Holland, Belgium, France, Germany

Let’s Go Holland…  We’ve officially been invaded!  Stijn and I left Mantgum early in the morning and headed to Amsterdam airport to pick up the moms’ and after much difficulty in finding a parking space for our upgraded camper we made our way to the arrivals area.  My mom came through first and despite the long flight was all smiles.  Unfortunately Maria’s bag carrying all of our gear for this leg of the journey did not arrive on the correct flight so while her and Stijn sorted out when it would arrive, my mom and I headed to our new home on wheels.  I’m quite certain there was a big sigh of relief, albeit an internal one, when she saw the much larger camper as opposed to the Westfalia that we had told them we were buying! 

Stijn and I had picked up a variety of welcome gifts for each of the mom’s before we left Thailand and while my mom and I waited for Stijn and Maria to join us, we enjoyed sifting through everything and catching up.  My mom has been through so much in the last while and has literally had her world flipped upside down and I was so excited to see her looking so healthy and with so much of her new life sorted out.  I cannot say enough how proud I am of her and everything she’s accomplished in such a short period of time and the positive outlook which she brings to the difficult situation is truly remarkable.  I am so looking forward to having her in Edmonton when Stijn and I arrive back home.

When Stijn and Maria made their way to the camper we headed right to our campsite on the outskirts of Amsterdam and settled the first of many amazing campgrounds.  I was shocked to see all the amenities that were made available.  Not only were we in walking distance to the metro but there was also a grocery store with fresh bread daily, a restaurant and pub and even wi-fi… very exciting!  After we settled in and had our inaugural glass of wine, Stijn and Maria headed to the metro to retrieve the lost bag which had arrived later that afternoon on another flight.

With all the excitement of their arrival, the long flight and the time change, both moms’ were pretty tired and decided to make it an early night while Stijn and I took the metro into the centrum.  We stumbled into a large gathering in the main square downtown that was commemorating the end of World War II (May 5^th) and all the lives lost in that war and the current war.  Standing in the centre of such an historic city where history oozes out between every cobble stone, surrounded by thousands of people and listening to the Queen (and Stijn’s translation) was a really moving experience and a great welcome to Europe.  After the ceremony we strolled through the red-light district and into a very confusing casino before landing in a pub for a few pilsje’s. 

The next morning we headed back into town to start exploring the city and start our journey with our new companions!  It is so nice to be able to share a part of our journey with other people.  Our first stop was Herenstraat-an historic canal street right downtown where all of the rich and fabulous have lived for centuries.  Every building is more spectacular than the last and each leans a little bit more- it`s amazing that these buildings are still standing, let alone looking so amazing!  From there we headed to the Anne Frank House.  The once jam factory turned sanctuary and hide out and now museum is a spectacular reminder of the Holocaust and just how hard day-to-day life was for many people during the war.  I was amazed at the young girl`s insights and we were all struck by one piece of her story or another.  Being able to climb the steep stairs to the attic and see the small spaces that this family spent years in was shocking.  The museum is now over half a city block and continues the fight for human rights of all kinds in all different places. 

From there we continued our journey in and around the small and large roads of Amsterdam- hitting almost every shoe store in the city!  As would be a tradition on this part of the trip we also found a lovely café to have a Duveltje and enjoy the beautiful weather and take in the crowds.  We eventually found ourselves at an Indonesian restaurant for dinner where we were able to taste several different dishes and introduce my mom to what is a must in the Franken family- Nasi Goreng and peanut sauté sauce!  It was the first of many dinners and a fabulous way to kick off the trip!  On the way back to the metro we once again made our way through the red light district where it must have been a busy night because very few ladies were in the windows!  The system is really quite interesting- or at least I thought so!  There are red lights over the clear doors or windows where the girls rent space- when they are ‘busy’ they simply close the curtain and open it again once they are free.  For the most part it appeared to be mostly young girls in the windows but I assure you there was something for everyone… one girl even had a dog with her?!?!

The next morning we headed back into town thrilled with the ease and location of the metro to the camp ground- it really doesn’t get any better!  Our destination was the Rijks Museum- home of Rembrandt, Jan Steen, Van Brueghel and many more famous Dutch painters.  We were amazed by the detail and clarity of so many of the paintings and really enjoyed our experience.   Many of the artists were students of Rembrandt`s and while they were clearly talented, it was very easy to pick out a Rembrandt as they quite literally shine in comparison. My mom wasn’t too sure she was a museum person but once she was able to get up close and personal with so many amazing pieces she too was a convert!  Sadly for us many of Van Gogh`s pieces were on loan to other galleries and after a few hours at the Rijks Museum a visit to the Van Gogh museum just wasn`t in the cards.  Stijn and I plan to visit it when we return or see if we can see some of his works elsewhere in our journey.  Stijn and I picked out a canvas print to bring home with us and my mom commemorated her pleasantly surprising experience with a coffee table book for her new condo.  

After walking the many halls of the museum it was time to rest our weary feet so we opted for a boat tour of the canals and the amazing views of the city.  Every turn provided more and more photo ops including pictures of Maria hanging half out of the boat to get the right angle of all the amazing buildings passing by!  Conveniently for us, there was a great little café waiting for us as we got off the canal boat where we sat and people watched with a fantastic bottle of white wine and bitterballen (a deep fried meat filled Dutch snack).  It was a fitting way to end our time in Amsterdam or at least for this portion of the trip as Stijn and I will be coming back closer to September- but in order to get to see and do a bit more with the moms’, it`s time to move on… next stop Enkhuizen!

The next morning we hit the road and headed to Enkhuizen where there is a park filled with windmills and a collection of other historic buildings all set on a lake and a living village.  The scenery was really spectacular (including the large sit-in wooden shoe) but I`m fairly certain everyone`s favourite stop was the cheese makers where we were able to sample many - different kinds of Dutch cheeses- some more than once!  My mom made off with a few gifts and a block of pesto gouda for us all to enjoy and Maria found herself a great pair of klompen (or clogs) which were really cute!  Despite the lack of square footage in the camper, we continue to find homes for all of the purchases and discover new places to store shoes! 

Back on the road, we once again headed north.  We stopped along the highway for the night in one of the many fantastic rest stops that are here in Holland.  The advantages to travelling with a camper are becoming more and more evident- not only do we get to stop wherever and whenever we feel like it with all the comforts of home, but we also get to stay off the main highways and really experience some of the smaller towns off the beaten track.  The scenery alone has kept the moms’ busy taking pictures as we travel from destination to destination.

