Optional Walking tour and group introductory dinner.

From Julie Lurie: Today we travel to Chamonix, France. We begin our morning with a delightful breakfast and take a morning walk through the Old town of Geneva. We are greeted by a beautiful waterfront, expansive parks, a charming old-world town with high-end shopping. Geneva is the largest and most visited city on Lake Geneva. Geneva is famous for a large number of international organizations and companies. John stops along the way to share with us in the old city. A great start to the beautiful day ahead.

After our morning walk, we boarded the bus to tour through the town of Geneva to drive by the UN, Red Cross and other significant buildings. Along the way, we continue to plant Light Columns as we travel through the town. One can only imagine the beauty and splendor of this area, and the reality is truly Heaven On Earth.

Next, we are on to Montreux at the Fairmont Montreux Palace to have lunch. This Palace is amazing and the food line up was out of this world. We walked upstairs to the second floor and walk into several rooms filled with food. Each dish was astonishing and a delight. We filled ourselves up and headed to the display of desserts which was set up into two different rooms. The spectacular chocolate fountain to dip your favorite fruit in, to a room full of pastries or walk over the ice cream cart to partake of all the fine flavors. The favorite flavor amongst the survey I took was lemon tequila!

After this amazing lunch, we headed across the street to a park for a few minutes to take in the lake view and mountains and enjoy the vintage car show in the park.

Next, we are on to Chamonix, France! We stop at the Chillon Castle with a guided tour. Amazing stories about what took place in these rooms and how people lived. After the tour, we get back onto the bus to our final destination, Chamonix, France!

We arrive at the beautiful Hotel Mont Blanc. Excitedly we all run to our rooms to go to our balconies which all face the mountainside as we watch the clouds fade away from the mountain peaks. The site is breathtaking. 

From Julie Lurie: Today is packed full of adventures in Chamonix France as we head up the Aiguille du Midi Mountain 12,605 feet at the top! The name “Aiguille du Midi” translates as Needle of the Mid-day, and it has been suggested that this may be because the sun appears over the summit around noon when viewing from one of the town’s churches.

We take turns filling up cable cars and sail thru the air to the top of the mountain. The breathtaking views and fresh crisp air hit us as we step out of the cable cars as the sunshine basks upon us. We have stepped into Heaven. We arrived at the first level of approximately 6100 feet. Many of us head off to take pictures of the panoramic views. Shortly we take a 5-minute hike into the mountains. The views are stunning!! The air is crisp, fresh and having a warm jacket this brisk morning is required. John takes sharing and as I am listening to John with the mountain background the image of the sermon on the mount shows up. John blesses the day and we go further on the path for a 15-minute hike to a beautiful, pristine glacial lake. We all take in the fresh mountain with great appreciation.

It is time to travel back down the mountain, and walk to the train station and head to Montenvers Mer De Glace. We take a brisk walk throught the town to take a train ride up Montenvers Mer De Glace. As we wait at the train station, all of a sudden out of the thick trees we get our first glimse of the bright red train number 44. It is so beautiful. I am so delighted to take a ride on this train. It is the authentic cars from when the trains were built. All aboard and we ride for 25 minutes up the mountain to arrive at the Glacier. The views are out of this world and truly heavenly. Many walk about the area taking in photos and some adventuresome folks head down to the 480 stairs to go into the ice caves.

Now it is free time and we all meander our way back to the hotel one way or the other, we meeting up with John for a group meeting followed by a group dinner. 

From Julie Lurie: This morning our bags are packed, we check out of the Mont Blanc hotel and head into the town of Zermatt. We depart on the bus, on time, 8 am sharp to head to the Tasch railway train station for a ride into Zermatt. Zermatt is a mountain resort renowned for skiing, climbing, and hiking. The town lies below the iconic Matterhorn peak. Zermatt looks like it came right out of a storybook. The town is filled with romantic larch wood trees and is a car-free town! In 1891 the Visp-Matterhorn line was opened up and the valley communities who once lived off of the land for centuries would now look to tourism to sustain themselves in the long term. The Zermatt railway brought prosperity to the people of Zermatt.

