral I’ve seen (from the exterior) so far.  The sun was shining on it, but behind the cathedral were dark storm clouds, it made it seem like it was glowing. 

We sat in the market square for a bit, just taking it in, and then we went into the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.  

The Galleria is one of the oldest shopping centers in the world, and to me it represented the epitome of Italian fashion and clothing.  Every major Italian brand I could think of had a presence in the massive, elaborate structure, and we gawked at the price tags of hand bags and watches.  Louis Vuitton, Armani, Gucci, Borsalino, Prada and Versace.  It felt like a museum more than a shopping mall.  

When we were sufficiently stunned by wealth beyond our comprehension, and the expensive tastes of the Italians, we took the metro to Sforza Castle.  

The castle was built originally in the 14th century, and then over the next hundreds of years it was remodeled, destroyed and re-built, expanded, and now it houses most of Milan’s museums.  

I never get tired of hearing the histories of old castles.  There is always drama, intrigue, tragedy and victory.  

We walked through a few of the museums, but it was getting close to closing time, and so lastly we went to a special exhibit to see an unfinished sculpture of Michelangelo.  

I’m really not an art connoisseur or critic or even the least bit educated on renaissance art, or any art for that matter. I only know that art is good when I am told that it is good.  But I did nonetheless really feel something when I sat and observed this sculpture.   

​This marble sculpture was begun by Michelangelo in his final years, and was left incomplete when he died in 1564.  It is of the Virgin Mary, mourning over the body of the dead Christ.  It was really beautiful, even in it’s unfinished state.  It made me really want to go to Florence to see more remarkable art. 

We walked around the castle grounds for a bit, but it started to rain a little so we decided to walk up the Via Dante to find a place to eat dinner.  Soon enough we were in an all-out downpour so we quickly lowered our standards and found a fast-food type pizza restaurant.  Morning sickness rarely hits me in the morning, it usually hits me in the evening, and it hit hard for the first time on this day.  I couldn’t even look at the kids pizza without feeling nauseated.  So I drank a Coke while everyone else ate, and then we took the metro and a bus back to our apartment, where I went immediately to bed.  

I had signed up for a race when we left on our road trip and I knew it wouldn’t be good to go two weeks without running at all, but running the streets of Venice, while charming, was like trying to train in a labyrinth.  I went out early in the morning though, which is always a great time to enjoy a city.  The street sweepers were all out, sweeping away with their wicker brooms.  I got lost so many times, and ended up being out twice as long as I meant to, but eventually I found my way back to our apartment.  

Because of a long run, and pregnancy and sheer vacation exhaustion, when we all left the house to go out tourist-ing for the day, I was not feeling it.  I was tired and grumpy and I couldn’t seem to muster any enthusiasm, even though I’d dreamed of seeing Venice for my adult life.  The prospect of herding the four kids around another city on another hot day felt overwhelming and I wanted to go back to bed.  But I kept my bad attitude to myself, we found some tasty pastries for breakfast, and gradually my spirits lifted.  

Our first stop was Rialto market, where we ate some delicious fresh fruit.  Then we just walked the streets of Venice.  Venice is a city made up of hundreds of tiny islands, all connected with hundreds of small footbridges.  (We decided it would be a nightmare to have a stroller in Venice.)  We walked to Piazza San Marco and just tried to appreciate the amazing architecture, but didn’t want to wait in any lines to tour any of the buildings inside.  

The weather was really good and we weren’t sure if it would hold up so we decided to take a gondola ride while the sun was out.  Of course the minute we were about to step on the gondola Simon had to use the toilet, so we let that one go by and caught another a few minutes later.  It was really fun, but it went by so fast, we kind of felt ripped off.  If I could go back and do it again I would spring the extra 40 euros for a longer ride.  

After our gondola ride it was time for lunch, so we found another great restaurant and ate more pizza, pasta and gnocchi.  When we finished our lunch Richard had to make a phone call, so the kids and I were just killing time by taking photos in this really rustic courtyard. 

The afternoon consisted of more walking, more gelato and more architecture. We took a long walk along the outer edge of the city, on the really wide Canale Della Giudecca, where you could look across the water at some really amazing buildings. 

As we walked along the water, there were occasional puddles that had been there long enough to form a mossy film on the pavement.  The kids thought it was really fun to splash in them, despite our warnings that they were really slippery.  But inevitably, our warnings were futile and Simon took a major spill.  Richard and I thought it was pretty funny, Simon not so much.  He was covered in mossy goo, so I took his shirt off and as I was rinsing it in the nearby canal, I nearly slipped in myself.  We had some good laughs about it all, and the sunshine and warm weather had him dried out soon enough. 

