Switzerland: Where Narnia and Heaven Meet

“It is as hard to explain how this sunlit land was different from the old Narnia as it would be to tell you how the fruits of that country taste. Perhaps you will get some idea of it if you think like this. You may have been in a room in which there was a window that looked out on a lovely bay of the sea or a green valley that wound away among mountains. And in the wall of that room opposite to the window there may have been a looking-glass. And as you turned away from the window you suddenly caught sight of that sea or that valley, all over again, in the looking glass. And the sea in the mirror, or the valley in the mirror, were in one sense just the same as the real ones: yet at the same time they were somehow different - deeper, more wonderful, more like places in a story: in a story you have never heard but very much want to know. The difference between the old Narnia and the new Narnia was like that. The new one was a deeper country: every rock and flower and blade of grass looked as if it meant more.” C.S. Lewis, The Last Battle (The Chronicles of Narnia)

Chills creep down my arms as I read this excerpt from C.S. Lewis's final book in his series "The Chronicles of Narnia." I stumbled upon these words today as I read through some of my favorite passages, recalling Lewis's near-perfect analogy of what Heaven will be like. This vivid description spoke to me deeply as a child, during seasons of much hardship, lying awake in bed and bundled under the covers, wishing for a world unlike anything I had ever experienced. This passage still fills me with wondrous hope for what life beyond this one will be like. 

Looking out over the horizon at a vast expanse of mountain peaks towering 13,000 miles above sea level is impressive. It's also very humbling. In a reverent, marvelous sort of way. When I steady my gaze upon the the Swiss Alps, I feel like I'm breathing in something holy. I'm tasting a small morsel of Heaven, scraps off the table of eternal pleasures. It's ironic that today during our quiet time with the Lord, Ken and I read Psalm 16:11: "You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." Being here in Switzerland, at a Bible Seminary perched on the hills of Beatenberg for more than 115 years, open wide to the surrounding snow-capped mountains and glistening lake below, feels like a dream. A vision of unfathomable beauty. Or rather, a glimpse of something that I know in my heart to be real. To be set just far enough, over the horizon, that I can hear the distant sounds of something spectacular--what C.S. Lewis describes as "deeper, more wonderful, more like places in a story: in a story you have never heard but very much want to know."

I already look forward to coming back to Switzerland. I can't adequately express how it feels to be here. But I love it. I love how God brought us here for a few short days, to recharge and refresh us, as we continue our tour of Europe. 

Here are some of my favorite photos of the landscape and our time here. Click on each photo to enlarge.

Segen für Sie. Blessings to you. 

A Chocolate Croissant & Overcoming Setbacks

I glance down at the chocolate splotches lining my fingertips. “You look so happy,” Ken said to me, a moment before, causing me to notice my hands and the empty white china plate in front of me. A warm, gooey, chocolate-filled croissant. I had just finished my first one ever, and it was amazing. Biting into the rich, chocolate cream encased in a flakey, buttery shell was like finding a piece of gold in a lush, verdant field—already beautiful and picturesque by its own right, but now even more wonderful of an experience. Analogies aside, this freshly-baked European pastry was, as the Italians say, “Perfecto!” As I ease back into reality, Ken smiles and continues, “You look really happy when you’re eating.”

I am happy when I’m eating, it’s true. I’ve always been that way. Food is a huge blessing and comfort to me. Perhaps more so than the average person because I know what it’s like to go without. To not have enough food. To be in want. Growing up on simpler means taught me the value of food—and especially good food—very quickly. Food is a gift. And good food is an elaborate present, enclosed in the finest paper, filled with bounty and best unwrapped by a grateful receiver.

