My First International Trip - The Final Stop (Vienna, Austria - past and present)

 My First International Trip - The Final Stop 

Vienna, Austria - past and present 

By now I'm sure you can tell why I continue to love International travel over 40 years after my first trip.  This final leg added to that love.  We left Egypt and had a layover in Vienna, Austria at the end of December.  As you can imagine it was a contrast in climates.  Visible snow was on the ground and we were going to be there for two days.  I distinctly remembered the colored tile roof of St. Patrick's cathedral.  I revisited Vienna a couple of years ago and wanted to see that roof again.  I was also able to go inside the church.  Here are some pictures of the church from my recent trip.  Can't find the one I had from 1981.  

Another memory from my first visit to Vienna was going to Opera House - just to check it out - after we settled into our hotel room on New Year's Eve.  We heard about the New Year's Eve concert at the Opera House so we decided to walk over and watch the people arrive.  On a lark, we walked into the lobby and asked if there were any tickets left for tonight's special New Year's Eve performance by the Vienna Philharmonic.  Guess what?  There were some "standing room only" tickets available and they was only a couple of dollars.  Me and the few other friends from the tour scooped them up and headed up to the top of the Opera House and listened to classic Viennese waltzes and other traditional music.  Such a magical night and another reason not to stay in your room when you are travelling - even if you may be tired.  You never know what adventure the place your are visiting holds.  

Here is a picture of the Opera House that day in 1981. 

Well, guess what?  When I visited Till in Vienna a few years ago, I had a special request.  Can we go to an opera at the Opera House?  So we did.  I can't remember the name of the opera, but you can see at the top of the seating, the railing.  That is where the standing room tickets were.  

One final stop to highlight in Vienna, Schönbrunn Palace.  Here you can really see the snow.  Also, is a picture of some of the friends that I made on the trip.  On most group tours that I have been on you become friends with people on the tour and you hope that you will remain in touch, but that rarely happens.  Most of the time for me, I forget to get their contact information and all of sudden the trip is over and they are gone.  I became particularly close to people on this trip as we were more than a random group of tourists, but were Christians who came on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and formed a choir that performed in Manger Square on Christmas Eve.  So many magical moments and bonding experiences.  I wish that was still in touch with them.  Below is a picture of some of the ones that were closest to my age.   Some names that I remember are Becky Nunez, Camile Philips?, Tom? a catfish farmer, .... Maybe one of them will see this and help me get in touch with them again.  If not, I still have great memories of our time together.  So travel is not just about the places you go, but the people you meet along the way.  :)

Thanks for reading my reminiscences of my first international trip.  What a start!  

My First International Trip - Part 6 - Egypt

Cairo, Egypt 

Crossing the Suez Canal

We traveled to the border of Israel and Egypt and crossed over the Suez Canal on a ferry.  I remember it being quite the ordeal and adventure.  The ferry we over crowded and our luggage was thrown on top of the boat (it's funny the things you remember).  I also remember having to go through an extensive search of our luggage before being able to cross.  

Nile River

After crossing, we made our way to Cairo.  One of our first stops was eating at a restaurant on the Nile.  Here is a picture I took outside the restaurant. 

Egyptian Museum

One of the main attractions in Cairo is the Egyptian Museum.  It contains many of the items found in the Pharoah tombs in the country.  The most famous being, the artifacts from King Tutankhamun (King Tut)  Here is a picture from the outside.  I do remember the museum being dusty and not well lit or guarded.  

Recently the brand new and spectacular Grand Egyptian Museum has opened.  It makes we want to go back and see the museum that now matches the items inside.  :)

Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx

Of course, the most spectacular site in Cairo are the three Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx.  When I visited in 1981, it seemed to be right outside the city  You had several options to travel the road to the entrance of the pyramids and one of them was to ride a camel.  Here I am arriving at the Pyramids on my camel.  The camel guide asked for a $1 to take my picture.  Everything was $1.  :)

Once at the pyramids, you had the opportunity to go inside one of them to the burial chamber.  I am so glad I was thin enough and mobile enough to go in.  Obviously, a once in a lifetime opportunity and unforgettable memory.  You can see in the pictures, Tuck and Joan also going inside.  You had to crawl through a narrow passage to access the burial chamber.  The last picture is me sitting on the platform inside the burial chamber.  This would be where the body was placed and most of the treasures would have been in this room.  

After leaving Cairo, we had one more stop before going home.  Being in Vienna, Austria for New Year's Eve.  

My First International Trip - Part 5 - Jerusalem

 Jerusalem

Being in Jerusalem was magical.  Although I don't remember many details, these pictures help me remember episodes from the stay.  Below is a picture outside our hotel where there was a camel available for tourists to get on.  Here is a picture of Francis Thompson going up.  The way it works is that the camel lifts up the back legs first - moving you forward - and the lifts the front legs.  Once you know what to expect it's not too bad.  

Wailing Wall (Western Wall)

We stayed close to the old town so I was able to go back one night to visit the Wailing Wall.  

