Riding the Rails

 

By the time we left Italy, we were excited to hide out in the mountains of Slovenia and have some slow days hiking the local trails. It's a stunning country with kind people and a rich cultural heritage. It took us a few days to get the proper greetings down, but soon we were saying "Dober dan" like locals.

After a jaw-dropping train trip through Austria, we hit Munich on what turned out to be a serious party weekend. They do May Day properly in Bavaria. We'd never seen so many pairs of leather shorts, giant pretzels and litre steins of beer. Good times in a vibrant and historically complex city.

We kept heading north until we hit Amsterdam, city of canals and bikes and beautiful parks. Our old friend Craig Smith put us up in his neighbour's apartment for a whirlwind hang. Ever the generous host, he took us to some of his favourite local haunts and even rented an electric boat to show us the city from a fresh perspective.

As you'll see in the pictures, the girls are becoming seasoned travellers now. Even though our bags seem to get heavier with every stop, we're still excited to see what's around each corner. We hope you enjoy this instalment.

Happy Spring from the Shaws!  

1. Lake Bled

"For years Lake Bled has only been a magical picture of a place that seemed too hard to get to. When Ryan said he wanted to go to Trieste, I countered with "We should also go to Bled, Slovenia!" The days we spent here were just as magical as I was expecting. Walking the 6 km route around the lake, hiking up to vantage points like this and also just taking some slow, down days - I'm glad our route took us here." - Genny

2. Polar Bear Half Dip

"We walked around this lake and we couldn't believe how clear the water was. In this picture, Rosalie and I are testing the temperature. It was freeeeezing cold." - Hazel

3. Slovenian Sun

"At this particular happy hour location, the girls found a trampoline and had a ball. Genny and I sipped a Laško to celebrate the end of our 12 km hike. Slovenians are proud of their alpine heritage - and their beer." - Ryan

4. Lovely Ljublana

"We took a day trip from our place in Bled to see Slovenia's capital. It's a vibrant and warm little city on a winding river. This is a statue of Gustav Mahler, the composer. Though he's German, he must have had an impact on Ljublana. So many whisps of history pass us by every day, it's hard to keep track." - Ryan

5. Row, Row, Row Your Boat

"On Lake Bled, we rowed to the island in the middle of the lake. There's a neat little church there. We raced up 99 stairs - it was fun!" - Rosalie

6. Under the Waterfall

"If you look close, you'll see us standing here. It was so cool to see the back of a waterfall. This was the highlight of our hike." - Hazel

7. Bled Castle

"Sometimes you find yourself on a cliffside castle! We never know what type of experience we will have… sometimes a little dull, sometimes a huge win… but time after time these two have shown us their patience and curiosity." - Genny

8. The Julian Alps

"This gem of a national park in the northwest corner of Slovenia is full of great hikes. We only scratched the surface. In our 8 days there, only 2 were rainy, so we got up in the mountains often. The fresh air and stunning views were our reward." - Ryan

9. Munich, Germany

"I learned a lot about World War II history in Munich. The building with the orange turret was rebuilt after it was destroyed. I enjoyed Munich a lot." - Hazel

10. Bavarian Beast

"This is the classic Munich outfit. Leather shorts, funny moustaches and huge beers. In case you're wondering, this is not my Dad." - Rosalie

11. River Surfing

"Munich is where river surfing became a 'thing.' It was fun watching the surfers line up on each side, dropping in as soon as someone bailed. I was tempted to gear up and drop in, but the mechanics are so different from ocean surfing. The local show was enough to scratch the itch." - Ryan

12. Dachau

"This was my secret reason for putting Munich on the itinerary. Genny and I discussed bringing the girls to the Dachau Concentration Camp and Memorial Site, and in the end we made the trip. After our sombre tour, we talked a lot about war and why places like Dachau are reminders to never forget what happened. The girls had both recently finished The Diary of Anne Frank, so they had lots of questions." - Ryan

13. Great Train Stations

"Europe does train stations right! I loved this mural in Heidelberg - street art, Renaissance dude, friendly German eagle. Beauty mash up. " - Ryan

14. Heidelberg, Germany 

"Heidelberg was an unexpected surprise for us. We rented an electric scooter, strolled the Philosophers' Way, toured one of the largest castle ruins, rode an old funicular, and toured the Heidelberg Zoo." - Genny

15. City of Bikes

"I loved Amsterdam. There were soooooo many bikes everywhere. It was cool to see just how many people bike instead of drive cars." - Rosalie

16. Cap'n Craig

"Our old friend Craig Smith lives in Amsterdam, so he laid out the red carpet for us. This is an electric boat he rented to tour us around the canals. We had an amazing visit because of Craig's generosity. Thanks so much Smithers!" - Ryan

17. Barley and Me

"Craig's dog Barley is so cute! He's very playful and fun to walk. This is us in Vondelpark. Barley loves the off-leash part." - Hazel

18. Canal Houses

"Amsterdam is an architectural wonder. Notice the intricate brick work, the unique housing tops, and of course the boats right out your front door. " - Genny

19. Van Gogh Museum

"This is my favourite Van Gogh painting. I really liked listening to the audio tour and doing the scavenger hunt. I definitely recommend going here." - Rosalie

20. Keukenhof Gardens

"Admittedly this is only one of about 100 photos I took at Keukenhof Gardens. Everywhere I looked there was beauty and vibrancy and unique gardens. It was amazing to see." - Genny

21. Trains for the Win

"This is us, riding the rails. On the train we usually read, write journals and eat!" - Genny

22. Spring Fever

"Traveling through Europe in spring has always been a dream of ours. Every day we come across a new flower in bloom. We're so lucky and thankful to be here now. Big love to everyone back in Canada - looks like spring has sprung there too. We miss you!" - Ryan