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david
and carol
Our Magnificent
Journey | Chapter 1 | Europe 1999 | London, Paris, Venice, Florence |
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Retrospective Reflections
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Our Magnificent Journey |
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Europe 1999 |
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It is obvious that our relatively young American
society, in spite of the great freedoms and benefits that we
do enjoy, is shallow, fast, dollar oriented, and greatly lacking
in many, many deeper cultural aspects. We don't seem, as do the
Europeans (at least the French and Italians,) to ever really
stop and enjoy the day, to "smell the roses." As in
Mexico, many Europeans take daily "siestas." This is
when they enjoy their big meal of the day and spend time with
the family. Shops close. You can feel the pace of a place wind
down for a few hours. Our American value systems, especially
our family value systems, seem to have greatly disintegrated,
while in Europe they are still alive and kicking. I am dismayed
with our architecture and art. We are truly the "McDonald's"
society. We realize that the comparison of our 225 year-old society
with the thousand year cultures of Europe is unfair. However,
the track we are on does not appear hopeful, and unfortunately,
many Europeans tend to follow our lead. We truly hope that the
cultures we have visited will hold on to their values and preserve
their great treasures. |
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We tasted Europe once again. Third time for
both of us, first time together, and this was the best experience
we have had thus far. We had a veritable smorgasbord of flavors,
scents, treats for all the senses. Each of the priceless, timeless
cities we visited has a unique and special "soul,"
and Carol and I felt touched by each soul as we experienced the
different facets of each of these four gems. Paris, Venice, Firenze
and London. The Great Cities of Europe. We are blessed to have
been able to experience such a journey, and we are already planning
our next one. We travel light, experience each place on its own
terms, we "go with the flow," and we watch and see
what unfolds before us. We accept the local customs and traditions
and do not impose our values or expectations. |
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Ours was a "perfect" journey. The
transportation had no terrible delays, the hotels were clean,
small, comfortable. The foods, wines and ales were culinary delights,
and we savored all of it. The art and architecture, timeless
and grand, staggered us. Each city had its own unique energy
and flavor, and we feasted on it. The spirituality of certain
places and buildings gave us reason to pause and reflect on life
itself. Special people touched us, and will stay in our hearts
forever. But above all else, the souls of the places, tangible,
palpable, real and alive, touched our own souls forever. We are
truly citizens of this great, wonderful and complex planet of
ours. It is a Garden of Eden, on its own Journey through space,
and until each of us realizes this, we will continue, as a race,
to destroy it. In each of the cities we visited, we felt its
awesome and staggering pricelessness and fragility, and feared
for its future. These are truly irreplaceable gems, and we pray
that they will be intact for our children's children. The destruction
or loss of any of these magnificent cities, by Man or by Nature,
must be considered intolerable. I cannot imagine a world without
the David, or Notre-Dame, or Big Ben or
the Grand Canal. Or thousands of other treasures. |
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God keep our heritage, our great cities, and
our planet intact and safe. Preserve our Garden. Keep it alive.
Carol and I are not finished strolling… |
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David and Carol Lehrman
Tucson, Arizona
June 1999 |
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copyright 1998 / david
and carol lehrman / all rights reserved |
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email david@davidandcarol.com |
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