We arrive in Zermatt, Switzerland and drop off our bags at the hotel and head straight to the Kelin Matterhorn Gondola’s, to a glacier paradise! Many times we change the cable cars on our way up to reach the top which is approximately 12,739 feet. The views are spectacular of the highest mountains in Italy, France and Switzerland! At the top are indoor and outdoor viewing platforms, a restaurant and shop, a lounge to view mountaineering videos, and the glacier paradise lodge.

John gathers us together to call in the Light and plant a column of Light. The energy sweetly and gently permeates all around us and throughout this glorious and majestic mountain, we stand upon.

The last car down the mountain is 4:15 pm. Some stay to the final minute before departing this majestic mountaintop.

Many of us stroll back to the hotel through the most charming town of Zermatt. We are staying at the Mont Cervin Palace Hotel. Each room has it’s own unique charm reflecting the beauty of Switzerland. As we head to the hotel we walk through main street to be treated by a fair that happens every 6 months and is full of old world charm, vendors and friendly smiles. Main street itself if full of boutiques, restaurants, and hotels. The town looks like it was built based on a fairy tale book. The evening is free to unpack and grab a bite to eat and get a good nights rest. Heaven on Earth is here and now as we gather in oneness with the Beloved. 

Morning touring, afternoon on own. 

Touring including Glacier Express train. 

From Julie Lurie: The morning air is crisp and fresh outside of the Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains in St. Moritz. The hotel is buzzing with guests. There is a group of vintage motorcycle enthusiasts, a group of folks with the most elite cars available on the market, and us, those interested in Heaven on Earth which is very present.

We begin our morning with a breakfast buffet that is so extensive and divine, and many happy faces are all around sharing in the morning breakfast.

We begin our travel morning on the bus with a city tour of St. Moritz. St. Moritz is a luxury alpine resort town in Switzerland. It has a worldwide reputation as a cultural center. It has hosted the Winter Olympics twice. Its frozen lake hosts polo, cricket and even horse racing on ice! We venture through the many villages to view the beautiful countrysides in the spectacular alpine region that soothes the soul. The views are enchanting, and after gazing out into the open terrain, one becomes effortlessly relaxed and tranquil. This area has been an inspiration for many famous authors, artists, and musicians. Hermann Hesse once described the region as a “paradise on earth.”

After touring, we arrive at a funicular to take the tram ride to Muottas Muragl. This classic mountain view has captivated people over and over again. Muottas Muragl is a location on the southern slopes of the Blais da Muottas, a summit at the western end in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. It overlooks the Engadin, between the towns of Samedan, St. Moritz and Pontresina. Summer hiking and winter tobogganing activities are one of the many reasons people visit this area. The mountain is 8058 feet high. The views are spectacular from the top. From the highest peak, valleys and lakes of the region are viewed We reach the top of the mountain and step out onto an observation deck where we gather in great joy to take a group photo. Much laughter ensues as we all gather together in a huddle for our photo.

We enjoy a beautiful lunch of salad, pasta, and dessert in the Panorama restaurant which overlooks St. Moritz valley.

After lunch, John Morton takes us for a brisk walk up to Inspiration Point and shares with us a beautiful blessing and in this beautiful sat sang we sing in harmony, Allelujah. Heaven on Earth is here. 

Some of us hike down the mountain, and others take the funicular back down the mountain.

The evening is free and many of gather in groups to go into town to find a restaurant for dinner. The group I was in ventured to the Veltlinerkeller restaurant and as I entered the door realized I was walking into a real authentic Swiss restaurant. The ambiance of the two rooms lined with pine wood and in the same room we sat, is a large built-in fireplace where we watched the chef cook our meal in front of us. Frannie, the owner, is watching over every plate that is delivered to each person before it goes out. The menu is traditional Swiss dishes, and the meal is a 4 star and cooked to perfection.

After a beautiful evening walk to the hotel, we say our goodnights and look forward to another day in Heaven On Earth.

