Europe's charms are enhanced by seeing it through brother's eyes

 

Cruising off Gibraltar on the trail of dolphins, during a two-week reunion for Christene "Cookie"
Meyers, left, and her brother, Rick Cosgriffe, second from right. Bruce Keller and Jane Milder
round out the quartet. The two couples spent 15 days together on the Mediterranean.

 TRAVELING WITH A FAVORITE LOVED ONE  ENHANCES A TRIP THROUGH HIGHLIGHTS OF SOUTHERN EUROPE'S FAMOUS CITIES

Classic sculpture greeted our travelers
each day in Florence and Rome. 

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

SEEING FAVORITE places with people you love makes the journey special, enhancing each museum, meal and hike. As Labor Day approaches to signal the end of summer, we recommend considering a trip to Europe with someone you've wanted to travel with. Prices drop along with the temperature, children are back in school and crowds are gone.

From left, Keller, Cookie, Rick and Jane
on a walking tour of Roman ruins.

Keller and I had a bonus on our recent trip. We were joined by my brother, Rick Cosgriffe, and his partner, Jane Milder. It was an unforgettable 14 days, and I wouldn't trade a minute of it for anything.

Seeing, experiencing, tasting -- immersing ourselves in the newness of travel -- is a sensory experience in any case.

Keller, Cookie and Rick near the harbor in Ibiza.

Enjoying the art, food, music, historic monuments  and seaside resorts with loved ones is even more special.
WE BEGAN planning the adventure nearly a year before it materialized.   We coached Rick and Jane on the trip long before they boarded the first plane of several connections. We prepared them for this fact: Things will go wrong.  They did. We advised them to roll with the punches. They did.  

View from a boat ride: The quartet approached one of the
early Roman bridges in central Rome.

PASSPORTS needed to be renewed.  Tickets had to be made both for the cruise portion and the air travel.  Hotel reservations had to be secured in both couples' names.  There were check lists and "to do" lists and reminders to line up pet sitters, garden waterers, house checkers and all the minutia that comes with planning any trip.   Moreso, when the trip is to another continent.

SINCE PART of the trip was an 11-day cruise, land tours needed to be agreed upon and chosen.

Booking early is essential to avoid sold-out tours in favorite port cities. This took hours of planning.

General manager of NCL's Viva, Nelson Martins,
is pictured in center rear, with guests on a recent
Mediterranean cruise. At left are Rick and Keller
with Jane and Cookie at the "GM Table."
  

AS DETAILS fell into place, we  soothed Rick's and Jane's worries.

Growing up, Rick and I found our family travels helped us gain a deeper understanding of the world. I wanted this for the two of them.  It came to be, and was  thrilling to experience the newness, to visit cathedrals and museums with the four of us together as I revisited favorite haunts with someone I've known since his birth, his longtime partner and my husband. 
Traveling together challenged the four of us to adapt to one another while expressing our preferences and desires. We made sure to honor everyone's preferences so we could relax and fully enjoy our new surroundings. We collaborated on restaurant choices, engaging with hotel personnel and taking suggestions to enhance our adventures. We helped one another feel comfortable in new surroundings and when Rick and Jane really wanted to do a particular tour or see a particular museum, we compromised. We also surprised them a number of times, with special excursions,

A tuk-tuk ride with a friend was a special thrill
for Cookie and Rick, foreground, with Keller,
Jane and our driver friend in the back.

including a tuk-tuk ride through Lisbon. 
TRAVELING TOGETHER immersed in new sights, sounds, tastes, and textures, it is important to listen to your fellow travelers.  We drew them out, asked them for their observations, which triggered conversation and anecdotes. My brother remembered finding a charming gelato shop from a previous trip to Europe. So that became a mission as we went off the ship.

WHAT I LOVED most about being with my two favorite fellas -- spouse and brother -- was sharing our observations about places both familiar and new.  Discovery and anticipation are great parts of travel, and finding a new museum or art gallery is  a terrific bonding experience. Rick, a gifted ceramic artist,  found a pottery studio during a

A hike near Marseille in the hilltop village of Le Castellet.
From left are Bruce Keller, Rick Cosgriffe, Christene
"Cookie" Meyers and Jane Milder in Provence, France.

Keller and Rick
on tour, at large!

stroll through the village of Le Castellet in southern France.  

