Brooke's European Adventure: June 2005

Welcome to Europe.....

Brooke's Blog

Today I am sending out the invitation to my blog to my friends, family and co-workers. I have been writing on the blog for the last couple of weeks. Just trying to make sure I could figure out how to operate it (instead of writing one thing, sending the message out, then realizing I don't know how to write HMTL code and never writing again). But I think I have it figured out, and I hope that everyone enjoys it. To me, this is just like scrap booking.....actually easier because it is quicker! Where that would take me 4 hrs to make 2 booking pages, the message and a few pictures only takes a few minutes - and I am able to share it with everyone - real time. Have a funny story about how we couldn't get the cable TV set up last night - write about it and share it with friends and family (true story - see below :-), want to know about how to do laundy in the Netherlands (how do you add soap, where is this water coming from, why does it take 4 hrs? well, that post is coming - I am working on it currently - make sure you come back to visit again :-). So, I hope that you enjoy the stories and the pictures. Things are going well, I am still continuing to adjust to the new place, new job, and new people. It is so hard starting fresh with no idea how to do anything. Where to buy things, how to get money, how to register so that you are not kicked out of the country, how to ride a bike with 4 bags of groceries hanging from the handle bars. So, I am still in the period of adjustment, but I am definitely learning something new everyday. With that experience comes knowledge and with that knowledge comes a sense of accomplishment that you can do anything, anywhere. So, I hope you enjoy, leave whatever comments you would like, and I hope to talk to you soon!!! Now, I am off on vacation - the Italian Riviera - here I come (and come back to see those pictures next week!).

A picture from last year - but still one of my favorites from Europe. These are the Swiss Alps from lower Germany in April 2004. Hope you enjoy the blog....

Street the apartment is on - very cool

Living Room

Bedroom

Terrace

Washer and dryer - tiny!

Office

Self installation cable and modem vs Brooke and Derek

CABLE: Winner (after a grueling 6 hr challenge)= digital cable box. It didn't help that the instructions were in Dutch (no wonder the delivery man laughed when he handed me the self installation kit and I responded in English. So, no new English channels to enjoy. Back to the good old MTV (broadcast here in English - just several seasons behind).

HIGH SPEED INTERNET Winner (after a 1 hr challenge) = Derek!!! This is great - finally able to connect from home and the first thing that I want to do is ... update the blog. This is great! Now, more postings from home.

Great news !! Going on vacation to Cinque de Terra Italy - on the French Riviera. 5 towns right on the coast - built into the rocks and highly recommended by Rick Steves! Working on packing my backpack (will I be able to fit it all in there??) and just checked the weather - 75 - 80 degrees expected all weeks. This 5 day holiday will be great - pictures to be posted soon!!!!!

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

Happy Birthday to my mom today. You are (blank) years old (Don't worry, I won't say the number). Well, I hear that all is well in Michigan City and that mom is going to enjoy a special meal of sweet and sour chicken and a Boston creme cake for dinner. That sounds great. Hope you have a great day Mom and I will talk to you soon! PS. I will bring your gifts home with me for Christmas - I promise. There are some good ones!!!

Beach cycling trip

A beautiful weekend in Holland again and without even knowing it, I followed in Diane and Chris Saturday footsteps and visited Alkmaar on Sunday. (See Chris's blog for pictures of the beach and the cool glass that they found). With a map of a 50 km cycle trail, I ventured north of Amsterdam again to do another cycling loop by bicycle. However, I admit I could not find the trail. So after searching for about 30 minutes, I gave up - parked the car and followed everyone else. I found several paths in the dunes all leading to the beautiful sandy beaches of Alkmaar. There were several people out riding around. After visiting for a while, I went back through some of the towns and found some interesting sites to take some pictures which are below. Of course, I also found a local ice cream palor that had freshly made vanilla ice cream cones as big as your fist. Delicious. What a great way to spend a sunny day in Amsterdam.

The sand dunes of Alkmaar - a beach about 30 minutes from Amsterdam.

A sand dune in the center of town. There were shops and diners on each side. Reminds me of Mount Baldy in Michigan City.

fietspad = bike parking. Can you believe there the number of bikes?

Did I mention that everyone has a bike? This is 7 kms from the nearest street.

A local church near Alkmaar

Another picture in black and white I love, but... I also like the color....

Or in color - you decide!

A seperate building near the church.

The guard in black and white - I really like this picture - but can't decide again....

So which one is better - black and white or color? You decide.

Brugge or Brussels?

At the beginning of May, following my relentless pursuit of a “weekend away”, Derek and I decided to spend the weekend in Brugge, Belgium. Brugge is about 3 hrs from Amsterdam and is well-known as a very beautiful, relaxing city to visit. Brugge history dates back to the 5th century when it was inhabited by the Romans prior to being submerged by the North Sea. Two hundred years later the water subsided, leaving the land and a series of canals. The city was colonized during the 6th century and due to frequent wars and attacks in this area by various invaders, a fort was built around the city using the largest canal as a moat to surround the city. The city grew quickly due to it’s location in Holland for merchants and traders and subsequently was the setting for several wars, assassinations, churches statutes and art. Due to the city’s origin, the fortress protected Brugge from more recent wars in European history, therefore many of the historic buildings are still present. Due to the canals the snake through the city, Brugge is nicknamed the “Venice of the North”. Although I have not been to Venice (yet!), the city definitely was beautiful and very very historic. You can see several of the sights from the pictures below.

