Posts Tagged ‘san diego’

Confirmation 

Thursday, August 25th, 2016

Woke up with some trepidation; have we really bitten off more than we’re capable of? And today it starts.

Had appointment with the rector at Canterbury Cathedral after the 8am communion but first we enjoyed a light breakfast at our B&B. Another guest came in wearing a San Diego t-shirt so I engaged him in conversation but he only spoke Spanish. And we conversed and we understood each other! Then we entered the Cathedral grounds on the way to the service at the same time as a gentleman who was American teaching in the area and after a few short sentences came to find out he went to Redlands!

The special Pilgrim prayer and stamp in our compestela and we needed to commence before the day got away from us. A mile into our walk, a young lad passed by with a San Diego ball cap. Later, a mom with kids in the car drew up alongside us and saw we were perplexed on directions. She had her son get out of the car and walk us about a mile to make sure we went the right way as the sign was obscured and we would have been lost again!

There were several other small incidences that told our hearts that God was watching us and He approved!

confirmation

Lights out in Lucca

Tuesday, October 14th, 2014

Being from San Diego where the weather is perfect, it was astonishing to go through a ‘ginormous’ thunderstorm here in Lucca, Italy!

The first bolt of lightning lit up the town but knocked all the lights out. We fled under a 20′ x 20′ umbrella on a piazza and sat it out by ordering pizza and wine. It was inches of rain in a few minutes.

I thought I should be concerned sitting on a metal chair at a metal table with metal stays in the umbrella above, but the wine dulled that fear.

This same rain caused significant damage to Genoa (a bit north) and Parma where rivers over-flowed their banks. But in the wonderful walled city of Lucca, it was just another example of God’s amazing creation. But please,Lord, send some of this precipitation to California.

These are sand bags at the ready!

These are sand bags at the ready!

After the Fall

Thursday, September 18th, 2014

On August 17 I was running the America’s Finest City 1/2 marathon. Only 3 miles into a 13.1 mile race, I found some uneven pavement and fell, turning an ankle. 7 miles later I decided I probably should stop running. My doctors concurred. I should have stopped sooner. My 1/2 marathon in Parma, Italy 4 weeks later in all likelihood would not happen.

In the ensuing 4 weeks I did my exercises and wore an ankle brace and compression sock any time I was on my feet.

Here in Europe I didn’t do any running, but a lot of walking through Saltzburg. Having made it to Parma, I wanted to experience the excitement with the 6000 (1500 doing the 1/2) runners at the starting line.

Would I be able to run?

Could I complete the run in the allotted time?

Could I walk part of the course?

Could I savor running in a foreign city and just enjoy it for what it was?

The race course zigs and zags through the streets of Parma. We actually ran 2 laps around the downtown section. What a great feeling after running 1/2 mile knowing my ankle was not going to be a concern during the run. It also was a great course for spectating (which I thought I would have to do after the ankle sprain). Debbie and our friends Wally and Pam from Colorado Springs were there to cheer me on at almost every turn. I think they ran almost as much as I did. I enjoyed hearing everyone around me speaking Italian and being encouraged by fellow runners, viewing the architecture of the many ancient buildings, and of course, crossing the finish line to cheers in a tongue I didn’t understand. The Run became the universal language for me and I praise God I got to be a part of it.

parmahalfmara

Blessed Assurance Sept. 6,2013

Saturday, September 7th, 2013

We are back traveling the friendly skies, and for those of you who know me, know that I am a white knuckle flier. But it doesn’t keep me from going anywhere, it just makes me a nervous wreck. However I had the most amazing experience this time.

As the plane was backing away and headed for the tarmac in San Diego it started to rain. Mind you we are having a heat wave and it’s 6 a.m.! As we took off it was under the most beautiful rainbow. How many times does THAT happen?  

Well the flights to Newark and then Barcelona were beautiful and peaceful and I truthfully can say I enjoyed them. Praise a wonderful God who calmed my trembling heart.

Better On The Ground

Friday, June 29th, 2012

Fuel DumpSan Diego to Houston, Houston to Amsterdam. How did Newark get in there? Nothing like having the pilot come on over the intercom an hour out of Houston and tell us we have lost our navigation system and we have to land. Oh yeah, and dump fuel because we’re too heavy to land so soon!

This is our plane jettisoning a LOT of gas over Kentucky. Then we head to the coast and follow it up to Newark, New Jersey, where they think they can give us a new part or a new plane. We never flew higher then 13,000 feet or faster than 300mph. That is low and slow for a plane holding over 300 passengers. And we all got to stay in the plane while they gave us a new system.

Obviously we made it to Amsterdam and we had no further connections. We got train tickets to Venlo, ND and then a bus ride to our hotel and that’s all the stress I want for this whole trip!

Free Time

Friday, May 13th, 2011

Free time meant the privilege of NOT meeting our “mini group” until 10 am in the lobby. Heaven, and no bus!

We picked the Israeli Museum (boring). When I went to see the Dead Sea Scrolls when they came to San Diego a year ago, I saw more scrolls then; everything today was a facsimile.

But we did find 2 caches and KC’s Jerusalem University campus from her senior year, and walk more miles than these knees should take.

Tomorrow – The DEAD SEA!

