East or West, Home Is Best

Having barely caught our breath from our international travels (about which more will be said), we piled in the car last Thursday for another four days on the road. This one inspired by a need to see our favorite recording artist Loreena McKennitt in concert. Our state of withdrawal after missing her performance in nearby Providence just after we moved from Seattle was enough to motivate us to drive ten hours to Ontario’s Hillside Festival on Guelph Lake Island in the Guelph Lake Conservation Area. We figured it was a great excuse to visit some New York sights we’d had our eye on for awhile, and Chad managed to incorporate some botanical research as well.

Four hours into our journey took us to the Huyck Preserve in the historic town of Rensselaerville, where Chad and Gavin took off in search of Herb Robert while Arwen and I took a turn on the path around the lake. While the boys collected seeds and measured plant specimens, we girls ran into frogs, rabbits, and blue herons. Running later than we’d planned, we commandeered the lodge’s kitchen to prep our dinner, which we enjoyed on the deck overlooking the gorgeous lake. After another couple of hours on the road we breathed a sigh of relief, snagging one of two remaining sites in the campground.

As it turns out, we had a bit to learn about camping in New York State. Having done most of our camping in the big West we found the sites a bit more social, shall we say, than we were used to. (Upon looking out of the tent the next morning, Gavin’s first comment was, “This isn’t very private.”) But we also found a series of fun playgrounds, an amazingly-stocked concession stand, and a beach and swimming area to die for. (Unfortunately, we also learned that swimming is permitted on New York State property only while lifeguards are on duty, a sad fact that cost us more than once on this travel-heavy excursion.)

After a couple of hours of driving Friday morning we arrived at Niagara Falls. I could hardly believe 675,000 gallons of water pass over Horseshoe Falls alone every second!

Aside from a momentary downpour, our evening at the Hillside Festival was unblemished. Before the concert we wandered around the island checking out performers on four stages. We chowed excellent ethnic food and sampled some of the best ice cream ever. We gaped at the piles of reusable dishes waiting for hosts of volunteers who washed them all. We checked out the drum circle and wares from various craftspeople. Chad discovered some Herb Robert. We even tried hula hooping!

But the highlight of the evening was the Loreena McKennitt concert. Forty minutes before the performance began we were inching our way toward the front of the audience, and it paid off. We ended up with the equivalent of third-row center seats! To be able to see all performers and the instruments up close was worth everything it took to get there. The kids had a great time, even Arwen who conked out on the grass for the last half hour. On the way home, Gavin asked if Loreena McKennitt would be performing in our area soon. “We just have to see her again next year!”

After several hours on the road Saturday we arrived in Palmyra, New York, the site of many significant events in the history of our church. We stopped downtown for a tour of the Grandin Printing Shop where the Book of Mormon was originally printed. The feeling was both energizing and inspiring as our guide shared the experiences that led to the publication of this sacred book that we revere together with the Bible.

Our next stop was the Sacred Grove, a forested area behind Joseph Smith’s home where as a young boy he had the first of many experiences that led to the restoration of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Recounting his story to Gavin and Arwen led me to contemplate my own process of searching for answers to life’s tough questions. I’m hoping some of what I shared with them sunk in between Arwen’s “C’mon, Mom and Dad – one, two, three, wheee!!” and Gavin’s triumphant identification of where we were on the map. (Chad was in for a few exciting moments of his own, peering at the plants and discovering unexpected clumps of Herb Robert.)

After roasting hot dogs and s’mores on the fire, some hearty playing on the playground, and a good night’s sleep, we were off Sunday morning to church services and a peek at the Peter Whitmer Farm. Our final stop was Seneca Falls, home of the US Women’s Rights Movement. Having shared the story of the first women’s rights convention with the family, I was thrilled to see Gavin recognize photos of Elizabeth Cady Stanton outside her historic home and some of the details of the convention at the visitor center, where he and Arwen sat enthralled by the 30-minute video. Standing in these places where the fight for so many of the rights we now take for granted as women began nearly 160 years ago was a treasured experience for me.

