In the spring of 1969 my parents took a trip to Europe leaving us kids at home. They were so taken with it that the next year they rented out our house, packed up the family and took off for a year in England. We spent the first three months camping around Europe in a Volkswagon van and then settled into a rental house in Liphook, England. I’m not sure how they swung it, but I do know that my Dad had to go home a few months before us to start earning money. The four of us came back by ship and when we landed in NYC my mother had $10 in her pocket. She didn’t even have enough to pay the guy on the dock who unloaded not only our suitcases but his New York attitude when he realized he wouldn’t be getting a tip.
Ruthie in Amsterdam – 1969
Mostar, Yugoslavia (now Bosnia)
Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia (now Croatia)
Ruthie in Murano, Italy
The whole family camping our way through Europe
1970 camping with two teenagers and an 11 year old. Driving in the van we played a lot of I Spy and Hangman.
Brandenburg Gate
I had to include one of the infamous train track pics – check out our expressions – priceless!
Camping – the boys in one tent, my parents in the other and me in the van.
Grindelwald, Switzerland
Grindelwald, Switzerland
Jungfraujoch, Switzerland
Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria
Florence, Italy
Pisa, Italy
House in Liphook, England
Me in Trafalgar Square, London
Stonehenge, England
Stonehenge, England
Dad touched on our trip in his letter – here’s what he had to say:
John – “In looking back on the year in England I now realize the amount of work entailed for your Mother. At the time it never occurred to me.”
