Most engineers sit at a desk, but back in 1980, my 'office' for the day was halfway up the mizzen mast of the Gorch Fock II. As the German Navy training ship returns to Boston for the USA’s 250th birthday, I’m looking back at the time I had to trade my suit for a climbing harness to fix a radar antenna—and why I’ll never forget the view from the top.

La Petite Venise (Little Venice) Finding Our Way Back to the Magic After our daughter introduced us to the German Christmas Markets during our 2013 visit to Frankfurt, Kathie and I were completely hooked. There’s nothing quite like wandering through old town squares filled with twinkling lights, the scent of spiced wine drifting through the air, and cheerful music setting the tone for the season. Unfortunately, life stepped in during 2014, and we had to put our holiday travel dreams on pause....

Our First Christmas Market Journey – Frankfurt, Dresden, Strasbourg, Erfurt, Weimar & Idstein November-December 2013 Part of the 'Christmas Markets of Europe' Series – A Travel Story by Rick Wetmore The Invitation It all began with an invitation from our daughter, who was living and working in Frankfurt, Germany. She wanted us to experience the magic of the German Christmas Markets firsthand. We had seen photos and heard the stories, but nothing quite prepared us for the atmosphere of...