Hello Blogging Family, Ivan here! It’s been a while since my last post. This blog will be a bit different than usual, as I will recap our recent trip to Central Europe. Each year my school’s arts department travels internationally so that our students can experience each country’s art, history, and culture firsthand. This is probably one of my favorite parts of my job.

We flew from San Francisco to Frankfurt and then to Munich, before taking a bus to Salzburg, which is Mozart’s birthplace. We actually got to visit a museum which used to be the house where he was raised. It’s hard to describe how I felt standing in the room where Mozart was born. God blessed this one little baby with so much creativity that has blessed millions of people. Salzburg is also where much of The Sound of Music was filmed, so it was fun to retrace the film’s steps. We had dinner outdoors on a patio at Hohensalzburg Fortress, and the view of the city was simply stunning. This was followed by a chamber music concert, a delightful way to close the evening.

The following day we drove to Vienna, stopping at Melk Abbey on the way. Seeing the beauty of the cathedrals was definitely awe-inspiring. God is so amazing that even the most beautiful works of human art and ingenuity cannot compare to His perfect beauty and majesty; and yet He also draws near to us and loves us so personally. He is both transcendent and intimate–how amazing this is!

Next, Vienna: what to say! So much history, music, and art. The word that comes to mind is imperial, and this was reflected in the city’s architecture. The scale and grandeur of the buildings, statues, and courtyards were remarkable. We visited the Opera House, Historical Art Museum, and the Museum of Military History, and even got to attend the Vienna Philharmonic’s outdoor concert at Schönnbrun Palace.

From Vienna we drove to Budapest, stopping at Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, on the way. Our tour guide pointed out that we hit three capitals in one day! So different from life in the US. In Budapest we did a Danube river cruise and walked through Castle Hill. I also got to visit the Franz Liszt museum, which used to be an apartment where he lived. As a pianist, I’ve tended to fall on the Chopin side of the Chopin-Liszt debate, but being in Hungary definitely gave me a deeper understanding and appreciation for Liszt’s music. At dinner our last night in Budapest, we heard a local Hungarian band play, consisting of two violins, a clarinet, upright bass, and cimbalom. Grace told me that classical violinists play a lot of pieces influenced by Hungarian music, and I really enjoyed the unique way the lead violinist played.

For the final leg of our journey we made our way from Budapest to Prague, stopping along the way at Brno, the second largest city in Czechia. Fun fact: our wonderful tour guide informed us that Brno has the second largest catacombs in Europe, after Paris.

I had been forewarned that Prague was a beautiful city, like something out of a fairy tale. But instead of reality being overshadowed by expectations, I discovered that I’d underestimated this city. The winding, multicolored cobblestone streets; the sloping roofs of the medieval buildings; the stunning views from the hill and the bridges; all were spectacular. Our guide took our group to the Old Town Square at sunset, and the blend of the colors in the sky and the city lights turning on was magical.

We visited Prague Castle, which was–you guessed it–beautiful. The stained glass windows at St. Vitus Cathedral were incredible, and I also stepped inside the little house where Franz Kafka wrote “A Country Doctor”. We had the last dinner of the trip at Obecni Dum,a beautiful restaurant decorated in 1920’s style. The next morning we flew from Prague to Zurich (a short one-hour flight) and from there to San Francisco (11.5 hours). Like a dream, our trip was over.

I love to travel, and am so grateful that God allowed me and Grace to go on this trip. But even more than the amazing sights and activities we experienced, I’m most grateful to God that Grace was able to go with me.

There was a time when I wasn’t even sure if Grace would even be able to walk again, much less travel internationally. Looking back, I can see how God has granted us blessing after blessing, such as miraculously healing Grace of her seizures, which has allowed us to reach this point on our lives. Grace still battles ongoing symptoms such as fatigue, and it is only by God’s grace that we were able to go on this trip together. May we always remember to thank the Giver of all the good gifts we enjoy in this life, even as we look ahead to the endless joy of being with Him forever one day. To God be the glory!