On the Road - by Bob Van Leer

Amsterdam, Holland, 9/9/1994 Founded Around 1200

Much Of Country Is
Below Sea Level

By Bob Van Leer

(AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND - Sept. 9, 1994) - We landed at 7:00 a.m. at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport after a seven hour night flight from Dulles Airport near Washington, D. C.

We Toured Amsterdam, 9/10/1994 by Motor Bus and Canal Boat

Visit Rijks And Van Gogh
Museums Today

By Bob Van Leer

(AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND, Sept. 10, 1994) - Our tour really started today with a bus tour around Amsterdam and a boat ride on the city's canals. The old buildings are quite narrow and four to six stories high. Our guide, Roderick, told us there is a historical reason for this. Through the ages people have looked for ways to outwit the tax collector and this was one of those ways. At the time the houses were built in the 16th and 17th centuries, houses were taxed by their width, but not their height.

Bus-Train Tour, 9/11/1994 Leads To Boat On Rhine River

Cologne Cathedral
Emblem Of City

By Bob Van Leer

(COLOGNE, GERMANY, Sept. 11, 1994) - Tonight we arrived at Cologne, Germany, and settled in our cabin on the MS Britannia, a cruise boat tied to a dock on the Rhine River. This will be our home for the next couple of days.

Rhine River, 9/12/1994 Is Mostly Commercial Boat Traffic

Sport Boats Few
On River

By Bob Van Leer

(ON THE RHINE RIVER, GERMANY, Sept. 12, 1994) - Our cruise boat headed upstream (south) this morning at 4:00. The Rhine is Europe's most important waterway and has the reputation of being the most attractive scenicly.

End River Cruise, 9/13/1994 Back On The Train

Alps Come Out Through
Low Clouds

By Bob Van Leer

(LUCERNE, SWITZERLAND, Sept. 13, 1994) - We finished our Rhine River trip this morning with a short cruise to Mainz. The Rhine gorge flattened out to low--lying fields along the river.

Boat Ride On Lake Lucerne, 9/14/1994 Followed By Lunch In The City

Swiss Like Beer, Wine
And Chocolate

By Bob Van Leer

(LUCERNE, SWITZERLAND, Sept. 14, 1994) - Lake Lucerne is big, 44 square miles and 26 miles long at its widest point. Our hotel, the Palace, is directly on the lake and our fifth floor room overlooks the lake. There are almost always boats in view and a number of swans on the water, as well as assorted ducks and coots.

The Switzerland We Saw Today, 9/15/1994 Is One Giant Picture Postcard

Cog Wheel Railroad
Up Steep Slopes

By Bob Van Leer

(ZERMATT, SWITZERLAND, Sept. 15, 1994) - The Switzerland we saw today was one giant picture postcard. Every mile brought another view across a picturesque valley, often with a lake below.

Into The Snow, 9/16/1994 On The Highest Cog-Wheel Train in Europe

Fondue Party Concludes
The Evening

By Bob Van Leer

(ZERMATT, SWITZERLAND, Sept. 16, 1994) - Our daughter, Sherry, called at 6:30 a.m. saying we must look out the window. High above Zermatt, which was still dark, the Matterhorn, covered with new snow, stood bathed by the morning sun, a really breath-taking sight.

Glacier Express, 9/17/1994 Is A Train Through The Top Of Europe

From Snow To
Palm Trees

By Bob Van Leer

(COMO, ITALY, Sept. 17, 1994) - We arrived in Italy this evening after a day's travel that included three separate trains. We started on the Glacier Express. The Glacier Express demonstrates you can build a railroad anywhere if you really want to. It covers a distance of 500 kilometers (a kilomete is .62 miles making this a 310 mile railway) not long as railroads go, but it goes up to 7300 feet elevation and tremendous grades. Our trip today took us over more than a third of the total mileage of the Glacier Express from Zermatt to Andermatt.

Lake Como, 9/18/1994 At 1,400 Feet, Is Deepest In Europe

Trip on Lake Highlights
Sunday Afternoon

By Bob Van Leer

(COMO, ITALY, Sept. 18, 1994) - Today we took a tour of Lake Como by boat stopping at a villa now a state museum and at a small village for sightseeing and shopping.

Como To Florence, 9/19/1994 By Fast Railroad Through PO Valley

Florence In One Large
Living Museum

By Bob Van Leer

(FLORENCE, ITALY, Sept. 19, 1994) - Our hotel, the Hotel Helvetia & Bristol, is in the old town of Florence. We arrived here today after a train ride from Como, Italy, through Milan down the Po River valley.

Tour of Florence Museums, 9/20/1994 Followed by Unique Dinner

By Bob Van Leer

(FLORENCE, ITALY, Sept. 20, 1994) - Today was for sight-seeing. We visited two of the many museums in Florence including the Bargello
National Museum.

Tour of Roman Ruins, 9/21/1994 Dinner Overlooking St. Peter's

Pantheon Most Impressive
Of Roman Buildings

By Bob Van Leer

(ROME, ITALY, Sept. 21, 1994) - We toured Rome today looking at ancient ruins and ended the day with a dinner in a Roman villa overlooking St. Peter's Cathedral followed by a tour of old Rome in horse-drawn carriages.

St. Peter's in Vatican, 9/22/1994 Is The Largest Christian Church

Roman Coliseum Could
Seat 50,000

By Bob Van Leer
(ROME, ITALY, Sept. 22, 1994) - On our last day in Italy and on this tour, we spent much of the morning at the Vatican and a brief trip to the coliseum.