Category Archives: European Destinations

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Bavaria, Germany/Don’t Eat at Woerner’s Cafe in Munich

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Ammon, Carter, & Nana at Neuschwanstein: June 19, 2012

Ammon & Carter at the Munich Glockenspiel: June 20, 2012

Munich, Neuschwanstein, and the horrific Woerner’s Café.

Welcome to Beautiful Bavaria, readers! The Caylor-Brown European Vacation of 2012 began with Bavaria, Germany. It was my 3rd time (1984, 2006, and 2012) to Bavaria but Carter and Ammon’s 1st.

Unlike the snow covered, charming, laid-back feeling from February of 2006, we found a busy, bustling, rainy, and humid Munich this time. The sites were beautiful as always, but the people seemed edgy and not as friendly this time.

None the less, Ammon and Carter had a great time. The Comfort Inn where we stayed was decent and with a good breakfast. Downtown was pleasant to walk through. We had a traditional German dinner at the aesthetically pleasing (excellent provincial interior decorating) Ratskeller Restaurant, and we enjoyed strolling through the Munich streets.

For a month we had been building Ammon and Carter’s schema for Neuschwanstein castle, and we told Ammon that it looked like Cinderella’s Castle. They really enjoyed the exterior of the castle but not too much of the inside. However, their favorite interior section was King Ludwig II’s Faux Grotto.

I rarely write a NEGATIVE comment in our blogs, but if you are in Munich on Marienplatz in the same square as the Ratskeller and the glockenspiel, we recommend that you do not eat or drink at the Woerner’s café. Allow me to explain why….
Sean and I needed about 15 minutes to buy a few souvenirs, so we bought Ammon, Carter, and Nana an $8 cup of strawberry ice cream from Woerner’s Café, and sat them under a Woerner umbrella in the square. It was 2:00 in the afternoon, and the lunch crowd was thinning out. Sean and I left to buy souvenirs, and we returned 30 minutes later.

As we approched, we could see that the outside tables were practically empty, and Nana was flustered. A Woerner waiter had asked Nana (seated with the Woerner ice cream cup in plain sight) to leave, and when Nana did not leave, the waiter brought the manager out. The male, bully manager publically humiliated our 73 year old Nana with two 3 year olds, and told her to leave. She did not. I went to the manager and said, “You should be ashamed making a grandmother and two children leave your café while they are eating your ice cream.”, and I turned away. He said, “The ice cream is a carry out, and I’m not ashamed!” As we left, the nark waiter, said in a loud voice, “Go home!”. We exited with pleasure.

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The Final House of Mary, the mother of Jesus: Ephesus

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The final house of Mary, the Mother of Jesus

My most memorable and spiritual experience while we were in Ephesus was at the house of Mary the mother of Jesus. It is a very small church that still has services. We did not have a service there, but we were allowed to enter and pass through. The five of us were just about all that could fit at one time, and we passed through quite quickly. However, while I passed through, I felt such happiness and peace, and it dawned on me that this lady DESERVED the happiness and peace she experienced the last years of her life.

She had lost her husband, Joseph. When her eldest son was 33, he was crucified for no reason yet rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. She knew since before his immaculate conception that he was the son of God, but can you imagine how she watched this miracle that she bore live, die, be resurrected, and ascend into heaven with such anxiety? After helping establish the church in Acts 1:14, she and the Christians in Jerusalem were persecuted, so John, her son appointed by Jesus, took her away to finally end up in Ephesus.

It is there that she died peacefully. I did not say a word how I felt the day I was at her house to ANYONE except to God through prayer. However, several evenings later, Sean and I were jogging. We reflected back to Ephesus, and while we were jogging on the deck of the Star Princess, Sean said, “You know I had such peace while we walked through Mary’s house!” I grinned and said, “You know, so did I!” Coincidence folks? No, it’s the Holy spirit working through the believers and followers of Jesus Christ, the son Mary bore.

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Ephesus, Turkey

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Library

Toilets

In the middle of Ancient EphesusEphesus: Headed the Library

Our trip to Ephesus/Kusadasi, Turkey last October entailed learning how the Mediterranean Sea has retreated in 2,000 years and Bible history.

Since the time of Paul the Apostle and the Apostle John, the Mediterranean Sea has retreated some 14 miles back to the port of Kusadasi. The people journeying to Ephesus via the Mediterranean would have ported very close to the Temple of Diana one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World. After all the years of fires, rebuilding, earthquakes, rebuilding, the temple was never reconstructed. In an open field there, is a single column remaining that represents the magnificent temple.

