Euro Trip May-June 2026
European Tour May – June 2026
With Tom, Diana, Jacob (just turned 15), Hannah (almost 14), and Benjamin (almost 13) from Virginia Beach (VB) USA and OMA (almost 70) from Welland, Canada
The Virginia Beach Marsdens left their home on May 28/26 flying from Norfolk, Virginia to New York City for one night and the next day flew to Frankfurt, Germany on May 29.
Saturday, May 30/26 Oma flew overnight from Toronto, Canada on Condor Air to Frankfurt, Germany and arrived Sunday, May 31/26.
Stopped in Beamsville to visit Dorothy and Ed Holdenmeyer and pick up 4 silk scarves that Dorothy had dyed with leaf patterns to give as gifts to my hostesses in The Netherlands during this trip. Don drove me to the Pearson Airport by 5 PM for the 8 PM flight. Was the only person going through the Premium Economy Line with the Nexus Card and went directly to the “Be Relax” shop for a 30 minute body chair massage and then on to the KLM Lounge for wine and food with my Priority Pass privileges. Had an aisle seat on the plane and the seat beside was empty so more room. We could not land on time in Frankfurt due to a thunderstorm closing the airport so we circled 60 miles out 4 times and then were allowed to land.
The VB Marsdens met Oma at the Frankfurt Airport for a 45 minute Condor flight to Paris, France. (The flight was almost 3 hours delayed and was a plane parked far away from the main airport building which we had to transfer to on a bus.)
On arrival in Paris we climbed into a taxi van from 90 minute transfer into Paris to stay at the Hyatt Regency Hotel (although the taxi did make a few wrong turns trying to avoid the PSG convoy) arriving around 9 PM to our rooms on the 27th floor with a great view of the twinkling Eiffel Tower. Hannah and Oma were roommates all through the tour. So nice.
Tom and Diana ventured out via uber to their prebooked tickets to “Moulin Rouge” for the 11:00 PM show. The rest of us ate from the hotel shop and headed to bed.
Monday, June 1/26 First Day in Paris. Beautiful Sunny Day – 70 F, 20 C
Up at 6:30 AM for shower and then breakfast with Hannah in the Regency Lounge on the 34th floor. No word received from the rest of the gang so Hannah and I left the hotel for a walk to look around the neighborhood. We walked as far as St Ferdinand RC Church and took a brief look inside and walked back to the hotel. By this time the gang was awake and we meet with them for more breakfast in the hotel restaurant on the main floor.
Outside again at 9:30 AM To walk to the Arc de Triomphe for the 10 AM opening. (Tom had purchased City and Museum Passes months earlier so we were well organized to visit the many attractions on timed passes.) We did walk by the church Hannah and I had seen earlier before we got to the Arc and peaked in again.
The Arc de Triomphe is a symbol of both military power and peace. It was commissioned to be built by Emperor Napoleon I after the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805. It was completed in 1836 and Napolean was already deceased and French King Louie Philippe I reigned France then. Now it is the symbol of peace and remembrance with the tomb of the Unknown Soldier from WW1 at the base. There is an eternal flame at this tomb since 1923 and at 6:30 PM each evening there is a changing of the guard ceremony.
We climbed the 200 steps to the Museum floor and another 40 steps to the terrace to take pictures to a height of almost 50 metres (162.5 feet). Twelve main avenues radiate from the Arc and one of these being the Avenue des Champs Elysees. This is the one of the most beautiful avenues in the world with high-end shops and restaurants.
We entered the Metro to get to a Bakery Class where we were put to work to make French baguettes, buns and petit cakes. We got to roll croissants and learned showing 5 layers are for royalty. We did get to take the baguettes, buns, and petit cakes with us.
Left there for a 1 PM Notre Dame North Tower climb (400 spiral steps to the view). The South Tower is still undergoing renovation since the fire in 2019. We got an up-close view of the biggest bell “Emmanuel”. Large bells are traditionally named and this one weighs 13 tons.
Notre Dame (Our Lady) Cathedral is a French Gothic Cathedral which took almost 300 years to complete. It has 3 rose windows, a treasury and 2 bell towers. It was renovated between 1845 to 1864 to repair damage caused in the French Revolution. There is a bronze star in the cobbles at the front of the Cathedral from where all distances are measured from. The pipe organ with 8000 pipes took 6 months to reassemble after the 2019 fire and the work was done at night since total silence was needed. This is still a working RC Cathedral and there is no admission charged to enter.
Henry VI of England was crowned there in 1431 as King of France.
In 1804 Napoleon Bonaparte I crowned himself Emperor with Pope Pius VII present.
Joan of Arc was beautified in 1909 and canonized in 1920.
(From the Official Website.) The history of the Cathedral is closely linked to the history of France. Built in the 12th century, modified in the 18th century, and restored in the 19th century, it is the symbol of Christian worship in Paris through the centuries.