From Julie Lurie: Today is a free day to explore St. Moritz. After another magnificent breakfast, many of us head out in many different directions to explore St. Moritz. With the many options of excursions to choose from it became a remarkable day. Some folks enjoyed the day with hotel spa treatments, time to hang out in the pool and steam rooms, rent bikes, take the cable car up the local mountain, hiking, parasailing, and shopping! Or just stay in and rest and enjoy Spiritual Exercises.

The evening begins with a group meeting to gather and review the next leg of our travel to Italy!! We gather in a sweet satsang connecting with the Traveler and taking time for sharing.

John Morton shares a divine blessing to end the meeting. We all stroll down the hallway to partake of the bountiful buffet of food awaiting us to end our evening.

Sweet Dreams of Heaven on Earth.

From Julie Lurie: Off to our next adventure on the Bernina Express train to Lake Como. Today is a travel day. The Bernina Express train takes routes through incredible alpine landscapes and the UNESCO world heritage sites all on the beauty of a scenic train. The train takes us high up into the towering glaciers of the mountains and deep down into Italy. The train links Northern and Southern Europe between regions with different languages and cultures and passes thru 55 tunnels, 196 bridges, and inclines at 70 per hour.

We arrive in Lake Como and are staying at the beautiful Grand Hotel Tremezzo. The iconic hotel is located in the heart of Lake Como.

The hotel’s origins date back to the early 1900’s. Lake Como was a favorite destination with the elite, wealthy and cultured foreign visitors from England, Germany, France and Austria, as well as Belgium and Switzerland, and even from Tsarist Russia. Enea Gandola was a gentleman from Bellagio who had traveled widely in Europe and wanted to create something of class and sophistication on one of the world’s most beautiful lakes, a grand hotel. As we arrive, we are greeted and we are seated at the outdoor deck overlooking Lake Como with the most spectacular view and treated to our first Italian meal. The meal consists of Pasta with red sauce, cheese selections out of this world, salads, fresh vegetables, risotto with shrimp and asparagus, the chicken dish with a beautiful sauce and all topped off with Italian pastries and cappuccino. As we enjoy this meal, we are looking out at the spectacular view of Lake Como and the beauty is so exquisite you can almost taste it.

The view is stunning of the Grigne mountains. The hotel is out of this world with Italian charm and sophistication, elegance and warm with the delights immersed in a beautiful century-old park. The foliage is a sense of harmony and tranquility. Rare, ancient magnolias stand amongst palms and clouds of azaleas, tulips, and geraniums, hedges of rhododendron and beds of hydrangeas. A beautiful palette of pinks and reds, purples and blues that leave breathtaking glimpses of the lake beneath.

The sun goes down, and we all head off to our rooms and spend time strolling around the beauty of this extraordinary hotel, more of a palace than a hotel.

After a full day of travel and exploration, it is time to take in the relaxation and calm of the ambiance of this Heaven On Earth Moment in time. 

From Julie Lurie: Happy Birthday, John-Roger! It is a beautiful shiny morning and a day of celebration of John-Roger and his legacy.

We begin our morning with a grand buffet breakfast. The breakfast included eggs of every style, pastries, jams, chocolate of all sorts, bread, sausages, vegetables, juices, coffees, and on and on. As we sit down at our table, we relish in the view that overlooks Lake Como as the town awakes.

Our first journey this morning is a visit next door at Villa Carlotta. Villa Carlotta is a villa and botanical garden in Tremezzo on Lake Como in Northern Italy. The villa is today a museum, whose art collection includes works by Canova, Thorvaldsen, Migliara, and Hayez in addition to pieces of furniture from the time of the various owners. The villa is located at the top of a terraced garden, with views of Bellagio and the mountains surrounding the lake. It consists of three floors (two of which are open to the public). The works of art on display are mainly located on the lower floor, while the upper one, which has an elegant gallery, provides views over the lake.

