Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Overseas Family Odyssey


                                                 

                                                                                                                             
Family vacations are supposed to be a learning experience, as well as a time for bonding. This vacation promised to be the best of both worlds; exploring other countries, while also brushing up on our own family history. When we visited my husband's family in Israel almost two years ago, we talked about bringing our boys back with us. This was our last chance before our older son began working full time, and we had to seize the opportunity. Our boys hadn't seen their paternal grandmother in seven years, and they had a lot of catching up to do. First, we had to make a few stops along the way.
                                                                 
We took a cruise from Barcelona with ports in Naples, Rome, Florence, Marseilles, and Majorca. From Naples we went on an excursion to Pompeii; a city that was destroyed when Mt.Vesuvius erupted in AD 79.  It was amazing to see the tiles that remained from the more prominent homes, as well as the original outdoor "barbecue grills," and ovens that were relatively intact. Our tour guide told us how a loaf of bread was found in the oven almost two thousand years later.

Pompeii

Remarkably, two male bodies were preserved beneath the ash, and encased for all to see. Our friends told us to look for ancient phallic symbols that pointed to the brothels, but our guide only singled out one that was carved out on the street. By the time I got through the large crowd to see it, another group descended upon it, and their guide decided to include me in the conversation. This made my children very proud.

In Rome my husband thought we should take the train and Metro to the Colosseum. I thought that we could see more sights if we took a taxi, but he felt that it would be more of an adventure by train. The boys sat  a few rows ahead of us, and struck up a conversation with travelers from another cruise ship. They were disappointed by the food on their ship, so they spent most of their free time dining out. Our older son  hoped that they would have sightseeing tips, as they had previously visited some of our upcoming ports. Instead, they proudly displayed pictures of their favorite meals in Spain and Italy.

When it came time to change trains we frantically ran around the train station. Finally, an older gentleman helped us find our way. Though he didn't speak a word of English, he continued to chat with my smiling husband until we reached the Colosseum. At the end of our tour it started to pour. Then it cleared up on our way back to the train. My husband was thrilled that we found our way. I wanted the boys to have gelato at the Trevi Fountain, see the Spanish Steps, and visit the Vatican, as this was their first trip to Rome. Unfortunately, like my husband the weather didn't cooperate, and we ran out of time.
                                                                 


The Colosseum


Sporting our lovely rain ponchos

The next day we took a mini-bus with a group from our ship to Florence and Pisa. Florence was delightful  and we had perfect weather. Fortunately, my husband ordered the tickets ahead of time for Michelangelo's David, otherwise, it would have been a two hour wait. We all appreciated the intricate details of the statue which was fascinating from every angle. The elegant shops were surrounded by Renaissance architecture, and I would have loved to have spent more time there.



Florence


Pisa
                                                           
This was the second cruise we have taken as a family. The first one was a Caribbean cruise when our older son was a senior in high school. Though the drinking age was only eighteen, he was still seventeen and couldn't go to the clubs or casino with his friends. Our younger son ended up having a better time, as he could play basketball or go on the climbing wall, and still hang out in the teen club. Now our oldest son is twenty-four and his brother is twenty-one, so nothing was off limits on the ship. We always had dinner together followed by a show or a game in the casino, and then they would go off with their new friends while we collapsed.

Our first stop in Israel was to see my mother-in-law in Jerusalem. We didn't arrive until after ten pm, and she still had a full spread waiting for us. Her sister lives across the hall, and they both were thrilled to see us. Our younger son remembered that he had seen photos from his dad's high school yearbook on his last visit, so they started going through other photo albums. It was wonderful watching our boys interact with my mother-in-law, as if no time had passed since their last visit.
                                                               


The Western Wall
We took a road trip with my husband's cousins to an artist colony in Safed. We saw amazing views from the highest city in Israel which is nine hundred meters above sea level. Since the 16th Century, Safed has been a renowned center for Kaballah or Jewish mysticism where visitors from all over the world including Madonna seek inspiration.


Safed


                                                     
We also visited the caves of Rosh HaNikra located in the Western Galilee. This is where Israeli and Lebanese officials signed the Armistice Agreement in 1949. Though the boys enjoyed the spectacular sights, they loved hearing about my husband's family history. His cousins were wonderful hosts who filled the car ride with fascinating stories about where their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles fled after World War II, and how they eventually settled in Chicago only to return to Israel after their children had families of their own.


