Saturday, November 18, 2017

Fall Break Day 2: Maastricht, Netherlands

It was a great sleep and didn't wake up until around 4:30am so as long as we stay awake today then I think that we will have beat jet lag!  Of course the key is to get out and avoid sitting around so off we go to Maastricht.  It was a crisp fall day with the sun shining and no rain so outdoors we go.  We arrive and there are a lot of people out and about so quickly jump in line and buy the last tickets for the tour.  A view of Maastricht from above . . .
Our first stop with our combo ticket was to Fort St. Pieter. Fort St. Pieter is perched high above the Meuse River on the south side of the city. The fort was constructed in the 18th century to defend the strategically important city of Maastricht. Fort Saint Pieter is a hexagonal construction full of tunnels and caves with several levels and is equipped with various large and small cannons and mortars.  The hill like stronghold soon came to be known as the tallest mountain in the area.  The interior was a maze of tunnels and passages that connected to the famous caves that run beneath the city.  The rows of gunnery windows and solid, thick walls proved their efficacy during another attack by the French in 1794, in which the fortification held strong against the siege.  However this was to be the fort’s shining moment as it was not attacked again before being decommissioned.
We had about a 30 minute break between the tours and tried to get a warm drink but it was too crowded so just enjoyed the beautiful day.  We met our guide and walked to the next stop but these sheep caught my eye . . .
. . . how awesome is that?  I grew up on a farm, but I was so giddy watching the sheep eat and the tractor plow the field . . . I almost thought I was on the set of the movie Babe!  It was time for the second stop, the cave.  The North Cave is a labyrinth that once comprised of more than 20,000 corridors . . . I can't imagine trying to navigate the massive network of passages . . .
The man made galleries once measured 230 km but today only measure around 80 km.   It was neat to see the caves as it shows you exactly where the explosion dome is located that was discussed on the fort tour.  There are many cool murals that are painted but since it is so dark photos were not easy.   The caves were also used from 1942 to 1945 to provide protection for a large part of the Dutch national art treasures.  It was worth the visit, and now I see why you can only tour with a guide.
It was exciting to enjoy being outside . . .it is fall y'all!  I am from Texas.  In Texas we have two seasons, summer (it seems to last 9 months) and winter (if you want to call it winter).  We do not get pretty changes of trees except from green to brown.  We hardly ever get a true fall season so this was exciting for me!
The leaves were so beautiful!

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