I tried to stay up late to ensure that I'd sleep some on the plane, so we packed and replaced for most efficient passage through security and customs. We had chosen to travel with only carry-on bags, but DDs family gave us an old suitcase for overload. It was actually larger than we needed, so the challenge was to make sure that anything that could be construed as liquid got checked, and the carry-ons were easy to put through security. I
We were eventually satisfied with the results, and settled in for a nap before flight time. We were up and on the road in plenty of time. Once our goodbyes were said and we'd resolved not to wait so long to do it again, we headed into the airport, for our blessedly uneventfully flight home.
We had hoped to meet with our very first student, our Brazilian Boy, in Newark for lunch, as he was also travelling through NYC, but it didn't work out. Our return flight to MSP was delayed by about 45 minutes as they worked (successfully, it turned out) to route us away from some storms and turbulence. Once we were airborne, we had smooth sailing, and we're met by Thing 2 at the airport. We got her deposited at her Twin Cities digs, then headed out for the 3-hour drive home. iPastor made a quick stop at Bunde, MN, to dovetail with our trip through Bunde, Germany, then we were home and crashed unceremoniously. Nearly a week later, I'm still off schedule, but it's summer and lazy so it's all good.
23 July 2012
Volendam
Our last day in country, DD1 and her boyfriend brought us to Volendam, the most "touristy" destination of our trip, but absolutely delightful. Volendam epitomizes the concept that the Dutch are out of space, do they use every inch as efficiently as possible. The homes were hard to discern from the shops, as many fronted the sidewalks directly, and decorated their picture windows accordingly, to give them some sense of privacy, while being pleading to the passerby's eye. Every possible inch of real estate was occupied. Once we wandered through town to the harbor, we were greeted with the quintessential fishing village vibe. Lots of open-air shops, food stands, boat rides and entertainment. We wandered around, buying souvenirs and sampling the food, then headed home via the grocery store, where we picked up equivalents to make a Dutch version of tater tot hotdish. We ate al fresco, enjoying the last sun of a gorgeous day, then reluctantly went inside to pack.
iPastor took most of the pictures today. I'll have to steal some and add them in later.
iPastor took most of the pictures today. I'll have to steal some and add them in later.
Ostfriesland
We headed out for our Dutch home base, routed through Leer, a town in Ostfriesland heavily connected to iPastor's genealogical line. We hit heavy traffic immediately, so we rerouted the GPS and started over. After that was smooth sailing. The autobahn is not the speedway some Americans romanticize it to be, but we clipped along nicely. The "suggested" speed is 130 kph, with slowdowns of various extremes in high congestion or construction zones Although we didn't encounter much heavy truck traffic, semis, as well as campers and busses, are required to stay in the left lane. The center lane held close to 120-30 kph, and those who felt the need for speed kept to the right. It was easy driving, and the condition of the road, even in construction zones, was impeccable. I did open up to 160 kph for a while when conditions warranted. It was delightful.
We got to Leer and wandered our way through it and the connecting little towns. The various neighborhoods we've been in have all been similar in many ways. Although we were in Germany, we were spitting distance from the Dutch border, so the houses had that same close proximity, and red brick was prevalent. DD2 spotted a local restaurant to try, and it was amazing. Luckily, we wandered through a couple of cemeteries, requiring us to walk around and move, otherwise we'd have been hard pressed to stay awake. The cemeteries we visited were pleasantly different from many in our neighborhood. Frequently, the area over a grave had been gravelled over and surrounded with edging. Little container or rock gardens were common within the edging. All the plots were well-kept, and watering stations and cans were available for use. Much nicer than some of our flat-marker-no-plants-allowed "memory gardens." iPastor did find some ancestors, so he was pleased. We drove back to 't Goy in the waning light. We're a couple latitude lines north of home, and the light stays much later here. At 10:30 it was still light out, though the sun was long down.
