Have you ever taken a trip that left such an impression, you knew it would linger with you forever? I’ve had a handful of those experiences. The first was a mission trip I took with my mom and brother to Nairobi, Kenya when I was 16 years old. Seeing people who lived in poverty yet sang with enthusiastic joy to the Lord and offered hospitality with a generosity of spirit that still puts me to shame allowed me to understand how little material wealth really matters when it comes to living life to the fullest.
My honeymoon trip where we dodged a tornado, got rained on while hiking the Grand Canyon, and battled swarms of mosquitoes on a humid horseback ride in Palo Dura Canyon. Good thing we were newlyweds and didn’t really care about our misadventures.
Bethany and I by the final arched gate in the Roman Forum
Well, last Sunday, I returned from a once in a lifetime trip that still has me in a state of awe. A history teacher from my daughter’s high school started putting together a trip to Italy and Greece last year, and my daughter begged me to let her sign up. I didn’t feel comfortable letting her travel outside the country without me, and I REALLY wanted to go, so I told her that she could only go if I could tag along as a chaperone. Well, she worked her magic and got me on the short list for chaperones and last week, we finally got to go to Rome, Pompeii, Olympia, and Athens.
What a feast for the soul!
To see the birthplace of democracy. To tour the catacombs where Christians hid in order to worship in secret and bury their dead while under Roman persecution. To walk among the ruins of the site of the first Olympic games and stand on the same starting line as the original Greek athletes. To pass through the entry arch where gladiators marched into the arena to battle for their lives. To stand in awe within the Sistine Chapel and see the hand of God reaching out to touch Adam. To witness the mighty destruction wrought upon an unsuspecting city by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. To ascend the acropolis of Athens and look down to see the rock (Mars Hill) where Paul preached to the people of Athens about the “Unknown God”. And to experience it all with my daughter . . . I feel amazingly privileged.
Here are just a few of the highlights:
The Colosseum in Rome
The Trevi Fountain in Rome – Under restoration but still amazing.
Examples of art that stole my breath:
Michelangelo’s Pieta – This gorgeous depiction of Mary holding her son after he was taken down from the cross was in St. Peter’s basilica.
This colorful mosaic adorned the outside of St. Paul’s basilica. I actually enjoyed this church more than the grander St. Peter’s in Vatican City.
A enormous tapestry covering an entire wall in the Vatican gallery. Paintings are amazing enough, but to see this kind of detail and size in a woven tapestry spoke to my needlework-loving soul. It was so in-depth, that the eyes of the risen Jesus followed me as I walked down the hall.
One of the many mosaics in St. Peter’s basilica in Vatican City. I assumed it was a painting until our guide explained that it was a mosaic, created with tiny tiles laid together to create a lasting piece of art that will not fade over time.
And of course, the crowning glory of the acropolis in Greece, the Parthenon.
Though one of my favorite sites was also the least presuming. Just a chunk of gray rock, but for Christians, this chunk of unassuming stone marks an historic event – Paul’s sermon on Mars Hill where he preached the good news to the Athenians about the “unknown God” from Acts 17.
So how about you?
- Have you traveled somewhere that felt like a “once in a lifetime” moment?
- Where would you travel if you could go anywhere in the world?
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What an experience, Karen! Thanks for sharing it with us. One of my most unforgettable trips was my first visit to Israel.
I can only imagine the chills that must have coursed over your skin to walk on the same streets as the heroes of faith and even Jesus, himself. I felt a bit of that when touring the catacombs or looking down upon Mars Hill. And standing in the Sistine chapel. Holy places.
England. I have relatives there who I’ve always wanted to meet UN person. We keep up with each other on Facebook.
How nice, Shirley. My grandfather traced our ancestors back to England and about a year or so ago he and one of my cousins took a trip there to see the area of the country where they had come from. I’m glad you are able to keep up via Facebook. One of the bests uses for social media I can think of. 🙂
Also my grandfather came from Ireland. So I may have some very distant relatives there also.
thanks for sharing, I enjoyed it.
You so welcome, Deanna! It was such an amazing trip, I couldn’t wait to some of the pictures with my friends. 🙂
Love those pics, Karen! Between you and Tamera, it feels like travel week on this blog! 🙂 I would love to go to Italy and Greece one day especially to see Mars Hill to see where Paul preached Acts 17; that passage never fails to move me whenever I read it. So glad you got to go with your daughter too. I got to show my son and daughter England this past summer – definitely a once in a lifetime moment watching them experience that country – and international travel – for the first time.
There’s something extra special about getting to share those kinds of experiences with your kids, isn’t there? I was so thankful Bethany didn’t consider hanging out with her mom too dorky with all the other high school students around. 🙂
Karen, I very much enjoyed your post,particularly as I have been fortunate to visit some of the places that you mentioned, so I feel very able to identify with you.
I thought Rome was fantastic …even got to see the inside of the CTO Hospital,( which I prefer to forget) as unfortunately, I tore my achilles tendon. and viewed The Trevi Fountain ,in a wheelchair. I was right at the front but had the feeling there were about 5000 people hanging over the top of me. Definitely not recommended for viewing, from that perspective!:)
As much as I have enjoyed our trips to Europe and the UK, I have to say that our holiday in the US with Judy and Kim also Cathy , Lori, Carol and Patti Jo, was the most incredible and I was in awe of meeting some of my faves! I would loved to have met you all!:) We felt truly blessed to have such wonderful,kind and caring friends,taking us to places that we never dreamed we’d ever see..eg Amana..a mighty long way from down under!:) Definitely a holiday we will never forget and with cherished friends.:)
Yes, Rosie, seeing historic sites is fabulous, but being with people you love and admire is even better. The best of all is when you can combine the two! 🙂
So sorry you tore your Achilles tendon. Getting hurt of sick when you’re far from home is the worst. Glad you still got to see the Trevi Fountain. Because of the restoration, the fountain was drained when we saw it. They had built a walkway over the empty front pool for us to walk on to take pictures up close. Of course, there was a long line to wait in to get your turn and police officers stationed along the route to make sure no one loitered too long. Not ideal, but still a once in a lifetime moment.