Followed by the garden visit, on our itinerary is a hike to San Martino Church which is an hour uphill to arrive at a great view. San Martino is a small church located at an altitude of 475 m on the slopes of Sasso S.Martino above Griante. A cobblestone, steep path leads to the church from where there is a lovely view of the central lake area. The church is tucked away on the mountaintop, next to a sheer cliff. John takes us into a transcendent talk overlooking Lake Como and the majesty of the land as we continue our celebration of the life and times of John-Roger.

As we gather together at our group meeting, many folks arrive in elegant attire coming together to celebrate J-R’s birthday. Beautiful memories and beautiful sharings from so many of the most touching memories of John-Roger.

After our group meeting, John takes us for a delightful evening stroll through the grounds of the Grand Tremezzo. We stop along the way to partake to receive of the Traveler’s grace with a talk from John, and the sweetness of the evening, like a songbird singing of love.

John walks us to another beautiful view of Lake Como, and talks of Heaven on Earth. At this moment in time, we drift off into the loving arms of the Traveler.

The evening dinner is now prepared, and we arrive at our astounding buffet! Pasta, bread, pizza, Veal, cheese courses of all kinds, and much more. As we find a seat, we receive a unique present on our chairs, of either an authentic hat or scarf from Italy. Excitedly many of us put on our hats and scarfs or eagerly trade for another with a friend.

As we sit in company with our Beloveds, Rick Ojeda begins the evening festivities introducing many folks sharing with poems, and comedy and love. We finish our celebration with Moments of Peace of John-Roger and experience God’s Grace extend to us through John-Roger as we gaze into the eyes of the Beloved staring back at us. God Bless you John-Roger and all that you are, all that you have given us, and all that we have become because of you.

Group Touring. 

Free Day. 

From Julie Lurie: Milano, Italy is our next destination! After a delicious breakfast in Lake Como, we watch our luggage get packed onto the trucks and depart on the bus to Lugano, Switzerland. The drive is about one hour and the guides share about the different areas we pass through.

We arrive in Lugano and John Morton shares with us a blessing on marriage overlooking Lake Lugano while a beautiful white swan swims by as John shares the blessing. We walk to our group lunch feeling very blessed. After lunch, a walking tour of the town begins and is followed by some free time. Lugano is a city in southern Switzerland’s Italian-speaking Ticino region. The Swiss-Mediterranean mix of cultures is reflected in its architecture and cuisine. The city is on the northern shore of glacial Lake Lugano, surrounded by mountains.

After our afternoon in Lugano, we get back on the buses for a drive to Milan. On the bus, John announces SE time and immediately the bus goes quiet and next thing we know we are softly being awakened by the Travelers’ voice sharing with us that we are now in Milan!

Upon arrival in Milan, many of us head to our rooms to unpack and venture out to the historic parts of Milan to find a good meal and take in the Milan Nightlife! Milan, a metropolis in Italy’s northern Lombardy region, is a global capital of fashion and design. Fashion week has ended and the hotel staff share about the busy week and are grateful to see it end. Milan is also home to the national stock exchange, it’s a financial hub known for its high-end restaurants and shops. Amongst high fashion and the stock exchange is the Gothic Duomo di Milano cathedral and the Santa Maria Delle Grazie convent, of Leonardo da Vinci’s mural “The Last Supper,” which brings you back to the centuries of art and culture of Italy. Walking the streets is magical while taking in the beauty that is around every corner.

It has been a long day of travel, as we head to our rooms for some needed rest to get ready for tomorrows adventures in Milan.

In Loving Service,

Love and Light Julie

From Julie Lurie: The morning begins with a city tour of Milan. Milan is a metropolis in Italy’s northern Lombardy region. Milan is known as a capital of fashion and design. Milan is home to the national stock exchange and is a financial hub known for its high-end restaurants and shops.

