Author: Pam

Andrew; how I miss my son. Andrew, the perpetually happy boy who continually taught me lessons about forgiving and sharing.

The one person who could get his little brother Tim to do about anything during his petulant phases. Andrew, all grown up now and serving his country in the army. After 3 year-long deployments to wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; he was now a father and assigned to Italy for 3 years with his good wife and little Ender who was born just a few months before they were deployed. Visiting Andrew and his family was the catalyst that spurred the visit to Europe.

My cuddle bear who is so respectful and strong and protective; I consider myself fortunate to have him as a son. And especially lucky to get to see him in conjunction with a visit to the historical landmarks and canonized art of the western world. Because he is in the military, as much as I would like to, for security reasons, I won’t be putting his photo on this blog.

But the best, most satisfying part of our month in Europe was the time spent with Andrew, Annie and Ender.  I cannot adequately express my gratitude for our military and first responders; especially those that are far from home.

On a day that Annie had to study, we invited Andrew and Ender to go with us on a train ride to Lucca.

We had seen Florence and Lucca and would soon go to Pisa. Newell had a flight home to get back to work in Salt Lake City and the flight was cancelled because of fog; Newell was sent to Rome to wait for the next flight. When Tim heard this, he hopped on a train and met his father in the Eternal City.

Tim and Newell toured Rome.

Tim had seen much of the art of Europe, castles, museums and cathedrals but what he saw at the Vatican blew him away.

Tim was impressed with the beauty of the art and architecture of the Vatican and Rome.

Ender had come down with a sore throat and wasn’t feeling well so I had stayed home to care for him. After a couple of days we bought him a gelato hoping it would feel good to his sore throat. He hadn’t eaten much and was having a hard time sleeping.

Andrew took Ender to an Italian pediatrician and I rode along. The medical interpreter met us to accompany Ender into the examination room; Ender had a sore throat and fever. The pediatrician was kind but did not swab his throat as is routine with American pediatricians. The doctor spoke no English and we were  not able to talk to her in Italian without the interpreter. He cried and we were glad to be finished and get him settled down. The doctor prescribed an antibiotic or medicine I didn’t recognize and an over-the-counter pain reliever, the clinic brought both meds to the exam room and the interpreter wrote the dosage directions down for us in English. Getting a 2 year-old with a sore throat to take oral meds is challenging at best; I was glad he didn’t have an allergic reaction – something we have experienced with other family members.

The reason I am writing this is that there is talk of a decision-maker in another country considering cutting the medical liason/interpreter program at Camp Darby to save money. This small base has very few services available to the families stationed there, with the next American military base being several hours away. To send American families overseas and not provide adequate medical care is potentially a serious problem. There is a campaign on Change.org requesting that the interpreter program be left in place; if you have a moment, we would appreciate your signing the petition, the link is below.

https://www.change.org/p/to-the-command-teams-of-regional-health-command-europe-and-vicenza-meddac-let-camp-darby-keep-their-medical-liaison-team

Annie Chaddock started this petition to Command Teams of Regional Health Command Europe and Vicenza MEDCOM

To the Command Teams of Regional Health Command Europe and Vicenza MEDCOM,

We, the undersigned members of the Darby Military Community (DMC), friends and family members of the DMC, and supporters from around the world urgently request MEDCOM leadership to reconsider the dissolution of services by the TRICARE POC and the three Host Nation Patient Liaisons. Camp Darby is home to over 400 Active Duty Service Members command sponsored family members. Additionally, our community supports a small Retiree population as well as the DoD civilians and contractors that support the DMC missions. The community depends on the services provided by Michelle Cyr, the TRICARE POC, and the Patient Liaisons, Micaela Ballucchi, Ilaria Guerrini, and Barbara Lama for host nation care coordination, language and document translation and navigation of the various facilities and providers within our host nation healthcare network.

Camp Darby does have a small Medical Aid Station staffed by two Active Duty U.S. Air Force Independent Medical Technicians available to provide limited care but to Active Duty only. For the rest of our community we rely entirely on the Italian healthcare system for all our medical needs.