In the 4th century, with the advent of Clovis, Paris became the Christian “capital” of the Frankish kingdom. It was then that a first cathedral, Saint-Étienne, was built in the 6th century. The city’s growth began in the 12th century after the Norman invasions. The city prospered, becoming a place of artistic and intellectual exchange, with colleges and a university of philosophy and theology. This marks the beginning of the history of Notre-Dame.
At the same time, the crusades to Jerusalem and pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela moved thousands of faithful along the roads. The Île de la Cité was a crucial crossing point over the Seine. Consequently, the faithful flocked to the Cité district. They generated commercial activity and offerings for worship. In this context, Maurice de Sully, Bishop of Paris, undertook the construction of a new and vast cathedral to accommodate the faithful. In the 13th century, the population of Paris doubled.
Saint Louis brought back the relics of Christ’s Passion (Crown of Thorns and fragment of the Holy Cross) from Jerusalem. They arrived in Paris in 1239, where the king carried them in procession to Notre-Dame. These relics were later kept in the Sainte-Chapelle until the Revolution and joined the treasury of Notre-Dame in 1806.
The cathedral expanded and changed to become a model of religious architecture. During the Renaissance, tastes evolved, and its appeal waned. In the 17th century, through the vow of Louis XIII, the kingdom was placed under the protection of the Virgin and promised a new high altar for the cathedral, which was realized by his son, Louis XIV. Significant renovations took place in the 18th century. Damaged by weather and the Revolution, the cathedral threatened to collapse in the 19th century. Boosted by a resurgence of popularity thanks to Victor Hugo’s “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame,” the state decided on restoration work in the 19th century. Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991, the cathedral was a major center of Christian worship and the most visited monument in France in 2018.
Following the fire on April 15, 2019, which destroyed the medieval framework and the spire of the cathedral, a major restoration project is still underway to did reopen it for worship and visitors in December, 2024.
On to the Conciergerie situated behind Notre Dame Cathedral. This was a Royal Palace in the 14th Century and later a prison. During the Reign of Terror (1793-94), alleged enemies of the Revolution were incarcerated here before they were brought to the Revolutionary Tribunal next door in the 13th century Palais de Justice (still a working courthouse with free admission). Prisoners included King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antonette. Later they were taken to the square to the guillotine.
On to Sainte-Chapelle. The Palais De la Cite was the residence and seat of royal power for the 10th to the 14th centuries, and housed the Conciergerie and Sainte-Chapelle which are now part of the Palace of Justice, the new function of the building. The Sainte-Chapelle was built between 1242 and 1248, in accordance with the wishes of Louis IX (king from 1226 to 1270 and the future Saint Louis) to house the relics of the Passion of Christ. The most famous of these relics was the Crown of Thorns, acquired in 1239 for a sum that greatly exceeded the cost of building the Chapel itself.
Saint Louis (Louis IX of France) lived 1214 to 1270 was the King of France and also known as the “Monk King”. His father was Louis VIII known as “the Lion” who died young and left his son Louis IX to be crowned as King of France in 1226 at 12 years of age. Blanche of Castile (mother of Louis IX) ruled France until son Louis came of age.
In his life Louis IX:
- led crusades against Muslin dynasties
- instigated reforms in the French legal system
- was a fair and judicious ruler, Christian Monarch, Knight
- had harsh laws against blasphemy (mutilation of tongue and lips)
- launched actions against Paris Jewish people making them wear a yellow badge of shame
- commanded the largest army and ruled largest and richest kingdom
- believed in arts and intellectual thought, started the “Sorbonne” as theology college
- founded many hospitals, house for reformed prostitutes and home for the blind.
- Fontainebleau was his estate and chateau
- respected mediator in European affairs
Louis IX spent 4 years in Jerusalem and was captured in the 7th Crusade there and died there of scurvy/dysentery. His bones were brought back to Paris and buried in a tomb in Saint Denis. On route back to Paris with the bones there were 67 healings along the way.
Louis IX was declared a saint (canonized) by Pope Boniface VIII in 1297, 27 years after his death. He is the only canonized French King. His feast day is August 25th, anniversary of his death. He is patron saint of barbers, hairdressers and construction workers.
We took the Metro again to get to the starting location of our 6 PM Bike Tour. Led by a former Amazon manager from California. This ride took us on a 2 ½ hour tour of highlights of Paris doing 6 miles in busy Paris traffic. We passed by the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, over bridges, through a tunnel and managed to get back safe and sound to our starting point. Metro back to the hotel by 9:15 PM.
Today we managed over 20,000 steps and over 50 flights registered on Tom’s Apple Watch. Hannah, Ben and I rested and Tom, Diana and Jacob went out to a nearby restaurant for some dinner at 10:30pm.
Tuesday, June 2/26 Second Day in Paris. Rain, Sun, Cloud, Wind, Hail – 70 F, 20 C
Up after 7 AM. Breakfast in lounge. On route to The Palace of Versailles for 10:30 AM City Pass entrance time. We started our tour through the palace and then decided on a guided tour of the Private King’s Quarters since there were so many people through general admission. This tour took 1½ hours for 11:30AM to 1PM. Our guide was very knowledgeable on the furnishings, and king’s routine and had worked at the Palace for many years.