By the time we made our way back to the Piazza san Marco, it was late afternoon. I really wanted to go to the San Giorgio Maggiore, an island directly across the water from where we were, but you had to take the water bus (really expensive) to get there. So we decided I would just go by myself, so I could go up into the clock tower and see the views, and Richard would entertain the kids until I got back.  I was gone less than an hour, and it was totally worth it.  

It was dinner time when I met back up with the gang, but we wanted to go back to our more quiet part of the city to find a place to eat.  We had more pizza, but with a little salad this time too, and then Richard and I just sat at our table and relaxed for a bit while the kids ran around in the square.  (The benefits of dining al fresco.) 

I’m pretty sure we had gelato again for dessert before calling it a night and walking our weary bodies back to our apartment for bed.  I think this day was probably the most walking we did in one day during our entire trip.  

Sunday morning we cleaned up our cozy little trailer, ate leftovers for breakfast, packed our VW caddy and headed for Italy.  I was pretty sleepy that morning, so I missed some of the scenery on the drive, but I was awake for enough time to be completely smitten by the mountains.  It was cloudy and rainy, so we didn’t get any amazing mountain top views, but everything was so green and lush.  There was valley after valley that looked so old, straight out of a travel brochure.  There were also so many waterfalls, just gushing out of the side of the mountain, at first it was a novelty that really excited the kids, but there were so many that eventually I was the only one still enchanted.  

I don’t usually get carsick, but being pregnant probably didn’t help so after a few hours of windy mountain switchbacks, both Eli and I were feeling pretty queasy.  Fortunately just when we didn’t think we could handle another turn we came down into Italy’s vineyards and sunflower fields.  Also gorgeous.  

It was a really long drive and we had to meet up with the apartment landlord at a specific time, so for lunch we just ate snacks in the car, and a few sandwiches I’d made.  We had pre-booked a parking spot, which was a huge relief. (If you ever take a car to Venice, definitely pre-book your parking.)  There are no “roads” in the city, so once you cross the bridge over to the islands that make up Venice, you have to park your car and take a water-bus into the city.  It’s really cool, SO charming, but also a bit of a hassle.  We parked in the garage, consolidated our luggage, and made our way to the water-bus.  Another traveling tip for Venice- public transportation is NOT cheap.  When we didn’t have our luggage we just walked everywhere, and it was nice to experience the water-bus.  

We got the keys to our apartment, which was really neat.  It was so Italian, so old, just like out of a movie. It was in a quiet alley, with pizza and gelato just a few doors down.  By the time we were all settled it was late afternoon and we were all ravenous, so first things first we found a restaurant and stuffed our faces with pizza.  GOOD pizza.  

Our server was really friendly and playful with the kids.  There is no better way to endear yourself to the heart of a mother than to entertain her hungry children in a restaurant.  Plus that Italian accent… 

After we ate we decided to just explore, there was an old cathedral really close to our apartment and we figured since it was Sunday a church would be a great place to visit.  

The church was amazing.  It was full of Italian renaissance artwork.  The real deal! I was IN Italy looking at original Italian artwork, including Donatello’s first documented sculpture in Venice.  It was so awesome.  It also had some really impressive (and slightly bizarre) tombs and monuments inside.  

After we left the church we just walked.  It was hot, and we quickly learned that we were going to be accompanied by mosquitoes during our stay in Venice.  But it was quiet that evening and probably the least crowded time we spent in the city.  

We finished off the evening with gelato (which was delicious and cheap!) and leftover pizza and cards back at the apartment.  And the master bedroom had an AC unit- YAY! 

Sometimes my working friends ask me what I do all day, now that all the kids are in school full time.  So here it is. A day in the life of Jo.  By the end you just might be so bored you’ll be counting your blessings that you have a day job.  ​But this was really fun to do, and makes for a good journal entry. 

6:58 – Richard’s alarm clock went off long ago, but we’re both still dozing in bed when Mim comes in complaining of a sore throat, and Simon shouts from his bed.  (The usual indicator that he has wet said bed.)  I pretend to be asleep and Richard gets up to take care of it.  

7:10 – Richard gets back in bed, Cameron (probably confused as to why none of the adults in the house are in the shower) asks if he can get in the shower.  Richard and I stay in bed.  Scrolling, scrolling, scrolling… 

7:27 – Everyone is up, asking for breakfast, Richard gets in the shower, I put on my slippers and a sweater.  

