Ice, ice, baby! During our stop in Iceland, we had the pleasure of meeting up with our grandparents (Andrea’s parents) in Reykjavík for dinner, ice cream, and a walk. It was wonderful to see family in such an unexpected place. Our grandparents were doing a week or so long tour of the country, and our first days there overlapped. We had delicious seafood and exciting conversation. Until next time, Abigail

From Athan: Iceland was by far the most scenic place we have been on this trip. Everything was beautiful and amazing. On our first day, we went on a scenic drive which had many great views of volcanoes, waterfalls, and glaciers. On the second day, we went to a small island called Heimey Island, part of the Westman Islands, just of the shore of the mainland. We hiked up a mountain and the view was unbelievable. When we got up there, we were greeted by sheep and puffins. Both were very friendly. We then explored the island and found a beach with volcanic sand, neighboring islands, and a puffin nesting area with thousands of puffins flying, swimming, and eating.

We also met some Icelandic horses that were in a large field next to our Airbnb. They were extremely friendly. We were able to pet them and they loved it. Every time we went to their pen, they would come up to us. They had long hair on their head that kind of formed bangs. They stand out from all horses in America. Iceland is a place like no other. It’s beautiful everywhere and even though the weather was cold and rainy, I loved it.

Super morning for a final run in Stockholm. Sheep! Sculptures! Sun! Steeples! 🏃🏽‍♂️ 🇸🇪 🐑

From Athan: Hello! Today we went to the art museum, Fotografsika. There were three different exhibits but my favorite was by Frank Ockenfels. There were a lot of amazing photographs that were altered in different ways like size colors and texture. I liked it a lot and was one of my favorite contemporary art museums so far.

From Abigail: Photobooth at the Fotografiska museum! We had a wonderful time exploring the exhibits from different artists. Plenty of famous Americans were featured in portraits.

From Aaron: Behold, the Bubble Waffle (with gelato). Last night in Stockholm! Wonderful evening with family, including my cousin Klara and her boyfriend Andreas. Tomorrow: Iceland. 🇸🇪 ✈️ 🇮🇸

From Aaron: last Sunday, a visit to worship at the Church of St. Peter and St. Sigfrid (Church of England, Diocese of Europe), the old Anglican Church in Stockholm. And the first place I ever received Holy Communion. ⛪️

From Aaron: Background: my dad used to be a U.S. diplomat, which is why we lived in Sweden in the early 80s. So I stopped by the American Embassy in Stockholm to remember a very important personal milestone: it’s where I first watched Star Wars (Ep. VI).

Today we went to Mojang studios. Mojang studios is the company that created the video game, Minecraft. Minecraft is a video game that is made up of blocks and is full of adventure. It is the most sold video game of all time and is played all over the world. August, Abigail and I all play this game and it is easily our favorite video game. This morning we rented electric scooters and rode down to Mojang. We weren’t able to go inside because of COVID but we were able to look in the windows and it looked like a very fun and enjoyable place to work. It was a small place but very fun visit.

From August - The Vasa was super cool. It was a ship that was 400 years old and it didn’t even get off the harbor. The story is that the king of Sweden wanted this big grand ship but the building advisors said it was too narrow and too tall and too heavy but the king insisted. So they made it how the king wanted it to be made. And a few minutes after leaving the dock a light wind blew it over. I thought it was funny because he got what he asked for but he was warned not to and it didn’t work out. It was cool being in the same room with something so big and so old. Thank you for reading today.

