Ten things I learned in Antwerp, Belgium…

Here it is, my usual list of ten things I learned on my latest trip. I like to do these to remind myself that travel is a way to expand one’s mind, pick up new knowledge, meet new people, and broaden perspectives. I also find that the ten things I learned posts are more likely to be read than my blow by blow accounts of our travels, especially since we tend to do a lot of eating and drinking instead of visiting exhibits. So, here goes… ten things I learned in Antwerp, Belgium.

10. Antwerp is a major port city.

Antwerp is located on the Scheldt River, and it’s partially located in the City of Antwerp and the Province of East Flanders. It is Europe’s second largest seaport, after Rotterdam.

*Het Steen, a building that has been used many ways… including as a cruise terminal.*

9. You can’t come to Antwerp and not learn about A Dog of Flanders.

I’m sorry to admit that I had not heard of A Dog of Flanders before we visited Antwerp. The novella was written by the English author, Marie Louise de la Ramée (also known as Ouida), and it was partly based on Antwerp. The story is about a poor boy named Nello and his dog, Patrasch, who were very loyal to each other. Ouida’s book was very popular in Asia and Russia, was made into a film, and translated into different languages. Because of the book’s popularity, there are two monuments in Belgium dedicated to Nello and Patrasch. One of the monuments is located in Antwerp, and you can’t miss it if you go to the cathedral.

8. Antwerp is famous for diamonds.

One of the reasons we visited Antwerp is because Bill thought maybe we’d shop for a diamond, since it was my 50th birthday. But we ended up skipping the diamond shopping, having been warned by Trip Advisor reviews. 🙂 Nevertheless, I had no idea diamonds were notable in Antwerp before I visited there. Maybe we’ll still shop for a rock, since this year we will also celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary.

7. Antwerp is very LGBTQ friendly.

Which isn’t to say that Europe, as a whole, isn’t friendly to the LGBTQ community. But I saw signs that Antwerp is especially open to people of all orientations. I liked that about Antwerp.

6. It’s also very artist friendly!

Perhaps because it’s such an “open-minded” place, Antwerp is also home to a lot of artists and fashionistas. We saw all sorts of awesome fashion interpretations during our visit, and I saw more than a couple of art galleries I wouldn’t have minded exploring.

5. And there’s lots of food to suit every taste!

We found exotic cuisines ranging from Israeli to Peruvian-Japanese! And, of course, there was also the usual stuff, like Italian food, Greek food, Thai food, and Belgian food. There’s something for everyone.

4. COVID rules are pretty relaxed.

Actually, I would say they’re non-existent. Masks are recommended, but aren’t required, on trains or buses, nor did I see anyone wearing them voluntarily. If COVID is a worry for you, you might want to keep this in mind. We were not asked about our vaccines, except in a casual conversation with the hotel staff who was comparing rules in Germany to rules elsewhere.

3. Not all stores take Visa (or American credit cards).

We should have known better, given that we live in Germany, and we don’t have European credit cards. A lot of European destinations have gone cashless, so we have gone that way ourselves. But if you carry an American card, you might want to bring euros with you, just in case.

2. Bill rode his first ferris wheel in Antwerp.

Bill is afraid of heights, so before my birthday trip, he never voluntarily took a ride in a ferris wheel. I did not know, as we were looking at Antwerp from the top of the wheel, that this was his very first time on such a ride. He had a good time. I’m sure it comforted him that the car was enclosed, though.

*Bill lost his ferris wheel virginity here.*

1. You have to pay to see the Cathedral of Our Lady if you aren’t from Antwerp…

However, it’s worth the price of admission if you like art. The cathedral is loaded with paintings, sculptures, and relics, as well as beautiful stained glass windows and a fascinating crypt. And, when you’re finished gawking at all of the beautiful art, you can visit the bistro, enjoy a beer or a coffee in the courtyard, and use the toilet. That’s a pretty big deal.

*One of many paintings you can see at the cathedral!*

So… there you have it. We had a great time in Antwerp and I hope we can visit again. It was a great place for me to turn 50. I found many friendly locals who were willing to celebrate with me! As long as you aren’t driving– or you have a very good GPS that can get you where you need to go– it’s a total pleasure. Driving in Antwerp can be hellish if you don’t have accurate GPS. But once you park, good times are to be had! I can still say that I’ve never had a bad time in Belgium.

blog news, Ten Things I Learned

Why “I Ain’t Been Nowhere” and ten more things I learned in Alsace, France…

It’s time for me to write another one of my “ten things I learned” posts. This one is coming a bit later than usual. I’m going to preface the post with a bit of an explanation for the people who still follow my travel adventures.