We got to Leer and wandered our way through it and the connecting little towns. The various neighborhoods we've been in have all been similar in many ways. Although we were in Germany, we were spitting distance from the Dutch border, so the houses had that same close proximity, and red brick was prevalent. DD2 spotted a local restaurant to try, and it was amazing. Luckily, we wandered through a couple of cemeteries, requiring us to walk around and move, otherwise we'd have been hard pressed to stay awake. The cemeteries we visited were pleasantly different from many in our neighborhood. Frequently, the area over a grave had been gravelled over and surrounded with edging. Little container or rock gardens were common within the edging. All the plots were well-kept, and watering stations and cans were available for use. Much nicer than some of our flat-marker-no-plants-allowed "memory gardens." iPastor did find some ancestors, so he was pleased. We drove back to 't Goy in the waning light. We're a couple latitude lines north of home, and the light stays much later here. At 10:30 it was still light out, though the sun was long down.
22 July 2012
Berlin
GD#2 got home from work, and there was much laughing, hugging and card playing. I crawled off to bed before the rest, but I'm told the night dragged out plenty late.
The rain finally went away, but it was still pretty cool for July. We had a relaxed morning before hopping the train downtown to see some wall-related sites, eat, and watch people. We picked up GD2's boyfriend at the train station and headed for home.
When we got back, Elle had a backyard bonfire planned with the neighbors, and it was a lovely evening at home. We'd brought s'mores supplies by request, and they were a hit.
Again, commonplace ideas for them seem so remarkable to us. No place we've stayed has had more than an apartment-sized fridge. They shop much more frequently, but only have to hop across the street or swing by the store on the way home. Although there is no absence of supermarkets, neighborhood fruit stands, bakeries and meat markets still thrive, and prices are competitive. Groceries so far have been slightly cheaper here than at home. The packaging is more sensible, as well, and everything recycles. Many drinks here are still bottled in glass, and more are in paper, shelf-stable cartons. A larger variety of cars run the roads, and more fuel options wait at the pumps. Our road trip vehicle is an LP/petrol SAAB, and I'm becoming quite spoiled.
Saturday was a day to relax with family. We ate, lazed around, and iPastor and the kids played games, while I ran with Elle and Sven to a friend's farm for more firewood. We girls walked on the woods a bit while the lumberjacks did their thing. We came home for another night around the fire, and took pictures as we prepared for our first goodbyes. iPastor also made some cinnamon rolls from scratch, per request. SD had to take the 440am train to the airport. After seeing her off, we slept in a bit, were fed and pampered then said our goodbyes to Berlin and hit the road for Ostfriesland.
The rain finally went away, but it was still pretty cool for July. We had a relaxed morning before hopping the train downtown to see some wall-related sites, eat, and watch people. We picked up GD2's boyfriend at the train station and headed for home.
When we got back, Elle had a backyard bonfire planned with the neighbors, and it was a lovely evening at home. We'd brought s'mores supplies by request, and they were a hit.
Again, commonplace ideas for them seem so remarkable to us. No place we've stayed has had more than an apartment-sized fridge. They shop much more frequently, but only have to hop across the street or swing by the store on the way home. Although there is no absence of supermarkets, neighborhood fruit stands, bakeries and meat markets still thrive, and prices are competitive. Groceries so far have been slightly cheaper here than at home. The packaging is more sensible, as well, and everything recycles. Many drinks here are still bottled in glass, and more are in paper, shelf-stable cartons. A larger variety of cars run the roads, and more fuel options wait at the pumps. Our road trip vehicle is an LP/petrol SAAB, and I'm becoming quite spoiled.
Saturday was a day to relax with family. We ate, lazed around, and iPastor and the kids played games, while I ran with Elle and Sven to a friend's farm for more firewood. We girls walked on the woods a bit while the lumberjacks did their thing. We came home for another night around the fire, and took pictures as we prepared for our first goodbyes. iPastor also made some cinnamon rolls from scratch, per request. SD had to take the 440am train to the airport. After seeing her off, we slept in a bit, were fed and pampered then said our goodbyes to Berlin and hit the road for Ostfriesland.