And there Jane discovered that she'll never settle for anything less than a French inspired cafe au lait,

when she sipped a delicious five-franc cup in the village.

THE EVENING most special in our memories came with an invitation to dine with Viva's general manager, Nelson Martins, at his table.

We had a fabulous time, and recommend Viva for anyone looking for all that cruising offers.

Fun cruise on NCL's VIVA 

www.ncl.com/about/contact-us

 

Elegant porcelain pottery -- unique hand-painted floral art --
by retiring artist Rick Cosgriffe. It will be sold this weekend
at his studio home in Billings, Montana. Details soon.

UP NEXT:  Porcelain artist Rick Cosgriffe (featured above) is parting with his cherished collection of hand-painted pottery.  He apprenticed on the California coast with artist Jim Hayes many years ago, then studied sumi painting in Berkeley and Portland, Oregon, before returning to his native Montana.  His prize-winning work is in many galleries, praised for its nature inspired beauty and fine detail.  We profile the artist, who is the writer's brother, and share particulars on his show in Billings featuring unique hand painted platters, jars, vases and tea pots. Meanwhile, explore, learn and live and check us out for a fresh spin on the arts, family, performance and nature: www.whereiscookie.com 

Art, nature, music merge in Montana's stunning Tippet Rise Art Center

A "bonus concert" arranged just days before, capped a weekend opening as world class musicians
performed at Tippet Rise' Art Center. Noted pianist Yevgeny Sudbin, left, thrilled the Olivier Music Barn audience Saturday with Chopin, Debussy and more. Sunday, his wife Sally Wei, and their gifted children performed a "pop up" family concert, receiving a standing ovation from the delighted audience. 

Singer Ema Nikolovska charmed
Tippet Rise concert goers with her
dramatic voice and playful asides.

AT HOME ON THE RANGE, INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN PERFORMERS DELIGHT AT FISHTAIL'S UNIQUE ARTS VENUE

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

Concert goers include a mix of back packers, hikers, bikers
and others, all mingling for a concert, this one at Domo.

FROM THE world's great concert halls to a nature driven Montana venue, a slate of world-renowned performers graces Tippet Rise Art Center each summer.

The 2024 season began last weekend, on this unique working ranch and arts venue where a select few of the world's great musical artists arrive each summer to perform.  They sing, play instruments and soak up nature with a packed house of  international music aficionados, selected in a drawing each March for concerts in several magnificent venues both indoors and in outdoor creations. 

Bruce Keller and Christene
"Cookie" Meyers have written
about and photographed the
venue since its beginning.
 

We spent time at this season's opening weekend with two Berlin based performers who sing the praises of the place. Toronto born mezzo-soprano Ema Nikolovska and Georgia born pianist Kunal Lahiry said they're hoping to be invited back "because the place is absolutely inspiring. From the Calder statue at sunrise to a walk in moonlight on the grounds, there's nothing like it anywhere else in the world," Nikolovska said as Lahiry smiled and nodded.

"Inverted Portal" welcomes visits to walk around or
through its expanses. It's one of many intriguing
artworks, each one occupying separate space.

Built without a budget, it's the multi-million dollar creation of philanthropists and artists Cathy and Peter Halstead, heirs to a fortune made by Cathy's father, Sidney Frank, who became a billionaire through his promotion of Grey Goose vodka and Jägermeister. Frank gave millions to educational and artistic endeavors and his painter daughter and her pianist-poet husband are following suit.  Tippet Rise incorporates their love of sculpture, music and nature in a unique artistic creation.

Geology tours explore the land's history

Alexander Calder's "Two Discs" on an early
spring day, with snow still on the hilltops.

 

"We love this place," said pianist Lahiry, echoing Nikolovska's sentiment that "the landscape has moved us forever." He called the place "magical. The environment is gorgeous -- unlike anywhere else --  and the audience is so appreciative and sincere -- not jaded like some we've experienced in city venues." 
The pair received two standing ovations at their Sunday concert, which featured wide-ranging vocal-piano works merging the poetry of Emily Dickinson with Schubert, Copland and others, including  contemporary composer Nahre Sol, whose "digital prayer" was performed by the pair with playful grace.

Kunal Lahiry's expressive piano illustrates his
virtuoso solo brilliance and ability to accompany
Ema Nikolovska with sensitivity and precision.