At this particular rest stop my mom had some troubles with the technologically advanced bathrooms which are locked automatically when you enter and close the door and are supposed to flush when you leave… however the signs being in Dutch may have thrown her off as she pushed the alarm thinking she was flushing the toilet!  There didn’t seem to be any end to the alarm but luckily it apparently doesn`t mean much as no one showed up to see if she was in trouble and in the mean time we enjoyed a pretty good laugh while playing our dice game!  Oddly enough the constant alarm didn’t chase away any of our neighbours and there was a lot of traffic coming- something that would continue to interest our moms’ at every rest stop and campground for the remainder of the trip!

As we continued North to get over to the other side of Holland we crossed over the Afsluitdijk which is the major dijk that closed a large portion of the ocean in the early 50`s turning it into a lake and protecting the tiny sub- sea country from the damaging storms of the Noordzee (North Sea).  It was a very windy day but we managed to climb to the top of the viewing deck where you can see both the ocean and the lake and the giant hand-made structure that far exceeded it`s time. Holland has long been stealing back land from the sea  and building it up for usable square footage for farms, roads or cities.  It`s really incredible to see how much land has been built up over the past hundred or so years.  It’s been fantastic to have Maria provide the background and history to many of the sights we’ve seen and that we otherwise would not have known.

Back on the road again and continuing to fly through the highlights of Holland. Tonight was another rest stop where we pull in, break out the snacks and have a glass of wine or two before preparing our dinner and then washing the dishes just in time to get a few games of dice in before bed.  We now have a winning combination where the moms’ sleep on the bed above the driving cabin and Stijn and I sleep on the fold down table and everyone seems to be getting better and better sleeps- the hum of the traffic (or perhaps the snoring) lulls us to sleep night after night.  The weather continues to be amazing and allows for us to utilize the outside space when we’re stopped so we`re not all crammed into the camper at once, not to mention providing perfect strolling and patio weather!  Tomorrow we`re heading for the `Venice of Holland`(Giethoorn) and from what Maria has told us, it sounds like a charming place and we`re all looking forward to exploring yet another fabulous piece of Holland.

As is fast becoming a routine, we all wake up to Stijn making coffee and preparing our breakfast- he`s spoiling us with all kinds of things from Yoghurt and fruit to Pannekoek (Dutch Pancakes) and eggs with fresh bread and cheese.  Whatever foods we were missing while we were in Asia we are more than making up for here in Holland and don`t miss a chance to stop in at a grocery store every chance we get.  Food and drink is definitely making up a large portion of our journey and is never too far from the top of the priority list.  Our only limitation is the relatively small fridge so we have to plan accordingly… that being said we couldn’t be happier to have it… it even makes ice for our drinks!  Clearly we are living the life of luxury!

As we pulled into Giethoorn we were once again greeted with amazing canals that criss-cross through the quaint town.  Families and tourists are all out on their boats spending the day soaking up the sun and the charm of this amazing little gem.  We walked through town to find a boat rental and then set out on to the lake to meet up with the canals.  We glided through town with Stijn at the helm and Maria, my mom and myself taking in all the scenes.  Once we returned the boat we headed right to the nearest and cutest patio to soak up more sun and Getihoorn ambiance.  I continue to test out my Dutch (albeit limited mostly to ordering beer and simple greetings) I am having so much fun seeing Holland with Stijn and our Mom`s and hearing all about the memories they have of each place.  Maria is serving as a great tour guide helping us to pick the best places to see and things to do and so far she has not let us down!  We are going to start heading back down south in the next few days with a few stops along the way including Venray (the town where Stijn was born) before saying good bye to Holland and moving into Belgium.

Our next destination was perhaps one of the most memorable one!  We arrived in Appeldorn  in the early evening and found what we thought was a great little resting place… it turns out that the picturesque woods was actually a place where male love flourishes.  Stijn and I took a nice walk through the woods and noticed a few condom rappers along the way but thought nothing of it- after all this is Holland.  Then as we were exiting through a gate there was literally a line-up of men.  As we arrived back to the camper the moms’ had been informed by the local police that the rest stop was known for male prostitution and that it wasn`t a very safe place to stop.  I guess the constant coming and going of men into a forest should have told us something!  Luckily the police were very helpful and directed us to a great campsite where we would spend the next couple of nights.

The next morning after breakfast we rented the Moms` a couple of bikes and hit the road to experience the beauty of Holland`s more forested area.  We were given a route map of the bike paths from the campsite reception which was 30 or so kilometers- neither moms`  seemed worried about the distance so we headed out and were cruising along … until the rain.  We were about half way when the sun gave way to dark clouds and after trying to wait it out in one of the many small towns along the way we had to start heading back.  Perhaps 30 km is a bit much to expect from the ladies all in one day but despite the sore bums, the rain and the last hill that took a lot of will power to climb, both moms` made it!  They may have been convinced we were trying to kill them, but they did it and we were very proud of both of them but I don`t think biking will be in the future for either of them- at least not on this trip or so they kept telling us! 

With the Biking behind us and the sore bums resting we headed to Venray- a place I’ve long wanted to see after years of stories of life growing up in the southern town.  It was much bigger than I was expecting and acts as the hub for the surrounding villages.  We started our visit with a cruise by one of the family’s first homes after the divorce and Stijn regaled us with stories of mischief and the havoc that he and Ulco used to cause including a 100 year old well that barely survived their visit!  Little had changed since they had lived there and I can`t even imagine how strange it would have been to be back there so many years later.  It is so nice to be able to put a place to the stories.   

Our next stop was the school that Stijn and Ulco attended which was en route to their old home where they had spent most of their early years.  It is an amazing house and the doctor who took over from Stijn`s dad still lives there but he no longer runs a practice out of the house.  We took several photos of Stijn and Maria outside of the house and while we didn`t get to go inside, it was easy to see all the memories flooding back on both of their faces.  More stories were told and we got to see the window of Stijn’s room where he set a small fire as a child!  The seemingly best part for Maria was getting to see her old friend Inneke and her husband Ben, old friends from the neighbourhood who still live just around the corner.  Maria headed over just before us and before we rounded the corner, we could already hear the excitement and surprise!  It was so nice to see that after so many years it was like no time had passed between them.  We sat in the back garden and chatted over drinks and had a really nice time before having to head out to find our next resting place.

