Susan's Stories

We figured out how to use the B&B shower without creating a pool in the sink and counter area which is next to the shower. Our frequent experience has been that showers have glass sides and NO door. Bath mats have been soaked, even placed a few feet away from the shower entrance. Breakfast of a variety of Brötchen and croissants, sweet pastries, fresh fruit, cheeses, and juice and latte was satisfying.  We finished packing, and carefully carried our luggage down the narrow and winding stairs. We left our luggage and went walking to the Grand Place. On our way we stopped and the coffee shop which we visited our first morning, having missed the B&B breakfast. A lovely small cup-like vase was filled with small pieces of dark chocolate.  Premilla put them into a glass which was filled with hot milk. Them she stirred to melt and mix the chocolate pieces with milk. She beyond loved it. We then walked to the main square, Grand Place, watched the continuing building of bleache...

We had breakfast with an American couple from Salt Lake City. It was a friendly conversation.  They left with large backpacks to take the train to Amsterdam and visit the Rijksmuseum. We were asked to pay our bill in cash, for our US VISA card was accepted on the host's machine. Figuring out how to accomplish that took time, and we question the story about our VISA cards.  We walked to the central train station to purchase our bus tickets to two Fine Arts museums. Passing through the Grand Place we saw bleachers beginning to be set up as and wondered what event was coming there soon.  The Museum of Fine Arts held paintings of Bruegel and Rubens and their friends. Scenes from mythology and religion and Saints, and wealthy tradesmen and their families, still life, and scenes from everyday peasant life as well as sculptures with classic depictions were displayed in a large brick structure with a high vaulted ceiling which let in lots of light.  The End of the Century Mu...

We met our host - briefly. He had breakfast place settings with breads and cheeses, and jams set on the table.  Coffees and teas and cereals, and fruit were also available.  He said a few words and then disappeared into the basement.  We walked to Central (main train) station, and watched police on horses parade around the Grand Place, the main square. They were apparently being filmed. At the near by Central train station we found couple of very helpful people and purchased public transport tickets for the day and found the bus stop to take us to Luxembourg Square where the European Union complex of buildings is located.  We hadn't read completely that we needed to show a picture ID. Premilla couldn't find anything acceptable. We left and located a couple other museums we wanted to visit. But we learned that although it is Monday and most museums are closed the European Parliament buildings are open, but they open later.  After talking about what to do next it ...

We slept late and missed breakfast.  It was 11AM when we walked toward the major site, the Grand Place, i.e. main historic square.  As our B & B is located in the area called St. Catherine's we stopped to see St. Catherine's church. We came in during the mass and sat down and participated as much as we could. What we observed were very little noise, about six of them, carrying out acolyting duties, the priest faced the  congregation and the altar was placed in the choir and congregation, and the priest and members of the congregation gathered outside to chat and talk. It looked like a real congregation.  Now the peace was a smile or a nod to a person sitting nearby.  En route to the Grand Place we had sandwiches and hot chocolate, of course.  The Grand Place is an architectural amazement. Town Hall and guild halls were visited by us several times today.  We followed Rick Steves' guide for the area to see noteworthy sights, including chocolate store...

Saturday morning most of us gathered for our final breakfast, got extra cups of coffee and remained together talking and sharing hugs and good wishes. We checked out and left our luggage in the hotel and walked to a large park, Vondel, near the hotel. We sat and watched ducks, especially one male duck searching for food and bring it to his mate who was sitting on a nest.  If was a very happy and touching scene. We ate lunch at park outdoor restaurant enjoying watching families and friends playing and chatting.  Our lengthy departure began smoothly with a tram ride to the Centraal Station, their spelling. Our first transfer was in Rotterdam.  A few minutes after we boarded for Brussels we were told there was a problem and that we should get off the train. Puzzled we inquired and we're told there was a problem on the line and that we should travel to Brussels avoiding the problem.  So, we were told to get on a train to Utrecht. Part way there, in Gouda, we were told to...

It is nearly midnight,  and we want to be at breakfast by 8 AM tomorrow in order to give farewell hugs. Therefore today’s blog will be written tomorrow.  Gute Nacht, Susan  We walked together with Ruby to the relatively nearby Rijksmuseum to begin our tour of 17th century Dutch masterpieces. Part of the walk took us through a large park, and in this morning hour we watched many many persons riding to their jobs on their bicycles. Being alert to cyclists is part of the responsibility of pedestrians.  Our museum guide, Marianne, spent time in front of Rembrandt's The Night Watch pointing out particular details and sharing history of this and other magnificent paintings.  The Museum is very large and would take many days to visit the entire collection.  We remained on the second floor for two hours. It was a particularly special experience. Premilla and I decided to walk across a very open and green area to the neighboring Van Gogh museum and have lunch in the...