7:40 – Breakfast is served, cold cereal for most, banana with peanut butter and raisins for Mim.  

8:05 – This is the craziest time of the day.  “Mom I don’t have any trousers! Mom I didn’t finish my homework! Mom I can’t find my shoes!”  Thankfully Richard’s work schedule here makes it so he is almost always around to help. But nonetheless I have this dialogue running through my head. 

What day is it? Does Eli need his swim suit? Do Mim and Si have their reading books? Is it raining? Jackets or no? Wellies or shoes? Pack lunches? School trips? Homework? PE kits? Everyone ready? Simon go potty! Eli where is your lunchbox? It’s time to go! Mim go get your backpack! Umbrella? House keys! TIME TO GO!! Eli why aren’t your shoes on?!?

8:28 – Out the door. Richard and I joke about how there is no need to decorate for Halloween with fake spiderwebs when we have so many real ones! 

8:33 – At the bus stop. It’s cold this morning.  We can see our breath. 

8:35 – Catch the bus. Mim and Simon blow their hot breath on the windows so they can draw stick figures on the steamy glass.  Eli flips through his Bear YoYo collectible creature cards. 
​

8:45 – Off the bus.  Cameron sprints ahead to the school because he is slightly obsessive about being on time.

8:48 – Waiting with Mim in her class line and chatting with other parents.  Fatiha says she admires my family and invites me out for coffee, so she can ask me questions about parenting.  I act modest and try to pull my ego back down to Earth. I tell her I have no life-changing advice but I would love to chat and share ideas.  (I’m thinking about how the guys behind Freakonomics would say that chances are, Fatiha’s kids are going to turn out just fine because she is the kind of thoughtful, conscientious parent who does stuff like ask questions and read books about parenting.  And she IS a good mom.)  

8:50 – The bell rings and Mim’s class goes in.  Fatiha and I make plans.  I walk with Simon to his class line.  

8:55 – Simon’s class goes in and he waves at me non-stop until he is out of sight.  

The world is my Oyster.  (For the next 6.75 hours anyway…)

I walk down to my gym, but I forgot my headphones so I can’t listen to a podcast like I normally would.  So instead I compose this blog post in my head while I walk, and take a few pictures of what I’m seeing along the way. ​

9:16 – I arrive at the gym and go for a swim. (I made a rhyme!) I started swimming last fall, but gave it up over the summer to spend more time running.  But as soon as my race was done I was ready for swimming again.  Swimming is much more pregnancy-friendly.  (#buoyancy) 

I finish my swim and take a shower.  There is an elderly lady who asks for help with her locker, so I help her.  She has no teeth, and I can tell that her mind isn’t what it used to be.  In fact, she doesn’t stop talking all while we shower and dress, and I can’t tell if she is talking to herself or to me.  I don’t answer. 

10:10 – I leave the gym and walk home.  No podcast, so I think about the elderly lady.  Children and the elderly can swim for free.  I think this is fabulous.  It must be good for them in so many ways; physically, socially, mentally.  When I used to swim early in the morning there would be a group of older ladies who came regularly and they would ask each other about kids and grand-kids and they would always notice when someone missed a day… I envied their sisterhood.

Walking in front of me are these two twenty-somethings. I find myself jealous of their sisterhood too. They are sharing a set of headphones and laughing and singing along to music, which reminds me of when Lori and I would do that on road trips, listening to Dixie Chicks or Deana Carter.  These two ladies are dressed in the standard wardrobe of London millennials; black leggings or skinnies with a black jacket (preferably pleather) for the girls, black trousers and a black or gray puffy coat for the guys.  ​​C’mon guys. Shake it up. 

10:24 – In the door.  Must have food.  I make a smoothie- my new favorite recipe!  (From my friend Kami, with some alterations.)  

3/4 cup Almond Milk
1 Frozen banana
1 scoop of almond butter (or peanut butter) 
1 Tablespoon of cocoa. 

MMMMMMM.  It tastes like a chocolate milkshake. 

10:30 – Hang wet laundry on the line.  It’s still chilly outside but the sun is shining and there are beautiful bird songs being sung.  I wish I could document those.  Our garden smells like fermenting pears, because, fermenting pears.  The pears are mostly in the top third of the tree, where we can’t reach them.  So they fall to the ground and rot.  One day I paid the kids 10p/pear to clean them up, but that got expensive.  So the next time I lowered the price to 5p/pear and I was met with mediocre effort.  