I’ve held off on writing my usual “ten things I learned” post for our most recent trip to France. I’m sad to say that I’ve kind of lost some of my desire to produce travel blog posts. There are a couple of reasons for this development.

Ever since I moved my blogs to WordPress, I’ve been struggling with lagging morale, particularly regarding the travel blog. Part of the reason I’ve been struggling has to do with people who were following me on Blogspot and decided to cause trouble. That situation was what led me to move my blogs in the first place. I suspect they just didn’t like me personally, for whatever reason, and decided to stir up some shit. It all ended badly, and ultimately, not in their favor, but it left me with some significant psychological angst that has taken some time to overcome.

I spent a year struggling with feeling really violated and angry, mainly because the people who were causing issues were being creepy, dishonest, and toxic. I’ve written quite a lot about that situation, mostly on my main blog, so I don’t want to rehash it here. I do think it’s really sad that some people feel the need to meddle in other people’s business and try to sabotage something like a personal blog. What those people did caused real damage on many levels, and there was absolutely no reason for it, other than their need to be destructive and creepy.

The second reason I’ve been less enthusiastic has a lot to do with the pandemic, and how difficult and annoying travel has been since COVID-19 became part of life. I was finally starting to feel better about writing in early 2020, only to have everything fall apart due to a deadly novel virus. The below song by Rhonda Vincent is pretty much a good summation of my feelings about COVID… If you haven’t heard it, I highly encourage you to listen. I promise it’s good, unless you just can’t abide bluegrass.

Sometimes, I think I’d like to go back to the USA, just so I can see Rhonda Vincent perform in person. Even if you aren’t a bluegrass fan, this song is awesome. Those harmonies make me want to cry! (in a verklempt way)

I am happy to report that Europe really is FINALLY opening up again, and COVID measures are becoming less obnoxious. This is happening, even though COVID infections are on the rise again in Europe, and I was actually exposed to COVID on our latest trip (though I haven’t been sick). I’m hoping the “red tile” on my Corona Warn app will go back to green today. Bill and I had a wonderful time in France, and now we want to travel more. So, I’m hoping we can move back into our former lifestyle, and I will recapture the joy of travel and experiencing new places and things. And now, on to the ten things I learned…

10. COVID-19 measures in France are currently much less annoying than they’ve been in Germany.

One of the reasons Bill and I went to France in the first place is because we didn’t want to be bothered by strict COVID rules. France doesn’t require FFP2 face masks, and if you are vaccinated, you don’t have to bother with masks in public indoor areas of restaurants and hotels. You do still need to wear a mask in shops, because they don’t check for vaccinations at the door. This was true during our visit, but as we know, rules are always subject to change.

9. Soufflenheim is French pottery heaven!

We have been to the Alsace area of France many times, but we’ve always stuck to the Wine Route. This was our first time exploring the area above Strasbourg, and we decided to go there because we knew Soufflenheim was where Alsatian pottery is made.

8. But there isn’t that much else going on in Soufflenheim…

Or, at least that was our impression during our visit. It’s a great place to go pottery shopping, but I wouldn’t say the town is particularly picturesque. However, nearby Sessenheim, where we stayed, is very cute!

7. There’s more to Alsace than the Wine Route.

On our previous trips to Alsace, we stayed in pretty, tourist friendly towns like Riquewihr, Colmar (Bischwihr), Ribeauville, and, of course, Strasbourg. We have visited the picturesque hamlets around Riquewihr and Ribeauville, and even made a point of stopping by Kaysersberg, where Anthony Bourdain took his life in 2018. If you go north of Strasbourg, you’ll still be in Alsace, but it feels different… and it’s well worth seeing.

6. Auberge Au Boeuf is a really cool place to stay!

I think the main reason we enjoyed our trip so much is because we discovered Auberge Au Boeuf, which is a wonderful, historic restaurant. But it also has four really cool bedrooms that can be rented. We were delighted by how thoughtfully designed and beautiful the hotel was. The little town of Sessenheim is also notable for its historic connection to Johann von Goethe, a very famous German poet, playwright, novelist, and statesman.