Our group took a tram to meet out tour guides to tour the Jordaan neighborhood. We took an alternative tram and walked 20 minutes due to some problem on that particular line. We had been given a three day metro pass which will cover all our local travel needs. Max, our guide, artist and architectural historian, talked about the demographic changes from lower class to upper class, how that change was reflected in the architecture, as well as a bit of natural beauty the residents of these 3 and 4 story homes bring to their front steps with plants and vines.  These homes are narrow because centuries ago owners were taxed on the amount of land their home covered.  So, they built up and put gables at the roof. Hooks hung from the gables to use to attach ropes and pull up belongings which would not fit through the narrow door. Max also showed us some monuments to gay persons including a two person urinal where the men could meet in safety. Our tour in this area of the city went too ...

This was an unusual day. We rode first to the Aalsmeer Flower Auction. The huge warehouse was filled with mini trucks and drivers transporting buckets of flowers delivered 24/7 to the winners of the auction which begins at 6 AM. There is a complex bidding process followed by distribution of the flowers to the bidder. Between these times the mini truck drivers pull many carts with shelves and flowers with designated destinations taped to their buckets. They move rapidly.  The sight of their speed at which they travel and the absolute gorgeousness of the flowers were wonders to enjoy. The time with flowers was much too short for me; yet we traveled next to a small town at the North Sea. Noordwijk an Zee has a beach front with very soft sand. We walked at and in the water which was very cool but not cold, The sea looked shallow a great distance until the horizon where it turned deep blue and was ringed with wind turbines. We enjoyed lunch together at a beachfront cafe and then had tim...

Our day began with a walking tour of the city with Ann. Using our VOX audio devices and ear pieces works well.  When Ann spoke in a normal conversational tone we could hear her very well. That has been the case with all other local tour guides as well as with Ruby, our Rick Steves guide for the entire tour. She is 34, and this is her first tour as guide. She has completed three tours as assistant, which is a Rick Steves requirement. Now Etelka, our assistant tour guide is actually very experienced in Eastern Europe tour guiding. Apparently this year Rick wants assistants on all tours due to the pandemic.  We heard stories about famous local residents: Johannes Vermeer, the painter, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, who developed greater magnification of the microscope than in use at that time, and William I of Orange, a Protestant and well loved leader. We learned history and saw it preserved in the architecture.  That was a great contrast with Hague, a city with lots of tram line...

The new week began early in the bus. Leaving Bruge behind we stopped first at a museum just over the border into the Netherlands. It was the Flood Museum. Located in caissons formerly used to provide protection from the North Sea it told the story of the storm surge and flood in 1953; it took over 1800 lives, including animals, and destroyed several Villages and towns. Through newsreels and print articles and recorded personal stories we learned about the experiences of many. We also learned what reconstruction has taken place and what plan continues to protect the border with the sea. After lunch outdoors in the small town Zierikzee we visited the Delta Waterworks, which provides protection for the harbor of Rotterdam. Again, through a film and demonstration on a map of the country on the floor we learned about the give projects already functioning in the country. The one we visited is the largest and already 25 years old. Each of its arms, located on either side of the river,  is...

As I write this my tummy is full of hot chocolate and a waffle with fresh strawberries from The Old Chocolate House.  We had a variety of chocolate sources and waffle toppings. I chose Fair Trade dark chocolate which arrived in tiny pellet form inside a chocolate form in the shape of a cupcake paper.  I put them all into a large mug of hot milk and stirred them with a tiny whisk. Premilla ordered chocolate in tiny disk form from Papua New Guinea. She ordered a plain waffle. That was our lunch which we finished at 4:30 PM.   We are to meet our group, 23 total, two guides and our great driver, Rob in a half hour for appetizers. That may be my dinner. Oh well, I am on vacation. The day began overcast and cool. It had rained in the night. Premilla and I made it to St. Salvador's cathedral in time for the reading of the second lesson. During the sermon, in Dutch, I read the three lessons in English.  There was organ music. It came one of the two auxiliary organs, for...

We had a full hotel breakfast and met Danielle, our, local guide, at 8 AM. We walked the streets of the historic center city, winding around and making turns so that I was completely disorganized as to my sense of direction for the full three hours she was with us. She said that American streets with parallel lines are confusing to her. She pointed out historic houses of wealth people, of guilds, of building materials, and of the ornaments and their meaning. She pointed out good restaurants and museums to visit and brought us into the Church of our Lady in order to see the carving of Mary and her child Jesus by Michelangelo. It was striking. We learned about royalty marrying other royalty from other countries and the inter-country conflicts, of the plague and lack of medicines, as well as seeing the school for training future diplomats. It was a full introduction to the city.  The morning ended in a chocolate-making business we were told every step of the process of making chocolat...