10:40 – Open my computer to do some blogging whilst finishing my smoothie.  But first I check Facebook, and get distracted reading an article on the Wall Street Journal about Meryl Streep.  

11:35 – Take a break from blogging to change the laundry.  Who knew a blog post was so much work?

11:45 – Resume blogging. 

12:20 – Finish blog post, order Nandos take-away for lunch, dry and straighten my hair and change out of my yoga pants. 

12:35 – Fold laundry, make my bed, clean up the dishes from breakfast. 

12:50 – Out the door, walk to Nandos, pick up my lunch. ​

1:00 – Sit down for lunch and an episode of Gilmore Girls.  (I’d never seen G.G. so when Lori came to visit she brought me seasons 1 & 2.) 

1:45 – Tidy up from lunch, out the door for a walk to Greenwich Park.  

My walk in the park is so lovely. I start off listening to my audiobook, but I have my camera with me and I am not able to concentrate on taking photos and keeping up with the plot so I switch to music.  Good music and good weather puts me in such a good mood and I get that “cup runneth over” feeling of gratitude for living where I live.  I start to feel what I’ve labeled as “anticipatory homesickness” because I know how much I will miss Greenwich Park, and a hundred other things about London when we are gone.  I also revel in feelings of independence and self-confidence when I am able to do something that is just about ME.  It sounds selfish, but I prefer the term self-care.  ​

3:10 – In the door in time to change the laundry and use the loo. 

3:20 – Out the door again, a few minutes early so I can stop and renew my bus pass on my way to pick up the kids from school.  

3:40 – Pick up Simon from his class, and then work my way up. Mim next, Eli, Cameron.  (The kids have to be released by their teacher from their class line.) 

3:50 – Back on the bus.  Afternoon buses are hot and crowded and smelly and the afternoon bus ride takes almost twice as long as the morning bus ride, due to traffic. 
​

4:15 – Back in the door.  Snacks for hungry mouths.  The kids disperse.  

4:25 – More laundry, folding and putting it all away.  Feeling soooo tired.  During pregnancy my “morning sickness” hits me most in the evening, but around 4:30 I start losing steam.

4:41 – I lay down on my bed for a few minutes…

5:00 – Get up to make dinner.  Richard has a late meeting so its scrambled eggs and bacon with fruit on the side. Not very impressive.  (I do cook sometimes.  Last night I made these – and they are delicious!)

5:25 – Feast. 

5:40 – Mim in the bath. Haircut for Simon.  Simon in the shower.  Haircut for Eli. Simon out of the shower.  Eli in. Mim out of the bath. Brush teeth and jammies. 

6:30 – Bedtime stories for the littles. 

6:40 – Clean up from dinner, dishes, last of the laundry folded and put away. ​

7:15 – Mim and Simon are sound asleep.  Cameron and Eli are sorting football cards.  I put my pajamas on and put myself to bed with some chamomile & spearmint tea and Gilmore Girls.  (I’ll chalk this one up to pregnancy and a sore throat.)

8:00 – Cameron and Eli come and tuck me in and put themselves to bed.  

8:45 – Richard gets home, I get up to brush my teeth and snap these pictures of my sleeping babes.  Richard and I chat for a bit, and then it’s lights out.   

**A few notes:

Other things I do on a somewhat regular basis that I didn’t do on this particular day include: taking naps, going to the church to practice this week’s hymns on the piano,  wasting hours on the internet shopping and reading articles, read books, and other housework besides laundry. 

Things I did today that I don’t actually do on a regular basis: order take-away for lunch, binge watch t.v. shows, read books to my kids (I know! so horrible, but I’ve taken to delegation in this regard, making the older kids read to the little ones) and get in bed at 7:15.   ​

When planning this vacation Richard did a really good job of reminding me that we were traveling with four kids, and touring cathedrals and museums would get tedious.  So I did some research and tried to choose some activities that the kids would enjoy, but that would also be culturally relevant.  My friend Suzy told me about some salt mines in Austria and so we planned that for Saturday morning.  It wasn’t too far from our Eurocamp, but we got a late start.  We also made a stop in a small town to get some cash (just in case) and that took much longer than it should have, but like I’ve mentioned before, these are the things you don’t realize ahead of time.  It’s really amazing to me (although very inconvenient) how businesses in Europe shut down on the evenings and weekends.  It’s admirable, but also not at all what we Americans are used to.   

