Sorry for that "Debbie Downer" moment, but really, that was what crossed my mind as I sat down this morning.
What's been happening with me since my last post over two months ago? Quite a lot. I'll share some of the highlights with you.
David and I spent Easter weekend traveling. We visited Amsterdam, Ghent and Brugge (Bruges). We arrived in Amsterdam and headed directly to the Anne Frank house. We luckily had purchased our tickets on line and were able to bypass the very long line that was out front.
I have to admit, I have never read "The Diary of a Young Girl" (also known as "The Diary of Anne Frank"), but visiting her hiding place during WWII was at the top of my places to visit while in Amsterdam. I had always imagined that they had only a single room, but quite the contrary. There were several rooms above Anne's father's business that held the 8 people in hiding. Don't get me wrong, it was still an incredibly small space. They had to cover the windows with black out shades and couldn't move around during the work day so that they would go undetected by the employees below. Certainly not a pleasant living situation. I would share photos, but they were prohibited.
Next up we visited the Van Gogh museum. Neither of us are big art lovers, but if you are going to be in the birthplace of a well loved artist, why not? We did actually enjoy learning about his art, his mental illness and how his brother brokered his art. Insider tip: buy on-line tickets and skip the line!
My absolute favorite activity was visiting Kukenhof Gardens. While the gardens weren't in full bloom, they were amazing. Even David enjoyed walking through the spring blooms.
Our last quest in Amsterdam was tracking down some windmills. Zaanse Schans is located just outside of Amsterdam and is home to 8 historic windmills.
We were amazed at the number of BIKES! We were told that there are about 800,000 people living in the city and that there are over 1 million bikes! I've never had to watch for bicyclists as I've crossed the street before, but believe me, if you don't, you will be hit.
Off to Brugge (Dutch) or Bruges (English), take your pick on the spelling. It is a medieval village, which is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders. It is also referred to as the Venice of the North. It is a magical city full of stunning architecture and of course, good food. After waiting in a line for more than 15 minutes, David enjoyed his huge serving of pomme frittes (french fries). They were worth it!
We left Brugge and drove south to visit Flanders Fields and the Menin Gate in the village of Ypres. These WWI monuments/museums were both educational and somber. The Menin Gate pays tribute to over 55,000 soldiers who went missing during the battles in the surrounding fields. There were many cemeteries that were filled with headstones of the known soldiers who died in battles in the area. It reminded me of Arlington Cemetery in Washington, DC.
We spent our last night in Ghent. We had visited earlier this year, but were unable to see the Ghent Altarpiece, which is also called the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb. If you saw the movie "The Monument Men", this piece of art was mentioned in the film. I am happy to report that we were able to see (and photograph) the altarpiece and enjoy a nice dinner and of course a belgium waffle before we headed back home.
We have been kept busy during the rest of April with AIA (Americans in Alsace) friends and activities. David and I were both able to meet the US Ambassador to France, Jane Hartley, during her recent visit to Strasbourg. She is a basketball enthusiast and was thrilled to meet Matt Howard and Tony Dobbins from the SIG while she was here. I think she would love to coordinate an NBA game in Paris…I could be wrong, but we'll see :)
We teamed up with our friends the Tuppers, (Matt and Germaine) and competed in a Scavenger Hunt around Strasbourg. Our team, Blood and Guts, eked out the victory. Just this past Sunday David and I attended a family picnic at our local park. Guess who won the 3-legged race?
Nothing too out of the ordinary has happened during our daily life, you know, the same old "shoulder ramming" walks on the sidewalks because the French don't understand the idea of sharing the space, a huge rally in the streets (this time is was in tribute to victims of the Armenian Genocide 100 years ago)
and probably the most comical, being "quacked at" by the resident homeless man as I walk to the grocery. Yes, I said "quacked". Several of my friends know who I am referring to, and also know EXACTLY where he sits. We think that he has "branded himself". Must've been a marketing major before he became down on his luck.
Sorry that this post is so boring, but wanted to catch up my family on our adventures. I hesitate to blog when there isn't really a unique experience to share with you, so hope that you will forgive me for the mundane.
I'm leaving on a jet plane, and I won't be back in France until May 24th.
A HUGE shout out to Sarah for finishing her senior year with a 3.9+ GPA….she could've been having fun her last year of undergrad, but she worked hard and we are so proud of her. Looking forward to watching her graduate and start the next chapter in her life. (Don't worry, I won't forget to hug her tightly and be thankful that I can)
Blessings friends!!
