From the Rhine, through the Black Forest, and on to Zurich!

Well, the end has come. All I can do is think of what an incredible trip this has been and be very grateful for it all. This has certainly been once in a lifetime opportunity, and it has been such a blessing to share it with loved ones. Prior to the trip, Andrew had never been to Europe, dad hadn't been years and had no desire to travel, and mom was dealing with a boatload of stress. I am so lucky to have been able to share this joy with them.

This trip has been among the biggest learning experiences of my life. After my first international trip, I have felt like one week of international travel is like one semester of learning. Having had the chance to spend almost 7 weeks trekking, I can't describe how many new things I have learned and experienced. From the cultural, artistic, historical, geographical, practical, and many other aspects, I can't begin to describe everything. (This was one of the original reasons for the blog, so that I could remember).

Today we were up early to enjoy the best of the Rhine. We hike up to the castle above Bacharach before heading out on a Rhine cruise. Unfortunately, mother nature didn't cooperate, and we cruised in the rain. While it was nowhere near as enjoyable as my last Rhine cruise, it still gave dad a great feeling for the beauty on the Rhine. After a little time exploring St. Goar, we got on a train and headed for Freiburg.

Freiburg was last minute addition to the plans, as many Germans recommended it, it was perfectly on the way to Zurich, and I had not stopped their earlier on my trip. It was a very pretty town, and it was hopping with life from its large university. The streets were all lined with shops and cafes, and this seemed to be one of the main draws. The city was quite beautiful, but we found it to be lacking in the major attraction area. None the less, it was worth a quick stop, and it gave dad a feeling for the Black Forest region.

We made it out of Freiburg earlier than expected, so we had some extra time in Zurich. While I sent all of my Switzerland information home with mom and Andrew, dad and I still took a nice walk around town. It was a gorgeous night, and it was great to walk along the river and down to the lake. Dad REALLY wants to do the Alps now...mom take note! I don't think you would mind going back to the Alps!

Tonight we are staying right at the airport, courtesy of hotel points. Tomorrow we leave at 10, and go Zurich to JFK to Cincinnati to Chicafo to Kalamazoo. One more post will follow...

Here are a few photos of today!