We got to the mines a little before noon and bought our tickets, but there was a time delay before our entrance to the mine, so we got brats and chips for lunch while we waited.  Then we queued up for our tour, changed into these awesome jumpsuits, and boarded a mini-train to take us deep into the earth.  

The mine tour was really cool and really fun.  We had audio guides in English but our actual tour guide spoke in German, so I think we missed some info. But there were these slides, that I think were formerly used for moving equipment and materials further down into the mine, but now they let you slide down them in your jumpsuit and it was such a thrill. Some of our kids were nervous but they all loved it in the end.  It was the best part for sure.  Learning about the mining process was also really interesting, and there was a salt lake inside the mine that we ferried across that was really beautiful.  

I didn’t get any pictures inside the mine, but you can see some on the website, or read more about The Salt Mine Berchtesgaden. 

The salt mines weren’t too far from Salzburg and I really wanted to go there, so we drove there next.  We arrived in the afternoon and didn’t have any particular plans, so we mostly did a lot of walking.  

After we parked we walked along the Salzach River, and across the bridge toward the town center.  We stopped in the market square for ice cream, and for a photo-op with Herbie. 

From the market square we walked up to the castle, and then took a stroll through the hills and woods of Salzburg, which offered fewer crowds and nice views.  

The Sound of Music was filmed in Salzburg, and I had grand ideas of visiting various locations, but only made it to this one.  Unfortunately by this point we were all a bit cranky and I was feeling too ornery to gather the kids for a copy-cat picture (and we were short a teenager or three), so this side-by-side will have to do. 

After some misunderstandings about exactly where we were going and how we were getting there, we finally found our way down from the hills and back into the city.  We were all really hungry, and I was dying for some authentic schnitzel and strudel but it was still a little too early I guess and nothing was open.  We had to settle for a hamburger place that was SO American, but at least  tasted good and filled our bellies. 

Salzburg was really lovely, and we just barely saw a small part of it.  It was our last day in Austria, and although I’m still disappointed about the strudel, I’m mostly just grateful to have gotten to appreciate such a beautiful country.  

**Post Edit for the sake of the memory: After we got back to the Eurocamp it was still light outside so we walked over to the playground/swimming area where there was a ropes course we had seen but hadn’t tried yet.  It looked pretty straightforward so we started out on it.  It turned out to be extremely challenging, and the littles had to just sort of hop on and off when and where they could. Cameron ended up falling in the creek beneath, and the rest of us got our fair share of scrapes and bruises, but we all had some good laughs as well. I wish I had taken pictures, but I really wanted to be in on the action, and it wasn’t a safe place for a camera.  Good times. (Although I think Cameron might not agree…)

We have announced on Facebook and social media, but I think there might be a few people who read this who aren’t my friend on Facebook so here’s the big news. 

We are expecting Bird Baby #5 in April.  My due date is April 10, but Bird babies have a reputation for coming early, so we’re prepared to welcome our little British souvenir anytime after Simon’s birthday (March 24), perhaps before Eli’s birthday (March 30) or maybe after Cameron’s birthday (April 1).  And for anyone noticing a pattern here, things don’t bode well for Mim ( December 3) who is really hoping for a girl.  But we are crossing our fingers on her behalf, that spring isn’t just for boys in this family.  

Richard and I were both a bit nervous about sharing the news of a FIFTH child, which is so silly because Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have totally made large families popular again! Or not.  As Jim Gaffigan (father of five) says 

“Big families are like waterbed stores.  They used to be everywhere and now they are just weird.”  

In any case- we are really excited, slightly nervous, tremendously grateful and somewhat overwhelmed all at the same time.  

Up in the mountains it really cooled down at night, which made for much more comfortable sleeping temperatures.  In the morning we had plans to go do a hike through a narrow canyon nearby.  Richard and I were so pleased when we got there because compared to so many of our other experiences so far, it was easy to find, not too far away, we were all adequately dressed, I had packed snacks, it was working out as planned.  Then we got to the trail-head and realized you had to pay to take the hike, and it was cash only, and we didn’t have enough.  It was such a let-down.   Just when you think things are working out… 

So I went on the hike by myself, and Richard took the kids to another (free) hike and gave them a fantastic little geology lesson.  

The canyon hike was really awesome.  It wasn’t really a “hike”, and it was really crowded, which made it hard to get good pictures, but I would totally do it again.    

It was an out-and-back hike, and the waterfall (pictured above) were at the end of the trail.  It was pretty magical, walking through those narrow canyon walls of sheer stone, and then coming out into this open space with gorgeous green foliage and a really high waterfall.  I felt a little lonely experiencing it by myself.  