Once again heading south towards Belgium meant that we got to stop for a few days in Domburg- a beautiful little town on the sea and once again an amazing campground with all the facilities and then some.  For Maria and Stijn this cozy little town brought back lots of memories of earlier years and completely blew my mom and I away.  The picturesque dunes and roaring sea provided an amazing playground for all four of us.  Stijn and I road our bikes around exploring the neighbouring towns on more amazing bike trails, while the Moms` took in some shopping and we were able to stay put for a little while and relax.  My mom is already talking about coming back here next year and it`s not difficult to understand why- it is truly a magical little place and a great way to end our whirlwind adventure through Holland. 

Let’s Go Belgium…En route to Belgium through a 6.6 km underground tunnel under water we arrived in Brugge in the late afternoon.  Maria was the only one who had been there before and the rest of us had no expectations.  Stijn and I had watched the movie ‘In Brugge’ with Colin Ferrell and though it seemed like an interesting place.  Further research revealed that it is home to a number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites so it seemed like a great place to be and we couldn`t have been more right.

As we parked on the edge of a canal and headed in the direction of the centrum, every street was more amazing than the next.  All of the buildings were centuries old and castle-like and because Belgium surrendered early in the war, everything was still in-tact.  We headed in search of the famous bell tower and found our way to the town square and were completely blown away.  Once again the weather provided a perfect patio opportunity and since Belgium is home to some of the world`s greatest beer, we delved in!  We were served by a hilarious and quirky waiter from Amsterdam who only added to the charm of this amazing place.   

As we sat people watching, horse drawn carriages `clip-clopped` by and it was very easy to imagine how Brugge might have been long ago.  Since we arrived a bit later on in the day most of the shops were closed by the time we wrapped up our patio session so another day of discovery was in order.  This time Stijn and I let Maria and my mom shop in peace while Stijn and I went exploring.  We had seen a beer tasting place the night before and wanted to check it out.  Sadly on arrival we found it filled with overweight and over hairy English men with no shirts having what seemed like a burping contest… so we moved on.  We quickly found a beer store where we put together a selection of Belgian beers for our own tasting later on and then headed back to the same patio from the night before and were once again served by our favourite waiter.  Stijn and I delved right into the escargot and were shortly thereafter joined by the moms`.   Before we knew it we were several beers in, had ordered more escargot, and a few pots of mussels!  The afternoon couldn`t have been better- the sun, the company, the food and drink all complimented by the ambiance combined to make a really special afternoon.  Thanks to Maria for treating us all to such a fabulous time and indulging us in the best of Belgian cuisine!

  Let’s Go France… With smiles on our faces and having loved Brugge it was time to hit France.  We headed towards the coast in hopes of being able to see some of the World War II history that made some of the towns so famous.  We stopped briefly in Dunkirk but weren`t very impressed and after a rather large bag of frites got back on the highway headed for Paris.  Before hitting the heart of France we made a detour to see the famous Palace of Versailles.  This amazing abode is quite literally situated on acres of garden and surrounded by a town of what was at one time support buildings to the palace.  While walking the gardens, it is quite easy to imagine Marie Antoinette and many of her party-goers dressed to the nines in ball gowns!

We visited a few of the outbuildings but quickly found out that you had to pay additional fees to go inside them so we opted to observe a few from the outside.  While my mom and headed back to the camper to rest our feet and have a drink Maria and Stijn headed in search of the small house where Marie Antoinette’s lover lived.  Deep in the forest of the area is where she and her lover had many scandalous rendezvous’!

Back in the camper and heading for what would be our home for the next few days… who knew that you could camp right in Paris?!?!  Well you can and its pretty fantastic!  Not only can you tent or park your camper but you can also rent a little cabin and be set- something I would definitely recommend to other people heading this way!  Bois de Bologne is a massive park area on the edge of the downtown complete with a view of the Eifel Tower.  There’s a shuttle that comes every half an hour (or at least it`s supposed to but everything runs on French time in Paris!) that takes you to the metro station and before you know it you`re in the heart of the big city!  Perhaps most importantly there is a little market that provided us with fresh croissants every morning!

Our adventure started out early in the morning (or at least early by vacation standards!) with a tall list of things to see and do- the first stop was of course the Eifel Tower and despite being able to see it on our way into town and from our campsite, our first real glance was on the metro on the way into the centrum.  My mom was clearly taken with the sight and let out a big ‘OH MY GOD’ to which half the train started giggling- it was pretty cute!  This fast became her tag line for the rest of the trip!

We went all the way to the top and had the bird`s-eye-view of all the famous landmarks and despite it being VERY cold that high up, it was pretty amazing to actually be standing there, looking over the whole city.  To warm up we headed right over to a café for some French Onion Soup and while it wasn`t the best soup we`d ever tasted… or the most reasonably priced… we enjoyed it none the less!  From there we headed in search of the Arc de Triomphe and then continued onto the Champs Elysees.   It`s amazing to actually see so many of the famous sites in person and for my mom a dream come true.  My dad always wanted to take my mom to Paris but for one reason or another they never quite made it here.   While I wish that they could have had that experience together I couldn`t have been happier to be able to see this magical city with her and to have Stijn and Maria with us only made it that much more special!

The next day Stijn and I got back on our bikes to take in the city from a different point of view while the mom`s headed off to shop till they dropped!  Our destination was Montmartre, an area known for the Sacre Coeur as well as the many local artists’ who sell their paintings in this tiny neighbourhood.  We had no problems biking across the city- weaving in and out of traffic was exhillerating and surprisingly safe.  We parked our bikes at the bottom of the hill and walked up to see all of the art work.  There were lots of nice pieces and some stood out a little more than others for us but none enough to take home.  When Stijn had been here years ago there were a lot of original artists with different techniques and styles, today however it is much more commercial and often similar to some of the items you could just as easily find at Winners.  Regardless, it was amazing to see the painters painting right there in the square. 

