Fall Break Day 7: Eindhoven, Netherlands

Happy Thanksgiving!  Today we continue to venture to the WWII sites in the area by driving to Eindhoven.

Operation Market Garden (17–25 September 1944) was an Allied military operation, fought in the Netherlands and Germany in World War II.  Airborne and land forces succeeded in the liberation of the Dutch cities of Eindhoven and Nijmegen, but failed in keeping their further positions in and around the city of Arnhem with its strategically important bridge over the Rhine River.  Market Garden contained the largest airborne operation up to that point.  The operation was split into two sub-operations:

·         Market – the airborne forces, the First Allied Airborne Army, who would seize bridges

·         Garden – the ground forces, consisting of the British XXX Corps

We went to The Wings of Liberation Museum which looked small from the outside but once inside it had more displays that we thought.

It was still early so decided to head into the town of Eindhoven for a late lunch.  The city was organized strange but finally found a place to eat, D'N Hertog Eetcafe.  It is Thanksgiving but no traditional turkey for us.  I went all American with a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup.

Of course Colin had steak.  Europe is gearing up for Christmas but sadly most markets won't start until after we depart.  I kept seeing these booth/trailers for something called oliebollen, which translates to Dutch Donuts,so I had to at least try one.  Oh my was it yummy!

Fall Break Day 6: Hoensbroek, Netherlands

It is a beautiful sunny day in the Netherlands.  I am amazed at how warm it is outside and wish we would have not worn our jackets!  About a mile down the street from where we are staying is a beautiful castle that was built in 1360.  One thing I am finding traveling off the beaten path to smaller towns in the Netherlands is that while a lot of people speak English most of the museum information signs are in Dutch and German.  We did enjoy just walking around and enjoying the amazing weather.  The Kastell Hoensbroek is beautiful!

Since it was mid week we literally had the place to ourselves.  We continued walking into the town of Hoensbroek to the grocery store and to just hang out.  On the way back to the house we took a detour to visit the animals.

And yet another sign it is fall . . .

. . . this tree was just beautiful!

Fall Break Day 4: Margraten, Netherlands

It is a dreary, rainy day in the Netherlands but when you have limited time you just stick to the plan and go for it.  Today we head to Margraten to visit the American Cemetery.  A map of the battles in Europe during WWII . . .

There are 8,301 Americans buried here with the names of 1,722 listed on a wall as missing.

I am always amazed at how perfectly kept our cemeteries are overseas.  This one is no different.  The weather sort of sets the somber mood . . .

Fall Break Day 3: Beek, Netherlands

Today we ventured to Beek.  Not a town that is on the tourist list when most people visit the Netherlands.  Colin enjoys WWII history so when we saw the brochure for War Museum Eyewitness, we added it to our list for an easy day trip.  I had my doubts when GPS said we had arrived . . .

. . . the museum is in a house on the main street between two other residents.  We parked and went inside.  I guess the saying don't judge a book by its cover sort of rings true.  We paid and watched the introduction film which was very well done.  The museum was good too; I think I read it was a private collection which is even more amazing.  I could not get over all the realistic displays.  Most of the information was in Dutch but there were some rooms that had information cards translated to English which was very helpful and nice.  I think Colin enjoyed it but all he seemed to want to do was stop at the grocery store and buy some strawberries, but first he humored me with a photo.

Oh and yes the grocery stores are open on Sunday in the Netherlands such a change from life in Germany!

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!

Fall Break Day 1: to The Netherlands

We have arrived!  Not much to say other than the flights were long, cramped, but we did manage to sleep a little and by little I do mean not very much.  This is also the frist time Colin has been on a long international flight in several years.  He occupied the seat fully which was not as comfortable for me either.  However, we left Dallas-Fort Worth at 10:15pm and arrived in London Heathrow at 1:00pm.  It seemed like we walked a million miles to get from Terminal 3 to Terminal 5 to catch our connection to Dusseldorf, Germany . . . it took exactly 45 minutes to make the transfer thanks to the free shuttle connection . . . we arrived and went back through security with a little time to grab a snack.  On to Dusseldorf we went and our heads hit the pillow around 9:30pm.  We were so tired so here is hoping to beat jet lag!

Day 6: Amsterdam, Netherlands

The rest of the trip is going to be low key . . . only plan to visit one maybe two museums each day.  I am taking the outlook of having a slow paced, relaxing trip and taking time to just enjoy!  First stop was to the Anne Frank House.  Let me just say if you are ever thinking of visiting, be sure you book your tickets far in advance because they go quickly!  They do have walk in only times in the afternoon but have read the lines can be hours long.  I had also read about a special ticket that goes on sale only two weeks in advance.  This is the only reason I managed to get tickets.  It is a special program with a 30 minute introduction with a historian and then a self guided tour of the house.  Let me say it was fabulous and so glad this was the ticket we got.  The historian was amazing and gave great information before going inside the tour.  There are of course no photos inside the Anne Frank House but you can imagine what it must have been like for the family.  The one fact that I did not know was that they family did not leave the house for 3 years!  Can you imagine what that must have felt like?  It totally makes sense that she kept such a detailed journal of her experiences.  Again, just standing and walking around the house made you appreciate the life you have now.
These are not my photos . . . it said no photos so I did not take photos.  I found them online.
Since the family did not leave the house for three years, they would put photos and ads on the walls from magazines that were smuggled in to them.