When I got back out from the canyon Richard and the kids weren’t back yet so I just sat at a picnic table and waited for them.  When they joined me we ate some snacks, let the kids play at a little park, and then made our way back to the Eurocamp for lunch. 

We ate lunch at our trailer (I really can’t come up with a better word for it) and then headed to the swimming pond/lake for the afternoon.  The weather was nearly perfect, with the exception of a cool breeze and the occasional clouds.  We played in the water mostly, but the kids also played in the sand too.  It was really, really fun.  

 There was this rope bridge across the water that we referred to as the monkey bridge.  I think I gave it that name because it reminded me of something similar at a girl’s camp of years gone by, which was also called a monkey bridge. 

In any case, it was a real challenge, and there were these obnoxious kids who would hang around and shake the bottom rope to make it even harder to get across.  But we all had some really good laughs on it, and some really good falls. too. (Except Richard, who was the master monkey, and could go completely parallel without losing his grip.)

I had so much fun. I felt like a kid, or a teenager, again; swimming at Lucky Peak, or the Boise River, bridge jumping and just being care-free and reckless.  Cameron was totally into it too, he’s the only one of our kids who is a confident swimmer, but he was gung-ho all day.  We had such a great time.  

In the late afternoon there was a football tournament organized by the Eurocamp, that Cameron really wanted to play in. So he changed his clothes and did that while I stayed with the other kids at the lake for awhile.  Then we all went to watch the games for a bit, and eventually we made our way, completely exhausted, back to the trailer, for dinner.  

That night we took showers, played cards and went to bed, totally spent.  

I felt like I didn’t get to see much of the historic parts of Vienna and so Thursday morning I dragged myself out of bed early and went into the city by myself.  I promised to be back with breakfast by 9:00a.m. and I was in the city by 7:00 so I had nearly two hours to just walk and explore.  It was SO lovely.  It was quiet, no tourists, no crowds, nothing was even open.  I shared the streets with stock deliverers, joggers and street sweepers.  It was also nice to be out sans children, but best of all- it wasn’t hot! The temperature was perfect.  

I didn’t have a city map, or any kind of guide, so I can’t even tell you what these building are.  But they give a great taste of Vienna’s architecture and charm.    

I finished my solitary morning in Vienna by eating a fruit tart and drinking freshly squeezed orange juice at a small cafe on the market square.  Then I took the train back to our flat, grabbed some pastries and fruit for breakfast, and returned to the reality of traveling with four kids.  

We packed up and headed out, working our way from the eastern edge of Austria, four hours west to a Eurocamp near the town Zell Am See.  I’ll write more about Eurocamps later, but it was a beautiful drive.  I’m glad we drove through the Austrian Alps first, because they might have been a let-down after we saw the Swiss Alps.  That’s not true, they were remarkable in their own right; they were majestic and beautiful and green and breathtaking.  I didn’t take any pictures on this drive, but I did on our drive to Venice a few days later.  

I think it was on our way to Zell Am See that we first had the idea to eat lunch at IKEA.  We wanted something quick, cheap and easy to order, but I couldn’t handle any more McDonald’s.  It turned out to be a great idea, and spotting an IKEA from the motorway is just as easy as spotting a McDonald’s. 

We didn’t get to our Eurocamp until late afternoon, and the kids were dying to go swimming.  So we checked in to our little “camper”, threw on swim-suits and headed for the pool.  It was really crowded but really fun to be in water after so many hot days.  We went back to our camper, dressed, and drove into the town to do some grocery shopping. 

The next hour of my life was such an overwhelming and discouraging time I hesitate to relive it.  I’ll warn you that is totally #firstworldproblems and #travelingproblems, both of which don’t justify complaining.  But alas, I’m going to complain.  I’ve been in foreign grocery stores before, and usually I really enjoy it.  But this time, it was already dinner time and my hungry family were all waiting for me out in the car.  I was trying to hurry but that just made it worse.  I couldn’t find simple essentials like ketchup (what can I say, my kids are American) and matches.  Everything was in German, and the store was HUGE. (Go ahead, say it just like Donald Trump.)  I wandered around hopelessly lost and confused, and at one point I nearly burst into tears.  I know I’m being dramatic but it was really overwhelming.  I wanted to buy everything I needed to last the next three days, but I wanted to do it FAST.  Suffice it to say, that we mostly ended up eating potatoes, chicken drumsticks, bratwurst, and fruit and veg for dinner for the next three days.  Which isn’t really anything to complain about I suppose.  As a side note- I spent a lot of time looking for almond milk for Simon, so he could have cereal too, and I did have a few other more obscure items, but mostly I was just disoriented.  Then going through the check-out was stressful because I couldn’t understand what the cashier was saying to me, and I had to bag my own groceries (which is NOT a big deal unless you are already flustered) and I had forgotten which card I was supposed to use.  

