Spain and back to Holland

Let’s Go Spain… having decided to leave France behind and ready to head to explore the spoils that Spain has to offer.  Barcelona would be our first stop and after having found a great campsite first thing in the morning right on the ocean, we immediately headed into town to start exploring.  Our first stop, as seems to be the case more often than not, was to fill our empty and curious stomachs!  We stumbled upon a local farmers’ market akin to the Queen’s Quay in Toronto or in Vancouver on Granville Island- complete with all the seafood you could imagine and all kinds of other offerings one could wish to peruse.  We quickly found our way to a delicious falafel stand where they offered a buffet of salsa’s, veggies, peppers and all kinds of sauces to put on your pita.  Most people loaded up a few times before completing their culinary indulgence… so of course we took our cue from the locals and did the same!  With our bellies full it was time to digest over a pitcher of sangria and people watch in the middle of the main street in downtown Barcelona before heading to the pier and taking in a few of the sights.  The city itself is an amazing mixture of new and old and of metropolitan and beach offering an unbeatable combination and an idyllic place to start our venture into Spain.

The next day we started our early in order to be able to see the many sights of the city- a tall order for one day in a city that offers so much.  Our first and perhaps one of our favourite stops, was the Picasso Museum offering a look of Picasso’s works from his time spent in Paris from 1900- 1907.  An impressive exhibit to say the least- it took us from Picasso’s early days as a teenager exploring the various mediums that Pablo is well known for including sculpture, sketching, oil and water color painting.  Perhaps most interesting was comparison of Picasso’s works to those who he was influenced by in those early years, including Vincent Van Gogh.  A perfect selection of works made for a very enjoyable experience and though the line was long to get in- it was more than worth the wait.

From there we headed back onto the metro in order to cover more territory and headed to one of Gaudi’s many masterpieces in the city- Casa Batllo.  Nothing prepares you for seeing one of these whimsical buildings in person- having read about the amazing stylized architecture and having seen many pictures, there is nothing like the real thing.  We were awe struck by the imagination that comes to life through each wall, each window and each curvature of the Casa.   It is truly unlike anything I’ve ever seen before and brings a whole new world to life and a whole new meaning to the word ‘architecture’.

Luckily for us this street was lined with all kinds of café’s and beautiful patios serving all kinds of paella and other delicious menu options.  Having too much to choose from we opted for a taste of everything at one of the Tappa restaurants and indulged in a few tasty treats- including a miniature paella and a not so miniature beer! 

After lunch we took a few wrong turns and while it took us a lot longer than we had expected to get to our next destination, we enjoyed the walk none the less.  When we eventually reached another one of Gaudi’s building’s La Pedrera we were once again impressed but nothing would compare to the Sacrad Familia- this ongoing project provided more to look at than one visit could ever allow for you to take in.  Every square-inch provides a new sense of wonder- whether it was a whimsical tree surrounded by little creatures or hobbit-esque looking windows- everything seemed out of another world.  A visit to this amazing city would not be complete without seeing this amazing masterpiece.  Despite the work still being done to complete the masterpiece, I have truly never seen anything so amazing and it begs the question of how one person could come up with such an a amazing work of art. 

After walking much of downtown Barcelona and covering quite a lot of territory, our feet were ready for a bit of a break so we headed back to the metro and then back to the campsite but not before checking out the evening fisherman trying their luck from the rocks.  Though we didn’t see anyone catch anything, sitting at the beach is never a bad thing and so we just enjoyed the view.

The next morning it took us a little longer to stir than normal- perhaps our worn out feet were to blame, but after a quick shower and a cup of coffee it was time to pack up and head the more than 500 kilometers to Pamplona for the Running with the Bulls Festival. We wanted to make sure we reached our destination in time to get a spot at one of the very full campsites and since the journey would take a few days, we decided to head out sooner rather than later.

The drive would prove to be more than we could ask our home on wheels to complete in one day but we were able to find a campground in the mountains on the shore of a beautiful lake that would compare to any in the Rocky Mountains complete with turquoise waters- though a few degrees warmer!  As we headed north the landscape went from Mediterranean to desert and now as we are closer to Pamplona, it is once again reminding us of one of our many drives to British

Columbia.  It is strange to think that we could be a world away and yet feel so close.  The dramatic changes in landscapes in Spain are amazing and each feels so different from the last. 