We understand the proposed solution for the elimination of the liaisons is for those enrolled and eligible for TRICARE Prime Remote to rely on International SOS for all referrals, authorizations, appointment scheduling, medical document translation and telephonic language assistance. Unfortunately, communication and language assistance is not always readily accessible. Most areas within the hospital have dead spots, limited or spotty cell service and exam rooms with landlines that cannot dial to 800 or foreign numbers. Therefore, given these obstacles, ISOS is not an acceptable solution.

Not having reliable, clear, and consistent communication to bridge the language barrier puts our Soldiers, Airmen and their families at risk for a potential medical crisis. Many of the host nation providers currently used regularly by DMC patients have already begun to voice concern about seeing us in the absence of the liaison staff referencing legal liability and safety concerns. Our host nation providers deliver quality care but that care is only as good as it is understood. If we do not have the valuable and dedicated liaisons present to assist with the delivery of this quality care, treatments, procedures, and medication information is not going to fully be understood and therefore undermines the quality of that care.

The size of the Camp Darby Military may be small, but that fact should not be used to take away the basic necessity which is access to quality medical care. While this action may support budget cuts, it could very well endanger the lives of Soldiers, Airmen, DOD civilians, and their families.

Thank you.

The train station in Munich was vast and interesting. We quickly learned the difference between a first class ticket; lounge with restrooms and snacks – and everyone else (restrooms in the basement.) Newell dropped Tim and me off at the station with luggage so he could return the rental car and catch a bus back to meet us. As we waited on the platform, we endulged in some serious people and pigeon-watching. (Note from Tim: vegan yogurt – just say no.)

The 8-hour train ride took us through the Alps and into Tuscany; a lovely journey for an autumn day.

We had bought books to read and shopped for lunch on the way to the station. I thought I would get bored, but I was wrong. Watching the variety of landscape and quaint villages as we sped past was anything but boring. We met other travelers and shared their stories; like the elderly Englishwoman who had been visiting her brother in Germany and was on her way to see Venice for the first time. Her husband was worried that she couldn’t manage her luggage, but Tim stepped up and gave her a hand.

We arrived in Florence and took another train to Pisa where we were met with a familiar and family face; our Andrew! It had been a year and a half since we saw him before he and his family deployed to Italy. After 2 1/2 weeks of travel it was wonderful to be greeted in a faraway land by a loved one. Props to Annie for making room for the in-laws for 10 days!

We arrived at the Chaddock’s house late in the evening, but 1 1/2 year-old Ender was awake to greet us. Tired from the train ride, we were glad to be there with 2 of our sons and family.

The next day we went onto base with Andrew to meet his “family” at work. The US Army shares a base with the Italian military, it was an interesting arrangement. The sacrifice our soldiers and their families make takes many forms; besides the dangers they face, for some its being so far from family during holidays and special times.

Americans abroad have to dress unobtrusively to not draw attention; soldiers have to change on base, no uniforms in public.

After watching for terrorist attacks throughout the trip, I naively thought we would be safe in Italy (ahem; the Cosa Nostra…) Wrong. We were informed that Rome was one of the top potential targets and it was suggested we avoid going into the Eternal City.

The following day we took a train to Florence to see the artistic treasures there.

The first thing we saw in Florence was Il Duomo, a cathedral built over several centuries ( exterior 1296 -1436.) The facade  features multiple colors of marble, statues of apostles, saints and Biblical personages.

Andrew had suggested we make reservations for Galleria dell’Accademia to view Michelangelo’s David. A very wise move for a Saturday visit. We had heard and verified that David would be taken off display for a while due of stress fractures developing in the statue’s ankles . A trip to Italy without viewing David? Inconceivable. There was a very long line to get tickets. People were hawking tour packages to get you into the building faster, at a fairly expensive price. Reservations in hand, we skipped the long line.

Viewing the gorgeous marble statue so elegantly crafted, one could almost forget the Biblical story of the young shepherd  about to face the giant impugning the armies of Israel and their God. One look at that attitude and posture and you know how that battle is going to turn out. See 1 Samuel Chapter 17 in the Old Testament of the Bible for a great tale of faith and fortitude. 