Eventually we made our way back to our camper, cooked some dinner, and then went for a walk to check out the rest of the campground.  

I’ve wanted to write about this topic for a while, because for various reasons I’ve felt a passion and an activism welling up inside of me.  But it’s terrifying, and I couldn’t quite find the words.  Then I heard about Pope Francis’s speech to congress, and a lightbulb went off in my mind. I read it, and I felt renewed courage to authentically share these issues that have nestled into my heart. 

I was raised in conservatism.  I don’t have specific memories of my parents’ political ideology, and I know their views have evolved over the years, but I suppose that it was of a “Republican” nature. My church congregation and my geographic community were predominantly conservative as well.  In high school I loved my American Government class, and I argued in class debates in favor of private education tax credits, in opposition to gun control, and of course lower taxes and less government involvement.  In college I took a political science class and received praise (from my liberal professor) for a paper I wrote in support of the death penalty.  I don’t say that to boast, just to acknowledge that my political beliefs DID have thoughtful and articulate roots.  Shortly after marrying Richard, he and I became interested in, and I would even say supportive of, Glenn Beck.  After a couple years both Richard and I became disillusioned with Glenn Beck’s sensationalism and contentious pot-stirring, but still I considered myself a conservative.  I took pride in my stalwart values, and frowned upon the “immorality” of liberal ideas.

Looking back, if I could simplify my conservative values in words and phrases I would use self-reliant, morally superior, independent, punitive, economically responsible, self-interested, practical, frugal and just.

This is the part that is hard to pin down.  But as far as I can tell, my political foundations began shifting a few years ago when circumstances of a personal nature brought me into a community of women who have become dear friends.  We formed bonds unlike any relationships I had ever known.  A love developed between us that made our little community a safe, accepting, non-judgmental, forgiving and supportive place. There was nothing political about my new group of friends, in fact we were about as politically diverse as any group I know, but our relationships were based on compassion, support, generosity and mercy. These women made me feel closer to God than I had ever felt before, and I started to wonder if my “conservative values” weren’t accurately reflecting this new-found charity that I felt. 

What Pope Francis articulated for me so well is that my number one obligation (beyond my obligation to my God) is to my fellow man.  As a conservative I found myself always turning inward, my values directed my obligation back toward myself; toward protecting MY rights, MY way of life, MY children’s education, MY money, MY convenience, MY prosperity. 

What has appealed to me from the liberal perspective is an obligation to my fellow men, a love and compassion that calls me to action on their behalf and my interests become directed outward; an obligation to the impoverished, to the oppressed, to the immigrant, to the uneducated, to the Earth.  These are the ways I feel closer to God.

Isn’t this what my religion has been teaching me all along? To love God first, and my neighbor next?  I have no problem reconciling my new political philosophies with my faith, rather my faith compelled me to change my political philosophies. 

In a recent episode of Downton Abbey the Dowager Countess asks Isobel, “Does it ever get cold on the moral high ground?” Conservatives love to take their place on the moral high ground.  I loved it too. But morality is more than just sexual sin and abortion.  Morality includes our obligation to all of God’s children.  Conservatives do not have a monopoly on morality. 

The acceptance, forgiveness, generosity and mercy I’ve felt in my relationships has made me look differently at the death penalty, at drug testing for welfare, planned parenthood, race issues, and immigration.  If I am pro-life, that means I value the life of the fetus and the life of the convicted criminal.  If I am going to sing “Because I have Been Given Much” at church on Sunday, I’m going to offer my charity with no strings attached.  If I really want to prevent abortions, I want to support an organization that helps vulnerable women prevent pregnancy in the first place.  If I want to love my neighbor as myself, I have to cut through my denial about the way my society has treated and continues to disrespect my Black or Latino neighbor.  And before I call for the deportation of people who cross over a man-made border, I simply cannot forget that but for the grace of God, I could have been born in Mexico or Syria. 