The next morning we headed back on the road and completed our journey to the campground just outside of Pamplona.  We were greeted with hoards of young Australian and British people and a sea of tents as part of an organized group tour.  Beer tents, a stage, cafeteria and swimming pool all provided a music festival atmosphere.  We found our spot amongst the party and set up for the next few days. 

Though there were regular shuttles from the campground we were happy to discover that Pamplona has a series of amazing trails that took is right from our campground to the heart of old Pamplona where the festival takes place.  It took us about 45 minutes each way but the trails followed the river valley and took us through a few of the neighbouring communities en route.  While the shuttle bus might be faster, our bikes are much more enjoyable and it’s so much nicer getting to explore on our own!

 Our first night we headed into town to check out the festivities and were greeted with hoards of vendors selling the traditional head-to-toe white outfits and red sashes that are worn to run as well as a variety of bags for sangria.  The town itself is gorgeous and while it comes screaming to life every year at this time, it actually appears to be a pretty quaint place otherwise with small locally owned shops and all of the charm of an old Spanish town.  The atmosphere was festive long before the actual festivities started but the real party was apparently happening back at our campground and we quickly joined in as soon as we got back.  Complete with a bottle of sangria for each of us, we headed to the music stage and before we knew it we had a group of Australian friends to enjoy the party with- perhaps a little too much… the next morning was a rough one and the majority of the day was spent recovering!  Sangria proved not to be our friend!

The following morning was the official start of the festival and the first day of the actual running with the bulls.  The running starts every morning of the festival at 8 a.m. sharp but in order to find a place to view the chaos you have to get their pretty early so we set our alarm and got dressed in our newly purchased traditional head-to-toe white outfits complete with red sash and headed out on the bikes to get our spot.  When we reached the old part of the town we were shocked to find the gorgeous little winding streets we had enjoyed the night before covered in garbage, plastic cups, broken bottles, drunken bodies and smelling of vomit and feces.  It was less than appealing to say the least but we were determined to find a place to watch the bulls and Stijn found a perfect view… from the top of a tree!  I on the other hand was kneeling just outside the fence which

 gave me a perfect place to watch the police trying to keep all the drunk people from trying to stumble in to the running area- and they had their work cut out for them!  Luckily for the police it was easy to spot the people who were less than fit to participate in the running- they were usually stumbling with barely open eyes and always covered in sangria!

Once the bulls actually started running it was all a bit of a blur.  I literally saw two brown blurs streak by along with all of the runners leaping the fence to get out of the way!  Luckily Stijn had a better view form atop the tree and managed to get some great pictures including when one of the bulls turned around and started running back towards all the people who had previously dodged him!  We were surprised to learn that they only release a few bulls each day- we both had the impression that there were a lot more bulls.   None the less it was still a pretty incredible sight to see.  As soon as the bulls ran by we quickly made our way over to the coliseum to try and catch the ‘final act’ unfortunately we didn’t quite make it but to be honest, neither of us were too sorry to miss the killing of the bulls so we walked around a took in more of the sights but neither the sights or the smells… especially the smells were that pleasant.  The entire town was quite literally passed out on every bench and green space so we headed back to the campground.

With a few days in Pamplona under our belt it was time to head back down south to Benidorm for some more beach time and since it would take us a few days to reach there, we decided to head out as soon as we got back from town and make the long trek back down south.

After the long trek back down to the coast we checked out a few of the campgrounds in the area and quickly set up in one located close to the beach.  We were delighted to find the grocery store carried many of our Dutch favourites and even more importantly- they had a full stock of Magners Ciders, Sangria and other refreshing beverages! 

Each campsite had a tarp overhead and we quickly found out just how necessary they would be- with temperatures reaching the 40’s, it seemed that nothing could save us from the heat but I’m sure the tarps helped keep the camper cool, even if only in some small manner.

Our first evening in Benidorm, we decided to bike into town to see what was going on- we were shocked to find the once calm, serene and charming place that at one time was Stijn’s favourite place in Spain now teaming with loud and very drunk UK tourists.  Even the restaurants were British and every fast food chain you could imagine and local food was nowhere to be found.  Whatever charm had impressed Stijn previously was all but gone but we decided to hold our judgement until we could check out the beach the following morning.

Sadly the beach didn’t impress us any more than the town had the night before.  We had hoped to be able to find a quiet and private piece of beach somewhere away from the rest of the vacationers but this would prove impossible.  Every square inch of the beach and surrounding area was completely swarmed by the affore mentioned loud, and extremely drunk tourists from the UK.  Even the water proved difficult to wade into on account of the swarms of people.  Determined to stick it out we set up our beach umbrella and mats and attempted to take in the sun for a few hours.  Luckily for us we had a great campsite and every afternoon we returned to it and had a great time having a few drinks and cooking nice meals and attempting to escape the heat.  We were also able to keep in close contact with our friends and family at home via skype- having the internet while camping is a wonderful European idea- or at least for the European-style of camping!

