RE: A European Grand Tour, and Smallpox
I had only now the leisure to read your blog. Nice how much resonance you got! An interesting combination that you have made to interweave your journey with other events! Really adventurous. It is a very affectionate gesture you made for your mother. My best friend has already made several trips with her mother and I look at it with a longing eye because I have never actually done anything alone with my mother.
Did you - your mother and you - talk again about this shared experience?
You've barely escaped infection, as it looks. I felt taken by you on this so unique journey through Europe and as you said, very few of us were already in the world at that time, I was just two years old :) Smallpox is really not something you want to get.
The world is a dangerous place and I have often wondered myself how a big family like mine actually survived. I don't like to think about infections and what they can cause. Call it my personal ignorance :)
How differently each one of us remembers what impressed him the most is something that I always find worth mentioning. Have you kept photos from this trip? I would be interested to know what the streets looked like in those days, the fashion, the cars, the shops.
Your Viennese memory makes me smile, I've got the appetite for Sachertorte. Were there people you remembered from that time, travel companions or little episodes?
Lots of love from the other side of the ocean,
Your German friend Erika <3
Thank you for reading. See how your blog stirred memories?
Did my mother and I speak about the trip? I'll try to keep this light, but in the last weeks of her life, as she calmly prepared for an end that we knew was imminent, my mother brought up Venice. Does that count?
This was not the sort of tour most people take. I don't believe we ate in one restaurant. We would have a continental breakfast, buy food in local shops and snack at street cafes. This, watching people go by and soaking up the ambiance, was my mother's favorite pastime. Remember, she was not well, and tired easily.
Of course we visited the Vatican and Versailles. Versailles was so crowded, we left. People were wonderful everywhere. I think my mother charmed them. She was tiny, and extremely modest. One person who really stands out in my memory: a woman from Hungary whom we met on the train. She had packed a lunch and offered to share :)) With no common language, we managed to communicate throughout that train ride.
No pictures. No camera. I never took pictures in those days. Just have the ones in my head :)
I loved Vienna, loved the feel of it. I did buy marzipan treats. I think it was the first time I ever had marzipan.
I'm so glad you liked my blog, my reminiscence. In a way you had a hand in this...everything we read and see influences us. This is true on Steemit, also.
Hardfork, or no Hardfork, I look forward to reading more from you and my other favorite bloggers.
Have a wonderful end of summer, Erika,
Love,
Your New York friend
AG
absolute, yes. So good to be able to prepare for what's inevitable. Many people can't do that because of circumstances or fear. It's such a good thing the two of you were having this.
Traveling with the elders is appreciated by people, is what I think. Friends of mine did that with their parents, too and got positive comments on that. It's a special time, in particular with adult children and their mothers or fathers.
I can imagine now your mum much better. Thank you for sharing it.
Yes, we have an influence of each other, I agree.
Oh, marcipan! I love it and leave it for special occasions. Then I enjoy every bite of it, mostly combined with chocolate.
Summer here is crazy hot. Just today we have 32 degrees, can you believe it. I don't complain though, I like the heat and for me it's better warm than cold :)
The Hardfork tomorrow is just another thing to happen. Steemit will go on working and we'll see how the changes are going to affect us. We are true bloggers, aren't we? :D
Hugs!
Yours Erika
🌟Hugs back 😇 🌟
Your friend,
AG