Arrivederce KC

Friday, April 29th, 2011

Carson Is A Natural Traveller

After a couple weeks of touring Italy and laying back with us in Montalcino, KC, Jonathan and Bimbo Carson headed back to the US of A via Pisa.

They were fortunate to rendezvous with Heather and Heinz who came down from Switzerland to visit for a few hours.

Unfortunately for the Wilts, their 7 am flight was canceled, and the rescheduling put them 7 hours later in SD, and picked up by Andy.

When Steve dropped them off in Pisa, He also dropped our rental car off and took a couple trains and even hitchhiked!

Little Italy

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

If you can’t make it to Europe, the next best thing is a class in the Little Italy part of downtown San Diego.  Steve and I enjoy a two hour  mental trip via “the Wines and Foods of Italy by Region”: each week a different area and 4-6 wines to sample, cheeses, polenta, pizza, and dulce.  The class enjoys videos of each region and shares their own Italian stories.

It was one year ago today that we left for Manchester on our way to Volvo and Montalcino. This week’s trip will be to the Open Air Market in Little Italy on Saturday to replenish oils, spices, and memories. Bene, molto bene.

As Time Goes By

Thursday, July 9th, 2009

It has been rather busy since returning to San Diego; a Pfizer convention, guests for 8 days,Steve’s dad needing him on the Fourth and him not being home, etc,  so it has just been the last couple of days that we have been unpacking, and sorting our souvenirs and small gifts.  And our memories.  They are not so easy to put back on the shelf.  Do we want to?  What do I miss the most?

What I miss is rediscovering my husband in so many little ways. In Montalcino we got to play “house”.  Shop, cook, wash dishes, and delight in the discoveries we made each day. Read books, watch movies on the computer between toastincinqueterra1us in bed on “movie night.”  No distractions, settled in, drinking wine, making new friends, being of small service, and sharing the immense sense of marvel.  Boy did we fight too! 

Trying not to fall into old patterns and roles, still hurting from failures, and sometimes thinking the only thing we had in common was the kids. Choosing to love, remembering how to love, loving from the head when the heart forgot how. Vowing to change and be different, and making progress . OK, too deep.

I loved having company come.  How honored I was to have someone come so far to share this.  And we were only too eager to share what we had found.  

Cooking Italian style, lots of Jug wine and cheese on a terrace with a million dollar view. Scarves, market day, Duomo’s, Easter week, 8 of Maggio, church bells, finding the small treasures of a small town, great ravioli, poppy fields,  crunchy underwear, shutters thrown open to greet each new day! 

And how humbled I felt that some dear people would read my frequent ranting on my travel blog and let me share this all with them from afar. Thank you.

pietaI was blown away by the faith  of Christians through the many centuries who went on crusades, spent lifetimes building Abbey’s, Cathedrals, walled-cities, who dedicated their lives to sculpting masterpiece, painting ceilings, writing music that glorified God. Sure ,there was greed and self-interest, but you could tell there were hearts who swelled with the love of their Lord to dedicate their lives to doing what they thought was His will. That faith really reached through the centuries and grabbed my heart. 

I confess my “walk” with the Lord has been a little distant of late, maybe less intimate, because of the enormity of expressions of others that make my meager efforts to serve seem so meager.  Why would the God that inspires the Pieta, want to listen to my jibber jabber ( but He does, so i’m working on this).

But WAKE UP Italy and the rest of Europe!  How sad to see the catherals locked and shut down.  Meager attendance, Easter habits, faith as an old persons’ panacea.  They are not smarter because they have put their faith on a shelf.  They are missing the Glory, the faith-dimension that is the only thing that makes this world make any sense. 

Thank you Jesus, for Father Piernino, Giovani, Miranda, Juonpaulo, the monks of St. Antimo and those who still burn brightly. We pray for revival.

So much for the rawness of 3a.m. self-examinations.

Where Is “Rick Steeves” When I Need Him?

Saturday, June 6th, 2009

ludwigcastle1Awesome day, tho’ raining.  We headed out to Neuschwanstein Castle.  Think Disneyland and Mad King Ludwig. Oh my goodness!  Incredible!  It has such a view, waterfall, murals, and a hike. It is AMAZING to come upon this sugar-cube castle sitting on top of a mountain, built before major roads, heavy equiptment or tourists.

After our hike in the rain through  the forest, we had a pretzel and some fried “snowballs” (do-nut like or even begnet with powdered sugar) which we scarfed down after all the exercise.

oberamergauredridinghoodThen headed into another mountain valley to Oberammergau – site of the every-10-years Passion play.  Cute!  Do you think dirndls and leiderhosen will ever catch on in San Diego?? It was tempting  to buy one, and people do wear them in everyday life to some extent.

Throughout Bavaria, the houses have beautiful paints on the exteriors, history, or religious, and even a few fairytales. I’m gonna fall again, if I don’t watch my feet and keep my head out of the clouds.garmishweather

There was so much history today, I was at a loss to know what I was looking at.  Shame on me for not thinking beyond Italy (who can blame me).  But I’m gonna do some google-ing and bone up.

Tomorrow we hit Innsbrook (swaraski crystal world) replica rolex and then 4 days in Salzburg (staying at a pension just outside of the city).  I’m ready to yodel, it’s so exciting to see all we are seeing!!!