The Palace of Versailles covers 900 hectares (almost 2000 acres) and is 400 years old and is 22 Km south west of Paris. It started in 1623 as a hunting lodge for Louis XIII. Louis XIV transformed it into a chateau (30,000 workers and great expense) became the kingdom’s political capital and the seat of the Royal Court from 1682 to 1789 (French Revolution).
Louis XVI’s reign was a lot shorter than those of his predecessors: just 15 years separated his coronation from the Revolution of 1789. The Palace of Louis XVI and Marie-Antionette was invaded on October 6, 1789 and was soon emptied and badly looted. Most of the furniture was sold and the most symbolic royal items (beds, thrones, and coaches) were destroyed. Emperor Napoleon I was unable to settle there and only modified the Trianon palaces.
During the Restoration of the monarchy (1815-1830), the palace was used sparingly. It was Louis Phillippe who found the final solution by turning it into a palace-museum dedicated to “all the glories of France,” inaugurated in 1837 after 400 million Euro renovation. Later, at the end of the 19th century, the long and continuing project of refurnishing the palace and restoring its apartments to how they were on the eve of the Revolution began.
The Palace has themes for Greek and Roman mythology.
1. Hall of Mirrors is 75 meters long with 357 mirrors on one side across from windows of the ballroom to admire the sunset and the gardens.
2. King and Queen State Apts. With rooms dedicated to Hercules, Venus, Diana, Mars and Mercury.
3. Battle Gallery had 33 paintings of French Military Victories, War Room and Peace Room which bookend the Hall of Mirrors.
4. Gardens, Grand Canal and Trianon Palaces.
5. Royal Chapel dedicated to St Louis, is 2 stories with the upper level for Royals.
We were fortunate that the rainy weather conditions we started the day with had cleared by the afternoon so we could enjoy the expansive gardens and groves in sunshine. Also it was on a Tuesday so the musical fountain show at 2 PM was included in the admission. Such an amazing beautiful place unfortunately we could not see it all in one day.
As we left the Palace and grounds we walked through the main street of the town of Versailles. We had a quick stop at their Notre Dame Church and on to the train station to get back to Paris.
We arrived at the Eiffel Tower in time for our 3 PM tour with guide Ana from Serbia (who sometimes does this tour 3X/day using the stairs with her guests?) The tour allowed us to walk up the 360 steps to Level 1, 360 more stairs to Level 2 and the elevator to the top (Level 3). While were listening to the guide at the first level telling us all about the tower a thunderstorm complete with lightning and tiny hail pellets came whipping through. Luckily we were under a bit of cover at the time so did not get soaked and shortly thereafter the sun reappeared so we could take lots of pictures.
The tower designer was Gustave Eiffel (Eiffel was not his official surname, Eiffel was used since he came from the mountainous region of Eifel in France.) His company won the contest to design and build a tower for the 1889 World’s Fair. Eiffel also financed most of the tower under a contract that he would recoup the funds from the fees charged to climb the tower and this paid off in 6 months after opening.
The tower is 324 meters high (almost 1000 feet) making it the tallest tower in the world until 1930 when the New York City Chrysler Building was higher. It took 300 workers, 2.5 rivets and 2 years of non-stop labour to complete the tower. Otis Elevator Company of the USA figured out how elevators would work in the tower.
The tower was to be torn down in 1909 but by then it was too important as an antenna for telecommunications. The tower has had different nicknames such as “metal asparagus” and “iron lady.”
The tower has gone through 19 coats of paint and is presently a yellow-brown color chosen for the 2020 Olympics that Paris hosted. The painting is done by trained mountain climbers hanging on harnesses and is done every 5 years and it takes that long from one application to the next. The residents of Paris get to vote on the color chose for the tower.
The nighttime twinkle show (hourly after dark for 5 minutes until midnight) happens with 20,000 6 watt lights.
Eiffel also designed the iron frame used for the Statue of Liberty in NYC harbour. There are several small versions of the Statue of Liberty scattered around Paris. Eiffel had an office on the 3rd level of the tower which he used daily until he was into old age. In the office model seen it shows a visit from Thomas Edison with Eiffel and Eiffel’s daughter.
We left the tower and walked to the Pistachio Crepe Place for delicious ice cream and crepes. Then on to the Bleu Seine Seafood Dinner Cruise for a 2 hour cruise on the Seine River. We cruised under several bridges of which there are 37 over the Seine in Paris. An Uber van took us back to the hotel by 11:30 PM with accomplishing 21,000 steps and 58 flights done in day 2.