We headed over to the Sacre Coeur to take in the city view from a top the hill and while the church is an amazing structure we wanted to save going in for when we were with the moms` which was on the list for the following day.  Instead we headed over to a beautiful bistro and set up shop with a great bottle of white wine (a different and more expensive one than I meant to order)!  We sat there for the rest of the afternoon and after finding ourselves slightly on the tipsy-side, we headed back to the bikes to try and navigate our way back to the campsite.  It took all of 2 minutes before we lost each other and nearly half an hour for us to find our way back to one another!  Luckily for me, I knew Stijn would find me so I just stayed put.  After that the fun just kept on coming… we were heading in the right direction (or so we thought) when we found ourselves crossing the Champs-Elysees and right in the middle of the road the pedal from Stijn`s bike fell off… he kept riding but I stopped in the middle of one of the busiest roads in Paris to pick it up- threw it in my basket and then kept on going!  Not able to put the pedal back on, Stijn was now riding his bike through Paris with one pedal- his bike newly named Stumpy!  From there we somehow ended up in the completely wrong direction and so far across the other side of the city.  Luckily we passed a scooter repair shop where we were able to get a peg for a scooter rigged up so Stijn could at least pedal- His bike now named Peg Leg!  Back on track and headed back in the right direction we finally found our way to Bois de Boulogne and we even beat the Moms’!  Having pedalled literally half of Paris we were wiped and we still hadn`t made it to a grocery store to buy food for dinner… luckily Maria had picked up a roasted chicken that would save us from having to bike another inch!

While we battled the roads of Paris, Maria and my mom had a fabulous day living the high-life!  Complete with new hair- do’s, a few bags of shoes and big smiles on their faces- the beautiful ladies arrived back at the campground with lots of stories of their own day of fun!  We swapped laughs over a few drinks and enjoyed spending a bit of down time at the campground before calling it a night. 

The next day would also be a full day- as is every day in Paris.  We started out bright and early and I couldn`t have been happier at the destination… the Louvre!  I couldn`t be in Paris and not see one of the most amazing museums in the world, and luckily for me, everyone else was happy to come along.  The museum is so massive it would be impossible to take it all in one day, let alone a morning, so we quickly whittled down the list and made our way through the incredible building one hall at a time.  I was thrilled with the Ancient Greece and Egyptian Exhibits and Napoleon`s Apartment was equally impressive, but of course everyone goes to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa and so did we.  I have to say that while it was impressive to see it in person, it is very crowded even this early in the year and you aren`t able to get up close to it to really be able to admire the detail.  I`m glad that we went to see it but I think we were all happier to move on to the Dutch 15^th, 16^th and 17^th Century Collections with more Rembrandt and some of the other equally amazing Dutch artists.  We were all so taken by the level of detail that the Dutch painters portrayed- it seemed as though every time you looked at a painting again, you saw something different.  The many layers and the level of accuracy made them seem more like photographs than paintings- they were truly amazing to see!

Back onto the Metro destined for Montmartre- the complicated and confusing metro system led us stray a few times but we eventually found our way.  We approached the massive church from the front this time which enabled the moms` to enjoy the funicular while Stijn and I toughed out the steps… this time we went into the Sacre Coure.  The architecture of the churches in the places we`ve been to so far have been really breathtaking and this was no different.  Every time we see another one I am amazed at what people were able to achieve so long ago with none of the conveniences of today.  It is really impressive! 

From there we walked around again so that the moms’ could take in the area and the artists’ before once again finding ourselves at a cozy little Bistro- and while the wine wasn’t as good as the one I had accidentally ordered the day before- we had a great afternoon complete with a French cheese plate.  On the way back on the Metro we were treated to some of the famous French attitude when a man pushed my mom out of the way rather aggressively while we were trying to get Maria a seat so she could sit down.  After back and forth discussion which ended with him `cursing me to the devil` we all realized that he was a bit on the scary side and just quietly waited out the rest of our ride luckily without further incident.  Other than this isolated incident, and some of the service staff, most of the French people that we have encountered have been very pleasant and helpful at least in our experience and we were once again very happy and fulfilled with our time in yet another city. 

Our next stop was Riems- the heart of the Champagne district and we were ready for some tasting!  The city itself was a surprising hit.  As we headed downtown in search of the tourist information centre right in the centre of the town was a massive gothic church surrounded by a palace that was once the home of a cardinal- both of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.  The architecture once again was stunning and had amazing stain glass detailing.  The square surrounding it, and in fact the whole town, was set up to showcase this massive structure and here is where we found our next patio- but this time we chose to forego the beer and head straight for the champagne tasting!  We ordered a few different glasses to sample before heading inside to purchase a number of bottles to really get the flavour of the region!  Two shops later and 6 bottles we will most certainly have a tasting very soon!  It was interesting to learn that so much of the world’s finest Champagne comes from this relatively tiny area and couldn’t be happier to take a taste of it with us for the road!

Before leaving France it was time to stock up on a particularly delicious brand of wine we had discovered since coming to France- J P Chanet.  We happened to find a large stock of it at one particular grocery store and quite literally filled a grocery cart with it- and subsequently our camper!  It’s a good thing the moms’ have completed the majority of their shopping because our 20 or so bottles take priority over souvenirs’!  I won’t forget the look on Maria’s face when she saw us coming!

France was filled with so many amazing memories- it was difficult to narrow down what we could see and do in such a short period of time but we are so thrilled with the experiences that we did have.  Stijn and I will explore southern France later on in our journey but for now we’ve had the perfect taste and we hope the moms’ enjoyed this leg of their trip as much as we did!

Let’s Go Germany…Our next few days were spent making our way through northern France and into Germany.  Our first stop was Ulm- a charming little town with yet another great and busy main square.  This would be one of our shortest stops- just long enough to sit on a patio, take in some of the architecture including the Rathaus (or City Hall), which was decorated ornately with a fabulous clock.  With more destinations to see, we soaked up the charm, grabbed a few groceries and once again hit the road.  Driving in Germany is an experience in and of itself, not only are cars whipping by us at mach ten, but the cars themselves are as impressive as any car show!  Every car is luxury… BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Ferraris and heaps of Porches, it is quite a sight to see.  Sleeping at the rest stops here is also quite an experience… the facilities are beautiful but us just as you’re drifting off to sleep it sounds like a jumbo jet is taking off right next to you when in fact it’s merely another car with a driver seeing how fast it can really go!