Luckily for us having a direct connection at home allowed us to receive some really happy news from our dear friends Melissa and Alberto.  We were delighted to hear that Alberto proposed to Melissa on the 9^th hole of Northern Bear Golf Course and of course Melissa said YES!  It was so nice to be able to share in the happy news even if we are half way around the world and we couldn’t be happier for them.  They are truly a special couple and very special friends and we can’t wait to celebrate with them properly when we get home!  Congrats you two!

The next few days we spent laying around the pool and the beach and staying cool whenever possible- not an easy feat especially at night.  Despite our efforts, our little camper was like an oven every night making sleep next to impossible and after a week or so we couldn’t take it anymore and decided to trade in the extreme heat of Spain for the more northern climate in Holland.

Our journey north would take several days and would provide us with amazing scenery and great stops en route.  With all of the driving that we’ve done in the course of the past few months it is hard to explain just how amazing and different the topography is.  We are so happy to have been able to drive through so many areas that we wouldn’t have otherwise seen; it has surprised us both and has been one of the most amazing parts of our journey through Europe.

Our first stop was in the massive Pyrenee Mountains which divide Spain and France.  As the desert of Central Spain faded and we entered the Atlantic climate of the mountain range it was incredible just how at home we felt.  I have to say that while I enjoy the Mediterranean climate as an escape from some of the harsher weather we have at home, I think I prefer the cooler more northern climate, at least in terms of everyday living.  Perhaps it’s just what we’re used to, and I never thought I’d ever say that, but it was a relief to escape the heat and return to more comfortable temperatures and most importantly get some sleep!

The next day we entered France and unbeknownst to us, found ourselves right in the heart of the Tour de France.  It took us a while to realize what was going on since we’re more or less in our own little world- first we noticed a couple of film crews and later down the road we saw all the support vehicles and the fan busses and motorhomes- at that point we knew what we were looking at and while we didn’t see any actual racing it was really neat to see all of the excitement and activity that was going on.  I’m not sure how those bikers climb those mountains because even Betty, our camper, was having a hard time but like the trooper that she is she made it through without too much grumbling!

After making our way through France we finally entered Belgium and made a stop in the Ardennen in the amazing little town of La Roche.  The Ardennen is a beautiful  area that spans through portions of Belgium and Holland and is full of the most magical forests I’ve ever seen.  We spent a few says exploring the charming town and enjoying some non-driving down time reading books.  It was the perfect place to spend a few days recovering from the long drive and getting ready to go back to Holland.

Let’s Go Holland…again…

Finally back on Dutch soil we were very excited to head to old family friends of the Franken’s- Ben and Henriette, who live in small town not far from where Stijn was born.  We had only given them a rough estimate of when we would be arriving and we surprised them a little bit with our arrival!  We were welcomed with open arms into their home immediately despite them having to go to a party that night.  We quickly made ourselves at home and settled in for the next week of fabulous time with the family!

To our delight, the next morning their Son Willem and Noortje arrived with their two children Soe and Mats.  It was so amazing to finally meet the people that Stijn has so many fond memories of.  I’ve always loved hearing the stories of the times that the two families spent together and it was so nice to finally be able to meet them in person.  Stijn has told me many times just how amazing and warm the whole Goosens clan is but I have to say that words don’t do justice to what amazing people they are and just how special our time with them was.

For the next week we ate wonderful meals, had fabulous conversations, went on walks and enjoyed every minute we spent with the family.  We have become really fond of Soe and Mats as well- they are such lovely kids and are such a joy to have around.  We had a really special time with the whole Goosens family and are looking forward to seeing them again later on in our travels and hopefully at some point in Canada!

After a week of Dutch life in Sambeek it was time to head north and we couldn’t have been happier to be getting ready to meet up with Ulco, Jacob and Annemieke who had flown in from Edmonton to spend two weeks with us in Holland.  Although Ulco was just here in Europe a few weeks ago he wanted to spend some more time in Holland and be able to show his son Jacob where he grew up and of course Annemiek is the perfect travel companion for Jake!