Nikolovska charmed the house with her range and power, and versatility in interpreting time honored classical work as well as modern, impressionistic pieces. With Lahiry's expressive piano, she emulated a buzzing bee, an insistent fly and sounds of the internet. Like the finest accompanists, Lahiry displayed his own dazzling technique to enhance Nikolovska's captivating voice. The two perfected their delivery in four years of intensive rehearsal.
At the impromptu family concert, five members of the Yevgeny Sudbin family charmed and delighted. "Music saved us during COVID," Sudbin said. He introduced his gifted children and  talented wife, pianist Sally Wei, who also turned pages for her husband and children during duets.

 

Stephen Talasnik's "Satellite No. 5: Pioneer" incorporates space,
and the artist's desire to show connection to land and our roots.

Sudbin is considered one of the 21st Century's most accomplished pianists. Other performers chosen this summer include acclaimed  Frano-Belgian cellist Camille Thomas, award winning Cleveland Orchestra flutist Jessica Sindell, a trio featuring TR regular Anne-Marie McDermott, violinist Chad Hoopes and cellist Christopher Costanza, all lauded chamber players and soloists.
IT WAS FUN to notice license plates in the parking lot a short walk above the Olivier Music Barn: Michigan, Illinois, Vermont, Idaho,

A packed house in the acoustically perfect Olivier Music Barn.

Oregon, Utah and Illinois.  In the concert venues and restaurant, we heard French and German, along with various American and English accents. Hikers mingled with bicycle riders, concert goers and families enjoying    

Cathy and Peter Halstead
spent years searching for a
perfect venue for their dream.

lunch. The mixed crowd is a metaphor for the place, exactly what the Halsteads envisioned more than a decade ago. They explored the U.S. to find a setting to build their dream, desiring a place where people were free to move about the land, admiring sculpture and nature, appreciating it as an extension of their enjoyment of the musical arts. Mission accomplished.  The season continues through Sept. 15 with internationally famed quartets, soloists and ensembles, masters of violin, viola, cello oboe, flute, piano, bassoon, clarinet and more.

tippetrise.org

Enjoying a day in Rome, by the Trevi Fountain, are from left:
Bruce Keller, Christene "Cookie" Meyers, Rick Cosgriffe and
his partner Jane Milder. The couples spent two weeks in Europe

 

UP NEXT: "Travels With My Brother."  My sibling Rick and I have traveled in Europe several times, but it had been decades since we explored together.  We changed that when Bruce Keller and I met Rick Cosgriffe and Jane Milder for a Mediterranean cruise, for an exciting, adventure filled two weeks together. We explored ports in Portugal, France, Spain and a few days in Italy. It's a wonderful memory, the reason we urge readers to "seize the day" as Labor Day weekend approaches. It's a carpe diem world so time to fulfill  travel dreams, particularly with loved ones. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh look at travel, performance, nature, family and more:  www.whereiscookie.com

Tirano's treasures: a charming inn, gourmet restaurant, mountain views

The view from our room at the lovely Ostello del Castello, where we spent a few peaceful nights before
boarding Bernina Express for a dazzling journey from Tirano, Italy, to St. Moritz, Switzerland.

HISTORIC, PICTURESQUE TIRANO HAS MUCH TO OFFER: A CHARMING HOTEL, FINE DINING, WINERIES, MUSEUMS, GORGEOUS VIEWS

The charms of hotel Ostello del Castello include great views
 of the mountains and a decor reflecting both new and old.

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

YOU WON'T find a more amiable and accommodating host than Andrea, owner of Ostello del Castello, a lovely little inn in Tirano, Italy.

And you won't find a more picturesque and friendly village with artful shops, delightful eateries, a knock-out mountain setting and easy access to the Bernina Express rail adventure.

Bruce Keller, Andrea Gusmeroli and Christene
"Cookie" Meyers at Andrea's hotel in Tirano. 

The host's helpful and welcoming nature is what we remember most about our visit to his 200-year old converted farm house.

"Do you own it?" I asked, over a generous breakfast of fruits, cereals, pastries, meats and cheeses. "Well, yes, I do -- with the help of the bank," he winked.

About to enjoy a leisurely meal at the artful Restaurant
Paravicinni, with engaging artwork and fine service.

