Left: My adorable friend, Elizabeth
Right: Charming Aachen
Left: One of the many, many bakeries
Right: Charlegmagne's Throne
In November, I attended a regional conference of FAWCO clubs. I know this sounds like just a weekend of fun with the girls, but it is more hard work in a conference room than anything else. FAWCO Club Members work to help each other with the challenges we all face, as well as working on philanthropic efforts.
My friend Elizabeth and I decided to drive (which, in hindsight, wasn't the easiest way to get there) - but it was a great road trip for Elizabeth and I and I'd do the same again.
Aachen is a charming town, chock full of bakeries and chocolate shops (ok, so my focus was on my tummy!) - and getting ready for its Christmas markets the week after our visit. Like most of the European places I've visited, Aachen was heavily damaged in WWII. And between my travels and all of the documentaries and films I've been watching about WWII I realize more than ever how incredibly devastating "the war" was to nearly every major city in Europe. My trip to Lithuania was the beginning of my education and strong interest in the history. I can't imagine how devastating it was for those who lived it.
My friend Elizabeth and I decided to drive (which, in hindsight, wasn't the easiest way to get there) - but it was a great road trip for Elizabeth and I and I'd do the same again.
Aachen is a charming town, chock full of bakeries and chocolate shops (ok, so my focus was on my tummy!) - and getting ready for its Christmas markets the week after our visit. Like most of the European places I've visited, Aachen was heavily damaged in WWII. And between my travels and all of the documentaries and films I've been watching about WWII I realize more than ever how incredibly devastating "the war" was to nearly every major city in Europe. My trip to Lithuania was the beginning of my education and strong interest in the history. I can't imagine how devastating it was for those who lived it.
There were two organized tour on this trip, but on the first day, for the outdoor tour, it was raining. The second tour was indoors (so it was, of course, not raining). And in several places no flash photography was allowed, and some with cameras prohibited entirely so there aren't, unfortunately, many good photos. And because I've been so busy I won't have the time to select and edit them as carefully as usual.
We *did* see the famous cathedral in Aachen, which houses the throne of Charlemagne (and can be seen only with a private tour guide as the area in which it sits is protected). We also visited the town hall and wandered around the city center. Pieces of his body (his thigh, a hand) are supposedly located in a couple of the places we visited as well (strange that they seem to be distributed, but that's the story they tell, anyway!)
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