Welcome Back Fifth Time Guests Art and Carol

(From September 21, 2012) Art and Carol have taken five trips with European Focus since 2008 including trips in Germany, Italy, Ireland, France, Spain and for this most recent adventure, which started in Berchtesgaden, Germany we traveled through parts of the old Austro-Hungarian Empire. More to come, and welcome back Art and Carol!

Willmandingen, Germany and the Roots of the Heinz Family

September 16 Today Suzanne Pellegrino and Beth Renney spent time with another side of the family, the Heinz side, which stems from the village of Willmandingen, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany. Our visit started with church service at the Protestant St. Gallus, dating from 1903 but built onto the remains of a much older tower from at least […]

Visiting German Relatives in Hoinkhausen

(From a visit made to Hoinkhausen on September 12 and 13) When German relatives know you’re coming, the red carpet not only gets rolled out, it gets wrapped around you. Suzanne Pellegrino and her sister Beth Renney not only gave their relatives in tiny Hoinkhausen, Germany advance notice, they gave them nearly a year to […]

The Cathedral of Cologne, Germany

September 14, 2012 The immense cathedral of Cologne, Germany was built as a suitable resting place for the remains of the Three Kings who, as the Bible tells the story, visited the newborn Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The relics were brought to Cologne in 1146, having been removed […]

Celebrating a Birthday at Hirschhorn Castle

September 10, 2012 Sometimes while on a trip around Germany one just has to say “why not?” and go to a castle for a dish of ice cream to celebrate a birthday. That’s what we did the other day to celebrate our guest Beth Renney’s birthday. Up, up, up we drove into the hills above […]

Sleeping in a medieval castle above the Rhein River in Germany

July 30 There’s no experience quite like spending the night in a castle high on a bluff above one of Europe’s prettiest river valleys. Recent guests of ours had this experience and for some, it was a repeat experience. Susan brought son Nick back for a second European Focus Private Tour and this time, four […]