5. Michelin starred restaurants are not the end all, be all…

I do enjoy eating fancy food on occasion; but I’m really much more of a comfort food fan. We ate at the Michelin starred Auberge Au Boeuf twice. I’m not sorry we did that, but we did learn that “fancy food” should be special, or the magic wears off. On the other hand, it had been so long since we last indulged!

4. Speaking German often, but not always, comes in handy in Alsace.

We kind of already knew this from other trips, but we did run into a number of people who didn’t speak German or English. It made me wish I had studied French, in school, instead of Spanish.

3. The town of Bitche, which is in Lorraine, is very close to Kaiserslautern and Ramstein.

I did not realize how accessible this town, with its impressive and famous citadel, is to Germany’s largest military community. Maybe if Bill had worked in K-town, we might be slipping over the border more often.

2. Saverne is a cute town I’d never heard of!

We visited Saverne on a whim after we got bored in beautiful Obernai. Seriously, Obernai is a very pretty town, but it reminded me so much of other wine route towns. It was a treat to discover Saverne, which was about 45 minutes away. It had a very different feel. I wish we’d had time to explore more of it. Maybe we can go back.

It’s time to get back to enjoying Europe… for as long as possible.

One of our biggest regrets during our first time living in Europe is that we spent too many weekends at home. We completely missed out on the Black Forest and Alsace during our Army tour. In fact, I don’t even remember any visits to Stuttgart Mitte during those two years. When we came back to Germany in 2014, we were determined to explore more. For four years, we were able to do that, and we did it to great success.

But then, once we moved, we dealt with harassment and COVID-19, which knocked us off track somewhat. As we’ve learned from COVID, life is short and tomorrow is never guaranteed. Putin is making things in Europe a bit tense. Add that to COVID, and things can seem mighty grim. The truth is, every day there are risks to be faced. It’s time to face more risks and get back to living. I hope that’s what we can do more of in 2022.

And to those who want to cause trouble and see me fail…

Ten Things I Learned

Ten things I learned on our trip to Sweden, Denmark, and East Germany…

Well, it’s time once again to write one of my “ten things I learned” posts. I always like to wrap up a long trip with a summary post. It’s mainly for those who don’t want to wade through all my crap, but are interested in where I went and what I did. I find it’s also useful for me to digest our travel experiences. I keep reminding myself that I probably won’t always have these amazing opportunities to see the world. So here goes…

10. Volvo is now owned by a Chinese company.

I knew that Volvo was once owned by the American company, Ford, but I didn’t know that it was bought by Geely, which was founded in 1986 and is based in China. I also didn’t know that Geely means “lucky” or “auspicious” in Chinese.

9. Hygge is a special thing in Denmark.

Actually, it’s a special thing in Norway, too. The word denotes a certain kind of coziness and comfort, particularly when it includes togetherness with other people. I didn’t experience much Hygge during our one night in Copenhagen, but I can see how I might if I stayed there longer… or if we’d ventured into Denmark’s cool tree walk.

8. Always follow up if you don’t get firm instructions regarding a meeting.

My husband, Bill, was kicking himself because he took our Volvo salesperson’s word for it when he was told they’d come get us at around 9:00am. He never heard from anyone at Volvo itself. Consequently, we were surprised when they sent a cab for us at 7:40am. Fortunately, we were able to go to the factory later and get our new car.

7. The Volvo Factory Experience is cool…

It was interesting to see how robots created the luxury wheels we’re driving now. Volvo also doesn’t look like a bad place to work, if you can stand factory work, that is. The factory was clean and surprisingly quiet.

6. The Stasi Prison Museum in Rostock is closed for renovations.

I was bummed that we weren’t able to see the museum. It was the one reason we decided to stay in Rostock for two nights instead of Copenhagen. Oh well. Rostock is a pretty interesting city anyway. I wouldn’t mind going back. If we do go back, maybe we can see the museum then. Or maybe we should just go to Berlin again and see the one there.

5. East Germany is still pretty unspoiled and vacant compared to the west…

It was a pleasure to drive on the mostly open Autobahns, although I kept wondering what it must have been like there before and immediately after the Berlin Wall fell. I think the former East Germany is fascinating. I’d love to spend more time there. And yes, I know East Germany doesn’t exist anymore. I’m a child of the 80s. Humor me.