Flanders Field is an area in Belgium where several World War One battles were held. We first visited the American cemetery where over 350 are buried. There we learned about the role of the cemetery superintendent and staff. Their first priority is to the families of those servicemen buried there.  We then had a local guide from Ypres with us on the bus for five and a half hours. With her we visited British, and UK and German cemeteries where we learned something about those buried.  One solder was 14 when he died. Two were buried together. Every evening at 8 PM in Ypres the community gathers at the huge Peace Arch for a ceremony. Fourth graders near the US cemetery adopt a soldier along with local residents, attend the Memorial Day ceremony and bring flowers to the headstones several important times of year . They also write messages about their experiences. We visited bunkers, first aid stations, and trenches.  In a museum we saw some of the remains of bombs and weapons....

It is now 11:30 PM. I have just returned from sitting with new tour friends drinking. I had hoped to drink fruit flavored beer, but it was not available. I did drink about a third of my order and gave the remainder to another person who ordered the same. I did, however, get to know two of our four young adults better so the staying out late trying beer was worth it. I am tired. Tomorrow is another full day I would like to bring more alert writing about my experiences learning about World War One and our tour group seafood supper on the main square in Brugge. I will plan on writing about these two experiences tomorrow evening, starting writing earlier. Guten Nacht, Susan 

We were the first of our tour group to be at breakfast, 7 AM. I enjoyed Brötchen with tomatoes and cheese and meat and fresh fruit, all leisurely. Thomas, our local guide, led us through the streets of medieval Ghent. His degree in medieval history shone through his enthusiastic sharing of stories. The cotton and textile story was shown to us at the Museum of Industry.  Photos, actual machines, and demonstrations carried forward until mid 20th century from slaves in America to tablecloths for Europe. We learned that the confluence of two rivers gave Ghent its name. We saw one pedestrian street devoted only to graffiti. People come any time and paint. Elsewhere in the city is punishable by jail and a fine. St. Bravo's cathedral is a high vaulted Gothic structure with the high altar painted Masterpiece by Hubert Van Eyck, The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, was the highlight of the visit. We thanked Thomas around 12:30 and began walking back to the hotel with new friends. We stopped at...

It is Wednesday, and it looks like beautiful day. We were at the breakfast room when it opened at 720, for we wanted to look for possible tour mates.  We found none, but we asked several guests. Scrambled eggs, bacon, soft and hard cheeses, breads, Brötchen, breads, pastries, fruit, cereals, juices, and hot chocolate for Premilla. It was delicious and relaxing to sit and relax while eating. We then left to find a local pharmacy to purchase hearing aid batteries.  It was closed, even an hour later it was still closed. We walked further, joking, watching people walking to work or riding their bikes or riding the tram or bus. We asked a local merchant about a store to purchase hearing aid batteries, and we're given directions to a battery store; we never found it. We did find another pharmacy which had one packet to sell. WHEW. I suggested that we walk along the canal after we stopped at the hotel briefly. Four hours later I awakened from a nap and found Premilla already showered...

The airplane was full, and we dozed off and on. The plane departed over an hour late and arrived only 45 minutes late. Immigration asked us where we were going and why. That area and baggage claim area was relatively quiet. People spoke low tones, a change from the Bradley International terminal at LAX. With the help of three young women we found our train to Ghent. The ride was quiet. Along the highway we saw rows of hot houses in fields.  I wonder if they were for flowers. We also noticed solar panels on many homes, older homes often had windows in their steep roofs. In the cities and towns older homes and businesses had been constructed touching one another. It was with the assistance of three people on the tram in Ghent that we found our hotel along the canal. After checking in and leaving luggage in our room we met David and Debbie at the Reception Desk and learned they are also on our tour. We decided to eat supper together and found a restaurant along the canal. We began to ...

 Premilla and I met one another at one terminal from which we were sent to the international terminal. There we found huge crowds and with some effort found the desk to check in. We were then instructed to go upstairs to go through security.  We were hungry and found a fast food area and waited in a long line. How wonderful it was to eat even at room temperature.  Premilla found a quiet place to listen to a message regarding her work. It seems that there are issues and she was given no phone number to return the call. We decided to walk the stated 15 minutes to our gate where we are now.We agreed that we walked to even another terminal to board. Our first impression of LAX in its current state of being under reconstruction is not positive,  one example is that we have seen only only information booth.  This is an international city, folks. People from other cultures may have questions. We board in a few minutes.  Hugs, Susan

 It is hard to believe that tomorrow is our travel day. My most recent international travel was over three years ago. During the pandemic I adjusted to staying at home, communicating by Zoom and to my second retirement. I enjoyed being at home. I became accustomed to it.   These plans to be in Europe five weeks seem daunting to this new homebody.  Nevertheless I am certain that my Wanderlust will overcome any nervousness as well as being with Premilla for the first half of the itinerary and with Karin for the second half of it. Karin has reminded me how to access the blog, and we have looked at the photo album we plan to give to Manfred in Berlin; Premilla and I have agreed where at LAX we will meet, and only a couple items remain on the "to do" list. Soon I will be in travel mode. Hugs, Susan