We were so excited when the troops arrived, although we skype with Ulco often, it just isn’t the same as being able to receive one of his giant bear hugs in person!  Albert prepared a fabulous meal for the whole family and as soon as we finished eating we all headed out for a walk to show the kids the village where Opa Albert now lives.

The first week with our new travel companions would prove to be a busy one… we explored many of the sights and attractions on day trips and then returned to Mantgum in the evenings for delicious meals and lovely evenings.  The first stop was an old church in a nearby town where natural mummies were preserved from a few hundred years ago.  It is a mystery how the bodies were preserved so well and we were all sufficiently creeped out after the viewing!

The next day we made the long trek to Harderwijk to the Dolfinarium- an aqua marine park.  There were several animal performances and all of them were really great.  All in all we saw Walruses, Seal, Sharks and Sting Rays and of course Dolphins.  The productions were really something with light shows, aerial props and much more.  Even for us adults it was a really great day so I sure hope the kids enjoyed it!

The next day was the day the kids were waiting for- The Efteling!  This park is Holland’s version of Disneyland and just like their American counter part, there is something for everyone and every square inch has tremendous detail- right down to the talking garbage cans that thank you for depositing your garbage!  Stijn and Ulco had been to the park as kids and while there were some changes since they were there last the whole place was still full of fun memories!

The first ride would prove to be a memorable one… Albert, Ulco, Stijn, Inge, Annemiek, Jacob and I were all on a tube and as luck would have it Albert and I were right under the water fall we floated under.  Every bump against the wall, every wave and every splash took aim on the two of us and when we left I was literally ringing out my shoes!  I think we were both wet for the remainder of the day and while it wasn’t quite the way we were expecting to start our day- it was fun none the less. It was quite a magical day and Stijn and I felt like teenagers again going on all the rides with the kids- leaving no rollercoaster unturned!  On the way home the car fell silent as we all fell asleep with exhaustion- what a day!  I’m pretty sure this will go down as the best day in Holland for the kids… and perhaps us bigger kids too!

After a day of rest following the Efteling,  it was time to hit the big city and show the kids what I consider to be one of the most amazing cities in the world… or at least the part we’ve visited!  We made our way into Amsterdam and after finding parking took a short ferry to Central Station and headed into the heart of the city.  Annemiek was a girl on a mission in search of shoes, shoes and more shoes!  Obviously Inge and I had no problem with this and happily followed her into every shoes store, of which there are plenty, not to mention a few clothing stores as well!  The boys were less interested in shoes as they were in the various x-rated souvenirs and whatever they could eat but we managed to take in some culture as well when we made our way to the Vincent Van Gogh Museum.  It’s always a bit risky taking kids to a museum especially after a long day of walking around town but both Annemiek and Jacob did fantastic and even managed to have a good time!  Jacob came away with a great souvenir of the famous Sun Flowers and is convinced that his dad bought him the real thing! 

We were all a bit tired but still had enough energy to be wowed by the amazing artist and his many amazing works in various styles and mediums.  We’ve seen a lot of art on our trip thus far and while it’s all been amazing I have to say that Van Gogh is one of my favourites- he has an amazing way of painting in a way that no matter how old the piece is, it always seems modern and relevant.  I love his use of color and unusual brush strokes and it was amazing to see so many of his great works all in one place.

With next to no energy left we all piled on to the tram to make our way back to Central Station and back to the car.  Once again the car fell silent almost immediately after hitting the road- luckily for us Ulco was behind the wheel and the rest of us could get some rest!

After a busy week it was time to load into the camper and head south to show the kids more of Holland!  Our first stop was Ben and Henriette’s and we were delighted to be back with our favourite family in Sambeek!  We were so happy to find Willem, Noortje, Soe and Mats had also returned from their vacation and were back in town and it didn’t take long for Annemiek and Jacob to fall in love with the kids just as Stijn and I had previously!  While the kids were playing outside enjoying the beautiful weather we sat around and visited while Willem and Noortje made an amazing meal for the very large group!  We had a fantastic meal outside in the garden and enjoyed a delightful evening.

The next morning after breakfast Stijn and I headed into town to fill the camper with groceries and after lunch it was time to get back in the camper and once again say goodbye to our extended- family in Sambeek.  We headed to the nearby World War II Museum in Overloon.  Located inside the forest where much of the war on Dutch soil took place- being mere kilometers from the German border- it was an amazing collection of artefacts and stories of that terrible time.  I’ve always been very interested in the Second World War and I found the whole place fascinating… trying to relay that interest to tweens was another story!  I suppose it’s a little far removed from their lives and while we tried to make it relevant it wasn’t quite their highlight!  The ice cream afterwards was a huge hit though!