Back to the croissant that had miraculously vanished from my plate. It was one of the best breads I’ve ever tasted. I’m thankful to be in the city of Florence, enjoying the many offerings of this pleasant city. Ken and I arrived here a couple days ago, after some big disappointments during our travels. I guess no story is really great without struggle. We experienced our first major difficulty in the form of a less than ideal hotel situation a couple days ago. I booked accommodations at a hillside inn that seemed lovely from the photos and reviews. However, when we got there, after disembarking from our cruise and then spending a few hours driving from Venice to Florence, I immediately felt uncomfortable. The room, sparse and muggy, felt closed in and hot, unusually so. I developed a headache, which turned into a sour stomach and a poor attitude quickly. The air conditioner was broken, the concierge told us, and no one would fix it until Monday (the day we checked out.) Then we realized that our room’s mini-fridge was broken, too. Warm drinking water in cramped, scorching quarters sounded awful. There was no ice to be found, either. My first time in this part of Italy, with the sun blaring down and a room temperature hovering around 80+ degrees felt just horrible. Again, Ken tried to convince the concierge that the room was not suitable. The lady refused to give us a refund although all her others rooms were booked. But our reservation promised air conditioning, we said. She was relentless. So, feeling nauseated and feverish, I asked Ken what are options were. Together, we made a hard decision—our first one that involved losing quite a bit of money.

We decided to go elsewhere.

From that point on, our situation improved immensely. We found a boutique inn just a few miles outside of the heart of Florence and 20 minutes closer to town than our previous hotel. It was a gamble picking our next place to stay, but I felt God’s peace about giving up our desire to save money and instead, placing health and wellness as top priorities in this instance. Our new hotel was impeccably clean, the staff friendly and welcoming, and the air conditioning worked great! There was even a pool, free breakfast and parking included in the cost. Still a bit disappointed from the nonrefundable costs of our previous booking, I started to pray that God would give me a heart of forgiveness and hope, amidst the sense of loss I felt. I believe He’s been doing that and now, two days later, I feel refreshed and encouraged by the restful nights we’ve had in such a comfortable setting! I can see now what a huge blessing it was to be closer to the city, and have incredible food provided each morning as a means of starting the day without having to look for food. We even grew close with our concierge, Asselli, a sincere and social guy in his 20s, who loves to travel and has spent in Britain and America. His English skills allowed us to overcome communication barriers. Asselli pointed out all the top spots for us to visit in Florence and kindly shared Italian customs and traditions with us, in hopes of increasing our understanding about why people do things in a certain way.

For instance, we learned that most Italians eat lunch at 12:30 p.m. or 1 p.m. each day. Dinner is at 7:30 p.m. or 8 p.m. Italians, he commented, are very rigid about when mealtimes take place. They refuse to eat or serve meals outside of those times, for the most part. Upon telling us this, he chuckled and pointed out that Italians are “very traditional.” But coffee, he said, can be enjoyed at any time. Asselli also educated us about how Italians don’t typically put ice in things. This topic came up when we asked where the ice machine was located. “Ice is bad for your stomach the Italians think,” he said.

We are learning so many things while abroad. Driving, in particular, is very different in Italy and Greece than what I’m familiar with. I’ve observed that locals drive much higher than the speed limit, don’t use their turn signals (or rarely use them, as if by accident), and prefer to drive in the middle of two lanes if they are unsure about which lane is moving faster. I’ve seen at least a dozen drivers do this in our two days of having our own car. It’s much like a circus when motorcycles and scooters are also involved. They can pass on either side and will do whatever it takes to get around slower-moving vehicles, even if it means putting themselves at risk.

But our experience with the food and culture here in Italy has been delightful, even with the near-death driving experiences and poor hospitality and service at our previous hotel. I’m thankful that our stories aren’t colored by only “good and seemingly perfect” situations. It’s in the trials, the discomfort and the disappointment where God is able to show us opportunities for growth, emotionally and spiritually. Ken and I are able to work through these things and grow stronger in our marriage. I truly feel blessed to be able to say that we are embracing the good, the bad, and the ugly, in hopes of finding real, meaningful life. Life that is sometimes tucked away and hidden in the darkness, forged by patience and forgiveness.

Well, it’s time to drive through Tuscany. The next couple days we are visiting the seaside town of Sorrento. I look forward to sharing more with you soon!

Europe: The First Few Days

“Grandma just passed us on her scooter,” Ken shared, as he glanced over his left shoulder for any other fast-paced Grecians wanting to cut ahead of our light yellow Ford rental car. This happened yesterday, as we were driving along Corfu’s main road to Paleokastritsa, a postcard-worthy, bright blue bay on the east side of the island. I laughed, and thought back to our time in Venice just last week, when Ken and I came across multiple seniors on road bikes and scooters, going incredibly fast. I swear one was a biker gang made up of sweet little ladies 85 years old and up, smiling and sharing stories as they turned the corner at a local restaurant. Experiences such as these have made our time in Europe so colorful.