ANDREA Gusmeroli and his lovely hotel and staff enhanced our stay at every turn. The inn's trademark is old world hospitality extended by  genuinely helpful and pleasant people.  We noticed this from the first afternoon when his assistant arranged a taxi. It was waiting for us at the train station when we arrived after a long day of travel. We'd begun our day in Rome, on to Milan then a train change and at last Tirano. 

Delicious salads include homemade
wheat and sourdough rolls, with
tasty farm fresh vegetables and herbs.

So we were tired and didn't relish walking the half-mile on cobblestone streets with four bags from a two-month trip, and a full backpack to boot. After we rested, we asked for pointers on a nearby restaurant. We were steered down the easy hill past neatly kept homes bedecked with flowers and sporting vegetable gardens. Our destination was the fabulous Restaurant Paravicini. Both a local favorite and popular with tourists, the eatery offers tasty regional favorites. We tried excellent spaghetti with shrimp, and a rare steak and potatoes. Our pretty salad came with fresh herbs from the garden and a helpful staff served a crisp local white wine and Keller's faux beer. He pronounced it delicious, an Italian choice, Peroni, which became a favorite.

The classy eatery features  cave-like rooms with vaulted ceilings and a handsome, well stocked wine-cellar.  Local meats are expertly prepared with, of course, delectable pasta.

WE'D WALKED up the inn's patio in late afternoon so didn't notice the tiny lights. Later, at dusk, they twinkled to welcome us back. Then, with a view of  mountains in moonlight, we settled into a comfy bed with a down comforter for one of the best night's sleep of our long trip. 

Tirano is in the province of Sondrio, Lombardy, population 9,053, adjacent to the Switzerland-Italy border. The river Adda flows through town center. Here are a few pointers to enhance your visit: 

* Piazza Cavour. It's a charming square  in the heart of Tirano. Cafes, shops, people watching. Fun

 place. 

Enjoying the streets of Tirano, Italy, are Bruce Keller and
Christene "Cookie" Meyers, during time in northern Italy.

* The Church of Madonna di Tirano. This Roman Catholic church dates to the 1500s with a bell tower and ornate sculpture-lined interior. We thought it an enchanting combination of Tuscan, Lombard and Venetian architecture.

* The Tirano Railway Station is where you'll go to board the Bernina Express or "Trenino del Bernina." The flashy red train connects Tirano with St. Moritz, climbing the spectacular Alps without the use of the rack. It is an  engineering jewel of the Rhaetian Railway and in 2008 became part of the UNESCO Heritage. 
For a charming B&B experience with an amiable host and spectacular mountain views: www.ostellotirano.it/booking

To book the Bernina Express: www.berninarailway.com

Yevgeny Sudbin and his gifted children played
piano duets as well as a violin piece Sunday at
Tippet Rise, where the 2024 season is underway.

UP NEXT: Montana's Tippet Rise Art Center opened the 2024 season with a flourish.  Three standing room only concerts featured world renowned musicians and an internationally known mezzo-soprano, plus a pop up family concert  delighted hikers, picnickers and others who happened to be at the arts center. More on this unique art-music-nature venue which is rapidly being included on thousands of peoples' bucket lists. It's no wonder performers from the world's great concert halls love the tranquility and beauty of Montana after the crush and pressure of concertizing and the rigors of hectic scheduling and constant travel. Take time to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on art, nature, music, family and more: www.whereiscookie.com

   

 

Bernina Express takes adventurers to the sun, snow on top of the world

In late spring and into summer, temperatures in the Alps can dip to 15 °C (59 F), and there can still be snow on the mountain tops, as Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers discovered recently during a ride on the famed Bernina Express.

HISTORIC RAIL TRIP OFFERS SPLENDID VIEWS ON BERNINA EXPRESS

The viaduct  outside Tirano offers spectacular Alps viewing.

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

IT'S BEEN OUR dream for 17 years  to take a train trip through the Swiss Alps and transit the terrain of some of the world's highest mountain ranges.

Both of us love mountains and winding trails. We both love trains, too, so the irresistible combination came to us via Bernina Express.

 

We viewed several villages from the train's panoramic windows. 

The famous train connects Chur in Switzerland to Tirano in Italy by crossing the rugged and lush Swiss Engadin Alps. For most of its journey, the train runs along the World Heritage Site known as the Rhaetian Railway.  

Picturesque sights abound, including this cafe,
Restaurant Alp Grum in Poschiavo, Switzerland.
 