Wednesday, June 3/26 Third Day in Paris. Windy, cloudy/little sun 65 degrees
Up at 7 AM and breakfast upstairs in the Regency Lounge. Left hotel at 8:30 AM via Metro for a 9 AM museum entrance pass to the Louvre Museum. The origin of the Louvre dates back to the 1200’s. It was built as a stronghold by King Phillippe Augusta from 1190 to 1202 to protect Paris from invaders. Through the middle ages, it was mostly untouched. It was a royal residence and it became a museum in 1793 during the French Revolution and is now home to artworks dating from the 7th millennium BC to the 1850s. Its latest look is from the French Revolution with the Cour Carrie addition and the Great Pyramid is its latest addition. It has 403 halls and nearly 15 kilometers of corridors.
The collections are displayed on five levels, in three interconnecting wings named after three prominent figures from French history:
-Sully (1559-1641), chief minister of King Henri IV,
-Richelieu (1585-1642), chief minister of King Louis XIII, and
-Denon (1747-1825), first director of the Musee du Louvre.
We were in a long line-up in the underground mall that is attached to the museum. We were admitted around 10 AM and went directly to the view the famous Mona Lisa painting by Leonardo de Vinci. We spent 2 hours touring the museum on our own to see many of the highlights which included the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, The Winged Victory of Samothrace, the Seated Scribe, Great Sphinx, Marly Horses, Napoleon III apartments, Egyptian Antiquity and 18th century royal court lifestyles. |
For the Mona Lisa, no smile if an enigmatic of bewitching as hers. As for the “Venus de Milo, no one knows who sculpted this seductively realistic goddess from Greek antiquity. Naked to the hips, she is a Hellenistic (Greek period of Mediterranean history from 323 BC – death of Alexander the Great to 31 BC – death of Cleopatra) masterpiece. The Winged Victory of Samothrace shows an aggressive dynamism of a headless, handless Hellenistic goddess.
I looked up some Napoleon Bonaparte history before leaving on this trip so I could be better informed on the trip. Napoleon Bonaparte I (1769 to 1821) was a French military general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and dominated European affairs for over a decade. Born in Corsica to a large minor noble family, he graduated from a French military academy in 1785 and rapidly advanced through the ranks due to his strategic brilliance, particularly after the Siege of Toulon in 1793 and victories in Italy in 1796. He crowned himself Emperor of France in 1804. During his time as Emperor, the Louisiana Purchase was done in 1809. He consolidated his authority by implementing the Napoleonic Code, stabilizing the economy, and reconciling with the Catholic Church.
Napoleon’s famous pose with his hand inside his waistcoat (and in portraits of other rulers) was to indicate calm and stable leadership.
Downfall and Exile: Napoleon’s power began to wane after the disastrous invasion of Russia in 1812, which decimated his Grande Armée. Forced to abdicate in 1814, he was exiled to the island of Elba. He escaped and briefly returned to power in 1815 during the Hundred Days, only to be decisively defeated at the Battle of Waterloo. He was then exiled permanently to the remote island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic, where he died on May 5, 1821, at age 51 of stomach cancer.
Napoleon Bonaparte II was the son of Napoleon I and Marie Louise but died of TB at age 21 with no heir.
Napoleon Bonaparte III (1805 to 1873) was a nephew of Napoleon I (son of his brother Louis Bonaparte who was King of Holland). He was the last monarch of France. He did many good things from France like increasing the rail system, modernized the banking system, promoted the building of the Suez Canal, modernized agriculture, promoted worker and women’s rights. He worked with Haussman (1853-1859) to demolish old Paris buildings and build the new large boulevards that spoke out of the Arc de Triumph.
He was captured at Sedan, dethroned and exiled to England where he died in 1873.
Fun note – Napoleon III had a contest to find a cheap substitute for butter and this was the start of margarine.
Also mention of Charlemagne in French history. Charlemagne (Charles the Great) was the King of Franks and the first Holy Roman Emperor (797 to 814) and expanded the Frankish (German) empire. He is known as the “Father of Europe”. His son Louis was co-emperor. Their capital was Aachen in France. There are 1000 legends of Charlemagne but no sainthood. He died of dysentery.
Left the Louvre and had lunch in the mall Food Court and raced on to the Musee d’Orsay for our 1 PM museum pass entry time. There to enjoy the works of Monet, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Renoir, Moriset, Gauguin and more.
History: Inaugurated in 1900 for the World Fair, Orsay train station ran services to the capital for passengers from right across southwest France. Also housed within the building were a luxurious hotel and grand reception room.
With the modernization of trains, the station was gradually abandoned. In 1977, the French government decided to turn the building into a museum. The Musee d’Orsay was inaugurated in 1986. Through paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, photography and drawings, the museum presents the full diversity of artistic creation in the western world from 1848 to 1914 (from the Second Republic to WWI).
On to our 2 PM museum pass time at the Musee de l”Orangerie to enjoy Monet’s Water Lilies and other beautiful nature scenes set in 3 oval rooms for silence and meditation. Stunning.
At the end of his life, Monet produced hundreds of works featuring the pond which he created and planted on his Giverny property with the patience of a true gardener.
