Where in the world is...

Merely ten hours later, I was yet again at the Brussels International Airport. Rather than returning from Berlin, this time I had arrived to welcome my mom to Europe. Immediately, I began playing tour guide, showing off the highlights of the city - from the Parc du Cinquantenaire and the Grand Place to the European Parliament and Avenue Louise. Oddly enough, my mom's jetlag seemed to affect me as well. Over the past few years, my immune system tends to leave on holiday whenever my mom visits. This trip was no exception. Due to my unexpected illness, we slept for only two hours. To top it off, our scheduled 3AM cab did not show! I've never been stood up before, so I'll add this to my list of European firsts. Regardless, we made our flight and arrived to Europe's home of fashion - Milan, Italy.

Surrounded by art galleries and ancient churches, Mom and I spent most of the day in awe. After countless reviews of our map, finding the Duomo Cathedral felt like an enormous accomplishment. The cathedral took nearly 430 years to complete and now stands as the world's third largest church. The cathedral's massive exterior upholds its nickname, "Milan's forest," as it is nearly hidden in the center of the city. Adjacent to the Duomo is the Palazzo Reale, Milan's Neo-Classical Royal Palace built in the 18th century, and the Galleria Vittorio Emmanuelle II, former 19th century high-class shopping arcade and now home to designer threads and upscale restaurants. The Galleria further connects La Scala, the world's greatest opera house built in the 1770s by the Austrians. Following our history lesson through Milan's city center, we quickly took to the immense shopping meccas. As we were leaving the city, we visited the Palazzo Dugnani, 17th century palazzo and former home to the Dugnani family in the Giardini Pubblici, and the Pirelli Tower, a modern skyscraper with the highest vantage point in the city. Our final tourist stop was the Castello Sforzesco. Originating in 1451, it stands as a complex of fortresses, castles, and towers to protect Milan. The Castillo is massive and known as the "sun-baked" bastion. Today, it holds art and sculpture collections from as early as the middles ages to the 18th century. Before our departure, we ate like Italians - pizza and gelato! :)

Two hours and two trains later, Mom and I arrived to the Swiss Alps of Bern, Switzerland. Our hotel, the Golden Schlüssel (aka Golden Key) is the oldest in the city since the building is 500 years old, but it is totally modernized on the inside filled with flat screens and bubble chairs. Even in the rooms, guests must use their key cards to turn on the electricity! On Thursday, we began exploring the capital. For once, I had no trouble navigating through the charming streets. We began at the clock tower, the city's first gate, where we learned that the city was named after the first animal that the Duke caught, a bear. We continued past the theatre and casino, before stopping at the Swiss Parliament and Bern Town Hall. Following our stroll through the main part of the city, my mom and I took a tour of Albert Einstein's 2nd floor apartment. He lived here from 1903-1905, when he taught physics at the University of Bern. At the museum, we learned about the young Einstein's family life and career goals before hearing about his famous days. I was most surprised by Einstein's mobility during the 1920s and 1930s. The renowned scientist lived and worked in places such as Bern, Berlin, Prague, Zurich, Serbia, Pasadena, and Princeton. Further, he visited and spent extended time throughout England, Israel, South America, Japan, etc. Where didn't he go? Of course, he wrote: "It was a really beautiful time in Bern." And I could not agree more. Feeling a bit wiser after being in Einstein's apartment, Mom and I moved on to the highlight of the day and my personal favorite, the bear bit. The heraldic animal of Bern has been released into a spacious habitat along the Aare River, where the bear couple can climb, fish, play, and retreat. Bjork, the nine year old female from Denmark, is a reserved and independent character, yet a cougar with her young companion. On the other side, Finn, the three year old male from Finland, is adventuresome and playful - which we saw firsthand. During an hour of spectating (yes, I was truly intrigued and spent over an hour watching my new furry friend, while my mom felt as if I were a toddler again), Finn climbed the hill, ate an apple, dug a burrow, teased Bjork, hunted, swam in his private lap pool, and strutted for his audience. I nearly thought Finn was some actor in a grizzly costume! I finally broke my gaze from Finn when his show ended and he retreated to his indoor palace, but do not fear, I took nearly 100 photos! So, mom and I continued though the town's arcades, known as the largest covered shopping promenade in Europe. With romantic, medieval streets, enormous stone bridges, flower bedecked houses, a natural river landscape, and a largely unchanged medieval townscape, Bern is included on UNESCO's world heritage list. Up to this point, it is my favorite city in Europe and I feel compelled to return. Plus, it's just icing on the cake that a few of my ancestors once lived here.

Mom and I moved on to Monte Carlo on Saturday. Known as the famous, rich Riviera city, most of us have heard of it as a popular celebrity destination for it luxury hotel and casino. To discover Monaco's 700 year history, we boarded "the little red engine" to guide us through the City of Princes. Starting at the Oceanographic Museum along the coast, our little train took us to the Place d'Armes, past Port Hercule with hundreds of mega yachts, drove down the course for the Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit, stopped at the Monte Carlo hotel and Place du Casino, passed the Old Town and markets, watched the changing of the guards at the Princely Palace, and finally ended at the Cathedral, which holds royal weddings and ceremonies. Following our tour, Mom and I took on foot through the gardens. We made our way to the Place du Casino, where I spent two Euros to be able to say I've pulled the handle on a slot machine in the famous Monte Carlo casino!

For another take on the Riviera, Mom and I admired the flower markets and cafés of Nice, France. Never have we seen so many people strolling in the rain! Our first stop - the beach. Even with the poor weather, Mom and I were pleasantly surprised by the clear, crystal water. From the ocean's color, we would have thought it were a sunny, summer day. Immediately adjacent to the boardwalk is the city's Opera House and Palais de Justice.

Unlike my previous fall breaks during my Furman career, this one takes the cake with five countries and a visit from my beloved Mama Baker!