The Wailing Wall, known to Jews as the Western Wall (or Kotel), is the last remnant of the Second Temple's retaining wall in Jerusalem's Old City, a profoundly sacred site for Jewish prayer, pilgrimage, and mourning, where people place written prayers in its crevices, symbolizing deep spiritual connection and hope for the Temple's restoration, though its proximity to Muslim holy sites often causes political tension. (Google AI)

I remember clearly hearing the wailing.  They would rock back and forth and cry out.  There was a section that went inside an area that only priests were able to go in.  It is my understanding that they are wailing over the destruction of the temple and the atrocities of the holocaust.  They are also praying for the Messiah to come.  I did write a prayer request on a piece of paper and put it in the crevice of the wall and said a prayer.  I just realized, that although the prayer was not answered how I intended it to be answered, it has been answered in another way.  It is a reminder to me that many times God does not answer our prayer according to our will, but was he decides.  In those cases, we sometimes feel that he has not answered.  The benefit of looking back over time, gives you the perspective to know that he did answer the prayer.  

Chapel of the Ascension on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. 

Another special stop was the spot from where it is believed that Jesus ascended into Heaven.  There is a small chapel over the spot.  The picture is believed to be an imprint of the right foot of Jesus.  

Golden Gate

The final picture from Jerusalem is a picture of the Golden Gate.  Significance of the Eastern Gate - Golden Gate - Gate of Mercy.   (The shadow of an arm is me taking a picture of the framed photo) :)

My First International Trip - Part 4 - Christmas Eve In Bethlehem

Christmas Eve in the Bethlehem

One of the purposes of this group of Christians traveling to the Holy Land was to sing in Manger Square on Christmas Eve.  Each year the city of Bethlehem hosts a celebration with choirs from around the world.  We were representing the United States.  As mentioned earlier we had several very talented singers and musicians in our group.  I was excited to be a part of the choir for this performance.  I do not have any photos of our performance, below are a couple from the internet.  Ours would have been in 1981.  

I do have some notes from my journal for that night:

5:00 pm - Checkpoint on the way to Manger Square - metal detectors.  Security is tight. Soldiers with machine guns on the roof and ground.  One of the guards apologized for the delay and wishes us a "Merry Christmas."  He let me take a picture of him. 

I remember eating dinner at a restaurant on the square.  

At 7:00 pm we go to a reception with the mayor.  He welcomes the groups and makes presentations.  Then we wait in the cold for our turn to go on.

  

Once on the stage we performed the following numbers:

Victory in Jesus - Choir

Jesus Loves Me - Becky N. 

Ring the Bells - Kim Wicks

I Walked Today Where Jesus Walked - Myrna Loy Hedgepath

Becky N. and Mike Collins soloed and then we all sang "The King is Coming!"

We went back the Church for singing and refreshments.  Left church at midnight.  Sang Christmas carols on the ride back to the hotel.  

Certainly a Christmas Eve to remember.  

Newspaper Article about my Trip

 I had friends (Beth Skipper and Judy Heitman) that worked on the Lion's Roar staff at SLU.  They started that journey in high school working on the school's newspaper, The Cypress Bark.  Here is an article that Beth wrote about my trip the Holy Land.  Click to enlarge.  

 

My First International Trip....Part 3 - Holy Land

 As we approached Jerusalem and eventually Bethlehem, we stopped at several other important Christian sites.  

Jordan River

Kim Wicks - a blind Korean Christian Singer.  My friend Terri worked with her for several years.  Not related to the trip.  She actually came to FBC Ponchatoula one time for a concert.  

Nazareth

The image shows 

Ain Musa

, also known as 

Moses' Spring

, located in Wadi Musa, Jordan. The site is a spring that, according to local tradition, is where Moses struck a rock with his staff to bring forth water for the Israelites during their exodus from Egypt. The town of Wadi Musa itself translates to "Valley of Moses" in Arabic. 

The Arabic text "حافظ" (Hafez) is visible on a rock in the image. The spring, which is housed within a simple, three-domed structure, is a significant religious and historical site that still flows with fresh water today.  (Google Image Search AI) 

Where it all began...Part 2: Dead Sea, Massada, Cesearia, and

 Where it all began...Part 2:  Israel

After crossing the border into Israel, I remember thinking that everything was so green.  We had just left a desert and dry area and entered into a country that was blooming.  The difference was the irrigation efforts by the government of Israel.  There was also tight security crossing the border.  Even in the early 80's there was tension in the region.  

Although I did a diary while on the trip, I can't find it now.  Here are pictures of some of the main stops in Israel aside from Jerusalem and Bethlehem.  In addition to Joan and Tuck in the pictures, there are pictures of her aunt Frances Thompson.  Some of you may know her son Manny.  She was so much fun to travel with.  

Masada

Capernaum

Dead Sea

She was one of our soloists.  Can't remember her name.  

Some members of our group

Caesarea

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