Our final museum stop of the day was the Hotel de la Marine where we had an interesting audio tour. The Hôtel de la Marine was originally the home of the royal Garde-Meuble, the office managing the furnishing of all royal properties. Following the French Revolution it became the Ministry of the Navy, which occupied it until 2015 (as part of the Ministry of Defense). The building was entirely renovated between 2015 and 2021, for it to now display the restored 18th century apartments of Marc-Antoine Thierry de Ville-d'Avray, the King's Intendant of the Garde-Meuble, as well the salons and chambers later used by the French Navy.
Next was a walk to Diana’s Brush Shop and we snacked again at the Pistachio Ice Cream and Crepe place from yesterday.
Being fueled up again we embarked on the Metro to The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre commonly known as Sacré-Cœur Basilica, It is a Catholic church and minor basilica in Paris dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Sacré-Cœur Basilica is located at the summit of the butte of Montmartre. From its dome two hundred meters above the Seine, the basilica overlooks the entire city of Paris and its suburbs. It is the second most popular tourist destination in the capital after the Eiffel Tower.
The white stone of Sacré-Cœur is travertine limestone of a type called Chateau-Landon, quarried in Souppes-sur-Loing, in Seine-et-Marne, France. The particular quality of this stone is that it is extremely hard with a fine grain, and exudes calcite on contact with rainwater, making it exceptionally white.
We walked through the area of Montemartre to the base of the Basilica. Tom, Diana and I climbed the 200 plus stairs up to the Basilica and Jacob, Hannah and Ben rode the funicular up.
Tom and I paid eight euros each to climb the 300 plus stairs to the dome of the Basilica. It was very windy up there but the view was beautiful. We came down and rejoined the gang inside the Basilica as a German mass was in progress.
Also, there were nuns praying at the 24/7 Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament that has continued since 1885.
The Sacred Heart
Statue in solid silver, made by Eugene Benet, who wanted to translate something of the immense sadness of “this Heart which has so loved men and in return I received from most of them only ingratitude” according to the revelations of Jesus to Saint Margaret Mary.
Montmartre is a long celebrated as a haven for artists, writers, and performers. Picasso, Van Gogh, and Modigliani lived and worked there.
Back on the Metro to hotel for the Regency Lounge dinner before 7:30 PM and the kids and planned a quiet night. Tom and Diana got dressed up and headed out for special dinner in Paris overlooking the Eiffel Tower.
Exercise tally for the day was 23,409 steps and 78 flights! Such a busy day!
Thursday, June 4/26 Paris/Brussels Cloud/rain 55 degrees
Up at 7 AM. Packed. To gym at 7:45 AM. Breakfast at 9 AM. Metro to Train Station for the 11:51 AM high speed train to Brussels, Belgium. The trip took 90 minutes through rainstorms and sunshine and lovely countryside with animals pasturing in the fields. From the Brussels Train Station (with camo dressed soldiers patrolling the station with big guns) we took an Taxi to the Sofitel Hotel we would be station at for the next two nights. Attractive lobby with artistic painting in open area. Hannah and I had room 214, Ben and Jacob at room 217 and Tom and Diana on the 5th floor. We left the hotel at 3 PM walking through the European Union Parliament buildings close by. Further along towards the Grand Place (central plaza) we encountered a student protest, something about French language rights. The protest was heated with a helicopter circling overhead, many police, barbwire barricades, firecrackers and water cannons. We skirted the protest and arrived for our 3:45 PM free walking tour guide as planned. Our guide was a Mexican woman working on her Masters Degree and was very good. We started at the beautiful Grand Place which is a very large central square in the heart of Brussels. The Grand-Place or "Grand Square" or Grote Markt is the central square of Brussels, Belgium. It is surrounded by opulent Baroque guildhalls of the former Guilds of Brussels and two larger edifices: the city's Flamboyant Town Hall, and the neo-Gothic King's House or Bread House building, housing the Brussels City Museum. The square measures 68 by 110 metres (223 by 361 ft) and is entirely paved.
The Grand-Place's construction began in the 11th century and was largely complete by the 17th. In 1695, during the Nine Years' War, most of the square was destroyed during the bombardment of Brussels by French troops. Only the Town Hall's façade and tower, which served as a target for the artillery, as well as some stone walls, resisted the incendiary balls. The houses that surrounded the Grand-Place were rebuilt during subsequent years, giving the square its current appearance, though they were frequently modified in the following centuries. From the mid-19th century, the square's heritage value was rediscovered, and it was thoroughly renovated.
The Grand-Place is the most important tourist destination and most memorable landmark in Brussels. It is also considered one of the world's most beautiful squares, and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998.
A number of guildhalls have been converted into shops, terraced restaurants and brasseries. Notable institutions include Godiva chocolatier and Maison Dandoy biscuiterie. One of the houses owned by the Brewer’s guild is home to a brewers' museum. Moving on from the Grand Place we entered a covered mall that ran the length of 3 blocks. No cars are allowed in the square.