Gimme gimme gimme! On Wednesday, our family went to the Abba Museum, which was a sight to behold. The museum is small, but full of a plethora of memorabilia, interactive exhibits, and information. There is even a whole floor dedicated to the Mamma Mia! movies! On that floor, the museum had Donna’s (Meryl Streep) famous overalls outfit, Sophie’s wedding dress, the original diary that they used in the movie, and even storyboards from the early stages of the film. As a die-hard Abba and Mamma Mia! fan, I couldn’t believe my eyes. On the main floor of the museum, they had rooms and rooms dedicated to Abba and its history, from how they started on Eurovision, all the way to the present day, with the work each member has done post-Abba. I was able to learn the history of each member, and immerse myself in each member’s first-hand accounts of their experience in the band. The museum had so many iconic outfits, including many that can only be described as “funky.” Overall, my experience at the Abba Museum was one I will not soon forget. I especially appreciated being able to visit while I was 17, and a true dancing queen. Until next time! -Abigail

From Aaron: we’re in Stockholm now, but wanted to share a fun pic from a few days ago in Kalmar, Sweden, enjoying some ice cream. 🇸🇪 🧳 🍦

Beautiful first run in Stockholm. I lived here from age 3 to 6. Found our old apartment: Strandvagen 61. And a sculpture I remember from the park across the street. 🇸🇪 🏃🏽‍♂️ 🧳

From August: This post is going to contain our 2 full days in Copenhagen, Denmark, and our 1 full day in Kalmar, Sweden.

Day 1 of Copenhagen, Denmark: The first thing we did was go to a delicious bakery (St. Peter’s) that specialized in cinnamon rolls. Then we went to the Lego store which was really cool because they had so many Lego sets I have never seen: Hans Christian Andersen stories made into Legos, and “Friends” (the TV show) Legos. The interior of the store was really cool because they had Lego statues around, there was a real Lego dragon that was life size that went around the entrance of the store. They also had a big Millennium Falcon (Star Wars) that was bigger then double the size of my head, and the coolest thing they had was a life-size model of C-3PO and R2-D2 (Star Wars) made of Legos.

After the morning we went to the National Danish Museum which consisted of mostly Viking artifacts and exhibits. It was really cool to see ancient rune stones from Viking times. We also saw the body of a girl that was 3,000 years old and the way her body was preserved was because she died by falling in ice and her body was kept cold and preserved from the ice. The museum also had old treasure, boats, swords, and other things from the Viking age. I learned that Vikings tried to reach Rome but were never successful. 

Then we went on a bike tour around Copenhagen and we got to see the Little Mermaid (not from Disney) Statue, the Rosenborg Castle and gardens, and the rest of the historical district. 

After that we sat at the harbor and relaxed. While doing so we decided to try some of Abigail’s candy that she had gotten at the museum gift shop. It was a black licorice tube with this stuff called Salmiakki stuffed inside and, well, let’s just say it was not a very yummy candy. It is a Finnish licorice candy that consists of ammonium chloride and it tastes like if a wet dog and a salty sweaty fish were combined. I encourage you to try this or at least look up a video on YouTube of Americans trying this foul candy and if you try this candy, I also encourage you to record your live reaction.

Then we ate dinner at a traditional Danish restaurant. And after that we went to bed.

Second full day in Copenhagen: First we went back to the Rosenborg castle to see it on the inside. It was a fairly big castle and the coolest part of this castle was a prank chair. This chair was requested by Christian IV, the King of Denmark (This was still during the 1600s), and when you sat in this chair it would lock you in and spray water to make it look like you peed your pants and then when you got up out of the chair it would make a farting noise. The second coolest thing in the castle were the Crown Jewels. The Crown Jewels were really cool because they were made of gold, diamonds, rubies, emeralds so many cool things. 

Then we took a guided tour through the free commune of Christiania, I am not going to go over the history because it is a lot of history but if you want to know the fascinating story of Christiania you can research it. The commune was super cool because it was a big area of land with little villages and shops and things like that. The next day we took a 4-hr train ride north to Kalmar, Sweden. 

The only full day in Kalmar, Sweden: First we had breakfast at the hostel (which I spelled right, search it up if you don’t know what it is). The breakfast was a traditional Swedish breakfast. 

Then we went to the famous Kalmar castle, and this castle was really cool because you could touch the cannons on the ramparts, so we took some pictures of that and then went in the castle and my favorite part was the dungeon because I have never ever seen a dungeon in my entire life. There was a really cool modern photo exhibit on the second floor and it was all photoshopped pictures by surrealist [Erik Johansson](www.erikjo.com) and I really liked the pictures because they were super creative and cool. 