Our next destination was Fussen- a quaint town way up in the mountains in Bavaria.  Despite the majority of the stores being closed because it was Sunday, we strolled around soaking in the flavour of yet another new area.  The landscapes have changed dramatically in this part of the Country as we climbed out of the flatlands and into the foothills and eventually reached the mountains.  One of the main reasons for coming this far north was to see and experience the amazing Neuschwannstein Castle.  A relatively new castle built only about 100 years ago for King Luther- it provides breathtaking views of the mountains, lakes and country side around it.  Despite some rain, there were heaps of tourists eager to make the steep climb up.  We opted for a horse-drawn carriage which seemed like an appropriate (and rain- free) way to ascend… that was until the horses starting tooting.  Our noses and ears were treated to the release of gas almost the entire way up the mountain side while providing comic relief for all the people crammed into the carriage.  Once we reached to end of the carriage ride there was still a steep climb to reach the castles main entrance- but the views made it well worth the climb! We opted not to go inside the castle as you could only do so as part of a guided tour and the tour in English would have been a two hour wait.  We still enjoyed the experience and stopped for a pretzel and a few souvenirs on the way down!

After a bit of a detour thanks to Mio (our usually reliable GPS navigation system) we finally ended up at yet another fantastic campsite and after a few nights at rest stops along the highway, a washing machine and dryer seemed like real luxury!  Despite each cycle of both the washer and dryer taking over an hour and 45 minutes we were relieved to have clean clothes, a hot shower and settle in for more home cooked meals! 

As the time with our mom’s winds down and their packing begins, we are shocked at how far we’ve come, all the amazing things we’ve seen together and just how fast the time has gone.  We will go back into Fussen tomorrow in the morning to check out all the stores that were closed today before making our way to Munich where we will sadly drop off the moms’ and start the next phase of our journey.

With another campground programmed into Mio we were en route to Munich by mid- afternoon after a stroll around Fussen in the morning.  We once again quickly settled into our new temporary home and then got ready to head into town to explore Munich before sitting down to have a nice dinner and a celebration of a fabulous visit by the moms’. 

My mom and I got a little excited about going out for dinner and decided to wear high heels which ended up being a poor decision for the cobble stone streets and after only about half an hour of walking in Marienplatz (Munich’s Centrum) a sit down was needed.  Luckily Maria spotted a great patio to rest our feet and enjoy a taste of German Beer (almost always served in half litre glasses) and coffee and it turned out to be one of the many highlights of the evening.  A street performer showed up with a suitcase of props and normally this wouldn’t be our thing, but he was hilarious!  He spotted people as they were walking by the patio and quickly improvised some sort of scenario that had the entire place roaring in laughter.  Despite being made fun of for being bald, being ‘sneezed’ on, being an Asian tourist or whatever scenario he came up with- each and every person who was ‘punked’ took it surprisingly well and with great appreciation for his sense of humour.

From there we eagerly awaited the ringing of the famous clock at the rathaus that has figurines that dance and ring bells.  Despite our patience, the bells did not ring and the people did not dance.  Disappointed, but still in great moods we moved onto our favourite activity… dinner, and what a dinner it was!  We were seated in a courtyard in the middle of an old building with just the right ambiance to have a special dinner and to celebrate our trip before the moms’ head back to Canada.  Everything from the wine (both red and white) to the desert was absolutely amazing!  Maria had a great Asparagus ragout to start that was the highlight of all the dishes though everyone seemed to be pretty pleased with all of the choices! Stijn and my mom opted for really authentic German Schnitzel, while Maria and I selected our own personal favourites’, albeit less authentic!  Following our lovely mains, our charming waiter recommended a series of amazing deserts, and despite being full, we managed to do a pretty nice job on finishing both platters.  All in all it was a really special night to culminate a really special trip with our moms’.

The next morning the ladies packed the last of their belongings and the shoe convention moved out, and we headed to the airport via the metro to say goodbye.  The Metro system here in Munich is amazing and very easy to use which made it the ideal way to get to the airport as it was far on the other side of town. 

Because we were always so busy doing and seeing things or just hanging out at the camper playing dice or chatting over a glass of wine, port or coffee I didn’t have the chance (or perhaps didn’t want to miss out on the fun) to do any writing along the way so sadly this blog update isn’t as detailed as some have been in the past and perhaps some of the more subtle nuances or funny stories might be missed.  The truth is I wouldn’t be able to do the experience justice or sum up what an amazing three weeks this has been and what a special place it will hold in our hearts.  We were so pleased to be able to share this part of our journey with our very special moms’ and we hope they have enjoyed the experience as much as we have.  We will miss the company tremendously and especially the competition for dice! 

After dropping off the moms’ we headed back into town to Marienplatz to enjoy yet another amazing sunny day.  Saying goodbye was hard and we now start the next leg of our journey on our own and what better way to do that than over a beer on a patio.  The 0.5L beers can turn any frown upside down and we did just that before heading to the market to pick up some fresh fish for dinner and calling it an early night.  It’s going to take some time to get used to the silence and get used to being back on our own.  Thank you to the moms’ for taking the time out of their lives to come and join us on our journey!

Bali, Indonesia

Let’s Go Bali… We landed in Bali after what was a very long few days of travel- most of which was accumulated when our plane was delayed seven and a half hours in Columbo, Sri Lanka on our way back from the Maldives.  We had met a girl named Jenn from Calgary who is travelling on her own for 6 weeks and had just left Thailand as well.  She’s fast become our travel companion for this leg of the journey and we’ve enjoyed the company!

As soon as we’d left the airport and cleared customs we all piled into a taxi bound for Kuta which is the main beach area of Bali in search of a reasonable hotel.  Luckily our cab driver brought us right to a cute little place with a large garden courtyard and a terrace in front of each of the rooms- which we made full use of during our stay!  We dropped off our bags to start exploring the town.  First stop was Top Shop… there is a proper shopping mall on the main street in front of the beach- which indicates the level of tourism here in Bali- but me being me… a Top Shop is always a welcomed discovery!  There is just about everything you can imagine here in Bali- from the street vendors to the high end designer shops to Starbucks and Burger King yet somehow the island still maintains its charm- but we’ve attributed that mostly to the people who are warm and genuinely welcoming.