In 1898, Belgian artist Julien Dillens sculpted a bronze monument to commemorate Everard t'Serclaes. The memorial is considered lucky by the locals and it is said that touching and rubbing the statue, especially the arm, can bring luck, grant wishes, and ensure that one will come to Brussels again. Thanks to the constant rubbing, the bronze statue remains shiny to this day.
Manneken Pis ('Little Pissing Man') is a landmark 55.5 cm (21.9 in) bronze fountain sculpture in central Brussels, Belgium, depicting a nude boy urinating into the fountain's basin. Though its existence is attested as early as the mid-15th century, Manneken Pis was redesigned by the Brabantine sculptor Jérôme Duquesnoy the Elder and put in place in 1619. Its blue stone niche in rocaille style dates from 1770. The statue has been repeatedly stolen or damaged throughout its history. Since 1965, a replica has been displayed on site, with the original stored in the Brussels City Museum.
Manneken Pis is one of the best-known symbols of Brussels and Belgium, inspiring several legends, as well as numerous imitations and similar statues, both nationally and abroad. Our guide mentioned two legends: a little boy hero who peed on a fire that had started in the city, and little boys encouraged to pee on cattle hides to aid in the tanning of the leather.
The figure is regularly dressed up and its wardrobe consists of around one thousand different costumes. Since 2017, they have been exhibited in a dedicated museum called GardeRobe MannekenPis, located on the same street. We also had this statue in the lobby of our Sofitel hotel. We continued on our walk to a lovely church called Eglise Notre-Dame de la Chapelle.
Our tour ended at 6 PM so we went on to find some delicious Belgian waffles. Then spend some more time exploring the central area before travelling back to the hotel.
Did not get inside the Cathedrale Sts Michel-et-Gudule which is the national church of Belguim since it was past visiting hours. We passed by the Palais Royal which is the official residence of the Belgian monarchy and is not open in June.
Arrived back around 7 PM and had dinner at a Burger Restaurant close to the hotel. Tom and Diana found a local laundromat to refresh some clothing. Shower and bed by 10:30 PM. Today’s step count was below 20,000 steps.
Friday, June 5/26 Brussels, Ghent, Bruges Cloud/rain/sun 65 degrees
Up at 7:15 AM for 8 AM breakfast and off walking and Metro to catch our tour bus to Ghent and Bruges.
After about an hour of travel we arrived in Ghent, Belgium and started an hour audio walking tour of this historic town. Ghent started with two abbeys for Saint Bavo and Saint Peter. Ghent is a vibrant city in the Flemish Region of Belgium, renowned for its well-preserved medieval architecture and rich historical legacy. Situated at the confluence of the Scheldt and Leie rivers, it flourished during the Middle Ages as a major center of trade and textile production, leaving behind a skyline marked by grand towers and historic buildings. In 1180, Het Gravenstein (medieval fortress) was constructed. It was the home of the Courts of Flanders. It was a military stronghold, later a prison and later a cotton mill. The Belfort (bell tower) dates back to 1380. Ghent was a large city but due to the 80 year war (rebels verses Spanish government of the Netherlands) it diminished. Ghent is the first industrialized city developing the spinning mule and the steam engine.
We did see another Manneken Pis with 2 others, Lina and Lena. The guide agreed with the pee legend in tanning leather hides.
Sint Baakskathedraal has a 292 foot Bell Tower (which was not open). This Saint Bavo Cathedral contains the Jan van Eyck’s “The Adoration of the Mystical Lamb” in 12 Altar Panels dating back to 1432. These panels were stolen by the Nazis in WW2 and found and returned to the Cathedral (shown in the 2014 movie “The Monument’s Men”). This cathedral also contains an opulent gothic altar, beautiful stained glass windows and an amazing pulpit. St Bavo is Ghent’s patron saint from the 7th Century. He abandoned a life of wealth to be a missionary in France and then a hermit.
Since Ghent was a major industrial centre in the 18th and 19th centuries. The resulting pollution coated the city’s antique buildings in layers of grime from its many factories. In the 1980s, Ghent initiated a restoration program. The city’s medieval buildings were cleaned, industrial sites were tidied up and the canals were cleared.
Ghent is called the veggie capital of Europe. Graslei is a very pretty street on the harbour.
Back to the bus for the 30 minute ride to Bruges, Belgium. Bruges if one of the most popular tourist destinations in Belgium and sometimes named the “Venice of the North.” An unspoiled medieval town, Bruges’ winding streets pass by picturesque canals lined with fine buildings. The centre of the city is amazingly well preserved as it escaped major damage from WWI and WWII. The city’s trade was badly affected when the River Zwin silted up at the end of the 15th century and Bruges was never heavily industrialized, retaining most of its medieval buildings as a result. Some highlights:
- gabled houses line the historic Markt at the heart of Bruges
- 13th century Belfort (Belfry) 272 ft octagonal tower with 47 bells (366 stairs)
- Stadhuis (town hall) built in 1376 Gothic Hall has noted vaulted ceiling
- Alley of the Blind Donkey is a narrow arched pathway (had to use blinders on donkeys)
- Vismarkt – open air fish market which was banned in 18th Century due to smell
- Groeningemuseum showcasing Flemish masters
- Rozenhoedkaai (Rosary Quay) very photographed spot overlooking the canals and medieval buildings which was once a site used for buying and selling Catholic rosaries.