After the Galleria’s collection of Michelangelo’s art, my favorite exhibit was the cemetery art. Young sculptors could get commissions for statues and memorials for wealthy families. 

The hall was filled with hundreds of busts and statuary that patrons could reference to create memorials for loved ones. After altering the dimensions of facial features, the piece would look the the intended.

I also appreciated the gilded altar piece collection. In addition to representing the value the church placed on holy items, the gold would glow in the candlelight of the often dark chapels, illuminating the images.

From there, we went out into the afternoon Florence streets to explore. We had some serious souvenir hunting to do for the grandchildrens’ Christmas gifts. We found a gelato shop that was calling our name and a pizza place that wasn’t.  Not a fan of Italian pizza.

I love good display and marketing and one shop nailed it. Each flavor of gelato had large slices or chunks of representative fruit or chocolate embedded in the creamy mounds. You can see berry, honeydew and cantaloupe in the front of the case. Did I mention they had coconut? I was a happy camper; we shared a large coconut gelato – my first ever. It was worth the wait.

We discovered a Jewish synagogue that had a distinctive Middle-eastern style.

A Lindt chocolate shop and a fun gift shop with Danish products, I was tempted to buy but was informed that the gift items we buy in Italy should be Italian. So leather it was. Florence is known for their diverse and beautiful leather products; we bought wallets for the older grandchildren.

The evening was coming and it was time to bid arrivederci to Firenze, the birthplace of the Renaissance.

Endnote: Check the Galleria’s website for open days and hours and try to get your reservations at least 4 days ahead off-season. If the lines are too long, you will not be able to get tickets.

If you grew up with the Disney classics and would love to see them again, here is a website that has scads of old Disney movies:

http://cornel1801.com/disney/movie.html

I can’t vouch for the quality;  however if you are missing the oldies-but-goodies, you can view other favorites as well.

Visiting Germany certainly introduces one to vibrant cultural contrasts. As in a dream, one day you may be experiencing a fairy tale town such as enchanting Rothenburg ob der Tauber, the next day the nightmare of Dauchau. Such is the reality of Bavaria.

The Black Forest in Bavaria in southwest Germany is the site of many of the tales by the Brothers Grimm. Legends say that the brothers were inspired by this beautiful area when they wrote Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel and Sleeping Beauty.

Come to think of it, many of the fairy tale lands were not always that safe either…

We had just a short time to drive around the Bavarian charmer called Rothenburg. Built on a river, the walled-city began in 970. It has had its ups and downs like any 1,000 year-old city started in a medieval era, but in its current state, boasts a dear collection of restaurants, shops, historical pageants and businesses. We saw only a small part of the the town and regretted that we didn’t arrive early enough to tour the village (translation: shop for Christmas.)

It was raining and dark the night we left Neuschwanstein castle heading toward Munich. The highways in Germany have an interesting habit of winding through towns. In the U.S., we exit our freeways on the outskirts of town but in the parts of Germany we visited, the roads and roundabouts take you right through the middle  of the village.

At the Griesbrau in Murnau, we stopped for dinner and were pleasantly surprised.  Now we were wandering, trying to find hot food,  and in the center of town we came across an old stone building with gleaming copper vats in the entry and dried hops hanging from the rafters. This restaurant was so charming (and crowded) that we had to grab the last table amid the stares of, who I assume were, the regulars. The waitress gave us the stank eye when we didn’t order alcohol ( we were used to that) and we were directed to the buffet/bar.

A hearty-looking bearded gentleman was carving roasted meats and filling plates with sides. There were 3 or 4 choices of each; Newell had pork bellies (sliced like bacon), Tim had roasted pork knuckle and I had ribs (a rack so large they lapped over the side of the generous plate). Newell and Tim had kloesse (potato dumplings)  and I had a stuffed baked potato, I am still so American. We all ordered the sweet and sour red cabbage. A truly fun dinner concluded an interesting day at Neuschwanstein castle.