After the castle we walked to a really sandy and windy beach and walked on the pier. 

Then we ate at a Swedish McDonalds and they had this really cool sauce for your fries made from truffles and it was really yummy so the next time you go to any McDonalds I encourage you to ask or check for truffle sauce. 

Then we walked around the city for a bit and then looked in a cathedral and after that we had some ice cream.

Thank you all for tuning in for today’s edition of the Zimmerman Sabbatical Blog.

From Abigail: Alpine Adventures! After two days in Chamonix, nestled among the Alps, we are done with the France leg of our trip and are headed to Scandinavia! Yesterday, for our first full day in Chamonix, we went to the peak of a mountain and witnessed a spectacular view. We could see Italy and Switzerland with just the swivel of a head. Then, we went on a 5 mile hike up a mountain, to a waterfall, and then back down. I did not particularly enjoy the uphill portion, but the waterfall and seeing the alpine scenery made it worth it. We ended the day with a delicious dinner at a traditional French restaurant. Today, we took a train to Mer de Glacé, a glacier in the mountains. We walked through an ice cave carved into the glacier, which was an unforgettable experience. After riding back down to the valley, Aaron, Athan, August, and I luged in an amusement park. I am not one for adrenaline-inducing activities, heights, or twists and turns at high speed, so this was quite out of my comfort zone. However, I didn’t want to have regrets, so I did it, and it was exhilarating. Athan sat behind me and manned the steering, so all I had to do was scream and smile. After lugeing, we explored the town and did some shopping. I bought an obscene amount of chocolate. Au revoir!

From Aaron: Friday, our Run the Alps group finished the Tour de Mont Blanc. 7 days, 3 countries, 120 mi, 30,000 ft of climbing. Loss for words. So here are pics from the last day. Last one is me enjoying an IPA after finishing on the steps of St. Michel in Chamonix. 🏃🏽‍♂️ 🇫🇷 🇨🇭 🇮🇹 🧳

From Aaron: More pics. The gnomes. And the snow just after crossing from Italy to Switzerland. And one of our sunnier moments in Italy.

From Aaron: over the last 4 days, my Run The Alps group has run from France, to Italy, and now Switzerland. Stunning views, misty forests, caves, and gnomes. More pics later, but here I am in Switzerland with a plant called “Aaron’s Rod.”

From August: This entry is going to talk about yesterday and today. Yesterday was a super fun and cool day. First we swam at the nearby lake and the water was super cold. At the lake we ate lunch and started heading to the paragliding site where Athan, Andrea, and I(August) would be paragliding from. It took us a while to find the van that would take us up to the mountain but we eventually found it. Then we started driving up the mountain to paraglide from. Once we arrived we started putting on our paragliding backpack and harness. Then we attached onto each of our guides and then it was time to jump off a cliff, so I was the first one to go so my guide caught a wind with the chute and I started running and before I knew it our feet were not touching the ground. And I would like to mention that upon arrival on the mountain we lifted off within 5 mins. The flight was amazing because we flew above the mountain and could see all of Annecy. I cannot get over how amazing the view was from up there. Then we started heading down to the landing site so we started going faster which made me a little nauseous. The landing was pretty simple I just had to start walking as soon as my feet touched the ground. We bought the GoPro footage and got some Cokes to settle our stomachs. And Athan talked about how his guide offered to do stunts, and Athan said yes. So at several points he was upside down. Next we took a ferry back to the town and had dinner then went back to where we were staying and went to sleep.

Day 2 - Today we got up early to rent bikes to go on a 44 kilometer bike ride. We could see the mountains to the left and right of us. I was very surprised by the amount of people biking. As soon as we finished the bike ride it started raining so I would say we timed it perfectly. We walked to a super interesting French burger restaurant, the burgers were the best burgers I’ve ever had, and it was almost like it couldn’t be called a burger because it was so good. After that we went to the apartment and rested because we were very tired after that bike ride. Bye!