🙂
Holland
Lovely! With all the tulips in bloom. The windmills. Wouldn’t that be a glorious sight? 🙂
I’m traveling vicariously through some of my favorite authors, LOL. 😉
Since I’ve never left the USA, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing your photos and reading about your trip, Karen.
How special that you experienced this with your daughter – – Priceless! 🙂
It was definitely a treasured experience, Patti Jo. One that we girls will cherish and share for all of our lives.
~Karen
I would love to go to Ireland to search for family roots
Sounds lovely, Shelia. I’d love to go there just to go! 🙂
I have been blessed to travel a lot. I have visited all 50 states and Canada. Lived in Germany for a couple of years and visit several European countries. Gone to Europe as a teenager in high school. And gone to Guatemala on a mission trip and seen some of the Caribbean while on a cruise. I can just say that God has created a unique and beautiful world for us to live in. And it amazes me as I observe this beauty itself that people can deny He exists, let alone looking at the people He has created. May not be the answer to your question, but what was on my mind as I thought about my travels.
So glad you got to experience this with your daughter. We traveled 48 states with our daughters camping. It makes it a lot of fun!
I love your sentiment, Nancy. So true. Our God is so creative and awe-inspiring. And so evident in this marvelous world he created.
There are still several states I have never visited. My western-loving soul would adore vacationing in Wyoming and Montana one of these days. There’s also much of the east coast I’ve never seen. Took a trip to Baltimore, MD once with my hubby before kids came around. Loved the history and the crab cakes. 🙂 Maybe one of these days I’ll get to the northeast to see the changing of the leaves. That would be a sight!
~Karen
Oh Wow, Karen! I didn’t realize you were taking such fun trip! How awesome! I’m sure it will be a special trip that you and your daughter will always remember!
Me, too, Jody. It was great girl bonding time even among 38 other high school students and chaperones. 🙂
I loved my trip to Italy. Seeing the sites in Rome that you mentioned were also amazing to me. Being in the catacombs was especially moving for me. Thanks for sharing so that I could relive my own trip.
You’re so welcome, Pat. These kinds of memories never truly fade, they just get reshelved temporarily. Glad I could help you bring them back out for a while. 🙂
Wow, Karen! What a trip and to be able to go with your daughter. So glad you experience so many incredible sites.
We (my husband & I) don’t travel much but I dreamed for years of going to Colonial Williamsburg. Friends gifted us with a week long visit. I was such an awful tourist. I walked around in a daze with my mouth hanging open (I have pictures to prove it.) and bumping into people and display items and either falling down or falling up steps. It was more incredible than I could ever imagine. I still walk on air just thinking about it.
I’ll be waiting to see how you put this into a story!
I love it, Rosie! You sound like the perfect tourist. One who truly appreciates all she is seeing.
Not sure how I’m going to work Rome and Athens into my westerns, but I’m sure the spirit of the trip will carry over. 🙂
We’ve been a lot of places but my dream would be a round the world cruise. Great post and pictures.
That sounds spectacular, Sharon! I didn’t even know they had such a thing. We were on a night ferry for about 12 hours of so traveling from Italy to Greece, and that’s the closest I’ve come to taking a cruise. My in-laws will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this year, though, and one of the ideas for celebrating with them is for all the kids and grandkids to join them on a cruise – maybe to Alaska. We’ll have to see if that works out. I’d love to try it out. 🙂
What amazing pictures!!! Your description of your trip and these pictures make me want to go there. Probably won’t happen, but what a fascinating part of the world this is with all it’s amazing history. Thank you for this post.
It really was amazing to see such ancient things, to imagine people from thousands of years ago who walked the same steps. We went with an education tour group, too, and the guiles were fabulous. They filled us with so much history as we viewed each of the places. It made me try to pay extra attention and cling to each of the tidbits they doled out so that I would continue to remember after the newness starts to fade.
Hi there. Thank you for the trip down memory lane! I , too, was able to visit Italy last June. I saw these places you saw! Isn’t it just incredible.
It was a bit of a let down when we made our way to the Trevi fountain only to see it under construction! Kind of like us…we are not complete this side of heaven.
Italy was amazing. The Spanish Steps, Vatican City, Gelato! Hope you tried it! We had MORE than our share! So delicious! Best ice cream ever! Perhaps my best memory…while standing in line to see The David by Michelangelo in Florence…there she was…Debbie Macomber…standing in line just like the rest of us! I HAD to say HELLO!!! Discreetly of course! It was an awesome memory of Italy. Wanting to someday publish a book, it was a gift from God to see an author dropped right there in front of me to meet! I bet there are fans of yours that feel the same way when they meet you. A gift from God to get to meet someone who writes from her heart and gives God all the glory. Thank you for being an inspiration to me . Blessings.
I would love to visit Italy and Greece, as well as several other European countries. Some of my most memorable trips were international, probably because they lasted the longest. Nova Scotia/New Brunswick/PEI was amazing–I would definitely return if given the chance. I lived in Senegal, West Africa, for three months during college and will never, NEVER forget my time there. A few days ago I returned from a week-long trip to Ireland with my mom and sister. It was a great experience, and I would love to visit there again, though for a longer period of time and with a visit to Scotland and England as well–and preferably when it’s warmer. 🙂