Checking out the beach gave us a little surprise at first as we realized that the path doubled as a cemetery and then lead to what was at the time a very dirty beach.  We later realized that while the beach isn’t the best we’ve ever seen, it was only dirty because we had just missed a storm that had washed garbage and other debris ashore which was quickly cleaned up.  We did however meet the cutest puppy to date… we’ve named him Bruno and have paid many a visit to him and even taking him for walks and bringing him food.  The locals have offered him to us permanently a few times and while we considered it momentarily, sadly the logistics seem a bit much.

That night we sat on the porch of our room and drank some much needed wine (a rare and expensive commodity in Asia).  Before we knew it we were quite happy and hitting the town, grabbing additional beverages from the local convenience stores and making friends with a few of the local tourism information guys.  Before we knew it we had a full day excursion for the following day booked and a return boat transfer to the Gili Islands just off of Lombok in 2 days.  Luckily for us it couldn’t have worked out better.

The next day we were picked up bright and early for our full day tour and while it started off quite sketchy with a very strange and hard to follow play that we suspect depicted a religious or possibly mythological Balinese tale.  I actually dozed off for a bit but was awaken to multiple phallic references and gestures all before 9 a.m.!  Following that interesting experience we had a jam-packed day of great experiences including a silver factory where we saw all the jewellery being made by hand and were then lead into an amazing store where everything was on display to be sold.  Some of the pieces were truly amazing and very unique.  We had our eye on a few items which might warrant another trip before we leave Bali.

After the jewellery factory we headed to a spring water temple, had lunch looking out over an amazing volcano, and marvelled at a spectacular rice terrace, before heading to the coffee farm and home of the most expensive coffee in the world.  Luwak coffee has a rather unique method to attaining its high quality- the process entails a Luwak (A large rat-looking type animal with fur) who picks only the finest coffee berries to eat (as opposed to them being hand-picked by humans who grab all the berries from each plant) the coffee then undergoes a fermentation process while being digested by the Luwak before exiting fully intact.  The beans are then washed and hand roasted and ready for brewing. Sounds delightful! 

The farm itself was quite nice but provided Stijn with a particularly interesting photo op and sent me running… as we came around the corner of one the trails to the coffee sampling areas where the Luwaks are kept and samples of the various coffee and teas are served, there was a cage containing the most hideous and rather large fruit bat which was somewhat okay until I was informed that the bat that was now just behind me was on the wrong side of the cage.  I’m fairly certain the whole farm heard me scream and ate my dust as I took off while Stijn got as close as possible to take pictures and even touched it!  After that we made our way to the shop where we purchased the very special coffee for $25 for a 60g jar… it had better be really good... we plan on testing out in the full luxury of our camper van when we get to Europe!

Next up was the monkey forest and for me this was equally as terrifying as the Bat!  The male monkeys were extremely aggressive and as soon as Stijn entered with his bananas (me having learnt my lesson at the Monkey temple in India) the target was quite literally on his back!  He had the pleasure of trying to feed one monkey while having another large male jump on his back and try and shake the bananas loose only after being attacked so aggressively he nearly surrendered his entire bunch only a few steps into the forest- not that I blame him- you can imagine I was quite far from the 'action' by this time!  The forest itself was beautiful and had a temple with a stream running through it all of which combined to make a fairy-tale ambience.  It seemed like a rain forest sprung out in the middle of the town and we were instantly transported into a magical place… or at least I thought so when the monkeys weren’t around!

After a few stops at some amazing furniture stores we made it back to our hotel around after 7 p.m. and once again hit our porch for some more wine.  The next day we slept in and slowly made our way to Starbucks after some more window shopping and further exploration of our temporary home.  We eventually made our way to the beach and were delighted to find the sun waiting for us.  The waves were massive and made for quite a fun time.  Jenn and I had troubles keeping our bikini’s on with the force of the waves but it proved to be great for body surfing and boogy boarding.   We must have created quite the scene as Stijn had to ward off local teenage boys with cameras as we got out of the water.  We had grandiose ideas of surfing but after feeling the strength of the waves we thought better of it.  Tomorrow we head to the Gili Islands located just north of Lombok.  We’re hoping for more sun and even more waves… there is supposed to be great snorkelling, surfing and diving on each of the three Gili islands so we’ll start at the largest and go from there.

Let’s Go Gili Islands… Our boat transfer was early the next morning and before we knew it we were on the biggest of the three tiny islands.  We were greeted by a number of locals offering rides in pony-drawn carriages (as no motorized vehicles are permitted on any of the islands) and a variety of accommodation.  One local boy brought us to a number of villas before we found one that we would make our home for the next week or so.  Our hut is quite basic but not short on charm complete with outdoor bathroom, free breakfast and right on the beach- all for $150,000 Indonesian Rupias or about $18 per night.

We spent our first few days getting acquainted with the island and taking in the amazing snorkelling that is quite literally right out front of our hotel.  To-date we`ve found a number of sea-turtles and an amazing variety of colourful fish.  The second night we managed to find a beach bar with reasonably priced cocktails (the accommodation is cheap but a lot of the food and drink isn`t) and stayed for a number of drinks before stumbling into a Reggae bar with an amazing local band that pulled us in for a few more drinks and a full night of dancing which lead to us inviting ourselves for a quick dip in the pool at the expensive resort a few feet down from our not so expensive hotel!  We had a really great spontaneously fun night full of island charm!

The next morning we were committed to our hunt for more turtles and regardless of hangover we managed to make it out before 9 a.m and our mission proved to be a successful one.  It was so amazing to see a turtle in the wild- they are such beautiful yet prehistoric animals and the first one we saw was kind enough to put on a show for us including completing an ascention for air which provided particularly good photo ops.  We all tried to get closer to him but the currant was very strong and we were swimming against it.   Regardless, Stijn got some great pictures and we fulfilled our goal of finding sea turtles!

Knowing full well if we didn’t keep moving the hangover would win over and the day was far too beautiful to waste so we rented bikes and headed out to tour the island.  For the most part only one side of the island is developed with the majority of the locals living in the centre part and a few scattered resorts along the shores of the rest of the island.  The road turns to sand in many places forcing bikers to walk there bike for stretches but everywhere you look you are met with spectacular views or a friendly smiling Indonesian face… and the odd goat.  We stopped along the way many times to check out the long stretches of continuous beaches- most are quite hard to walk on because of all the coral that has washed up but the water is amazing and hard to resist- coral or not-and of course it’s that coral that makes the snorkelling so amazing from just about any point on the island.