Rosh HaNikra
                                                 
Though my husband's aunt has only two children, she has eighteen great-grandchildren, so most of them were busy taking care of their young families. His cousin even tried to fix up our older son, but I think my mother-in-law realizes that it will be very difficult for them to come close to reaching that number. It was still nice catching up with the handful of cousins who were available.

If you ask my sons what their favorite sight was on the trip, they'll tell you watching their ninety year old grandmother who only weighs around eighty five pounds, eat a six course meal with gusto. She is very serious when she eats, and will only consume healthy foods in a particular order to promote good digestion. Who knew that we would be able to accomplish so much without ever leaving my mother-in-law's dining room table?


Jerusalem
                                                                                                                                       

45 comments:

  1. This was a breath takingly beautiful post, I felt I was there with you in all those wonderful places and the photo's are awesome. I'm pleased everything went well. Lovely to hear from you.

    Yvonne.

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  2. I enjoyed reading about your trip and all the lovely old places you visited. I liked the pictures. How beautiful they are. Thanks for sharing your trip stories.

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  3. Wow, what amazing photos! The trip of a lifetime, Julie. And you got to enjoy it as a family.
    Did anyone lose fingers to grandma?

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  4. Wonderful. What an amazing trip! And great that you got to take your sons, too. I do hope to see Pompeii in person some day. I saw the traveling exhibition when it came to Denver,and it was fascinating.

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  5. What a great sounding trip. I almost hate to leave home anymore, but it would be worth it for a trip like you took. My wife and I will be leaving Monday for a presently undisclosed location. I'll be writing about it on my blog after we get back. I kind of wish we were going to Israel though.

    Lee
    A Faraway View

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  6. What a wonderful trip you had with your family. You got to see so many wonderful sights, but I am sure the most memories were made when you reconnected with family.

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  7. Yvonne - We really had a good time! Thanks so much Yvonne!

    Yvonne S. - I wish that we had taken more photos, but some of them turned out okay. Thanks Yvonne!

    Alex - Fortunately, my mother-in-law has a wonderful caregiver who happens to be a good cook. Her sister (my husband's aunt) is also a great cook, and they are all very generous about sharing their food. My boys also have huge appetites, so they all got along well. We did hide all the knives just in case! Thanks Alex!

    Luanne - Our tour was a little rushed, and we were disappointed that we didn't get to see more of Pompeii. Hilary wrote a wonderful post about Pompeii and Herculaneum, and I wish we had visited both places. Thanks Luanne!

    Lee - I can't wait to hear all about your mystery destination! Have a wonderful time! Thanks Lee!

    Arleen - I agree and I hope that they appreciate that special family time even more when they're older. Thanks Arleen!

    Julie

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  8. What a fantabulous trip, Julie! Wow. I wish you'd posted larger pictures, though, so I could see them a little better. Nobody else said anything, so I guess it's just me. (I'll shut up now.)

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  9. Seems like you all had the perfect family holiday. It always nice to see your loved ones again after so many years and to catch up on everything that's been happening. It's also good that your sons were at an age where they can remember, because most very young children don't remember their experiences when they get older.
    Enjoyed looking at your photos too. The one of Rosh HaNikra looks breathtaking.

    Now we have evidence of what a healthy balanced diet can do for you. Just take a look at your 90 year old grandmother :)

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  10. Susan - I'm also surprised that the pictures came out so small. I posted some of them on Facebook, and didn't have any problems. So it's definitely not you! I'll try to enlarge them tomorrow. Thanks Susan!

    Rum-Punch Drunk - You are so right about not remembering trips from a very young age. For the most part our timing was good though the weather didn't always cooperate. It was just kind of bittersweet, as the scheduling will only become more difficult as they get older. Yes, their grandmother definitely has a healthy diet, and she still exercises too! Thanks Rum-Punch Drunk!

    Julie

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    Replies
    1. Thanks... MUCH better! (What a good-looking crew.)

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    2. The photos still seem a little blurry to me, but I hope they're clearer on your computer.
      Thanks for the suggestion, and the compliment Susan!