21 July 2012
Road Trip!
I'm using the iPhone version of Blogger, which is a bit limiting. I haven't found a way to insert or caption pictures in any sensical order, so they're just getting thrown in until I get home to fuss with them on the laptop.
Thursday, we were on the road by 5:15 to Berlin. Autobahn driving, at least the route we took, was never any faster than a Dakota interstate, but frequently slower, since summer is universally road construction season. We slowed down for quite a stretch in the middle for a traffic jam that put 494 on a weekday to shame. Never did figure out why. We got to Falkensee, a Berlin exburb, at about 1pm, where we were graciously hosted by the family of German Daughter #2. Our GD#2 had to work until late, but her parents are very warm hosts. SD was also there from Switzerland to spend the weekend. We had a wonderful bowl of soup, then Mama Elle took us to visit Charlottenburg castle. We chose to walk around the grounds and gardens, dodging the remnants of the persistent rain which dogged our whole trip, then she took us on a car tour of some of the major tourist sights. As before, iPastor got much better photos, but these'll have to do for now.
Thursday, we were on the road by 5:15 to Berlin. Autobahn driving, at least the route we took, was never any faster than a Dakota interstate, but frequently slower, since summer is universally road construction season. We slowed down for quite a stretch in the middle for a traffic jam that put 494 on a weekday to shame. Never did figure out why. We got to Falkensee, a Berlin exburb, at about 1pm, where we were graciously hosted by the family of German Daughter #2. Our GD#2 had to work until late, but her parents are very warm hosts. SD was also there from Switzerland to spend the weekend. We had a wonderful bowl of soup, then Mama Elle took us to visit Charlottenburg castle. We chose to walk around the grounds and gardens, dodging the remnants of the persistent rain which dogged our whole trip, then she took us on a car tour of some of the major tourist sights. As before, iPastor got much better photos, but these'll have to do for now.
Hangin' with the locals.
Wednesday was quieter and more relaxed. DD and I ran errands in the morning and went to Curves. In the afternoon, her boyfriend joined us, and we drove around the "neighborhood" of little villages and dikes. We also visited the equivalent of a Sams Club or Costco, where we sticked up on most of our food and candy souvenirs, at warehouse prices, rather than souvenir stand prices. We stopped at Beatrixsluis lock and dam and watched some ships move through. It really is a fascinating system. They took us by ferry to a little local restaurant not well-known to tourists, and fed us far too well. Oy. We headed home and prepared to wake and hit the road at 5am for our road trip to Berlin. 
Amsterdam
It seems I've started and saved this post several times, but when I come back, it's gone, and I'm usually too wiped out to hassle with writing coherent thoughts. I am exhausted daily, but loving every minute of it. As we rode the train to Amsterdam Tuesday morning, it occurred to me that many of the experiences I find remarkable, the folks here think of as commonplace. That's a good thing, so long as they remember to appreciate them; for instance, the train ride itself, on a functional and efficient public transit system. The development of the auto and US highway system over the years has brought many improvements to our quality of life, but at the expense of reliable public transportation options in all but the largest cities. Rural America is left in the lurch, needing expensive cars and expensive fuel, when perhaps our resources could be better invested elsewhere.
We got to Amsterdam and wandered around at a leisurely pace. We checked out some public squares with street performers and buskers, and went to the Rijksmuseum. Neither the iPastor nor I are well-schooled in the fine arts, but even we could appreciate the talent of Rembrandt and the other Dutch masters on display. The Rijksmuseum wins for being highly accessible to noobs. :)
Afterwards, we headed for Vondelpark, both for historic/sightseeing significance, and to check out some sights from John Green's latest book, _The Fault in Our Stars_. He's a family favorite, so I needed some pictures for the Things at home. The man singing to the ducks made the trip worthwhile all on his own. We walked back and visited the Anne Frank House. The line to get in was daunting, but it actually moved along quickly, yet didn't feel too rushed once we were inside. Visiting a place that one reads about is an interesting experience anyway, but the gravity of the story of the Hidden Annex made it all the more surreal. We walked back up near the train station, and took a canal tour. We'd been walking past and over them all day, so it was quite interesting to see the city from the opposite view.
