Why don't you post some photos from the 1970s?

Mr. Irene asked me that question a few days ago.

So here you go, Mr. Irene. But these snapshots may not be what you had in mind.

In 1971, my Parents took me on a European vacation. The original plan was to go to Norway. My Parents had just seen Song of Norway—the movie about the life of Edvard Grieg starring Florence Henderson—and they thought a tour of the fjords might be fun.

Everyone had the same idea that season, so my Parents scratched the Scandinavian itinerary. Instead, they decided to structure a trip around my Parents' fluency in German and my favorite movie, The Sound of Music. We spent the month of July traveling through Austria, Germany, Switzerland. At the end of the vacation, we realized there was no place as beautiful as Glacier National Park, and we returned there for our vacation the following year.

What do I remember most about the European trip? Four things.

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(1) Air travel is glamorous:

Vienna, Austria, July 1971. Mom and I get our "sea legs" upon landing. The trip from O'Hare to Vienna was my first flight. We flew on a 747 "Jumbo Jet."

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(2) I ate my way through Europe. I gained about twenty pounds in four weeks:

Hungarian border, July 1971. I dive into some rye and goulash at a cheesy place that was part of our tour along the border.

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(3) We dressed up whenever we left the hotel. Mom and I sewed a number of polyester dresses that would travel well, free of wrinkles:

Salzburg, Austria, July 1971. I stand with Mom at a spot made famous by Julie Andrews and the "von Trapp children."

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(4) I got altitude sickness—badly—during the two-hour train ride straight up to the Jungfrau. When we reached the summit, I needed oxygen:

Jungfraujoch, July 1971. Mom and I hang out of the train that took me to a bad place.

Shopping in Salzburg

My favorite stop during our 1971 European vacation was Salzburg. I fell in love with the city not only because of its immediate connection to The Sound of Music. I also found Salzburg enchanting because of its walkable size and its friendly atmosphere.

Salzburg, Austria, July 1971. Doesn't it seem like Mozart is just around the corner?

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Salzburg, Austria, July 1971. Ah, here are a couple of 1970s maxi dresses on the prowl. The women look like they are on their way to an event. Mom and I lean against a shop window. I very much wanted to buy an Austrian dirndl at one of the folksy boutiques, but my Parents correctly concluded that the getup would not translate well in Suburban Chicago. (The dress I wear in the photo is a home sewn, polyester imitation of a dirndl.)

Years later, when I lived in Venice, Italy, I partially satisfied this taste for Bavarian fashion when I purchased a unisex loden coat. (I love it and still wear it today.)

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Salzburg, Austria, July 1971. The view of the magnificent castle.

Resizing Liechtenstein

The country is getting smaller. We visited the principality during our 1971 tour of Europe's German-speaking countries.

The two-day stop in Liechtenstein was memorable for one incident. We stayed at a 1960s-style motor inn. The one-story structure looked out onto a valley, and the room doors opened directly to the outside. My Dad awoke early one morning, and he stepped outside to take some photographs. As he returned to the room, he found it peculiar that a little dog followed him through the door. Once inside the bedroom, Dad realized that he'd stepped into other guests' quarters. The couple had let their dog out for its morning business, left the door unlocked, and were in the midst of enjoying their privacy when Dad walked in on them.

Vaduz Castle, Liechtenstein, July 1971. The castle is one of the few sites in Liechtenstein. It's not open for tours, however, because it still serves as the prince's residence.

We dip South.

Lugano, Switzerland, July 1971. We're still in Switzerland, but we are close to the Italian border.

Ringstraße

Vienna, Austria, July 1971. We visit the famous boulevard. It's the place to find an elegant café.

The Kayaker

Lake Lucerne, Switzerland, July 1971. In the 1970s, few people kayaked in the United States. Whenever Dad saw a kayaker, he took a photograph because the activity reminded him of his time in Lithuania.

A Clip from the Castle

Salzburg, Austria, July 1971. Mom shoots a few scenes of Dad and me touring the castle.

Eating our way through Austria.

Vienna, Austria, July 1971. Food was a highlight of our European vacation; we didn't skip a meal.

Mom and I wear two of the polyester dresses we sewed for the trip. That's Hofburg Palace in the background.

I'll wait in the car.

Lake Lucerne, Switzerland, July 1971. I found this trip exhausting. By the end of the month, I only wanted to focus on reading Arthur Hailey's Airport.

Angels at His Feet

Salzburg, Austria, July 1971. We visit Mozart while we are in the city, and the cupids fascinate me.

Crosswalk

Interlaken, Switzerland, July 1971. Everyone should follow the rules.

Storks mate for life.

Austria, near the Hungarian border, July 1971. Even though these are different storks in a different place, they still send the same message of good luck and fidelity.

Castle Tour

Salzburg, Austria, July 1971. We're blending in with the other tourists.

Karlskirche

Vienna, Austria, July 1971. Some things look better in the dark.

Devil's Bridge

Saint-Gotthard Massif, Switzerland, July 1971. It's a spot scarier than the Going-to-the-Sun Road.

Economy Class

Over the Atlantic Ocean, July 1971. We've boarded the Pan Am 747 "Jumbo Jet," and we are on our way to Vienna.

This spot was so nice that we stayed there twice.

Mayrhofen, Austria, July 1971. It's a nice place; most of the guests were German tourists.

Riding Up

 Jungfrau region, Switzerland, July 1971. Mom filmed our train ride up to the Jungfrau.

Exchange-Rate Reunion

Lugano, Switzerland, July 1971. We'll stop here before we shop.

Dirndl

Salzburg, Austria, July 1971. It wasn't folksy then to wear a dirndl (or lederhosen).