We begin our morning visiting the Gothic Duomo di Milano cathedral which is one of the most impressive structures in Milan. The cathedral has taken over six centuries to build. The cathedral has more statues on this gothic-style than any other building in the world. Over 340 statues, 135 gargoyles and 700 figures surround the cathedral. Views of the famous Madonnina, the gold-colored statue of Mary that stands on the cathedral’s highest spire is magnificent. Above the apse (the arched part above the altar) there is a spot marked with a red lightbulb. The lightbulb marks the spot where one of the nails of Jesus’ crucifixion was allegedly placed.

Following the Cathedral, we head off to La Scala opera house in Milan. Most of Italy’s greatest operatic artists have appeared at La Scala. The theatre is regarded as one of the leading opera and ballet theatres in the world and is home to the La Scala Theatre Chorus, La Scala Theatre Ballet and La Scala Theatre Orchestra. The theatre also has an associate school, known as the La Scala Theatre Academy which offers professional training in music, dance, stage craft, and stage management.

As we depart the La Scala opera house, we have a couple of hours to explore the city of Milan. Many head off to shop in the Galleria and others look for a classic Italian meal. The Galleria is Italy’s oldest shopping mall and a significant landmark of Milan. The Galleria is within a four-story double arcade in the center of town. The Galleria is named after Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of the Kingdom of Italy. It was designed in 1861 and built by architect Giuseppe Mengoni between 1865 and 1867.

Later in the late afternoon, we connect with each other for a group meeting, and John takes us off traveling with sharing with the group.

As we drift off with the Traveler, John brings us back announcing our surprise visit for our Milan finale, as we head off for a private viewing of the infamous, Leonardo da Vinci’s mural “The Last Supper”.

In celebration of our last nite in Milan, we gather in communion for a gala dinner. After dinner we drift off into sleep on the Travelers night train.

From Julie Lurie: We say our goodbyes to Milan, Italy as we board one of the fastest trains in Italy. We travel on the Frecciarossa high-speed train which can reach speeds of 250 miles per hour, as we make our way to Rome, Italy.

Rome was not built in one day. I have heard this phrase over and over, and upon arriving in Rome, the reality of this phrase is true. The grandeur and size of the buildings are like nothing I have ever seen below. It is a wonder how all this was built.

As we arrive in Rome, we take a quick stop at our hotel, The St. Regis. As we walk through the doors of this hotel, we are greeted with the most glorious high ceiling lobby that is so astounding, with every feature of artwork displayed correctly, a stunning chandelier and marble floors everywhere.

We take a few moments to check if our rooms are ready before we head out on our first day of touring Rome. Today is our journey through the Vatican. The Vatican City is a city-state surrounded by Rome, Italy, and is the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. It’s home to the Pope and treasure upon treasure of iconic art and architecture. It is the largest, richest and most splendid museum in the world.

The Vatican has many tours available which include the Chapel, Vatican Museum, and St. Peter’s. The Vatican and St. Peters is indeed a wonder to see. It is so grand and spectacular that it leaves you speechless. St. Peter’s is an amazing structure. One can walk to the top of the basilica which gives you an amazing view of the city.

The Museums display works from the immense collection built up by the Popes throughout the centuries including some of the most renowned classical sculptures and most important masterpieces of Renaissance art in the world. The Museums contain roughly 70,000 works of which 20,000 are on display. The museums were founded by Pope Julius II in the early 16th century. There are 45 galleries to walk through, before arriving at the Sistine Chapel. The chapel is found in the Apostolic Palace, which is the official residence of the Pope and is where the Papal conclave elects the new Popes. The chapel is famous for its frescoed ceiling with Michelangelo’s Last Judgement. The tour ends with the extraordinary St. Peter’s Basilica, which was designed principally by Donato Bramante, Michelangelo, Carlo Maderno, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini. St Peter’s is one of the most renowned works of Renaissance architecture and remains one of the largest churches in the world. Inside you can admire Michelangelo’s extraordinary statue Pietà, Bernini’s bronze Baldacchino (canopy), and the Throne of Saint Peter.

