Had I not been on a mission to visit every country in Europe I surely would have bypassed the tiny Principality of Liechtenstein. But I needed it to complete my list, so I decided to ride the Bernina Express train up and over the Alps to Chur, Switzerland. On the map, just a few miles … Read more
“I think I can, I think I can!” The mantra made famous by the children’s book, The Little Engine That Could, ran through my mind as the Bernina Express train climbed toward the Swiss Alps. I had chosen to make this particular journey from Tirano, Italy to Chur, Switzerland, because it is the only train … Read more
It’s official. I’ve visited the two smallest countries in the world: Vatican City, and now the Principality of Monaco. The difference between the two, aside from the fact that the first is a City-State and the latter a Principality, is that I was excited to go to Vatican City. Monaco? Well, it was more that … Read more
Visiting Andorra had eluded me during my previous European travels. Tucked into the Pyrenees Mountains on the border between France and Spain, this tiny country has no airport and no international train service. Other than driving, the only way to get to Andorra is by bus from Barcelona and Girona in Spain, or Toulouse, France. … Read more
Mention the Pope and people immediately think of Rome. Or perhaps of Vatican City. But the Popes of Avignon, France? For me, at least, it was a surprise to learn that this city in Provence, France, was the seat of the Papacy for more than 70 years during the 14th century. As with most political … Read more