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  11. Hi Julie - I scan read this and will come back to re-read .. and comment properly .. I've a friend staying ... I am so pleased to read about your trip ... and so happy your MIL is in such great spirits .. and the learning you must all have done is amazing .. delighted for you ..

    Cheers Hilary - see you here next week!!

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  12. Don't you love it when a family vacation turns out better than your wildest dreams for it! I can see what a great time you had. Thanks for sharing the photos :)

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  13. Sounds fantastic! I can't wait to go to Israel someday, but we have no family there. This is all very encouraging as we are setting off for a family holiday and a cruise next week. Not as exciting as yours though, we are headed to the states

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  14. What a cool, cool trip. And how great that your kids went. I was so glad that, when we were in Iceland, I was able to take the family with me to England and Italy. We only spent a couple days in London, but we spent nearly a week in Rome (with a side trip to Pompeii). Even though they were 11 and 9 and weren't overall thrilled with everything, eight years later they realize how special the trip was.
    During my Navy days, the only place I didn't get to see was Florence. That would have been really neat. My favorite spot was Majorca. I visited there several times. Nice beaches. And there was some drinking involved.

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  15. Hilary - Enjoy your time with your friend! Thanks again for your tips on Pompeii and Herculaneum! Unfortunately, we didn't have time to see both. My mother-in-law seems more frail since I last saw her almost two years ago, but overall she's doing well. Thanks Hilary!

    Carol - We did have fun! Thanks Carol!

    Rhonda - I would love to go on an Alaskan cruise, and there are many places in the states that I have never been to. Have a wonderful time Rhonda, and I can't wait to hear all about it! P.S. I could've used your photography skills on our trip!

    Al - Sounds like your kids appreciate the vacation even more now! I'm sure that you got to see much more of Italy than we did. It was nice that you all spent time in England. Florence was also pretty, but we only got to see a glimpse of it. The weather was cool in Majorca, so we couldn't take advantage of the beautiful beaches. It's great that you were able to do so much traveling in the navy! Thanks Al!

    Julie

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  16. It sounds as if you had a wonderful trip. How lovely to be able to go with your family too! I've been to Italy a few times in the last couple of years, and I also enjoyed Florence, but I loved Pisa! It's so Italian even in its scruffiness. I have never been to Israel, but would love to go. A friend has told me it's the most beautiful country. I'd love to go there with my daughters, but sadly, they are both married and doing other things now. A lovely post, Julie!

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  17. Hi Julie,

    What a wonderful post to read and look at all those photos. And to have a family share the experiences in such a positive way, is truly encouraging.

    Travelling can be such an adventure and a marvellous way to learn more about ourselves. I wish my son would go on a vacation with me. Then again, I embarrass him :) Who'd of thought that....

    Thanks for this. You just saved me a bunch of money.

    Gary :)

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  18. The only thing better than that trip is your wonderful family! You have demonstrated what travel is all about.

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  19. Awwwww!! What a lovely time you had!!


    Is it weird I wanna be one of those tourists that takes the picture trying to push the Leaning Tower?

    No? Yeah, I didn't think so. It was Kenny's Shorts idea.

    Hugs!

    Valerie

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  20. What a fun read! Luckly your "Odyssey" ended better than that OTHER one! (And didn't take as long either.)
    ~Jill

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  21. Val - We took a mini-bus with a group from our ship to Florence, and just had time to snap a few photos in Pisa before heading back. Glad you really enjoyed it, and hopefully you'll be able to travel with your daughters in the not too distant future. Thanks Val!

    Gary - I embarrass my kids plenty too, but they don't mind as much when their friends aren't around! Your son might change his mind when he's a little older. You would definitely be a fun traveling companion! Thank you Gary!

    JJ - You do realize that I only wrote about the good parts don't you?! I wish that we had been more organized to get the most out of every city, but I'm glad that everyone enjoyed our mini family reunion. Thanks so much JJ!

    Valerie - I would have loved to have taken that photo, but there were too many tourists around!
    Maybe next time! Thanks Valerie!

    Jill - I'm glad that we all made it back safe and sound; besides, we were running out of clean underwear! Thanks Jill!