4. Leipzig is a very musical city.

I am ashamed to admit that I didn’t know Bach, Wagner, and Mendelssohn had connections there. I will admit, though, that they aren’t composers I’ve studied much about. Aside from the heavy hitting classical composers, Leipzig is home to a number of talented buskers and hosts its share of rock stars. We got to see one up close in the hotel bar where we were staying.

3. Bedbugs may or may not have bitten my leg…

And if a bedbug did bite me, it proves that bedbugs aren’t necessarily attracted to filth. Even really nice hotels can have issues with them.

2. German Apothekes are very helpful if you have a minor illness or health mishap.

I’m sure I knew this, of course. I just don’t make it a habit of visiting them because as an American with on post shopping privileges, I can get my hands on a lot of over the counter drugs without having to talk to a pharmacist. But if you’re on a trip in Germany and something bites you or you have minor aches and pains, a German Apotheke may be very helpful and worth a stop.

1. Autobahns in East Germany have emojis to indicate the length of building projects.

Maybe they have them in the west, too, but I have never seen them. They’re pretty cute!

This is pretty much how I feel when I encounter a Stau… especially if it’s caused by one of the neverending building projects over here.

Ten Things I Learned

Ten things I learned on our trip to Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Ireland…

From Mount Stewart House’s beautiful gardens…

It’s that time again. When Bill and I take trips, I like to sum them up with a “ten things I learned” post. Although we’ve been to Scotland three times and we visited Ireland last fall, this cruise on Hebridean Princess took us to Northern Ireland for the very first time. You wouldn’t think there would be that much of a difference between Ireland and Northern Ireland… and, I guess, there isn’t that much in terms of how it looks and how warm the people are. But we learned that there’s still some tension over the fact that Ireland and Northern Ireland are divided. I will get more into that with this list. For now, here’s the countdown in no particular order.

10. There are a whole lot of Presbyterians in Northern Ireland!

I was born and raised Presbyterian, although I am not really a churchgoer these days. To be honest, when I did used to go to church, I didn’t know that much about it. I simply went because my parents made me. It wasn’t until I was in college and worked as the cook at a Presbyterian church camp that I learned about what I was supposed to believe and realized that it’s a very Scottish religion. Maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised to see so many Presbyterian churches in Northern Ireland, but when we visited Derry, our tour guide told us the story of Presbyterians in that large city. We visited the First Derry Presbyterian Church and The Blue Coat School Visitor Centre and I came to realize just how prevalent the faith is there.

9. There’s still a lot of tension between British people and Irish people over Northern Ireland’s inclusion in the United Kingdom.

I suppose I shouldn’t be too surprised that many Irish people would like to see their island nation reunited the way Germany has reclaimed its east. As we listened to our Irish tour guide in Carlingford talk about growing up in Northern Ireland and visiting the Republic, I got a firsthand account of a man’s experience having to pass through checkpoints during a very volatile period in Irish history. I had sympathy for our Irish guide’s viewpoints, although I admittedly don’t know as much about the subject as I should.

8. Bill knows a lot about Irish folklore.

My husband seemed to impress a number of other passengers about how much he knows about Irish folklore. It’s a special interest of his, since he has a lot of Irish ancestry. He took a course at American University when he was a college student and learned a lot of the old stories. It came in handy during our tour of Carlingford.

7. The city of Derry has a connection to Harvey’s Bristol Cream, a favorite sherry of ours.

Although I’d be hard pressed to accurately retell the story as our tour guide told it, I was very surprised to find out how Bishop Harvey in Derry had a connection to Harvey’s Bristol Cream.

6. If you visit an Irish restaurant in the Republic, you’re liable to hear old fashioned country music.

Yes, I know country music comes from Scotland, Ireland, and the other isles up there, but I sure wasn’t expecting to hear “The Ballad of Jed Clampitt” in an Irish restaurant as we were discussing Irish folklore. The music moved on nicely to “D-I-V-O-R-C-E” by Tammy Wynette and a number of other feel good classics from when I was a wee lass in the 70s.

5. I learned more about the plight of Catholics in Northern Ireland.

Although I had heard a little about Catholic oppression by the British when we were in Ireland last November, I learned a bit more about religious persecution on this trip. For example, when we visited Derry, our guide explained that the Catholics were mostly very poor and were forced to settle in a marshy area of the city. Because they were so poor and many people often lived in one home, they were underrepresented in elections. For years, only one person in a Catholic household was allowed to vote and they really suffered because of that rule, which only changed in the late 1960s.