Arriving in Munich, we discovered that our Airbnb host had asked a roommate to let us in, but he had taken “the wrong plane” and would be arriving late. We parked our compact car up on the sidewalk to avoid being hit in the center of the narrow street and rested until the man arrived so we could settle in for the night.

After he finished some vacuuming and bed-making, we were ready to call it a day.

I had heard about the museums and galleries in Germany and was anticipating viewing the great art there, but Newell had another idea. Instead of heading into the heart of town, he drove us to the north to visit the memorial at the former Nazi concentration camp at Dauchau.

As painful as it was to read the narratives and view the photos of glassy-eyed, starving and hollow-cheeked prisoners, reality hit me hard when we approached the ovens of the crematorium. 41,000 prisoners, all men, had their lives ended and mortal remains destroyed at this horrible place.

I’m very protective of the lives of American soldiers, after all I am the mother of one. As we toured the D-Day invasion sites on the beaches of Normandy, I wondered if the spilling of so much American blood was worth it. Upon visiting Dachau, I concluded we should have intervened sooner. Sacred to the memory are the soldiers that sacrificed their lives to save their fellow humans from the horrors of places such as the concentration camp at Dachau. We must never forget and never allow these atrocities to occur again.

In studying interior design and art history, I had learned about architecture  as art, the Dauchau Memorial was used as an example. After this heart-wrenching excursion we ventured into Munich for dinner and a look at the city.

We found a local hangout, Andy’s Krablergarten, and were seated at a long refrectory-style table with a family from Australia. Newell and I ordered schnitzel, pounded-pork cutlets dredged in flour and spices and deep-fried. Between that and the salad and French fries, I didn’t think I would ever need to eat again after that meal.

We wandered downtown for a little while and ended up in a bookstore (such is a night on the town for authors.) Newell has collected Astrix and Obelisk comic books since he was a teen living in Germany.

He found a few more to add to his impressive collection. I found the English-language section and bought C.S.Lewis’ “The Four Loves.” Well-fed and well-read, we headed back to pack for our 8-hour train ride through the Alps and into Tuscany to see our son and his family near Pisa.

We did it; we are going for the silver! Happy 25th Anniversary to my partner in time (and hopefully eternity), the father of Tim and the other half of McMurtry Creative Media. 25 years ago he married me, my 4 kids, my hopes and dreams, extended family, quirks, talents, body and soul.  I got a priesthood holder, stability, humor, 2 more sons and lots of love. What an adventure we have had; we are still looking forward to a few more laps together.

At the end of the day I’m always glad to see him and that is good.

For both of us, marriage the second time around has been satisfying – we’ll take the silver.

King Ludwig II was plagued by mental illness and his ambitious castle-building agenda was bankrupting his kingdom. When he started construction of a new castle across the valley from the one he grew up in and near his parents, he may have thought he was finally coming home.

High in the mountains of Bavaria, the castle was the inspiration for Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty Castle in his parks and the movie of the same name. The castle, although never completed, became a major tourist attraction almost immediately when it was open to the public shortly after Ludwig’s suspicious death in 1886. At the time a financial drain, the castles of King Ludwig II have become income-generators for Germany in the ensuing years.

Neuschwanstein doesn’t allow photography inside the castle but a number of photographs are available online. The interiors were inspired by Wagnerian operas and Bible scenes; Richard Wagner  was a friend and Oktoberfest was the celebration of his grandfather Ludwig l and his bride Maria Teresa.

Having worked in art and design with creatives, it was not hard to recognize the over-the-top decorating that can be associated or illustrative of mental illness. The interesting thing about Ludwig’s is that he left a legacy that is enjoyed by visitors from all over the world.

Many lives were changed as a result of the great Reformation movement. In 1517, a young monk named Martin Luther was sheltered in die veste Coburg translating the Bible into his native tongue of German. After being immersed in the holy writ for months, he had discovered 95 points of doctrine that differed from the then-current practices of the Catholic Church. He carefully penned his 95 Theses and nailed it to the door of the church at Wittenburg on Halloween, October 31, 1517 where he knew they would be seen by the people coming into the city for services.