Afterwards, we headed back to 't Goy and settled in for the evening.
We got to Amsterdam and wandered around at a leisurely pace. We checked out some public squares with street performers and buskers, and went to the Rijksmuseum. Neither the iPastor nor I are well-schooled in the fine arts, but even we could appreciate the talent of Rembrandt and the other Dutch masters on display. The Rijksmuseum wins for being highly accessible to noobs. :)
Afterwards, we headed for Vondelpark, both for historic/sightseeing significance, and to check out some sights from John Green's latest book, _The Fault in Our Stars_. He's a family favorite, so I needed some pictures for the Things at home. The man singing to the ducks made the trip worthwhile all on his own. We walked back and visited the Anne Frank House. The line to get in was daunting, but it actually moved along quickly, yet didn't feel too rushed once we were inside. Visiting a place that one reads about is an interesting experience anyway, but the gravity of the story of the Hidden Annex made it all the more surreal. We walked back up near the train station, and took a canal tour. We'd been walking past and over them all day, so it was quite interesting to see the city from the opposite view.
Afterwards, we headed back to 't Goy and settled in for the evening.
16 July 2012
Day 3: Antwerp
We headed out with both DDs for a day trip to Antwerpen, Belgium. Couldn't be this close and not sneak one more country in. Did the sightseeing thing, ate, walked, ate more, and just had fun visiting with our girls. :). Have to steal pics from the iPastor. He was far better with the camera thani was today. We visited a lovely cathedral and the "Hidden Street," as well as an America Today store, where we could purchase Mountain Dew for DD#1. It was rainy but still pleasant, and the highlight of the day was just knocking around with our girls. They hadn't met before, and it was fun for them, I think, to compare "war stories" of their time in Minnesota. We made our back to Holland, and put DD#1 on a train back to Vlissingen, while we headed back to 't Goy. 
Day Two
After going 36 hours straight, I finally crashed about 8pm local, only to wake at 4 am. We had a little Skype session home, then managed to go back to bed for a while. We headed to Vlissingen where DD (Dutch Daughter) #2's parents are vacationing, and where DD #1 lives. We had a quick visit with the parents at the beach, then we're off to celebrate our Dutch Granddaughter's 5th birthday. She was outside waiting for us to pull up, and I was greeted for the first time by shrieks of "Grandma!!" it was a little disconcerting, but I could get used to it. We were awash in babies and adorable children who I will not plaster on the Internet, but suffice it to say the extended family and friends were warm and gracious, and a loud time was had by all.
Supper was takeout from the local fry shop, which was a hit with adults and kids alike. We wound down with some Dutch and American TV.
Supper was takeout from the local fry shop, which was a hit with adults and kids alike. We wound down with some Dutch and American TV.
14 July 2012
And we're off!
Greeting from 't Goy, Netherlands. It's rainy and too cool for July here. But we are here to spend time with our kids, and weather be damned. Our flights were blessedly uneventful, uncrowded and smooth. I read 1 1/2 books of the Hunger Games trilogy, and tried unsuccessfully to sleep on the plane. We were picked up at the airport by Dutch Daughter #2, who took us home to feed us and let us grab a quick shower, then we were off to explore old Utrecht with her sister. We wandered the old downtown and the open air market, then toured a museum of old carillions and mechanical orchestras and hurdy gurdys, which was surprisingly charming. She brought us home and fed us yet again, and we are currently in danger of lapsing into a food coma. It won't be long before jet lag has its wicked way with me, so I'll leave you with a couple of photos.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)