The next few days were spent relaxing and exploring the island (both on land and in the water) and taking in the sun.  The weather has been consistently beautiful in the morning and then clouding over in the afternoon and raining.  Most nights the rain parts just in time to head out for dinner and an evening stroll.  We’ve found a couple of great restaurants that we frequent often as we’ve had some misses and have decided to stick with what has worked for us. 

Island life continues to treat us well… last night we departed for a fishing trip in hunt of tuna in hopes of having a beach barbeque. The locals troll which means that they put a line out on either side of the boat with us holding the rods and it drags them behind while the boat is going- we’re not sure if this method is really that great for catching tuna which are generally deep water fish but we decided to trust them none the less.  Perhaps our instincts were right as we caught nothing… no snapper, no barracuda, no tuna… no barbeque!  The rain started only about an hour and a half into our trip so we decided to head in early and resume our efforts bright and early this morning.  Barely awake with our headlamps on, we headed down to the beach to meet our crew and head out on another attempt at catching something (at this point we had lowered our standards from tuna and were just hoping for anything!).  It looked promising upon initial inspection… calm seas, jumping fish… and yet… nothing.  Well that’s not entirely true… both Stijn and I did manage to catch plastic of some sort, and in unison no less!  Though there were no fish to be had we did manage to have a great morning with a beautiful sun-rise and followed up our hard work on the boat with a great breakfast at the local Mexican restaurant… yep… Mexican!  The chef is Mexi-Canadian and his little restaurant is one of our favourites on our little island.  The best part is they have little individual huts with tv’s and dvd players and all the burnt movies you could ask for!  We’ve spent a few nights there- tucked into the oversized pillow cushions eating our enchiladas.  Tomorrow we are back on the hunt for all things aquatic on a snorkelling trip around the surrounding island’s hot spots.

We weren’t able to go snorkelling the next day as Stijn was a bit under the weather… most likely food related as we ate street food last night.  I think he is slowly rearing towards joining me on the vegetarian front!  But all was not lost- we spent the day on the beach soaking up as much sun as possible as we prepare to trade our stint of beaches in Asian for big cities and the open roads of Europe. 

The next day we took the morning ferry over to Lombok- the large imposing island that is easily seen from our tiny one only half hour away by boat.  As soon as we arrived we were aggressively greeted by boys trying to rent or sell us just about everything.  We finally were able to cut through the attack and rent a bike a little ways down the road from the pier.  We headed out in search of pearl farms that we were told were in a nearby town.  The views along the way were spectacular- on one side mountainous yet lush farm land and on the other deep blue ocean filled with local fisherman and their nets out for their early morning catch.  It is always nice to be back on a scooter as this is one of our favourite modes of transport and opt for it anywhere its manageable and safe.  We stopped a few times to ensure that we were on the right track and weren’t surprised that every person we asked had a different answer.  One pearl and gem store seemed the most convincing seeing as theys sold the very pearls we were hoping to see being farmed, but before too long we ended up back at the pier and in completely the wrong direction.  Sadly by this time we were too late to turn around and try again since the last ferry heading back to the Gili islands left at 4 p.m.  We traded in the scooter and headed back to our tiny oasis and laid on the beach taking in more rays.  The hard life of island dwellers is really getting to us!

Today was our last day on the island the perfect day to fit in our snorkelling trip.  With Stijn feeling much better we headed out for a few of the other islands in the area on a small boat with about 15 other people.  There were three snorkelling stops in total, one of which we saw three turtles and another one the site of a ship wreck- all proved to be interesting though it didn’t offer anything new for us in terms of fish and other marine life.  We did however have lunch on one of the other Gili islands and while it was delicious local food… my stomach isn’t quite sure about its presence.  Nasi strikes again it seems! On the way back to our hotel while attempting to stop for gilatto I was hit and nearly ran over by one of those seemingly adorable horse and carriages- I don't care what anyone says... there was hate in his eyes!  Luckily the driver managed to get control of the beast before too much dammage was done and most importantly I still got my lemon gilatto!  Follwoing that interesting experience Stijn found a couple of local boys trying to catch fish along the shore with a harpoon- before I knew it he was handing off his ice cream and trucking towards the shore and caught the boys just as they were swimming away.  THey didn't seem to mind the late joiner and while they didn't catch anything (fishing apparently not being our thing this trip) I think Stijn really enjoyed seeing the harpoon in action.  I tried not to think about 7 year old boys having access to a harpoon let alone Stijn being in close enough proximity to being shot!  Tomorrow we head back to Bali for two days before we fly back to Bangkok to catch our flight to Europe.

As we wrap up the first portion of our trip and reflect on the three months in Asia we are really happy with the variances in our experiences and the locations that we ended up visiting.  We of course are sad that we weren’t able to see and do more- a visit with Stephen and Julia in South Korea being top of the list- but even with a year of travelling it is impossible to see and do it all.  We’ve found that in most cases we prefer to stay a bit longer in a few countries and really experience them well, as opposed to seeing more countries but less well.  Of course this is a luxurious choice and one that we are constantly grateful for.  This opportunity has already exceeded our expectations and not a day goes by that we don’t realize what an amazing journey we’re on and the unforgettable memories we are creating, together. 

It seems so long ago that we started our journey in India but luckily we have our blog to look back upon and remind ourselves of all the amazing places we’ve been and just how great our adventure has been so far.  Each place has its own unique charm and even when at times we’ve been frustrated, looking back the good always outweighs the bad (if in fact we can even call it ‘bad’).  Although there is much of Asia left undiscovered, we leave feeling fulfilled by what we have experienced and we happily look forward to our time in Europe, a visit from our Mom’s, and other friends and family along the way.  Europe… here we come!

Male, Maldives

Let’s Go Maldives… If you’re going to escape rain and bad weather there is no better place to do it than the Maldives… or at least that’s what we decided!  While we sat in the dive shop in Khoa Lak dreaming of sunny skies and beautiful beaches nothing could prepare us for the pristine beauty we were about to experience at the Karumba Resort in the Maldives.

We arrived at the Maldives airport at 3 a.m. and since we weren’t checking into our resort until later that morning we took up on a bench in the airport in Male and tried to catch some sleep before our transfer to our 5 star private island. Luckily for us we didn’t have to wait long.  The staff picked us up first thing in the morning… and while most islands require a float plane transfer… we were picked up in a yacht and taken to the paradise that would be our home for the next 4 days.  Clearly they had us at yacht!