While I would prefer to just share stories of the place we visited and the things that we did, this trip diary would not be complete without a discussion of the fiasco surrounding our travel arrangements (and since I am the primary character in this story, this gives me the opportunity to share the story and add my personal commentary as well:-). Hopefully that helps.

Brugge is about 3 hrs from Amsterdam and the drive was uneventful. After rousing from a slight nap, 20 minutes from our arrival, Derek begins to plan the route will we take once in the city to arrive at our hotel. He had been to Brugge before, so I was confident with my internet maps and his knowledge, this would not be a story about us getting lost on our way. After a few minutes of reviewing the map, Derek says “You have to be kidding me”, “What?”, I ask. “Did you look at this map from the hotel?” says Derek. Now, this (of course) is a loaded question. I think back to the night that I printed it, so that I could correctly answer. Hm… I believe I looked at it…. although, it was around 11 pm… after I had worked a full day…I remember entering the name of the hotel in mapquest and it couldn’t find it… but I printed directions to the city and I printed the info from the hotel and I know there was a map on there… what could the problem be??? … “Yeah, I looked at it”. He gives me a strange look. Provides me the map and says with a laugh “Look again”. Now at this point, I knew there is something wrong, but what could it be?? Perhaps he is just playing a trick on me. So, I look at the map for several moments and nothing looks amiss. It is a map, it is the hotel and it is in Bruxelles… I thought that said Brugge, but the name doesn’t look quite right? Too many letters…. I turn and quietly say “Is this Brussels??”

Yes, it was. And Brussels was about 3 hrs south from where we were (and it was about 3 pm and we hadn’t even visited Brugge yet). Turns out that during the process of making the reservations, there were 2 hotels that I had contacted – Hotel Nicholas and Hotel St. Nicholas. Hotel St. Nicholas was in Brugge and was booked but Hotel Nicholas had availability but was in Brussels. Oops.

With fingers crossed for a place to stay, we decided to venture into the city and see what we could find. Parked the car near the center and started to walk the city. Everytime we would pass a hotel, I would go in and ask if they had any rooms. Several of the names I already recognized as places I had contacted and were full. We tried to skip those and any with 5 stars (because that really is traveling like an American and not a European). The first hotel was full, but contacted a neighboring hotel who did have one room left (although a suite and very expensive). The Crown Plaza (which is located right on the square), also had several rooms open (very very expensive and WAY to easy to be the end of the story – we couldn’t come all this way and stay at an American hotel). So that left us searching the other. After stopping several times, we found a 20 room bed and breakfast with one room left. We took it. It was right on a canal and turned out to be a very good ending to the story. We had a great time in Brugge – it was definitely a great getaway and satisfied my craving for some travel. However, next time, before we leave the house, I suspect the reservations will be audited!

Derek - as he laughs everytime I go into a hotel and ask for reservations. He just waited outside laughing.

Our hotel from the courtyard - we were right on the water!

Our hotel - the building on the right and the white building.

The hotel that I found. Great job Brooke!

Walking the city

Beautiful buildings in the city center.

Our room - only 80 euro per night (with breakfast)

Inside of the room - yes it was small - but a very typical BB room

View from our window.

Our hotel (white) from the boat tour - we passed right by the gate. The room in white was the honeymoon suite.

Very famous church believed to have drops of Jesus Christ's blood in a sealed container. You are allowed to pass by the alter containing the blood and kiss the container.

Courtyard

Can you believe this is all in one place?

A cat in the window - this is for you Melanie :-)

Another famous church!

A church - one of several in the town!

A familiar setting from Derek's last visit!

City canals

Clock tower in the city enter. 500 steps to the top - we decided to look from below :-)

Old buildings everywhere!

This is the beginning of a boat cruise that we enjoyed

Canals were everywhere

The city was formerly a fortress

Tulips in Holland

Flowers... Flowers.... Flowers.... Holland has tons of them, but are most known for their tulips. There are fields full of them and people go to the West coast along the North Sea to visit the fields in bloom at the end of April / beginning of May. Just think of the corn fields in Indiana in September, but add red, yellow, white, and orange petals instead of stalks and you definitely will have an idea of what it looks like here. Flowers are everywhere - there are several street markets selling roses, tulips, daisies - you name it. And it is very common to have fresh flowers in your house year-round. Just stop by a stand on your walk home and pick a bunch up for anywhere from 2 - 12 euros. One of the few things that actually are cheaper here than at home in the States.

Last year in April, Derek and I visited the tulip fields while on my spring visit. This year we went to the tulip wonderland, Keukenhof Park. The park has over 7 million bulbs planted and is visited by approximately 700,000 people in less than 2 months (the park opens annually when the flowers are open, then closes for the rest of the year). We had a great time walking around and looking at the flowers, climbing in a windmill, and sharing a fresh hot waffle dipped in powdered sugar. After visiting the park, we drove into the fields and followed the route we traveled last year ending on the North Sea beach in Noordwijk, Holland. We had a great day.