Ephesus was built on the side of a mountain. The tour began at the top of the city, and we worked our way down. It was so amazing to see the ancient roads, the ancient latrinum (bathroom of toilets) of the rich, and the amphitheaters.

Antony and Cleopatra also “hung out” in Ephesus for a while. While I was there, I learned that these two conniving love birds had Cleopatra’s sister, Arsinoe, murdered in Ephesus.

Ammon and Carter spent their FIRST excursion without a stroller. They did great, and it wasn’t easy for their little legs to make it over two hours of touring the ancient ruins.

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Rhodes, Greece

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October 17, 2011

It was the first rain of the autumn in Rhodes. It had not rained for MONTHS!

Rhodes, Greece

I think we were all surprised how Medieval Rhodes was. The crusading knights who went to the Holy Land to deliver it from the Muslims decided to hang out there for several hundred years, and they built some medieval structures..

Rhodes City

One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, The Colossus, stood in the harbor several thousand years ago. It only stood for about 50 years, and it was toppled by an earthquake. Historians are saying that it did not strattle the harbor as depicted in many drawings because it would have hampered trade while it was being built, so, they say it probably stood at one side of the harbor.

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Athens, Greece

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Acropolis: The Porch of the Maidens (Ocbober 14, 2011)

The day had a nice coolness to it, the sky was blue, and the sun was shining. It was a pretty day in the city of Athens, Greece. However, it was so CROWDED! They may be in an economic crisis, but tourism is alive and well. The sites are ancient and wonderful, but it is so hard to step back and absorb the history that is around you.

Haven, Ammon, Carter, & Nana on the Acropolis

Acts 17:16-34 tells about Paul’s experience and sermon there. I particularly like verse 28 when Paul says concerning God, 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ The living and moving doesn’t come from Zeus, Apollo, Hera, Athena, Thor, Quetzalcoatl, Chac Mool, money, cars, television, or any other “gods”.

On our tour that day we also had some delicious, traditional foods: moussaka and baklava. It was quite an educational day.

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Santorini, Greece

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Welcome Santorini Fans! Isn’t it an exceptional & unique place!

October 18, 2011

 

 

 

On Friday evening, I was skimming through my photographs of last October’s cruise, and I could not believe that I had never shared about Santorini, Greece. It is a Mediterranean marvel. About 4,000 years ago, it was a complete, round island. However, a volcanic eruption blew off half the island and caused a huge caldera (a volcano crater).

Sean, Carter (can you believe he was napping?LOL), Ammon, & Haven

Our tour of the island was very enjoyable, and it included a black-sand beach. We also had a very good lunch, breath-taking views, and a tram ride back down to the ship that was phenomenal.

Notice the Star Princess anchored in the caldera

I hope you enjoyed this practical, real-life, look at Stunning Santorini. If you have a penchant for European Destinations, check out some of my other entries.
Give me a Google “Haven Caylor” for some of my other works and enjoy a few links as well.

Dollywood (Country Music Singer’s Theme Park) in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Christmas Hawk

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Olympia, Greece/Haven’s Son worship

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Well, we were supposed to see and experience Olympia on October 13, 2011, the site of the original Olympic Games; however, the operators of the historical sites chose to go on strike. I decided to stay on the ship. I am posting some “post card-type” pictures, but they are not mine. That morning I had a spiritual experience, and that is what I am sharing with you all now. Have a blessed weekend during this blessed season of Advent leading to Christmas.

Revelation 21:23

The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. (NIV)

Thursday October 13, 2011

After a great night’s sleep on Wednesday, I arose to a new day around 6:45 am. I got my coffee and water, and jogged for 20 minutes aboard the Star Princess. When I finished, I enjoyed a good breakfast that I carried to just about the highest point where passengers are allowed. The full moon was setting on the west side of the ship, the sun was rising above the mountains east of Katakolon, Greece (our port of call), and I was in between enjoying my meal. I had been waiting and waiting for the sun to rise the whole time I jogged. On the same platform stood 4 Asians who I am pretty sure were Japanese. One of the men had a camera, and I was quite sure he was waiting for the sun to peek over the mountains so he could get a good photograph.

