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 5th) 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. 
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.
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’!
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.
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 15th, 16th and 17th 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!
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