By Kirstin Bangerter

In the winter of 2019, I decided it was time to get Shane to Europe. He had proved himself a fun and adventurous travel buddy in Costa Rica and all over the U.S. and Mexico, but we had never explored Europe together. With family, friends, and exchange students in a variety of countries, we had people to see, which was the real attraction needed for Shane to commit. Adding to the mix was the anticipated arrival of our first grandchild, due in late June. With careful timing, I thought we could catch Baby B’s arrival before jumping the pond, and then see him again upon our return.

We departed out of Garden City on the much-appreciated and oft-used jet service to Dallas, connecting to our flight to the east coast. We enjoyed several days of visiting our son and his wife, hoping for the birth while we were there; alas, the little guy wanted to stay cozy and just refused our pleas to appear. We departed for Germany knowing we would miss the birth. This was the most difficult part of our plan, and one I certainly would have adjusted with prior knowledge!

Erding, Germany was our first stop. We loved the tranquil pastels of the buildings, the flower boxes under the windows, the outdoorsy welcome of everything. We ate outside under a canopy and stuffed ourselves with schnitzel, sausage, and potato dumplings.

The next day found us in Munich, meeting with two dear young ladies who had been exchange students and good friends to our daughter in Dodge City, Cleo and Annalena. They met us at Marienplatz, a town square in Munich known for the Glockenspiel, a gigantic cuckoo clock. We caught up with the girls on their lives as we strolled through the English Gardens, gazed at the Chinese Tower, marveled at the surfers on the river, and then wandered into the Viktualienmarkt, where we ate brezel (pretzels) with obatzer (cheese spread) at a delightful beer garden. I drank spezi, which is Fanta soda mixed with cola. Refreshing! Shane loved all the meat markets, going inside most of them for samples and purchases. The gals showed us around some famous churches, and we walked the Alexanderplatz looking for suitable baby gifts, finding some adorable suspenders for the little guy, but doubtful he would ever really wear them. As the girls left us to journey back to their homes, we learned that our daughter in law was in labor! Shane and I had a date to keep with a Bavarian Beer and Food tour, so we joined our group and wandered around Munich with a knowledgeable guide, learning about the history of beer and Oktoberfest, and sampling plenty along the way. We kept checking our phones for baby news, and finally, at the Hafbraukeller over dinner, our son sent us the joyful tidings. We had just become grandparents to a beautiful, perfect, eight-pound baby boy. The tears and toasts continued with our new friends in the tour group, until we finally navigated the trains back to Erding and our bed.

Our friends from Kubelstein picked us up late in the morning for the next phase of this epic journey. We know the Nussleins through mutual friends and the relationship between the sister cities of Kubelstein and Victoria, Kansas. The Nussleins insisted on hosting us, and boy did they host us well! In three days we experienced rural life in the darling village of Kubelstein (Shane could move there with his toothbrush and be happy forever), tours in the countryside, an exploration of castles and churches dotting the landscape, and a grand day in Bamberg. The Gotz family chauffeured us to Frankfurt/Oberursel, where we spent our last day in Germany visiting Shane’s cousin Sarah and her beautiful family.

Next stop – Seville! Our exchange student Rodrigo greeted us at the airport with his father Manuel, and we began a head-spinning week of Andalusian culture. The Angulos welcomed us into their large, energetic, and loving family, and we are still reeling from the fun. Motorcycle touring, the Catholic Mosque in Cordoba, Alhambra in Granada, tapas bars, tinto de verano, Flamenco dancing, bullfighting stadium, gorgeous cathedrals, breathtaking art, a shopping expedition with Isabel (Rodrigo’s mother) aunt and cousins, a dramatic presentation, friends, ancient baths, a carriage museum, the beach, and side-splitting laughter peppered our time. We should have passed out from the heat, but the energy and affection along with the crazy itinerary kept us hopping.

We boarded our flight to Italy wondering what lay in store for us, but we sure weren’t disappointed. Alessia, our exchange student, met us at the Turin airport with her father Andrea, and whisked us straight to the Austa Valley in the Alps for some relief from the heat. We spent three glorious days in the mountains with Alessia’s father and his girlfriend, Alessia’s grandmother Mary, and aunt, Federica, and Alessia’s sister Simona. We took the Skyway up to the peak of Mont Blanc, where Shane and Andrea hiked out on the glacier into France. There were many activities keeping us busy, but we still had time to explore the delights of Courmayeur and the beautiful and historic town of Aosta. We learned to drink “Spritz” and to love polenta with meat, as well as to relax during coffee time and aperitifs time. We ended our time in the mountains with authentic pizza, which could not have been more delicious. Meals are long and luxurious affairs in every country we visited. I love that.

From the mountains, we journeyed by car to Turin with Andrea as our driver. It was time for the city part of Italy. Alessia’s mother Barbara met us at her lovely apartment building, and after getting settled we began touring the city. The Shroud of Turn rests in the Cathedral, and we visited the site where it is kept under intense security. We took the lift to the top of the spire at the Cinema Museum to look out over the whole city and ate gelato in Alessia’s favorite square, which was lovely. We toodled around Roman ruins, a medieval hamlet, and Valentino Park, containing castles and fountains, boating clubs and cafes. We ate amazing food at restaurants and cafes, but the best food had to be Barbara’s cooking, especially her glorious tiramisu. With Alessia’s father, we drove up to Monte de Cappucini, an old monastery high above Turin, to look out at the beautiful lights of the city. Breathtaking!

After a few days, it was time for a sad goodbye to Alessia’s family, but not Alessia! The three of us took the high speed train to Milan, where we met Alessia’s sister Simona for a day in the city of fashion. We soaked up every minute, looking at more ruins and castles, visiting Simona’s university on graduation day, gazing adoringly at the Duomo, and walking through the Galleria. We had to get another dose of pizza before leaving Italy, so we found a place to pig out before we took the train to the airport. We grabbed our luggage from Simona’s apartment and set off for our next adventure.

When the airplane landed in Amsterdam, Rodrigo had already arrived from Seville. We met him outside the train station for a happy reunion between the two exchange students. They had not seen one another since spending a school year together in Dodge City, two years earlier. We enjoyed someterrific burgers and then crawled around the Red Light District with open mouths. Wow. Our hotel was unique, with crazy stairs and the configuration of a typical Amsterdam house, right on the canal. Shane and I could dabble our hands in the canal from the window in our room! The next day involved an adventurous and informative bicycle tour which lasted half a day, checking out the Skinny Bridge, Church Square, Museum Square, Dam Square, the Anne Frank house, the Jewish Quarter, the ferries, and the Amsterdam sign behind Central Station. We enjoyed trying cheeses, Dutch apple pie, and biterballen before shopping for gifts and then touring the Anne Frank house. We also enjoyed a relaxing and educational open-air canal cruise, meandering around the canals hearing about the unique history and culture of this singular city on the water. Our final fun was at the Ice Bar, a sailing-themed and dramatic bar made entirely of ice. We shared some goofy fun and bonded with Boris, one of the Dutch actors playing the role of a merchant ship sailor. Afterward, we ate some pizza that was trying hard to be authentic, and returned to our nutty hotel for some rest.

Goodbyes are hard after an incredible time spent together, so we tearfully hugged the young people and bid adieu. We were FINALLY going to meet our new grandson and this happy thought made the parting easier for us, as we boarded for the final leg of our journey.

We just cannot stop talking about this amazing experience. The very best part of the summer, hands down, is the safe delivery of a healthy and beautiful grandson and the time we spent with him. What blessings! We feel so very grateful.