TRAVEL TALES

Young Chang

Sheri and Bob Friedenberg prefer backpacks to wheeled suitcases

because when they’re trekking through Europe’s trains and subway

stations, the wheels don’t fare well on all the stairs.

So with only a bag strapped on each of their backs and a Eurorail pass

that lasted almost a month, the Corona del Mar couple spent most of

October in France, Switzerland, Austria and Italy.

They had backpacked through parts of northern Europe before and knew,

this time around, that carrying six changes of underwear, six pairs of

socks, two shirts and a pair of pants each would be most practical for

their southern sojourn.

The couple flew into Paris. During their trip, the Friedenbergs spent

six hours on a train with a priest who made jokes in English.

‘We had reserved three seats,” said Sheri Friedenberg, 66. “We were

concerned the other people would take our seats, and the priest said ‘you

don’t have to worry. Nobody wants to sit next to a priest.”’

Other characters along the trip weren’t so funny.

During their travel through France, the couple came across a pair of

suspicious-looking men who seemed to be following them once everyone got

off the train. It was midnight and Sheri Friedenberg remembers feeling

nervous.

But all ended well, as the two men disappeared into an underground

pass beneath the train tracks and the Friedenbergs promptly checked into

the first hotel they found.

The travelers also decided to meet with American friends who were

visiting Venice, Italy.

Bob Friedenberg said visiting the beaches in Normandy was his biggest

“thrill.” He was in first grade during World War II, but still remembers

news of American troops landing in Normandy, the attack on Pearl Harbor

and other details about the war

“And then to visit the cemeteries, which are nearby is really quite an

experience, so I can’t think of anything that’s more important to an

American who grew up during the war years as I did,” he said.

Friedenberg, who is also 66 and retired from working in the oil

business, said he also enjoyed the lakes cradling the town of Interlaken

in Switzerland. At the southern end of one lake stood Jung Frau, an

immense mountain laced with railroads and an ice castle at the top.

“And halfway down, you can stop in a ski area,” he said. “The train

ride up to the Jung Frau is really, in itself, it’s like a special thing.

It’s one of the most beautiful things that you can do in Switzerland.”

* Have you, or someone you know, gone on an interesting vacation

recently? Tell us your adventures. Drop us a line to Travel Tales, 330 W.

Bay St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627; e-mail young.chang@latimes.com; or fax to

(949) 646-4170.