4. Every year in Carlingford, people are allowed to hunt Leprechauns for one day.

Our tour guide in Carlingford, a man named Dermott, explained that the town of Carlingford has a fund raiser that allows people to go up in the hills and “hunt” for Leprechauns. It is technically illegal to hunt for them on any other day of the year.

3. Crossing the border into Ireland from Northern Ireland is a non-event… for now.

Dermott, our guide in Carlingford, told us that as a young man, he had to submit to extreme vehicle searches whenever he wanted to visit Ireland. Although he was born and raised in Northern Ireland, Dermott considers himself Irish and wants to see the island united as one country unto itself. He told us of having the wheels and seats taken out of his car when he was a young man as border patrols looked for bombs or other weapons. Today, one can cross into Ireland and not even notice. But if Brexit comes to pass, that may change.

2. Mount Stewart is a beautiful place!

Bill and I had the pleasure of visiting Scotland’s amazing Mount Stuart House in Bute, Scotland, on our first Hebridean cruise. As the crow flies, Northern Ireland’s Mount Stewart isn’t that far away. It’s also a very impressive place. I really enjoyed the gardens at Mount Stewart, although I think I like Mount Stuart’s house a little more.

1. The Titanic Experience in Belfast is amazing… and amazingly crowded!

I really didn’t know much about the Titanic, the ill fated cruise ship, before we visited Belfast last week. I still don’t know that much about it because the Titanic Experience, while very comprehensive and impressive, is positively loaded with people. I overheard some passengers on our cruise saying that France’s exhibit in Cherbourg is better. Perhaps we will visit there and see for ourselves.

We really enjoyed ourselves in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Ireland. I hope someday we will get to return. At the very least, I need to sit down and watch the movie, Titanic. I can’t believe I still haven’t seen it in the 20 years it’s been out. Maybe this weekend…

Alsace, Burgundy, Ten Things I Learned

Ten things I learned in Alsace and Burgundy…

Every time I take a trip, I like to take a moment and reflect on the things I learned during my travels. No matter where I go, I always learn something new. On this particular trip, I learned more about French food! But I also learned some other things that I want to share with those who read this blog. So here goes…

10. Ribeauville is pronounced “Ribeauvillay”.

I was curious about how to pronounce Ribeauville because I noticed that all the signs showed an accent over the second e in the name. I asked Yannick, our host at our first gite, how to pronounce Ribeauville and he helped me out. Here’s a link to where you can hear French speakers say it.

By the same token, Alsace is pronounced “Al-zahss” (not Al-sayce).

9. There’s an art to ordering steak in France.

I was under the impression that in France, most people like their meat bloody. It’s also been my impression that the French know Americans don’t always like really rare meat. If you want to be in the know for enjoying beef in France, here’s a guide to how to order it. I asked for medium steak twice and ended up with well-done the second time. If I had known the French terms, maybe it would have turned out differently.

8. The word for turkey in French is “dinge”. Storks are a big deal in Alsace.

And I like turkey, so that’s good to know for next time! I never knew there were so many storks in that part of France and had not noticed them prior trips.

7. Escargot isn’t half bad…

It’s not all bad, either. I was pleasantly surprised by the escargot Bill and I tried in Burgundy, although I think all the garlic helped. It reminded me somewhat of eating haggis, though, and will probably be an experience saved for special occasions. I will say that every time I have smelled escargots being prepared, I have been intoxicated by the aroma. They always smell delicious to me, even if the idea of eating something slimy is a bit off putting. But, in fairness to snails, they aren’t slimy when they’ve been cooked.

6. Kugelhopf is a tasty breakfast bread.

It’s available in Germany, too, especially close to the French border. I’d probably still prefer croissants, but there aren’t really any bad French breads, are there?

5. You can have a great time in a no name destination.

I say “no name”, but what I really mean is a place that isn’t on the tourist map. Ribeauville is definitely more touristy than Saint Marcelin-de-Cray is, but I think Bill and I enjoyed the less touristy side of our trip more. It was fun just to be in a place where we were aliens and could just soak up the atmosphere. It was great being in what the wine seller described as “the real France”.

