Brussels, Belgium is the headquarters of NATO. Belgium has been called “The Battlefield of Europe. For centuries, European powers have fought for control of the land with its prosperous port, Zeebrugge. Many of the battles of WWI and WWII were fought there. Belgium is known for its diamond industry. Luxembourg has had close political and cultural ties with Belgium throughout history. It is small and prosperous, but has seen its share of war. George Patton is buried there. In Switzerland, we will see spectacular scenery in the towns and mountains, unique castles, a memorial to Swiss guards that guard the Vatican, ride a cable car up Mount Pilatus, and see the Lindt chocolate factory.

Wednesday September 17

$15

Portugal seems suspended between the modern busy world and the sturdiness of the Middle Ages. We may not have heard of Afonso, the first king of Portugal who was crowned in 1139 and fought against the Moors, but most have heard of Prince Henry the Navigator and Vasco da Gama. We will see the old town of Sintra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with narrow streets and red roofed buildings, and a bullfight where the bull gets to live. Portugal’s long, rocky coastline is home to fishermen and sailors. We will visit Fatima, the location of the Apparition of Mary to three children in 1917. Portugal is famous for wine bottle corks, but have you seen purses and hats made from cork? The rocky Cape of St. Vincent is the most western point of continental Europe

October 8 2025

$15

From the Dead Sea, which is the lowest depression on earth to the Garden of Gethsemane, Israel is steeped in places to visit. We will follow “In the Footsteps of Jesus” as we explore Jerusalem. Two thousand years ago, Roman soldiers would be everywhere. Today modern Israeli soldiers, both men and women, are everywhere. We will see modern irrigation and commercial date palms growing in the Jordan River Valley. We will visit the Sea of Galilee and Capernaum. At Nazareth, is Mary’s Well. We will go through a check point into Bethlehem and see the location where Jesus was born. The Catholic Church, the Greek Orthodox Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church share the area. We will see the parched area where the Dead Sea scrolls were found.

 November 17 2025

$15