- Basilica of the Holy Blood (Heilig Bloed)
We had a guided walking tour, late lunch (Tom tried a “beer flight”) and a 30 minute boat ride through the canals while in Bruges for the afternoon.
A stop at the “best” Chocolate Shop in Bruges too.
Back to the bus for the hour drive back to Brussels by 7 PM. We tried to take the Metro back to our hotel but the Central Station was closed due to some disturbance with soldiers and police present again so we walked the 30 minutes back.
We dined in the hotel dining room. Bed by 11 PM after another Great Day! Managed about 15,000 steps today and 10 flights.
Saturday, June 6/26 Brussels to Bussum Cloud/rain/sun 65 degrees
Breakfast at hotel. Walk in park around the area since we had time before we had to board the train to The Netherlands. We saw some impressive buildings, Hannah was able to share seeds with the local pigeons and geese and Tom was able to get a cone of “frites” from the recommended “Maison Antione” who use 100% beef fat to cook fries according to Belgian tradition (verified by follow-up email) (frites – not French Fries as the American soldiers in WW2 called them) (served with mayonnaise in Europe – not Ketchup).
Back to hotel and picked up our luggage and took a taxi to the main Brussels Train Station to board a train to Bussum in The Netherlands to visit for the night with cousin Vince and Caroline Bloem at their beautiful home. Our high speed train went through Antwerp, Rotterdam and Amsterdam where we changed trains for the last 25 minutes to Bussum.
Arrived in Bussum at 4:30 PM greeted at the station by Vince and Caroline with 2 cars to transport us to their home 5 minutes away in a lovely neighbourhood with many ornamental dogwood trees blooming. We were served tea and delicious appletart.
We were sized up for bicycles from the Bloem fleet, including special folding bikes that they used on the Bloem sailboats.
Vince led us on a scenic bike ride through some streets of Bussum (visited their town hall) and the adjoining town of Naarden Vesting. Naarden Vesting is a best-preserved star-shaped fortress in Europe, located in the province of North Holland, approximately 20 kilometers east of Amsterdam. Founded in the 14th century and granted city rights in 1350, its current military architecture was designed in the 17th century by engineer Menno van Coehoorn to protect the strategic route between Amsterdam and Utrecht. It is the only fortification in Europe with double walls and double moats, forming a complete pentagonal star shape. The town was part of the Dutch Waterline defense system, using controlled flooding to deter invaders. It is infamous for the 1572 Naarden Massacre, where Spanish troops killed hundreds of inhabitants during the Eighty Years' War. After losing its military utility in the late 19th century, it was saved from demolition and is now a protected historic monument.
Vince made us a great Nasi Goreng meal and we sat around and talked for the evening. Their daughter Anne and her black doodle dog Sheldon came to visit with us too. The Bloems generously boarded the 6 of us for the night. Bed by 11 PM.
Sunday, June 7/26 Bussum to Amsterdam Cloud/rain/sun 65 degrees
Up at 8 AM to a lovely Dutch breakfast with Vince and Caroline. Caroline drove Diana, Hannah, Ben and I to the train station before she went to her rowing training. We boarded the train to travel back to Amsterdam while Vince drove Tom and Jacob with our luggage to our Amsterdam Hyatt Regency Hotel.
We all met at the St. Nicholas Basilica near Central Station for the 10:30 AM Mass. Just before Mass, Diana, Hannah, Ben and I had a few minutes to look around the neighbourhood close to the Basilica. We walked to 24 Kromme Waal to say hello to cousin Ans van Blokland but unfortunately there was no answer at her 400 year old canal home. Ben is liking the tiny cars all over Amsterdam.
Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of both the church and the city of Amsterdam. The basilica is the city's primary Roman Catholic church. When built, the church was called St. Nicholas inside the Walls, i.e. inside the Amsterdam City wall, the oldest part of the Amsterdam defense works. The architect Adrianus Bleijs (1842-1912) designed the church based on a combination of several revival styles: the most prominent being the Neo-Baroque and neo-Renaissance.[2] Construction was completed in 1887.
After mass we started a quick march to our first Amsterdam experience with a cheese tasting at Henri Willig’s Cheese Store. Half a century ago, Henri and Riet Willig started making Dutch quality cheeses on their dairy farm. Over the past 50 years, this small business has grown into an internationally renowned cheese factory with customers all over the world enjoying our quality products and their three sons run the business.