4. Going off the beaten path is good for the soul as well as the brain.

All week, we were challenged to learn a little bit of French. We ran into only one group of Americans and that was on the first night of our seven night trip. Although a few people we ran into spoke English, we had to live a bit more by our wits. And if you read my series, you now know that can sometimes lead to eating chitterlings.

3. Andouillette in France is NOT the same as American Andouille sausage.

Moreover, the French also do Andouille sausage differently than the Cajun folks do. If you are an adventurous eater who enjoys offal, it may be a thrill to try it in France. If you’re not, you may want to be aware. That being said, I read that Andouillette is a delicacy in Burgundy. It’s also very popular in Lyon, which is considered France’s food city. There’s even a club for connoisseurs.

2. In Burgundy, if you are offered “coffee” at four o’clock, don’t be surprised if you end up with wine.

Of course, you may also get coffee.

1. If you haven’t tried staying in a self-catering “gite” (pronounced zheet), you should give it a go.

When Bill and I lived in Germany the first time, we pretty much always stayed in B&Bs and hotels when we traveled. This time, because it’s not as easy to book our dogs at their favorite place, we have been taking them with us. Our dogs are not the most polite hounds on the block, so we like to find places to stay where they won’t be disruptive to others. Gites are great for that purpose. I have found that France is especially dog friendly, too. We spend a lot less money for larger accommodations where we can cook our own meals and not have to worry about disrupting housekeepers. It’s a win/win all the way around. I still love going to really nice hotels and being pampered, but when we bring our dogs, gites are the best alternative. And we have met some great people that way, too.

And also great donkeys…

Burgundy, Ten Things I Learned

Ten things I learned on my trip to Semur En Auxois, France…

Whenever Bill and I take trips, I like to think of ten things I learned. I have found that travel is one of the best ways to learn new things, meet new people, and expand horizons. Although Semur En Auxois was not on my top ten list of places I wanted to see, we really enjoyed our weekend there. And so, in the interest of promoting this underrated town, I give you the top ten things we learned on our trip to Semur En Auxois, France.

10. There are still places in western Europe where not everyone speaks English. I know some people will say that the French purposely choose not to speak English, and maybe that’s true sometimes. I didn’t find it to be true in Semur En Auxois. Everyone we ran into was pleasant, though not necessarily fluent in English. Frankly, I found it very refreshing, even though it made communicating more difficult.

9. In France, you can go to the grocery store on Sunday! It’s true that things do shut down for the “day of rest”, but people have to have their croissants. So, if you also need to load up on wine or cheese for the ride back to Germany, you may very well be able to stop in. I’m not sure if this is true in every part of France, but it was in Semur En Auxois, which I would not consider to be a tourist mecca.

8. It can be very rewarding to wander among small towns and just soak in the local flavor. It’s true that this particular trip was not of the Clark W. Griswold variety. We didn’t make a point of seeing all of the things we could have seen. But we did get to see some very charming French villages and enjoy some wonderful scenery. Sometimes, it’s good to just soak up the atmosphere.

7. Cheese that smells like feet apparently tastes fantastic. This is according to my husband, Bill, who likes that sort of thing. If you like unusual and stinky cheeses, France is your place! As for me, pass the Monterrey Jack and make sure it’s melted.

6. Europeans aren’t into spaying and neutering their pets the way Americans are. Although people have given us strange looks in Germany for having two dogs sans testicles, it wasn’t until we went to France that we learned why. At least in Germany, there is a law that prohibits removing organs from animals for non medical reasons, although it doesn’t seem to be heavily enforced and exceptions can be made. Europeans seem to be opposed to the practice of spaying and neutering in general. I just found a five year old article that explains that neutering your dog is actually illegal in Norway. Interesting! This revelation ranks right up there with learning that many German men sit down to pee when they’re at home.

5. Free parking and free WCs! Although I know free potties and parking are not necessarily the norm in France, we did find them both to be a lot more plentiful there than in Germany. On the other hand, prepare to pay tolls on the motorways!

4. Even if you don’t speak French, you can have rewarding conversations… See my reference to spaying and neutering above, which came about as we were chatting with an elderly French lady who wondered where our dogs’ balls were. Of course, we could have misinterpreted. Incidentally, we also saw a local guy walking by wearing a t-shirt that read “This is my Halloween costume.” We count that as another bizarre occurrence during our travels (and we always have at least one on every trip we take).

