Tuesday, July 28, 2009

One Week






Well our Germany adventure comes to end. We'll be home one week from today and we can't wait! We've shipped most of our "stuff" ahead of us in the mail.

A big thank you to our family and dear friends who have been helping us keep our pets, house and cars from falling apart!

We've been here since March and have been lucky enough to travel at least 2 weekends out of each month.

Some of the places we've been to: In Germany, we visited Fussen (Neuwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles, Linderhof palace, Ettal Abby, St. Mang Basilica) Heidelberg (Heidelberg castle) Trier (oldest city in Germany, Dom Cathedral (shroud of Jesus), Porta Nigra, Roman Baths, Amphitheater) Bad Durheim (wine barrel restaurant, beautiful gardens) Burg Eltz (castle), Vallendar (location of the original Schoenstatt Shrine), Rothenberg (a walled city, Christmas Museum, Torture Museum), and Triberg in the Black Forest (home of the cuckoo clock and largest waterfall in Germany).

For my 40th birthday I went on a pilgrimage by myself to Lourdes, France (Lourdes Grotto - where Bernadette was visited by our Blessed Lady) and on the way back stopped to see St. Bernadette's incorrupt body at the chapel of St. Gildard covent in Nevers, France. The 17 hour bus ride (each way) was well worth it!

Jorge visited the biggest American cemetery in Europe in Lorraine, France for a Memorial Day service.

We've also visited Hamm, Luxembourg (Gen. Patton's gravesite), Bastone, Belgium (Battle of the Bulge) Amsterdam (Anne Frank’s house, Van Gogh Museum, Our Lady of All Nations shrine, boat ride on the canals), a road through Austria (Austrian Alps), Paris, France (Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, Euro Disney, Seine River Cruise) and Rome, Italy (St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Museums, the Cupola, the Colliseum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, tons of churches and lots more we can’t remember). Rome was a definitely one of our favorites!

I think we've done enough traveling to last us a couple of years! :)

What we'll miss the most: Our new friends, the amazing weather, the beautiful views and the laid back way of life!

Can't wait to get home, God Bless the U.S.A.!
Hugs and love to you all!!!!
The Castros

Saturday, July 11, 2009

That's Different - No. 8


A sidewalk gas station in Rome.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Pictures






Some pics of our trip and one of our angel Olivia making us laugh!

Rome & The Vatican


We just got back from Rome this past Wednesday. It was supposed to be on Tuesday but we missed our flight!! Despite our mishap we had a really great time.
We visited the Vatican Museums, St. Peter's Basilica, Sistine Chapel, the Roman Colossuem, the Roman Forum, the Pantheon,the Spanish Steps, lots of churches and a bunch of other historical sites around Rome. Our last day there (when we were supposed to be on a plane) we walked up the 320 steps of the Cupola(the dome of St. Peter's Basilica). It was quite exhausting but the view was amazing! I've posted lots of pictures on my Facebook page.

The weather here is beautiful this week. Highs in the lower 70s!

We'll be home soon! We'll be flying home on August 4th. Yipee! We're so excited, we've already started to pack. Hope you all are doing well.

Love & Hugs,
The Castro Family
Jorge, Cyndee, Lucas & Olivia