The compassion and empathy that drive my political beliefs are the same traits by which I try to live the non-political parts of my life. They are as much a part of me as my love for travel and my insatiable need for validation.  And for the people who are reading this who know me personally, intimately, I would hope that I’ve offered you this same compassion and empathy when you’ve needed it from me.  I think I have, not perfectly, but I know that when those I care for come to me in difficulty or sadness it is in my nature to respond in love.  So I hope that I’m putting my money where my mouth is so to speak, and I hope I am backing up my claims to my fellow men as much with my friends and family as I am with strangers and my “neighbors” in the broader sense. 

I know that reading this you might feel frustrated, I understand. Our political climate is one that fosters an attitude of “us” against “them”, demanding that we move further and further apart and dig in our heels.  I’ve used words like liberal, conservative and Republican because they are the vocabulary of our system, but I would rather not lump people into over-simplified categories.  I believe that in our living rooms and in our hearts most of us really feel more comfortable somewhere in the middle, but the media and society make no place for people in the middle, and there is a lot of name-calling for our politicians who dare to venture there.  In closing I want to share this quote, and my plea that we can embark in the upcoming political seasons with compassion and compromise, seeing each other as individuals and not labels, sharing ideas and not categorically dismissing them. 

“The call of conscience — whether religious or otherwise — requires no secular justification. At the same time, religious persons will often be most persuasive in political discourse by framing arguments and positions in ways that are respectful of those who do not share their religious beliefs and that contribute to the reasoned discussion and compromise that is essential in a pluralistic society.”
– Dallin H. Oaks (emphasis added) 

We woke up Wednesday to another scorcher of a day. We packed our frozen water bottles into back-packs, but by 11:00am we were refilling them at a public water fountain.  

Our plan was to go to Prater, a theme park in Vienna, before the day got too hot, but when we arrived there around 10:30am we realized most of the rides and restaurants didn’t open until noon.  So we decided to go to a museum first, and then come back to the park.  

The first museum we went to was The Mozart Haus, which was one of many of residences Mozart occupied in Vienna. (He was a restless fellow and moved quite regularly.)  It was interesting and there were audio guides which kept the kids mostly entertained, except Mim, who has since rebelled against the audio guide. 

On our way back to Prater we ate lunch in a subway cafe, we had baguette sandwiches and schnitzel and things of that sort.  It wasn’t particularly remarkable, but it was quick, cheap and out of the heat. 

At Prater admission is free, so we chose a few rides and then of course I had to go on the 117 meter (384 feet) swings! There was really nothing scary about it, but my kids were all terrified on my behalf. 

We went on one ride together as a family, hoping to get wet, but we were disappointed, and it really scared Miriam, which made her really angry with Richard and me for awhile.  

On our way to the next museum we stopped at a candy-making shop and watched a demo of how they made ribbon candy.  I remember hating ribbon candy as a kid, my mom would put it in our Christmas advent and no one ever wanted it.  But it looked so appetizing after watching how it was made.  And sure enough, it was delicious.  The kids opted for lollies though. 

The last museum we went to was the Haus der Musik, which had some great exhibits about Viennese musicians, a lot of interactive exhibits for kids, but also some exhibits that didn’t interest me at all.  

I think the highlight for all of us was this set-up they had where you could direct a virtual symphony, that would actually follow your tempo, and you had to keep it somewhat consistent and appropriate or the musicians would throw up their arms in frustration and laugh at you.  It was hilarious.  Eli did it best, which didn’t really surprise us. 

Mim and I had tickets to a marionette show that evening back at Schonbrunn Palace, so we split up from the boys and they went to dinner and headed back to the flat.  Mim and I didn’t have time for dinner so we grabbed a snack at the theatre cafe and then went into the show. 

The show was The Magic Flute, by Mozart, and it was all in German.  But before hand I had read over the story with Mim several times so she would have a general idea of what was happening.  She was mesmerized, and so was I.  She sat so still, she didn’t even suck her thumb, completely enchanted with the life-like puppets.  She kept saying to me how they looked “so real”, and “how do they do that?”  It was really amazing.  It was one of my favorite things about our entire holiday.  The theatre was quite small, probably less than 50 people, and after the show they took us back stage to show how they maneuver the marionettes.  During the musical, the puppets look so big, but afterward when we saw them up close they seemed so much smaller.   It was delightful. My only regret was that I didn’t bring Eli too, I think he would have really loved it.  (Good lesson for me in not gender-stereotyping my children’s activities.)  

After the show we took the train to the station near our flat, ate ice cream for a really late dinner, and then went home to bed.