Color-Man, 14 June, Southern Switzerland

Birth rates are dropping all over Europe. Experts in Switzerland have already predicted when the Swiss people will die out. Italy has the lowest birth rate, I’ve heard, even though they are a Catholic country. I stayed with an older couple with one child in France. To have one child is stylish and convenient in France.

Drew and I are much alike in many ways. We both like writing and good books and The Chronicles of Narnia. We like to talk about ideas and enjoy good, warm thinkers. We love a Proverb a day. We both tilt our heads back and open our mouths and breathe hard when we sleep on trains. We are practically the same height and weight and arm length. And Drew and I are two of seven name-bearers in the Belz family. The other five are Aaron, Elijah, Adam, Max and Matt. As for birth rate and pro-creation, Drew and I are determined to do our part.

Traveling through Europe with him makes me think of the missionary journeys of Acts. The gospel is new and exciting to a lot of people in Europe. Five or ten have asked us why we read our Bibles. Some people are hostile too. Europe is rich and well-built, but needs spiritual life. I can also more clearly understand the conflicts of those early missionaries, like when Paul and Barnabas separated.

We are coasting into southern Switzerland, to an Italian city called Chiasso. South of the mountains is the Italian part of Switzerland. East of Basel is French-speaking, and the rest speak German. You can see it in the names—Chiasso, Zurich with an umlaut, and Geneve with a French acueil. The mountains are warm and green and full of forests and waterfalls right up to the clouds. Some are bare and snow. They are wonderful mountains, but it isn’t the mountains I marvel at. It’s Him.

Sam

Color-Man, 14 June, Stabio, Switzerland

Let me tell you about two troublers of the Belz boys, two men so churlish, we couldn't talk to them.

Last Saturday morning, we sat down in first class on our train to Oslo. The Eurail lady on the phone the night before had told us to sit in first class, because there were no other seats available. It will be no extra charge, she said. The conductor came down the aisle to check our tickets. "First class, that's 75 kroners each." We tried to explain and we offered to move to second class, but he cut us off each time. We had to pay and I agonized over it. It wasn't needful, because (as we found out) there were second class seats available.

Two days later, towards Copenhagen, the conductor came to us and said, "These aren't tickets. They're not validated. 50 Euros." Of course, the Norwegian man should have told us that. We protested, but then his body stiffened and the veins of his cheeks tightened and he raised his voice, "Do you want it to be 50 Euros each? That's what it should be, but the sun is shining today." We couldn't win. Hours later, I found him and pleaded with him in a gentle voice. A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but he wouldn't yield.

Some pointers:
-Eurail passes are good. Get one if you want to travel around Europe.
-Be sure to make reservations for ferries and overnight trains. Reservations cost extra money.
-Use the bathroom on the train, because train station bathrooms cost money.
-There are no water fountains on trains or in stations. There is no free water in most of Europe.
-Make sure your Eurail pass is validated with an official stamp and your passport number. Be sure to get it in writing, if it involves a discount of money.
-Make sure that you are in the right class. Some unjust conductors will charge you even for accidentally sitting in first class. The youth Eurail pass is second class. At the doors of each cabin are written 1 or 2. Check your class.
-When you come to a crowded train platform, go to the very end, away from the crowd of people.
-If you arrive late and the doors of a train or a city tram are closed, but it hasn't left yet, know that there is a button on the outside of the doors. Push it and open the door to get on. -Check and double check that you have your tickets with you.
- You won't get your passport stamped in most European countries, so don't be disappointed about that.
-Take along a paperback timetable. And use the big timetables hung in the stations. But don't be afraid to ask lots of questions.
-Don't be afraid to show bus drivers your Eurail pass for a free ride.

Sam