We’re home. It’s been a long day and I’ve been up for nearly 30 hours. It was the kind of day with 30 hours in it–I woke up in Zurich at 3 a.m., and now it’s bedtime in the Pacific Northwest. After many months of wandering, we are back where we started. And yet, one…
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A few months ago I stopped into an art exhibit that was happening in Kaysersberg. The title of the exhibit was “Dans Nos Rêves” or “In Our Dreams.” I liked the artwork because it was colorful and whimsical. I got to talking to an older man who was working at the exhibit. I asked him…
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We left Kaysersberg today. Last night we had dinner and then walked through the village one last time to say goodbye. We said goodbye to the cuckoo clock shop, the 500 year-old bridge, Albert Schweitzer’s house, the gingerbread store, the castle, the bakery, the charming asymmetrical white house, the cookie store, the village cat who…
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I’d like to tell you the story of Audie Murphy. I had another post planned for today. But we were out running last-minute errands this afternoon (we leave to Zurich tomorrow!) and ended up driving through a neighboring village named Holtzwihr, which is where I learned about Audie Murphy. (I have gleaned additional information for…
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One thing that has impressed me about French cities and landscapes is that there is a deep respect for the history of the place. When someone wants to build something new, they don’t simply tear down what was there before, but rather, they work with what already exists. In the first photo above, this store…
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Before we came to France, one of the things I was most curious about was the eating habits of French people. I had read that French people have better health outcomes than Americans overall, despite eating crazy amounts of cheese, bread, wine, and chocolate. I wanted in on this sorcery! When it comes to food…
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Another gift this journey has given me is a new life hero: Albert Schweitzer. I first encountered the words of Dr. Albert Schweitzer when I was in college. His book, The Quest of the Historical Jesus, was assigned reading. Afterwards, I’m sure I wrote a paper or answered questions on a test. But none of…
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As we come to the end of our splendid adventure and I look back at all the places we’ve been–I am reminded that every place is special. Every country and city we’ve visited has its own unique gifts to offer the world. I’m so glad that Greece isn’t trying to be Switzerland, and that Venice…
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One of the observations that I have made is that, as a general rule, civility is more present in French culture than it is in American culture. This shows up in little ways. For example, when you enter a store you always greet, and are greeted by, the shopkeeper. When you leave, you say goodbye…
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