WE BOARDED in Tirano,  a picturesque Italian village, the northern Italy counterpart to the little village chosen for filming "The Godfather." People are friendly and family oriented. They love their dogs and keep tidy, small gardens.  It's a lovely place to stroll the winding streets as we did from our  B&B, the delightful Ostello del Castello. (More on that in next week's feature on Tirano.) 

Framed by Lake St. Moritz are Christene "Cookie" Meyers
and Bruce Keller, on a unique train trip from Tirano, Italy. 

AFTER RESTING a couple days following a hectic time in southern Europe, we were ready to resume our adventures. We walked the mile from the hotel to the train station to await our departure from Tirano. We'd booked our reservations weeks before and found our seats in a comfy car resembling the Vista Dome of my youthful train travel. Glass ceilings in these first class cars offer a panoramic experience. Note in booking that not all the cars have these expansive windows and ceilings.

AS WE traveled, we reveled in the green of the Alps, its rugged terrain, villages and meadows, snow capped peaks, alpine lakes and a remarkable viaduct. While we were on our train, friends took the Bernina Express going the opposite direction, a four-hour, 90-mile journey from icy Switzerland to sunny Italy.  We reversed, starting in Italy and wending our way through 55 tunnels and 196 bridges to St. Moritz.  So while we were digging light jackets out of our backpacks as temperatures dropped, our friends were shedding their sweaters as the weather warmed.

Bruce Keller enjoys a stunning
view enroute to St. Moritz.

Right outside our window, skiers readied their
gear for an afternoon on the slopes. 

The train makes a stop or two along the way for
photos.  We saw skiers and sunbathers in a day.

The train  was built in 1896-1904 and is itself a UNESCO World Heritage site. We appreciated the train's clean, spacious seats. First class is a bit more, but worth it. Everyone was in good spirits and we met delightful people -- Americans, Australians, French, English, German, Swiss, Italians -- all bonded by an appreciation of the spectacular sights we enjoyed together. 

A PLEASANT attendant circulated with a refreshment trolley, offering light
snacks, tea, coffee, wine and souvenirs. It is allowed to bring your own food and drinks, including wine, as several passengers did.

It's a thrill to have experienced this wonderful journey. If you love trains, mountain scenery and adventure, we highly recommend this outing.

For more information: The Chur–Tirano route runs daily between Chur, Switzerland and Tirano, Italy. In summer, the train continues from Tirano to Lugano some days.
St. Moritz–Tirano: This shorter route runs between St. Moritz, Switzerland, and Tirano, Italy. The classic Bernina Red Train route offers panoramic carriages and requires advance ticket reservations. We took it from from Tirano to St. Moritz. Tickets begin at about 29 Euros.

www.berninarailway.com

For rail and ticketing elsewhere in Europe: www.eurail.com

Strolling the streets of Tirano, Italy, are Bruce Keller and
Christene "Cookie" Meyers, The charming village was our
base for exploring northern Italy and taking Bernina Express. 

UP NEXT:  We spent a few relaxing days in Tirano, based at the charming Ostello del Castello, a unique family run inn in Tirano, Valtellina, Italy.  Host Andreas and a welcoming staff made us instantly at home and we were surrounded by spectacular views, geraniums in window boxes, and the clanging of cowbells to greet the morning.  We'll visit Tirano and its treasures with tips on combining the train trip with a village visit. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on nature, travel, performance, family and the arts: www.whereiscookie.com

 

Shakespeare in the Parks presents top theater touring the Rockies

A wide-ranging group of several hundred people watched a spectacular "Hamlet" in Fishtail Family Park. All ages make up the audience which offered a standing ovation at play's end. 

 
TRAVELING TROUPE BRINGS SHAKESPEARE TO THE MASSES IN AMBITIOUS MONTANA PROGRAM 

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

As "Hamlet," Riley O'Toole delivers the famous
"alas poor Yorick" speech. It is one of the
Bard's most famous speeches, reflecting on
the brevity of life. The skull is his jester's.   

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

FOR MORE than a half-century, Montana Shakespeare in the Parks has produced top theater across Big Sky Country, and in our neighboring states.

The program, based in Bozeman at Montana State University, offers free high caliber entertainment by a gifted company from many U.S. states. Donations are encouraged because audience support is necessary to supplement funding from Montana Cultural Trust.

