Jeanne's Next Chapter: Le Tre Amiche tour

This fall I will celebrate my sixtieth birthday, a milestone that I must admit I am not looking forward to. Anne Morrow Lindbergh called sixty "the youth of old age" so I feel very lucky to have friends and opportunities that keep me feeling young and fully engaged in life. Some years back, two of my closest hometown friends and I made plans to travel to Europe for an adventure to mark our sixtieth year. At that time, I had no idea that I would be living in Italy and we would use my home as the starting point of our trip. So the "three friends tour" with Ellen, Anne and Jeanne became a reality this month and we began with several days of exploring the environs of Lago di Como.

From there, we let Ellen suggest places for us to visit because she had lived in Austria for a year during her university days. She wanted to re-visit the city of Graz where she had studied, as well as Vicenza (Italy) and Munich (Germany) where friends had settled. Since our planned route would pass right through Salzburg, I voted for a stop there so we could enjoy that beautiful city as well. We felt comfortable traveling in German-speaking countries since Ellen could serve as our translator.

Vicenza is located about 40 miles west of Venice and is a medium sized city filled with history and culture. It is best known as the home of Andrea Palladio whose "Pallidium" style of architecture influenced building design in the western world. The Villa la Rotunda which sits majestically on a hill is said to have been an inspiration for our White House. The balance and harmony of the 23 Palladio designed buildings in Vicenza made it an extremely attractive city to visit. We also saw a personal side of the city as we were hosted by Ellen's friends and enjoyed delicious family meals at their table.

Sanctuario della Madonna di Monte Berico (Vicenza)

Villa la Rotonda -1566 (Vicenza)

Palladian Basilica (Vicenza)

The next stop was Graz, the second largest city in Austria. It is known as a university city with six institutions and 44,000 students. The city center is very well preserved with original building facades and beautiful 16th century courtyards that are accessible from the streets. We walked up the steps of the Schlossberg hill to admire the view and the Clock tower that presides over Graz. It was interesting to see some everyday people walking around the city in traditional dress of dirndls and loren jackets.

Painted House - 1742 - Herzoghof Building (Graz)

Schlossberg - 1560 (Graz)

Hauptplatz and Town Hall

Our train ride to Salzburg was stunning as we traversed one of the most beautiful regions of the Alps. At one point, we had to get off the train and take a detour on a bus due to a landslide that had damaged a section of the track. Our hour on the bus turned out to be pure serendipity as we got an even closer view of mountain meadows, hilltop churches and Austrian farmhouses. Anne and I got off in Salzburg and Ellen went on to Munich to visit with a friend.

Salzburg is a gem; it has everything - natural beauty, a pristinely clean and historic Old Town, and a rich sense of culture. We took a tour of Mozart's birthplace, wandered through Mirabell Gardens, and visited the Cathedral and Residence Square. The next morning Anne and I went our separate ways; Anne toured the Fortress and a contemporary art museum and I signed up for the touristy "Fräulein Maria Sound of Music Bicycle Tour". Since I had been first inspired to visit Austria when I was in sixth grade and saw the Sound of Music on a class trip, I was in heaven seeing most of the film locations up close. We rode through the countryside on bike paths and unpaved roads as our guide pointed out the sights that were surprisingly unchanged in the almost 50 years since the movie was made.

Salzburg "Old Town"

Mirabell Palace and Gardens

Leopoldskron Palace

Sound of Music Gazebo at Hellbrunn

That afternoon, we took the train on to Munich where we rejoined Ellen. The days were still warm and the city residents seemed eager to enjoy the last days of summer as the outdoor cafes and biergartens were full. Oktoberfest is still a week away but we saw a preview as we sat with the crowds enjoying their liter sized mugs of beer.

Biergarten in Munich

The next day, Ellen's friend Fritz drove us on a day trip though Bavaria where we again saw the majestic Alps rising before us. Lakes and forestland create beautiful vistas. We toured two castles built by the infamous King Ludwig II who sadly died under mysterious circumstances at age 40 after being removed from his throne for reasons of "insanity". Somehow in the context of our current culture, King Ludwig seemed more like a tragic, isolated figure than a crazy man. Everyone can agree that the castles of which he oversaw the building are spectacular. Neuschweinstein Castle is said to have been the inspiration for Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty Castle; in fact the preliminary drawings for it in 1867 were drawn by a theatrical scene designer. I had visited this area briefly back in 2008 when I had helped chaperone a school trip so I knew that I wanted to return someday. This time I had the time to hike up the trail to a bridge that provided a great vantage point for photography. We recruited a stranger to take a picture of the three of us there. As I look at the photo, I am so grateful for our friendship and this moment of time. Life is good.