From Aaron: Day 3 of TMB. Epic run thru forest snow rain & mud. Challenging & exhilarating. 12mi & 4000ft of climbing from Les Contamines to Les Chappieux, Fr. Spent the night in Arêches (Tour De France had just passed). Duck for dinner. Today: run to Coumayeur, Italy! 🏃🏽‍♂️ 🏔 ❄️ 🐄 🇫🇷 🇮🇹

From Aaron: Day 2 of Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB). 17.5 mi, climbing 5,109 ft. (my PR by far for most climbing in 1 day). Steep grassy climbs, mud, cows, bridge over waterfall. Passed lotsa runners doing a 110km race. Tonight, shrimp risotto in Les Contamines, FR. 🏃🏽‍♂️ 🏔 🇫🇷 🧳

From Aaron: today my group with Run the Alps did our first leg of the famed Tour du Mont Blanc, a 100-mi trail around Europe’s highest peak. Ran 12.5 mi climbing 3,782 ft. Saw more jaw-dropping views. Drank from mountain streams. Greeted an Ibex. He was chill. 🏃🏽‍♂️ 🏔 🇫🇷 🧳

From Abigail: Well, it’s been one fun week in Tuscany! Andrea and kids have been staying in a wonderful AirBNB in the heart of Tuscany, situated between vineyards and a forest that are perfect to explore. Over the last few days, we have visited Lucca, a medieval walled city, Pisa, the Mediterranean Sea, and Siena. Every place has led to discovery and enchantment. Today, in Siena, we came across a Salvadore Dalí exhibition, and were made privy to a wide array of the artist’s sculptures, optical illusions, and drawings. The stop was a spontaneous surprise, but absolutely worth it. Overall, this week spent among the hills has been refreshing, relaxing, and rewarding. We couldn’t have asked for a better break :)

From Aaron: Pic at the highest point of yesterday’s run in the Alps (10 mi/4600 ft. climb). Yes, that’s a glacier (Mer de Glace) behind me. Yes, that’s pain and accomplishment on my face. 🏃🏽‍♂️ 🏔 🇫🇷

From Aaron: arrived in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc Sunday. Amazing views everywhere. Ran to Chalet Floria yesterday. Sunny & warm. Today, cool and rainy. Ran up to Refuge Plan de l’Aiguille. Grabbing lunch then heading downhill.

From Aaron: bonus last-day-in-Florence pics: Michaelangelo’s tomb for Lorenzo “Il Magnifico” de Medici, Galileo’s fingers (!), & a pig slow roasted for 8 hours that turned into amazing porchetta sandwiches (a must-eat when in Florence). 🇮🇹 🧳

From Athan: Hello! On our last day in Florence, we toured three museums. First, we toured part of the San Lorenzo Basilica, specifically the Medici Chapels where many of the Medici family members were buried (some in a space that Michaelangelo designed, and that also included some of his statues) . Then we went to a modern American art exhibit at the Palazzo Strozzi, and finally, we went to the Galileo museum. These three museums were very different but all very cool. They were all from different time periods which was interesting and it was fun to compare them. Later, Abigail and I went by ourselves to walk around the city and stop in small gift stores. After that, we all headed down to the oldest (and best) gelato place in Florence called Vivoli. Overall, today was a very fun day in Florence.

From August: Today was our first full day in Florence, Italy, and it was an awesome day. The first thing we did was go to the Accademia museum and we saw Michaelangelo’s David which was absolutely ginormous.

The second thing we did today was go to the Uffizi museum which had so many historic, amazing, famous, and mind-boggling paintings and sculptures. We saw Caravaggio’s famous Bacchus painting that is on the label of the bottles from our grandpa Zimmerman’s [(Junius Lindsay Vineyard)](http://www.juniuslindsay.com/), and we also saw many other cool paintings.