After our stunning visit to the Vatican, we head to the St. Regis to gather together for a group dinner. It has been a long day of travel and touring. Some head to their rooms to retire and a small group of us get a second wind and head out to do some evening touring. We visit the Trevi Fountain, one of the largest Baroque fountains in the city and one of the most famous fountains in the world. Many of us throw a coin in the water, a famous tradition shared by those who live here. The Fountain is one of the most spectacular fountains I have ever seen.

Our next stop is the Spanish Steps. The steps are a set of steps that climb a steep slope between the Piazza di Spagna at the base and Piazza Trinità dei Monti, dominated by the Trinità dei Monti church at the top. The monumental stairway of 135 steps was built with French diplomat Étienne Gueffier’s bequeathed funds of 20,000 scudi. The stairway was designed by architects Francesco de Sanctis and Alessandro Specchi.

It is very late, but the nightlife in Rome is in full bloom at 11 pm. The streets are full of couples, families, kids and all folks enjoying the evening Rome life. Time to get some rest for tomorrow’s activities.

From Julie Lurie:  Today we return to the Vatican for the Angelus Blessing with the Pope.

We gather with John to hear him talk before the Pope appears. John shares an inspirational message with us as we gather being beacons of Light at this sacred, beautiful moment in time.

It is now noon and the Pope appear and leads in praying the Angelus on this Sunday and Holy Days from the window of his study overlooking Saint Peter’s Square. At the conclusion of the Angelus, Pope Francis gives an Apostolic Blessing, which extends to you, your loved ones, and any devotional items that you have brought with you to be blessed. We arrive very early to find a spot to view the Pope.

The afternoon is free and many continue on touring through Rome, while for others they head back to the hotel to soak in these days in Rome and get ready for our next journey. 

Touring en route, including Reggia di Caserta Castle.

Ferry ride to Positano.

From Julie Lurie: Today is an exploration of the Amalfi Coast. We have the morning free and come back in the late afternoon for some blissful John Morton Sharing time with the group. The beautiful Santa Caterina Hotel is a fun place to explore. There are many verandas to view the Mediterranean Sea. Elevator rides to take you down a sheer cliff to a base camp area with a swimming pool, restaurant, exercise room and access to the sea to take a swim.

Others explore more areas of Amalfi. Some visit the Villa Rufolo, a Moorish-influenced Villa built in the 1200s and known for its cascading gardens & terraces overlooking the sea. Others pop into the Museum of paper, featuring exhibits on the history & production of paper for which Amalfi is famous.

In the early evening we prepare for an evening of John Morton sharing. Before the Traveler begins everyone is treated with beautiful glassware from the Amalfi Region. Sounds of delight ring through the room. John begins sharing, and we are again taken on a Traveler Journey. The evening ends with a beautiful dinner with the group. 

From Julie Lurie: Today we journey to Anacapri by boat. We depart the beautiful Santa Caterina Hotel and head to the docks to board three boats with our luggage to head to the beautiful Island of Anacapri.

Anacapri is an island of Capri, in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Italy. The Ancient Greek prefix ana- means “up” or “above,” to signify Anacapri is located at a higher elevation on the island than Capri. It has a separate status from the city of Capri.

The boat ride takes a couple of hours by sea to reach Anacapri. The ride is very relaxing, and for those interested in catching some sun, sit on the decks as the coastline drifts by.

Upon arriving in Anacapri, we are greeted with many minivans to take us and the luggage to the hotel. The streets are very narrow and windy, so many small vehicles were the best way to transport the group. We arrive at the outrageously beautiful Caesar Augustus Hotel. The hotel is set on a hillside overlooking the bay of Naples and the Amalfi Coast.

We are greeted by the son of the owner with a warm welcome and taken out to the terrace which overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to see the most breathtaking views upon this mountain cliff. Next, we are taken to an outdoor restaurant to enjoy a beautiful lunch of fine Italian cuisine of pasta, vegetables hand-picked from the hotel garden, buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes, and bread.

After a full lunch and morning of sea adventures, we head off to unpack and explore the hotel and the many offerings it has for us.

Free time until group meeting in the evening. 

Legacy Tour sharing day. 

Depart from Capri.