 The bookcase covered the stairs that lead to where they hid . . .

It was interesting to know that where they lived/hid was not visible from the street.  It was a house that was behind the main house where those stairs behind the bookcase led.

I can not imagine . . . at least they had a much larger area to live compared to the tin Boom family.

After such a deep experience, what I really needed was a break . . . a break in Dam Square.  It is nice to sit, relax, enjoy a cappuccino, and watch people.  We headed over the to SkyLounge at the Double Tree Hotel . . . great view . . .

and a refreshing drink too!  Thankfully it isn't as hot as Spain!

We did a little shopping and explored the canals.  My favorite thing to do in Amsterdam was just walk the canals and admire the beautiful houses.  Apparently, I totally forgot to take photos while in Amsterdam!

Day 5: Amsterdam, Netherlands

I won't bore you with my crazy sleep but it was awake, asleep, awake . . . I think I was just excited about my friend arriving to travel together.  I am going to try really hard to not take a nap today . . . key word is try.  Today we move into Amsterdam.  We are staying at the Amsterdam Hilton which became famous in 1969 when John Lennon and Yoko Ono held there Bed-In for Peace for a week.  I didn't know this until we arrived at the hotel and saw the pictures at the hotel.  You can stay in that same suite for about 1400€ (about $1600) for one night!  Needless to say we didn't book that room; it was booked for one of the nights we were there and apparently is booked often by fans.  I really can't imagine spending that amount of money for one night.  You can ask to see the room, but I always forgot.  The view from our room was a delight!

I have been to Amsterdam with Colin before and loved it.  Today it was packed and just not as enjoyable as I remembered.  Still a beautiful city but super busy and crowded.  It was so nice to visit a city as an adult and be able to just wander where ever you wanted and not worrying about what a child might see.  So yes, we did go to the Red Light District to see what all the fuss was about.  It was day time and pretty much what I expected.  I was amazed at the number of men inquiring about services from the ladies in the windows.  We did over hear one saying it would be 150€; not exactly sure what he wanted, but he continued to talk to her.  It was so nice to just walk around and explore the city with no real plans!  Of course it is hard to not enjoy when everywhere you turn it looks like this . . .

I was so excited to get some frites with mayo . . . trust me it is sooo good!  And no I did not eat all of those . . . it was a sharing size!

. . . and back to the hotel!

Day 4: Haarlem, Netherlands

Oh sleep why can't you just stay a bit longer?  I woke at 2:30am and finally turned on the TV at 3:00am.  I sort of forgot about the crazy things you could see on regular TV in Europe in the middle of the night.

Today I am spending the day in Haarlem, Netherlands.  My main reason is to visit the Corrie ten Boom House.  In order to get to Haarlem, I will take bus 300 from the airport which is only about a 45 minute journey.  The process was easy and traffic was not an issue since Bus 300 has its own dedicated lane for the majority of the trip.  I don't do buses.  Nothing personal it just seems a bit more complicated and confusing than other modes of travel.  So today I am stepping out of my comfort zone . . . I must admit it was super easy and only cost 5€ (about $6).  I arrived in Haarlem much earlier than I planned so had to figure out some things to do before my tour at 11:30am.  As I arrived it really is like I am in a fairy tale and just a delight!

It is so easy to just wander the cobblestone streets and admire the beautiful buildings.

I stopped by the tourist market to pick up a map and get orientated.  The man was so kind and helpful.  It was still early so asked for a place to grab a snack.  I went to Bij Babette's for a slice of cake and tea.

It started to rain so stayed a little longer than planned studying the map but finally took off to visit The Grote Kerk:  St. Bavokerk which dates back to the 14th century.

It is massive and dominates the Grote Market area.  The inside is just as amazing; the organ, the ceiling, even a cannon ball in the wall . . .

I wandered around the Grote Market and stopped into a few fun local stores before heading to the Corrie ten Boom House.  I remember reading about her as a child and when I realized I was close by had to plan a day to visit.  During World War II, the ten Boom family provided a hiding place for Jewish people and members of the resistance in there home.  The family was betrayed, imprisoned and deported to concentration camps--only Corrie survived the ordeal.  She went on to travel the world and share her story.  She died and was buried in California.  The hiding place is really small and just standing in the tiny room looking at the super small hiding place made you really think about how unjust our world was to certain people.

They would enter through the bottom of the shelf on the left and hide behind the wall.  It was a very small place and can't imagine how difficult it was to get in to place so quickly.  It was a great tour and limited to very few so glad I booked ahead of time.

It was a beautiful day so enjoyed being outside in the much cooler weather (60s).  It is a beautiful city!

I walked to the Molen De Adriaan for a tour of a working windmill . . .

I sat outside waiting for it to open . . . watching the boats pass by and wait for the bridge to open so they could pass.

While it was only mid afternoon, I headed back to catch Bus 300 to the airport and my hotel.  This bus thing was simple and maybe I will have to be more open to using them in the future.  I took a nap that was a bit too long and finally left the room to hang out in the executive lounge.  I know tonight my sleep will be awful, but I am excited because my solo trip becomes a trip for two in the morning!