Senior Business Systems Analyst Principal Tony Babcock celebrated his 10-year Arthrex anniversary with a trip to Europe with his wife, Kelly, and her parents.
“Kelly’s parents love to travel, and a river cruise was on my wife’s and inlaws’ bucket lists,” Tony explained. “This seemed like the perfect opportunity for the four of us to spend some time together.”
Their eight-day Viking river cruise began in the Netherlands, where despite the chilly spring weather, they were able to appreciate the tulips in bloom. From Amsterdam, their first cruise stop was in Kinderdijk to see the famed windmills that date back to the 1700s.
Continuing up the Rhine, they stopped in Cologne, Germany, where they were able to see the tallest twin-spired church in the world and Germany’s most visited landmark, the Cologne Cathedral.
Tony said Kelly’s favorite part of the trip involved a leisurely stretch of the cruise through Germany, where they were able to see 15 different castles along the banks of the river – most of which had been rebuilt after being destroyed by King Louis XIV’s armies in the 1600s.
Also notable were the crosswalk signs in Speyer, Germany, which show a man holding a pretzel in honor of the city’s annual pretzel festival.
Tony’s favorite stop was in France, in the former commune of Holtzwihr, where Audie Murphy, the most decorated U.S. soldier in WWII, single-handedly held off a German attack.
“It was surreal standing in the exact spot where Audie Murphy stood,” Tony said. “The fact that our youngest son is an infantry Army medic made that a little more personal.”
As much as everyone enjoyed the sightseeing stops, Tony said the cruise itself was one of the real highlights of the trip.
“We were treated like royalty,” he said. “The staff knew everyone’s name and room number after the first night.”
Their last stop was in Basel, Switzerland, the point at which the Rhine ceases to be navigable.
On their flight home, they had a brief layover in Paris, which allowed for one last sightseeing experience – a view of the Eiffel Tower from the plane.
“I would like to thank Arthrex for continuing to offer this benefit. It’s one of the many things that makes this company such a special place to work,” said Tony. “This is one of many memories Arthrex has given my family that I will never forget.”
Tony said he didn’t have any plans yet for his 15-year trip, but that he’s pretty sure his wife and her parents already have some possibilities in mind.
For every five years of employment with Arthrex, employees are eligible for a company-paid Trip of a Lifetime to recognize their dedication. Look for more Trip of a Lifetime highlights on the Arthrex Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn pages.