The thesis were seen and sent to Rome where the Pope ordered Luther to recant or be excommunicated and executed (according to some sources.) Luther did not recant and was hidden by his friends until the furor blew over.  Pope Leo X died never knowing the impact or significance of the reformation movement.

What do Mormons think of Luther? “Joseph Smith said of Martin Luther’s German translation, “I have an old edition of the New Testament in the Latin, Hebrew, German and Greek languages. I have been reading the German, and find it to be the most [nearly] correct translation, and to correspond nearest to the revelations which God has given to me for the last fourteen years.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 349)

And so we visited the castle at Coburg, just days before the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

The wurst day ever. Outside of the castle a vendor was selling grilled wurst, it smelled so smoky and delicious but it was the Sabbath, so we didn’t buy any.

We attended Sunday services at this LDS chapel in Coburg. General Conference had been televised the previous week but because it is on in the middle of the night, the local congregation would view it during church services the following weeks. Newell found a gentleman who was writing a history of the church in the area  and knew the family he lived with in high school.

Newell lived with a local family during his senior year of high school. He was introduced to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, accepted the gospel and was baptized in this font. Coming from a Presbyterian family, it was the beginning of his reformation as well.

On the way to our next Airbnb, we found this Catholic church and stopped to visit for  a few minutes.

Tomorrow we visit Ludwig’s Neuschwanstein, the inspiration behind Disney’s Sleeping Beauty castle.

We flew from the Paris Charles de Gaulle airport  on a Saturday morning and arrived in Dusseldorf Germany where we rented a car to tour the southern part of the country. We had learned to choose the smallest car available and were again rewarded for this wisdom while driving and parking on Munich’s narrow streets.

Having spent many happy days on the streets of Disneyland while growing up,  Germany didn’t seem all that unfamiliar; a sort of cross between Tomorrowland and Fantasyland. Walt Disney’s Mom Flora was born to German parents who obviously had some cultural influence there.

The day was rainy and gray but we were excited to visit more historical family sites and see where Newell had lived as an exchange student in high school and as an LDS missionary.

We stopped at a market to buy food for lunch and were rewarded for parking in the wrong place by a woman who blocked our car so we couldn’t leave. Her act of unkindness caused us to miss the last tour of Charlemagne’s castle at Aachen. Note to locals: please have some patience with drivers who may not be aware of the unposted rules.

The unremarkable market had a remarkable bakery; thank goodness for quality-conscious businesses. We sampled several German breads (delicious) and pastries (not as good as French but still delicious), local produce, meats and cheeses. All very good. We traveled on to Aachen.

https://www.european-traveler.com/germany/see-throne-shrine-charlemagne-aachen-cathedral/

We were pleasantly surprised to find a prosperous community, probably not surprising since the capitol of the kingdom of Western Europe had moved there in the early 800s. The medieval king Charlemagne, grandson of Charles “the Hammer” Martel  had inherited a large and diverse kingdom which he united through many means. He was regarded as “the Father of Europe” and was the first Holy Roman Emperor; crowned by the Pope on Christmas in 800 A.D.

Charlemagne’s contributions included communication and education – he built free public schools for all children regardless of their financial status and had Latin taught throughout the country. He developed a standardized alphabet called Carolingian Uncial and encouraged literacy. As a high school art student, this font was one of my 2 favorites, I din’t know at the time I was a great…great granddaughter of the man who had it created.

 He promoted Christianity among pagan inhabitants; often at the point of the sword and established clerics and churches throughout the country. During his reign the Gregorian chant was popularized. He would also dictate sermons and topics to have discussed in churches throughout his kingdom.

He standardized taxes, built roads and bridges and had a library installed at his castle. He invited scholars to study there and share their wisdom with him, promoting learning, culture and the arts during a time referred to as the “Carolingian Renaissance.”

Charlemagne was tolerant and respectful of the Jewish people in his kingdom whom he considered economic and cultural assets; unusual in European history .  He had laws drawn up that protected them from excessive taxation by the church.

 Downtown Aachen had a collection of shops with the king as a theme, one had him posed with a bag of their chocolate, it seemed a bit disrespectful to me.