Packed parks and other venues in 65 communities and 110 schools experience live classic theater.  Many have never seen a play, much less professional Shakespearean drama.  As a mother said at a recent "Hamlet" in Fishtail, "This is priceless:  educational, enriching, unique. My kids love it."

Bruce keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers
at Fishtail Family Park for a terrific "Hamlet."

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Kevin Asselin applauds the program's longstanding tradition of collaboration with communities. "It is inspiring to witness how people unite through the power of storytelling."

All ages come together to enjoy the company's efforts, both in schools and park performances.
Longtime director Joel Jahnke directed the successful program for 36 years, building friendship and support across a daunting demographic area.  His tireless efforts continue in the energy of the 2024 company, with fine actors such as Riley O'Toole, whose "Hamlet" fascinates and thrills audiences. Gender bending is part of the fun, too. Justine Ryan, for instance, plays Hamlet's friend Guildenstern. It's a terrific, talented company with no weak links.

A play within the play: Hamlet has arranged for a troupe
of actors to present a sketch in which the king is poisoned.
Avery Johnson pretends to commit the deed. 

PEOPLE BRING their lawn chairs and blankets early, and set up their places. It's fine to bring a cooler or picnic basket, as people often do.  Children are amazingly quiet and attentive, and families are welcome to this popular event.

Joel Jahnke was director of the successful
touring program for 36 years.

The troupe of seasoned actors doubles as costumers, technicians, designers and fund-raisers for one of the state's most enterprising organizations. The troupe tours the Rockies each year to the delight of playgoers from eastern Washington to northern Wyoming,  Montana and even North Dakota
With a schedule that would challenge most actors, the young, limber company presents two plays in repertory fashion. Montana Shakespeare in the Parks was started in 1973 by the late Bruce Jacobsen. Jahnke came to MSU in 1976, when the company was only three years old. The company has always shown remarkable energy, but the schedule was shorter then -- touring to 

Executive-artistic director
Kevin Asselin sustains the
vision and directs "Hamlet."

only 22 communities, up from seven.

WHAT MAKES the endeavor noteworthy is that in a single day, the company transforms an empty space into a believable theatrical stage -- complete with balcony, set, costumes and technical enhancements. The feat is remarkable when one considers it is done day after day with little time off and in unpredictable weather.

In the foreground are Jamie Herb as Ophelia and Riley O'Toole
as Hamlet. Seated are Calvin Adams as the plotting Claudius
and Emily Michelle Walton as his new wife Gertrude.

Besides "Hamlet," the company features "The Winter's Tale," which also deals with themes of jealousy and infidelity. Redemption and forgiveness are at the heart of this lighter, more lyrical play, while "Hamlet" is a revenge play, perhaps one of history's most famous and intense theatrical works.

An extensive outreach program includes the popular school programs and other fund-raisers and presentations.

A tender moment in "The Three
Musketeers" from the 2023 tour.

The season began in  hometown  Bozeman for a week. Stops are mostly a single night, or occasionally two. The troupe always performs in Bozeman for Sweet Pea Festival, and during the summer visits Butte, Big Sky, Glendive, Lewistown, Roundup, Big Timber, Columbus, Gardiner, Red Lodge, and many other towns.  

The production visits Pocatello, Idaho; Beach, North Dakota; Liberty Lake, Washington, and several Wyoming towns.

The August docket finds the company in Salmon, Idaho, Dillon, Deer Lodge, Helena, Great Falls, Polson, Missoula, Anaconda, and more.  The tour ends in September, with performances in Townsend, Butte, Boulder, White Sulphur Springs, Livingston, Pony, Whitehall, Twin Bridges and back to hometown Bozeman, for the Sept. 10 finale of "Hamlet."

For more information, to find a date near you, or to donate: shakespeareintheparks.org

 

Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers high in
the Swiss Alps aboard Bernina Express, passing through the
UNESCO World Heritage site of Rhaetian Railway.

UP NEXT: Bernina Express offers a thrilling way to observe some of the world's most spectacular mountain scenery.  We hopped aboard to transit the Alps, passing through a UNESCO World Heritage site, and stopping several times to soak up the view.  Even in summer, it's cool up here! Come with us to enjoy this panoramic train which  connects the north of Europe to its south – passing by glaciers and dense forests.  Meanwhile, enjoy, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on travel, family, nature, performance and more: www.whereiscookie.com