As we pulled up to the island the crystal clear water revealed what can only be described as aquarium-like marine life.  Never before have we seen anything like it.  Schools of fish surround the pier and even at 20 or so meters are easily visible.  At further inspection we spotted unicorn fish, reef sharks and sting rays all easily spotted from the pier.  Further exploration of the tiny island (only about 100m by 200m) revealed more than we could have ever expected.  The beaches are white as snow which lay in perfect contrast to the turquoise clear waters.  The whole island is surrounded by reefs and man-made wave breaks ensure that the waters are always calm.  When our room was revealed to us, complete with veranda over-looking the water and surrounded by cascading palm trees and the most amazing bathroom we’ve ever seen, we were so delighted with our choice to splurge we did a little dance the second the concierge closed the door!

The next few days would be nothing short of heaven, truly.  We’ve often looked at pictures of the Maldives on-line and wondered if any place could truly be that amazing.  Now that we’re here, it’s even more pristine than we could have ever thought.   

Most mornings we start our day with the most delicious breakfast complete with fresh tropical fruits, all the beautiful cheese we can eat and Stijn has taken particular interest in the waffles served with real whip cream and fresh blueberries.  I on the other hand, can’t get enough of the creamy feta cheese and fresh tomatoes.  After we eat, we head right to our private beach chairs and set up for the day.  We head out for snorkelling adventures a few times a day and thus far we’ve spotted more sting rays, nemo fish, eels and plenty more of beautiful and amazing marine life.  I cannot get over the bright colors and complex patterns of the fish.  The reef that is only 50 meters from the beach where the water steeply drops from 6 feet to more than 50 house all of these amazing creatures.  We are so lucky and thankful to be able to have such an amazing experience- this is truly one of the most beautiful places on earth.

We spent the next few days sunning and swimming in complete luxury and had the best weather we could have hoped for.  Stijn went on daily adventures to the various reefs around the island in search of sharks, eels, turtles and all things dodgy while I took refuge on the luminous beaches and stayed much closer to shore.  I did venture out from time to time but the 80 foot drop into dark waters and the looming unknown only reinforced the comfort of the beach lounger and the book of the day!  Our experience at our resort has been nothing short of fabulous… the people are so warm and genuine here, a stark yet refreshing contrast toomuch of the Asia we’ve experienced thus far.  Every afternoon men come around and bring fruit kabobs to us on the beach and glasses of pineapple juice for refreshment.  It is truly an experience of a life time.

  As our last day comes to an end and we await a very late transfer to the airport for our flight back to Bangkok, we are pleasantly surprised by a cocktail party for the island’s guests complete with a bar and delicious appetizers of fresh fish and other Maldivian delights.  As I sit here typing away in a lounge chair overlooking the ocean while yachts cruise by, Stijn diligently ensures our drinks are filled- further proving his genuine and deep understanding of me.  We are delighted by our time here and already talk of coming back.  A few days of genuine luxury have treated us well and are now ready and excited for the next leg of our journey… Indonesia here we come!

Krabi, Koh Lak, Thailand

Let’s Go Krabi…This hub was merely a gateway to our next adventure where we would put Jenn’s diving skills to some use in the Similan Islands. Since we have explored the Krabi area in our previous Thailand trip, no sites or activities were organized. We wanted a few days of relaxation, some good food and lots of sun. Unfortunately, the good weather turned on us and we ended up receiving buckets and buckets of rainfall. We were told that the monsoon season did not start for another few months, but this was obviously a conspiracy. The rain parted for only brief periods of time but the sun never quite made it out from behind the seemingly endless clouds, and before too long the rain would return with a vengeance. 

One day we were able to rent a scooter and explore the amazing emerald pool which was situated 50 km from our hotel in Ao Nang. The scooter provided a relaxing way to see some of the Thai landscape and be in control of our own transportation and a chance for me to be able to drive again!  We were of course caught in the rain more than once but luckily Jenn had her snorkelling mask which made it easier for me and slightly more interesting to look but we still managed to get lost but furthering our exploration of the area!

We’ve arranged for a bus to Khoa Lak where we will begin our seven day yacht and diving adventure.  We hope that the sun will be agreeable but that remains to be seen. 

Let’s Go Khoa Lak…  When we booked our plans for Khoa Lak weeks ago in Bangkok, we were so excited for what this week would bring.  7 days on a yacht- diving, snorkelling, sun tanning as much as we wanted in the Similan Islands which just happen to be one of the top ten places in the world to dive… but Mother Nature had other plans for us.

When we arrived at the diving centre where the speed boat was supposed to take us to the yacht we were told that the waves were much too high at the moment and that we’d be going out the next day instead.  Sadly this became a daily ritual.  Each day we would wake up with anticipation, thinking that today would be the day that we would finally be able to leave only to be told otherwise.  Instead we would spend the day in our hotel room- as the torrential downpours wouldn’t even give way enough for us to do anything- playing dice games, reading books and drinking amaretto or whatever else we fancied.

After 3 days of waiting, we headed to the dive shop to talk to the guys and see what our chances were of getting out at all.  We were told that Koh Toa had been hit with a major storm and very large waves and that the island where we had been only days before was severely damaged with many businesses being washed away.  A boat had sunk with 18 people on board after being hit with 5 meter- high waves, luckily they were all rescued by the Thai Marines, and all of our dive shops boats were stuck between islands trying to wait out the storm.  It was not looking good for us and to be honest the idea of being out on the water was not a welcomed one.  After waiting one more day we decided that it was not meant to be and since the weather was still not letting up we decided to chase the sun rather than wait it out any longer.

The staff at the dive shop (www.khoalakscubaadventures.com) were absolutely amazing- they gave us all our money back and even managed to get us our initial non-refundable deposit from the travel agency in Bangkok- something that is unheard of in Thailand.  They paid for massages for their customers that were patiently waiting and did absolutely everything possible to ensure everyone was taken care of and happy.  We were so pleased with how they ran their business we picked up a 12 pack of beers for them as we headed out for sunnier skies.  We hope to be able to return and take in the Similan Islands before the end of our journey and we will most definitely book in with the same company.  Thanks Stephen and all the staff for making the best of a poor situation! We are out of here.....