Germany 2006

Well, we went to Germany for our 30th wedding anniversary. It was also the year Germany hosted the World Soccer games so there were lots and lots of other people visiting Germany too. The weather that summer was very warm, hot, which is great when you are on vacation. You want the weather to be nice. Sometimes you get tired of +30 temperatures every day, but just have one cold, windy and rainy day and you immediately want those hot sunny days back.

We started our trip with a direct flight from Edmonton to Frankfurt and stayed with cousins in a place near Frankfurt/Main. For our anniversary we were treated to a boat cruise on the Rhine River and a lovely dinner. It was most enjoyable.

Frankfurt/Main

Further trips included the cities of Koblenz, Heidelberg, Wiesbaden, Kiel, Lübeck, Berlin, Frankfurt/Oder and the Polish border town, Slubice. I very much enjoyed going to the city of Berlin. Along with our hosts we travelled by train between the two cities of Frankfurt/Main and Frankfurt/Oder. We were graciously shown around the area and spent a whole day touring the city of Berlin. Seeing the highlights by open-air bus and then the rest by foot, visiting the famous Berlin Wall, or what's left of it, and Brandenburg Gate which was closed off to traffic because of the Games. Our bags were searched at the entrance. We also visited a Government building which was very secure. Only a limited amount of people were allowed in at a time and we had to go through security screening just like in an airport. I felt privileged to be in the former east zone, something I had only read about.

Rhine River cruise

We also were fortunate to visit the Baltic Sea. We travelled by train from Berlin to Kiel. My cousin who was spending the summer up there, invited us to visit. We were also to the city of Lübeck and shopped in the city of Kiel before returning by train the Frankfurt/Main. It was a wonderful summer vacation.

Brazil 2005

Our first trip overseas was to Sao Paulo, Brazil in 2005. Why Brazil? Well, I was always interested in Brazil because some of my families went there from Poland, in the late 1800's. I wondered what it was like there, how they lived and so forth. With the internet and the younger people learning English, it was at least possible to communicate.

Sao Paulo downtown

One day I received an email from a cousin in Brazil and so a link was established. We started emailing. I had so many questions that the invitation was extended to us to come visit them. At first I didn't think it was possible for me to go there. I hadn't traveled much at all. I was a little afraid, what would it be like, how much would it cost, was it safe, etc. As the months passed we found out the cost was not so bad and they would organize a reunion so we could meet the families.

Sao Paulo skyscape

We flew from Toronto to Sao Paulo in early September. We were met at the airport by family members and it all seemed so normal, not strange at all. We felt like we were among family. Sao Paulo was just like any other big city. The shopping centres, the large companies, the hotels, McDonalds Restaurant, Wal-Mart, people going about their lives. We had a very nice hotel, staff spoke English, and were very helpful, making us feel very comfortable. We had an unforgetable stay.