I had already said several morning prayers as I jogged, and I had asked God to bless my breakfast before I ate, but I had yet to bow my head in prayer or kneel in prayer as I often do. I looked at the Asian gentleman, and he was, indeed, snapping a few pictures of the peeking sun. The two women seemed a bit giddy, and one was waving her hands in an upward direction “encouraging” the sun to rise. I was amused. When the entire sun was above the mountain top, the other Asian woman placed her hands in a prayer position, faced the rising sun and made a grateful shoulder-bow while the other Asian woman did the same in front of her. The only time I have knelt publicly in prayer has been for communion at St. Martin’s. When I saw the women bow towards the sun, the Holy Spirit moved in me, and my heart started beating faster. I knew what the Spirit was encouraging me to do: I was to kneel in prayer and thank my Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ (God’s Son) for the new day in view of those people. I have always been a firm believer in “going to your closet” to pray, and I have. Prayer is VERY PERSONAL and should not be for show. I placed my plate on the bench, went down on bended knee, placed my hands in the prayer position, and thanked God for the day. I was immediately ENERGIZED in the Spirit. I gathered my things and I did not look back to see if the Asians had watched. However, if they did, I wanted them to know that I was a Son worshipper, and not a worshipper of our nearest star, the sun.

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Dubrovnik, Croatia: October 4, 2011

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Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik, Croatia is such a tourist treat. It is on the Dalmatian Coast (yep, the area of Dalmatian dogs) on the Adriatic Sea. In the past 10 years, it has become quite popular for summer vacationers who love to swim and sunbathe.  It does seem crowded in the downtown area, but that’s because the main attraction is the medieval walled city. Unlike many middle-ages walled cities, Dubrovnik’s walls (not built all at once  but fortified and added on to from the 12th to 17th centuries) were kept intact and are still utility to the city.

Downtown Dubrovnik

Cavtat, Croatia

It was our second time in Dubrovnik, and we even had lunch at the same grinding mill (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtRNp2Ub9Qg) where we visited in 2009. The embedded video in the previous sentence is from the mill.

The city of Cavtat was an additional stop this time. It is on the coast as well, but the rhythm of the town is much slower than the rhythm of Dubrovnik. The next time we go to Dubrovnik I hope it will be in the summer so we can all swim in the gorgeous waters of the Adriatic there.

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Venice, Italy: October 2 & 3, 2011

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Venice, Italy: Hard Rock Cafe & gondolas near St. Mark’s Square

Last October was our 3rd time to Venice. Our hotel room this time was our suite on the Star Princess.  We were in Venice October 2 & 3. Our #1 goal was to buy more Murano glass: angels, a Santa Claus, and a Christmas tree. We enjoyed adding to our Murano glass collection, and I will include the pieces in some Christmas shots soon.

I have seen a plethora of medieval architecture since 1984, and my favorite structure from that time period is St. Marks in Venice. I think it’s the combination of Byzantine mosaics and other Middle Ages art and architecture that make it so fascinating to me.

The sun sets on Venice, Sunday October 2, 2011

There was a complete horse-drawn carriage cast in the 4th Century B. C. in Greece. It is called the quadriga; however, the carriage has been lost during the past 2,400 years.  I was/am intrigued by it. First of all it’s over 2,000 years old. Secondly, it stood at Constantinople’s (Byzantium, then Constantinople, now Istanbul) famous Middle Ages hippodrome. The Venetians looted Constantinople in A. D. 1204, and carried the quadriga to Venice, Italy. They have been there ever since. Their copy stand over the St. Mark’s Square over the entrance to the basilica. The originals are on display in one of the many museums inside the basilica. If an inanimate object could talk, what AWESOME and FASCINATING tales those horses could tell!

File:Horses of Basilica San Marco bright.jpg

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Florence, Italy October 6, 7, & 8

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Thursday

We stayed near the Piazza de la Repubblica, and it has a carousel.

Carousel: Piazza de la Repubblica Florence, Italy

Because we did not see it October of 2010, we put our bags down and headed straight to the Arno River with the Ponte Vecchio.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was so cool! I could just imagine ol’ Dante Alighieri running
over and over the bridge trying to catch a glimpse of his Beatrice….so close
and yet so unobtainable.

Dante’s Tomb a Santa Croce

 

As we headed back into Firenze, we stopped for some
delicious gelati (strawberry, hazelnut, pistachio…yum, yum, yum!). We strolled
around the Brunelleschi’s Dome and Giotto’s Bell Tower and listened to an accordion
player. We ate dinner at the Hard Rock Florence then Carter and Ammon rode on
the carousel at the Piazza de la Repubblica.

 

 

Friday

After breakfast, we went straight to San Lorenzo’s chapel
(Medici Chapel). It took me 25 years to see Michelngelo’s “Day, Night, Dawn
& Dusk”, but I finally saw them! Woo hoo! Around noon, Carter, Ammon, Sean,
and I went to the Mc Donald’s at the train station. It was a great stroll. In the evening we went to go to the Galleria dell’ Accademia to see “David”. It was absolutely colossal and impressive: sculpting perfection.

“Night & Day”

“Dawn & Dusk”