   

No one does gingerbread like the Germans who invented it. Here’s a store window downtown filled with gingerbread hedgehogs and marzipan mushrooms.

Tim was collecting chocolate from every country we visited, Belgium was close by so we made a quick run to  Darci’s, a chocolate factory

From Belgium, we headed back into Germany to our Airbnb.

Its almost Valentines Day and I have been so busy chronicling the McMurtry European Art Tour that I have not taken the time to create a fabulous Valentine’s Day post. I repent and will work on that; in the meantime, here is some love  from the archives for your enjoyment:

http://pamm4.sg-host.com/2017/01/its-all-about-the-heart.html

http://pamm4.sg-host.com/2016/02/only-love.html

http://pamm4.sg-host.com/2015/01/valentines-day-see-the-list-of-top-romance-movies.html

When I was studying interior design at Palomar College, the curriculum included architecture from history including cathedrals. Mont Saint Michel was such a structure built on an island off the coast of Normandy, France beginning in the 8th century. When the tide was out, there was no access to the island, it could only be reached by boat at high tide. I was surprised to find as I studied family history that an ancestor had been born there before 1100 A.D.

We also learned about the Bayeux Tapestry, a 70 meter (or 229 foot-long)  piece of linen embroidered with dyed wool yarn that shows the history of William the Conqueror‘s invasion of England in nearby Bayeux.

I didn’t know why at the time, but I was fascinated with this piece of historical art. I later found out that we were descendants of William the Conqueror. His half-brother Bishop Odo and my great…great grandmother Matilda of Flanders commissioned the tapestry now on display at Bayeux.

William was a descendant of  the first Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne whose throne we would visit at Aachen and his grandfather Charles Martel who saved Christianity and Western civilization from a Muslim invasion in the 8th century,

Its medieval style was referenced in Disney’s Bedknobs and Broomsticks opening credits.

We drove from Paris to Beauvoir and stayed in an Airbnb listed as La bourdatiere. The converted farmhouse was older than the United Staes but updated , super clean and comfortable. The host Arnaud served croissants, local cheeses, yogurt, orange juice and hot chocolate for breakfast (since we don’t drink coffee.)  His place was one of our favorite inns.

We walked through the village of Beauvoir to reach the shuttle for Mont Saint  Michel. It was a beautiful, sunny but chilly October morning.

As we left Beauvoir, we passed cornfields and other crops waiting to be harvested and fields at rest.

Built on a rock, the village is almost completely uphill once you enter through the gate.

Even after a hearty meal at Arnaud’s, these breakfast sandwiches made with hash browns looked inviting.

Homey yet majestic, Tim and I loved Mont St. Michel, he said it was one of his favorite destinations in Europe, and I would agree.

From Mont St. Michel we drove to Bayeux to see the Tapestry. We had checked the schedules before the trip, very important when you are visiting destinations which may be closed or close early on different days of the week and different seasons.

From Bayeux we traveled to Omaha Beach, the site of one of the D-Day invasions to liberate France from the Nazis in World War 2.

 

In the fight to liberate France, there were 7 fleets in Operation Overlord along the coast; 6 decoys and the authentic invasion.

“The Allied casualties figures for D-Day have generally been estimated at 10,000, including 2500 dead. Broken down by nationality, the usual D-Day casualty figures are approximately 2700 British, 946 Canadians, and 6603 Americans. However recent painstaking research by the US National D-Day Memorial Foundation has achieved a more accurate – and much higher – figure for the Allied personnel who were killed on D-Day. They have recorded the names of individual Allied personnel killed on 6 June 1944 in Operation Overlord, and so far they have verified 2499 American D-Day fatalities and 1915 from the other Allied nations, a total of 4414 dead (much higher than the traditional figure of 2500 dead). Further research may mean that these numbers will increase slightly in future. The details of this research will in due course be available on the Foundation’s website at www.dday.org. This new research means that the casualty figures given for individual units in the next few paragraphs are no doubt inaccurate, and hopefully more accurate figures will one day be calculated.”