From Aaron: Arrived in Florence today via train from Venice. Longer post tomorrow, but real quick: AMAZING dinner at Trattoria de’ Guicciardini followed by a trip to the grocery store—just in time to catch sunset on the Ponte Vecchio on the way back to the Airbnb! 🇮🇹 🧳 🚆

From Abigail: Today we toured a glass-making studio (Studio Berengo) and gallery in the island of Murano in the Venice Lagoon, which was a highlight for everyone. The pieces were beautifully intricate, and watching the process of their creation was fascinating. Later in the day, we went via vaporetto (a kind of boat-bus) to the beach at Lido (another island), and splashed around in the water. We concluded the day with a nice cone of gelato. Pictures: 1: My dad photobombing me in Lido. 2: Scallop pasta from Ai Fratti, a restaurant on the canal in Murano. 3. An alien sculpture from the glass gallery.

From Aaron: I’ve loved my two runs in Venice. Apparently, the streets are usually too crowded to run during tourist season. 🏃🏽‍♂️

From Aaron: What are the crowds like in Venice right now? Check it out. (Doge’s Palace, St. Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s courtyard) ✈️ 🧳 🇮🇹

From Athan: Hello everyone! Today was our first official day in Venice Italy. Yesterday we arrived by plane and then took a boat to the city. Throughout the city are many canals and rivers. The total layout of the city is made up of many different islands with canals in between. All of the buildings are very tall because there is not much room to expand the buildings outwards. Today we took a tour of the city with the owner of the Airbnb. It was very informative and we all learned a lot about Venice. We learned about the makeup of the cities, what the large building and palaces were made for and even what the paintings and mosaics were representing. Overall, today was amazing and we had an awesome time exploring the city.

Day 8. From Aaron: great final run in Paris through Jardin de Luxembourg and then… Venice! 🇫🇷 ✈️ 🇮🇹

Day 7: From Aaron: Monet’s house and gardens at Giverny. Such a tiny gem of a space on God’s green earth. 🪴 🌹 🌱 plus, a medieval church at Vernon.

From Abigail: Pictures from today!

Day 5 (From Aaron): Pre-Versailles McDonalds brunch.

From Abigail: (Day 4) Manatee at the zoo! We went to the Paris zoo today and saw a splendid variety of creatures, and even caught a sea lion training session.

Paris: Day 3 (part 2). Dinner at La Fontaine de Mars and a nighttime stroll to the Eiffel Tower.

From Aaron: One more pic from day 1 in Paris: outside the American Cathedral, a truly beautiful church.

From Abigail: View from the plane! The flight was long but worth it. I listened to a lot of Taylor Swift.

Pre-departure! ✈️ 🧳

From Abigail: Thanks to Calla for the pre-trip coffee, Abba, and conversation.

From Aaron: It’s been a whirlwind of final preparations and packing, and today, my final run in Waco for a while. Said hi to Alico, Magnolia, Austin Ave, The Brazos River, St. Alban’s, and ran the courthouse steps like Rocky. Next stop, Paris!

From Aaron: Sundays we’ve been visiting different churches. From this morning’s outdoor service. ⛪️ 🌳

From Aaron: Sometimes, while on sabbatical, one repairs sprinklers.

From Aaron: my last view of Colorado. Grateful to be home. 🏡

From Aaron: Bye Aspen. Thanks for being amazing. 40 miles of trails run & 7,400 ft. climbed. Trout eaten: 1. 🏔 🏃🏽‍♂️ 🎣 🛫

From Aaron: Today’s runs: the Delicate Arch at Arches National Park and Navajo Rocks Trail, Utah. 🏃🏽‍♂️

From Aaron: Today’s run: snow! Cathedral Lake Trail. Never made it to the lake. 2.5 miles up (elevation gain: 1,894 ft.) hit snow up to my hip. Later, found some in my pocket. But the run was great and views still spectacular. And spotted a fox on the way home. 🏃🏽‍♂️🏔☃️

From Aaron: My morning view.