3. My French isn’t as bad as I thought it was. Which isn’t to say that it’s good at all. I just understood more than I would have expected. I definitely need to study it, though. But I also need to study German. Why couldn’t I have spent two years in a country where I would have learned French instead of Eastern Armenian? Just my luck, I guess.

2. Even obscure towns are worth seeing. My guess is that most Americans have never heard of Semur En Auxois. Most Americans would prefer to visit Paris, Lyon, Nice, or Normandy. We had a very good time in rural France. It was an authentic experience that I would highly recommend to other Americans if they have the means and the opportunity. Just pick a small town and go. You may surprise yourself by what you’ll end up learning and seeing.

1. France is wonderful. I will admit, my very first impressions of France in 1995 were quite unfavorable. I spent a whole, miserable, jet lagged day stuck at Charles de Gaulle airport where I was treated rudely. However, every time I have gone back to France, and there have been many times since 1995, I have fallen more in love with the country. There’s a lot to love about France and I hope we can go back again soon. I kind of feel the same way about New York City. I hated my first visit, but loved it more with each subsequent trip. By the time we move back to the States, I will probably be madly in love with France.

France is beautiful, even when the sun isn’t shining!

BeNeLux, Ten Things I Learned

Ten things I learned in The Netherlands…

I usually like to sum up my trips with a list of things I learned while traveling. The trip Bill and I took to The Netherlands was our first time really visiting Holland, though we had been to Belgium and Luxembourg, which are the Be and Lux parts of Benelux. I thoroughly enjoyed the week in The Netherlands, despite missing my dogs. So here it is… ten things I learned in The Netherlands.

1. Bikes are EVERYWHERE.

Seriously, everyone in The Netherlands seems to enjoy riding bikes. If you visit, you can rent them with ease. I didn’t rent a bike during this trip because I spent enough time riding them as a kid. But it really did appear to be a great way to get around. I saw a lot of happy looking families riding together. It was pretty cool.

2. Pot is not everywhere.

A lot of people think there are coffeeshops on every corner in The Netherlands. I didn’t see any in Apeldoorn, though for all I know, I was looking in the wrong places. I only saw one in Haarlem, though I know for a fact there are more there. In Amsterdam, pot is everywhere. It is quite the tourist attraction, along with sex. Buying marijuana in cities with coffeeshops is no big deal at all. It’s totally legal. And space cakes can be fun, as long as you don’t overdo it.

3. Beer comes in smaller bottles and glasses than it does in Germany.

In a way, I kind of liked this because it made it easier to try different ones. I did discover Jopen beer in The Netherlands, which I will be looking for here. It’s good stuff.

4. Many Dutch people are very tall. I say this as a woman who is only 5’2″ tall. I would have thought no one would think of me as a local simply because I am so short, but quite a few people spoke Dutch to me before realizing I am American. That, in and of itself, is kind of cool.

5. A lot of Dutch words resemble German words. A lot resemble English words.

And a lot are totally unrecognizable to the uninitiated. Fortunately, many people in The Netherlands speak English beautifully.

6. Free WiFi is widely available, much more so than it is in Germany.

I also found that it’s easier to watch YouTube videos in The Netherlands. They aren’t as strict as Germany is about copyrights.

7. If you want tap water in a restaurant, you can get it.

You don’t have to buy bottled water. It’s totally fine and even offered. Bill and I actually prefer German style bubbly water, which not everyone had. I was surprised about that.

8. Stores aren’t necessarily closed on Sundays like they are in Germany. Some are closed.

Some have shorter hours. You won’t have to sit on your can on Sunday, though.

9. Sex is no big deal.

Prostitution is legal and you can see women selling their wares in the Red Light district of Amsterdam. Don’t take pictures of them, though. I didn’t try to because I had been warned by Samantha Brown.

10. If you are in Amsterdam on a Saturday, you may see some rather raunchy hen and stag parties in progress.

For that reason, I think it would be funny if one of the Duggars honeymooned in Amsterdam. I think it would cause Ma and Pa Duggar to have a stroke. I almost had a stroke when I saw the huge masses of people walking away from the train station. It was crazy.

Pretty tulips! I think these were made of wood, though.

Bird takes off in Haarlem.

The Traveling Overeducated Housewife

…the wanderings and ramblings of a boring housewife…

Category Archives: Ten Things I Learned