Another five hours on the road, and we were home where most of us will stay for weeks to come. We are grateful for where we’ve been, what we’ve been able to do and see, and especially where we are now. Happy trails, all you fellow summer travelers!

On vacation Chad and I experience a bit of role reversal in terms of morning behavior. Tuesday morning Chad was at it bright and early, herding everyone to breakfast so we could be off to Verona. Our 75-minute journey led us past several medieval castles, numerous villages each with its tall church tower, and field after field of grape vines. Once in Verona we started at the castle bridge where locals holding umbrellas whizzed by on bicycles. Gavin and Arwen led the climb up the wall for a glimpse of the river from between battlements.

Not far away we found the ancient Roman arena, second in size only to Rome’s Colosseum, but much better preserved (also the home to a full opera schedule). As we climbed to the top a thunderstorm struck, nearly soaking us before we made it back inside. We were impressed by how well the ancient drainage system still worked!

A short walk away we found crowds thronging the purported home of the Capulet family of Romeo and Juliet fame. The noble residence was decked out in modern art alongside the remains of original Renaissance murals. It was fun taking my turn on Juliet’s balcony!

Next we climbed the Torre dei Lamberti. Arwen made it up all 368 steps on her own, with only a brief rest or two. At the top we enjoyed a spectacular view of the city and a look at the tower bells which the kids judged to be “just like the Liberty Bell!”

After reaching the bottom and braving another shower, we feasted on pizza, panini, and the first of many gelati before finishing up at the castle. There we took in numerous artistic representations of Biblical scenes, and Chad and Gavin thrilled at the display of medieval weaponry. Gavin’s and Arwen’s favorite part of the visit was staging defenses using imaginary crossbows while walking on the castle walls. On the way back to the car I took a detour to catch a look at Basilica San Zeno, a beautiful cathedral featuring some impressive paintings, while Chad and the kids walked along the Adige River. An ultimate day of sightseeing.

This summer's cruise with my family prompted us to take some extra time in northern Italy. International travel with small children is always exciting. Here are a few anecdotes from our experience getting there:

The legs of our trip included a two-hour drive to Boston, a seven-hour flight to Zurich, a one-hour flight to Venice, and a two-hour drive to Pergine. About 30 minutes on the road to Boston Gavin asked, “Are we almost there?” All we could think was, “This is going to be a long trip . . . “

Our flight to Zurich alerted us to international differences in attitudes toward families. Not long after we found our seats, a flight attendant identified himself to us as the family specialist – “Anything you need during your flight, just ask.” During the beverage service, there he was with a huge extra bottle of water. At mealtime, the kids were served far in advance of everyone around us. What a huge help! (And the food was good, too. Including, of course, the parting gift of Swiss chocolate.)

Just out of Venice we discovered what would become a familiar site throughout our trip – fields and fields of crops. Near the city it was almost exclusively corn, but after awhile we began to see grape vines as well. In the villages we saw family gardens with all types of greens.

As we got into the mountains, it was up, up, up via an endless series of switchbacks. Trying those on with an unfamiliar manual transmission, roads much narrower than we’re used to in the United States, and fellow drivers bent on speeds faster than our own made for a bit more excitement than I’d bargained for.

Eventually we left the autostrada for Pergine and made our way to the castle that would be our home for two nights. After settling into our rooms we found our table in the dining hall where we were in for the customary Italian two-hour, four-course dinner. As you might imagine, after 18 hours of travel this was a bit much for the kids. Arwen made it through two courses on the anticipation of chocolate cake, then conked out just into the main course. After we returned to our room, I managed to wake her up while putting on her pajamas. As she was trying to fall back asleep, she sat bolt upright in bed – “I didn’t get any cake!”

A bit exhausted, but we made it to Italy!