We’ve been overseas for about five days now, and I already have enough stories to fill my stationary to friends. Our initial flight to Frankfurt from Seattle was delayed about an hour last Wednesday. Besides not being able to sleep much during the 11-hour flight, upon arriving in Germany, we struggled to find the correct bus to the Frankfort Hahn Airport, where our connecting flight to Venice departed. We soon found out that the bus ride was about an hour and a half away from our current airport (Frankfurt am Mein). During that transfer, we decided that in the future, we would take into consideration “ease of travel” instead of placing “cost” as our primary consideration. Our flight to Venice via Ryan Air was very bumpy. I felt like I was back in San Diego riding the Mission Valley Roller Coaster, in all its rickety, wooden splendor. There were multiple instances where I found myself grabbing Ken’s hand or arm, as the plane went up-and-down, side-to-side, catching every air pocket in the clouds. I almost kissed the ground when we landed—not just because I was excited to be in Europe but also since I was excited to be alive. (Ken is so good to remind me every time we fly that turbulence is completely normal and safe.)

It sure feels good to be on solid ground now, although that’s only half-true since we are currently taking a boat along the Mediterranean Sea. This is the first time I’ve ever sailed on a cruise and it’s honestly one of the most fun experiences I’ve ever had. There are multiple restaurants and food carts (all-inclusive) with all sorts of offerings—American favorites and international cuisine, along with buffet-style and four-course sit-down meals. Room service is also available 24-7. Food is obviously a selling point for the cruise industry. Besides the dining selections, there are two pools onboard, four hot tubs, two exercise rooms, a mini-golf course, a spa, a rock-climbing wall, ping pong tables, a quarter-mile track that encircles the top of the boat, a casino, a showroom, a bar, and an outdoor movie theatre. Ok, it’s crazy. That’s the best word to describe it. I’m still in awe of the amenities of this cruise ship. Ken and I happened to book this very cruise, in fact, because it ended up being comparable (or even cheaper) to our typical cost of food, accommodations, and travel costs while abroad for a week. We did it to save money in one sense. And the fact that it stops in countries along the Mediterranean—places we were already hoping to visit—made it perfect for us.

As I write this update on our travels, I can’t help but share how grateful I am for the Lord’s provision for us on this trip, even in the first week of traveling. One story in particular comes to mind. A couple days ago, our cruise ship docked in Croatia. For the past few weeks, I had been researching the Krka National Park, about an hour and a half’s drive outside of the port city of Split. Therein lies a series of breath-taking waterfalls carved naturally from the soft, local stone and formed by a unique biological process, which only happens in this location. It’s marvelous to see. All the reviews I read and photos I found online elevated my interest in going there and taking in the beauty myself.

And God provided a way for us to do this.

Once onboard our cruise ship, Ken and I had decided to brake down and buy the expensive tour tickets to Krka, after realizing that it’d be even pricier to try to get there ourselves. However, we soon found out that the tour had been canceled. The tour company decided to forfeit their business deal with our cruise deal, although nothing was wrong at the actual tour site. Disappointedly, I resolved myself to walking around the nearby towns in lieu of seeing the waterfalls. Especially because of the distance and energy it would take to get there. But when we got off the ship, we ran into some fellow tourists—a friendly family of five from Florida, who were also hoping to see Krka National Park. They kindly let us jump in their taxi car. Since there were 8 of us total, including the taxi driver, it was quite interesting getting everyone to fit! Let’s just say that three people went without seat belts and at one point, I sat in the cargo area of the taxi, comfortably placed between backpacks and day bags. It was an adventure! I hadn’t done anything like this since college. Looking back, our taxi driver was able to make the 90-minute drive in less than hour, thanks to his 150+ km/hr speeds. That’s almost 100 mi/hr. When I share this story with our children someday, I plan on deemphasizing the safety risks. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The falls were amazing and worth the trip.

I anticipate so many more wonderful experiences on this trip, if the first few days are an indicator of what’s to come. There are a couple other stories that I can’t wait to share in the coming days. 

Andiamo. That’s an Italian word I learned during our time in Venice. It means, “Let’s go!” 

It’s time for me to jump off the ship and tour Athens.