With the sun popping out we thought it was time for some swimming!  Not far from the museum is a man-made swimming lake that was built when Stijn and Ulco were in middle school.  Today it is a full-fledged attraction complete with a café the kids… and Stijn… enjoyed some water football and races while Ulco and I enjoyed the comfort of the sand and shore!

Our next destination was a very special one, especially for Ulco.  We returned to Venray where both Stijn and Ulco grew up.  The entire town is full of memories for both of the guys and I can’t believe how much they can both still remember.  We showed Annemiek and Jacob the houses, the schools and the places where they hung out when they were kids and we even managed to have a few laughs at one of the playgrounds, courtesy of Annemiek!  Both Mieke and Jake were on a carousel while Ulco and Stijn spun them- apparently the two guys had a bit too much force behind their pushes because Annemiek lost her grip and literally flew right off between the bars.  Luckliy she wasn’t hurt with the exception of a few scratches but she’s a tough girl and was still able to enjoy a laugh with us.  After that we decided we’d better stick to safer activities and headed into the forest where Stijn and Ulco used to build underground bunker-type forts complete with fire pits!  It was so amazing to see where they got their start to building homes and it was hard to believe what they were able to achieve!  We also managed to find some amazing fresh blackberries and picked the patches dry- I can see why Ulco and Stijn spent hours and hours lost deep in… or below… these forests! 

That night Ulco met up with an old friend from school so Stijn and I headed out on a bike ride through more forest and then sat down in the centre of town for a bite to eat.  The kids soon after joined us and we had a great time with the kids on the patio- we even managed to get Jacob (a notoriously picky eater) to try calamari and mussels.  While the mussels weren’t a big hit he loved the calamari and devoured half the plate but we were only too happy to share!  It was pretty neat to see him enjoying something a little out of the ordinary.

The next morning Stijn and I wanted to check out the local bike store and we were delighted to find exactly what we were looking for.  We are now the proud owners of his and hers Dutch 24 speed bikes!   We’ve loved biking so much over the last few months we decided to trade in our junkers for something we could take back home and we couldn’t be happier with our new purchase.  With our new bikes on board we made our way to the sea and back to Domburg where we spent a few days when the Mom’s – were along for the ride.  The campground has plenty of things to keep the kids entertained and provided a great little stop for us.

Perhaps motivated slightly by wanting to test out our new bikes we rented Ulco and the kids bikes from town and explored the area.  It was so nice to be able to go up hills without killing ourselves and be able to cover a good distance without too much effort!  We headed to the sea to try and fly the kites that Stijn and I had picked up in Indonesia for the kids and after a lot of tries we finally managed to catch some air.  While the kites are beautiful… they are perhaps more for decoration than they are for flight but none the less we had a great time!

That night the rain came in so we took shelter in the bowling alley at the campsite… like I said before, campgrounds in Holland are a far cry for those we are used to in Canada!  We had a great night and I’m always surprised just how fun bowling can be!

With our time with Ulco and the kids nearing an end it was time to start heading back north to Stijn’s dad’s to prepare them for the flight home, but not before we stopped at Madurodam- this amazing park is quite literally a diorama of all of the highlights of Holland.  It was amazing to see the detail that went into creating this tiny Holland and it was a great way for the kids to see the parts of Holland that we didn’t have time to get to.  The kids of course realized there are a number of other amusement parks than the one we went to and are eager to return to Holland to see them all!

The next morning we said goodbye to Ulco and the kids… it was sad to see them go as we had such an amazing time with them and were so happy that they decided to come and join us for a part of our journey and as always, it is so nice to have a little taste of home!

Over the course of the past few weeks Stijn and I made a decision to move up the Africa portion of our trip and are leaving tomorrow morning bright and early for Kenya.  We had initially scheduled the tour for the end of September but by moving it up we will have a better chance of seeing the migration which we would really hate to miss.  We also will hopefully trade in the somewhat questionable weather we’ve been experiencing the last few weeks for what we hope will be beautiful fall weather when we return in October where we hope to explore more of Holland on our bikes.

We’ve been really busy getting ready for the next leg of our journey and have no idea what to expect.  We have selected a two month overland camping tour and will start in Nairobi and will visit Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa.  I’m not too sure how I’m going to feel about camping in the wild with… well the wild but I am certain that it is going to be an amazing experience and we can hardly wait for this part of our journey to start!