    Julie

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  22. Wow, what a trip! Thanks for sharing about it.

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  23. Your mother-in-law is adorable.

    I'm gawking at the pic of Rosh HaNikra. I'd never heard of it. Now I want to go back to Israel to see it.

    Glad you had such a rich experience with your family, Julie.

    xoRobyn

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  24. Thank you Susanne!

    Robyn - This was our first visit there, and our little photo doesn't do it justice. Thanks Robyn!

    Julie

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  25. What a beautiful trip you show and describe. I loved it. Safed shot was well done. Loved seeing your family grinning for the camera and oh, the memories they'll have. You too.

    Thanks for sharing your trip!

    Sia McKye OVER COFFEE

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    1. Sia - The Safed shot needed better lighting, but we had an incredible view. I also think they'll have fond memories too. Thanks so much Sia!

      Julie

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  26. A great trip. And it is so nice to go with family. It rang a bell with me because we have been asked to Israel to meet family (just discovered family, actually) so we are considering taking a trip. Your photo of Rosh HaNikra reminds me of the Blue Lagoon in Malta.

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  27. Wow, Julie - what a trip! Looks fantastic. Thanks for the photos!

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  28. Oh, Julie, what an amazing trip. When you travel you really TRAVEL! We've been to quite a few of those place but, I'll bet you guessed, it's Jerusalem that I'd love to go back to. One day...

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  29. Jenny - I'm sure you'll enjoy visiting Israel. Hopefully, you'll be able to go in the spring or fall before it gets too hot. Malta must've been quite an adventure! Thanks Jenny!

    Talli - When little TR gets older you'll have so much fun taking him on family trips, and I'm sure you'll have better photos! Thanks Talli!

    Rosalind - I remember when you went to Israel a few years ago, and I thought of you all comfy in your airplane bed when we were squeezed in like sardines! Talk about knowing how to travel! If you go back, please take me with you! Thanks Rosalind!

    Julie

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  30. How wonderful to be able to share all of this with your sons as well as your husband. And what a treat to visit relatives that are so far away. Super pictures.

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    1. Lee - We were all grateful for the opportunity. Thank you so much Lee!

      Julie

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  31. What a wonderful family trip! I'm sure the memories you make will last you a lifetime.
    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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    1. Nutschell - It's nice having this online scrapbook in case we do forget. Thank you Nutschell!

      Julie

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  32. I can't believe I totally missed this post last week. What a wonderful trip you had! I loved your sons' favorite sight, how cute. The picture with their grandmother is so cute. I also love the rain ponchos pic. :D

    Glad you had such a wonderful time, Julie. My niece is in Israel right now and I can't wait to see her pics and hear about her experiences there when she gets back.

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    1. Julie - This summer has been flying by, and I'm still having trouble catching up. I hope your niece is having a great time, and I'm sure she'll have lots of fabulous photos. Thank you Julie!

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  33. I find it amazing that a loaf of bread could survive in any oven for two thousand years.

    I visited Italy years ago, and your pictures brought back great memories. I'm glad that both your sons were able to enjoy all the offerings of the cruise ship. Being 21 and over, when traveling, does make life sweeter!

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    1. Cynthia - They sure don't make ovens like they used to! Our boys enjoyed everything from the basketball court to the nightlife activities, not to mention the endless supply of food. Thanks Cynthia!

      Julie

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  34. Sounds like a wonderful and memorable holiday!
    I love the ponchos-in-the-rain picture!
    Your 90 yr old MIL sounds like a person full of gusto... with a zest for life!

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  35. What an amazing trip! And, to connect with the grandmother, that must have been something your boys will remember for the rest of their lives.

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  36. How perfect that you got to go to so many beautiful and historic places; and being with and visiting family is just adds to the perfection.

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  37. Michelle - That rain poncho photo is stunning! It is wonderful that my MIL has so much energy, and that we all enjoyed our time together! Thanks Michelle!

    Susan - I'm sure that we will all remember these special moments. Thanks Susan!

    Jen - I'm glad that we still saw many breathtaking sights, but wish that we had more time in Italy and Spain. Traveling as a family, and reconnecting with relatives was the best!
    Thanks Jen!

    Julie

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