We did another quick march back to the Central Station area (where we started earlier) to go on a 2 ½ hour bike ride around old Amsterdam with a Dutch student leading us which is not an easy job either in congested Amsterdam. We saw many sites including the harbour with the Marine Museum, Holocaust Names Memorial, canals, draw bridges, Rijksmuseum, Jordaan neighborhood and much more.
We then shuffled ourselves across the harbour on the little free ferry behind Central Station to the 4:15 PM adventure ride of “This is Holland” showcasing the highlights of The Netherlands as you flight over them as a drone would with surprises like a little mist and fireworks along the way. Very nice. Tom had a Craft Beer Tour planned at the same time but it was cancelled but he was able to get a 6 pack of beer anyway from the business that would have held the event. On to the “A’Dam Lookout” on the top floor of the 21 storey Shell Tower. There was a cheese display in the lobby sponsored by Henri Willeg Cheese that we learned about earlier that day. At the top were many photo options more than just the amazing views. Ben and Hannah even went for a swing out in the open air way up there.
Then to hotel via the Metro and enjoyed the Regency Lounge for dinner. Hannah and I were in a room across from the Lounge and Jacob and Ben were down the hall. Tom and Diana were in an adjoining room to Jacob and Ben.
After dinner it was time to take the Metro back to Amsterdam Central Station for an hour-long boat cruise through the canals. Back to hotel for 10:30 PM and bed by 11 PM. We did have a chance to go to the “Boom Chicago” Comedy Show but we were just too tired from our busy day.
Few Points regarding Amsterdam (dam on Amstel River) and The Netherlands:
1236 – small fishing village recorded on Amstel River
1306 – formal city rights granted to Amsterdam
1602 – Dutch East India Company (VOC) established
1814 – Amsterdam became the capital of The Netherlands
1815 - William I was crowned first King of The Netherlands
1863 – Abolition of slavery in The Netherlands
1919 – Women given the vote
WWI – The Netherlands were neutral in the war
WWII – The Netherlands were invaded and occupied during the war
Monday, June 8/26 Amsterdam Cloud/rain/sun 65 degrees
Beautiful breakfast at hotel. Took the surface tram to the Rijksmuseum for a 2 hour time period starting at 9 AM. The Rijksmuseum was founded in The Hague in 1798 and moved to Amsterdam in 1808, where it was first located in the Royal Palace and later in the Trippenhuis. The current main building was designed by Pierre Cuypers and first opened in 1885. On 13 April 2013, after a ten-year renovation which cost €375 million, the main building was reopened by Queen Beatrix. In 2013 and 2014, it was the most visited museum in the Netherlands with record numbers of 2.2 million and 2.47 million visitors. It is also the largest art museum in the country. The museum has on display 8,000 objects of art and history, from their total collection of one million objects from the years 1200–2000, among which are some masterpieces by Rembrandt, Frans Hals, and Johannes Vermeer. The famous Rembrandt “Nightwatch” was under restoration.
All that beauty is tiring, so luckily there were rest stops for the kids.
Our next stop was Rembrandt’s Amsterdam Experience. We did find our own way there while Tom enjoyed a Heineken Experience at 11 AM. Both stops were close to the Rijksmuseum. We did not go to the Moco (Modern Art) Museum.
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606–1669) was a Dutch master born in Leiden to a miller’s family. After briefly attending Leiden University, he pursued art, training under Jacob van Swanenburgh and Pieter Lastman. By his early twenties, he had established a successful studio in Leiden, known for his dramatic use of light and shadow.
In 1631, Rembrandt moved to Amsterdam, where his career flourished. He married Saskia van Uylenburgh in 1634, and their life together produced four children, though only one, Titus, survived to adulthood. Saskia’s death in 1642 marked a turning point, followed by financial difficulties that led to his bankruptcy in 1656 and the auction of his estate. Despite personal tragedies, including the deaths of his partner Hendrickje Stoffels and son Titus, Rembrandt continued to paint. He died in Amsterdam on October 4, 1669, leaving behind an unfinished painting and a legacy as one of history’s greatest visual artists, renowned for works like The Night Watch and his numerous self-portraits.
At the Experience stop we got to step back in time to 1663 and visit his last studio where Rembrandt and his family told us about the painter’s life.
At 1 PM we did the Amsterdam Dungeon tour which was lots of fun. Our group of 10 victims were descended into the depths of the Dungeon to meet various characters and places like the Torturer, Crazy fellow in the Anatomy Theatre, the Spanish Inquisition Judge (accusing Oma of dancing in Dam Square naked and Tom of a sad wardrobe), Witch Burning, Sister Murder, Blind Labyrinth and The Gallowfields. Unfortunately no pictures were allowed.
At 2 PM we were in the Amsterdam Madame Tussaud’s to see wax sculptures of famous people. Here we could take pictures so we did.
We walked by Dam Square which is the historical, geographical, and cultural heart of Amsterdam, located in the city's historic center. It sits approximately 750 meters south of Amsterdam Centraal Station at the original site of a dam built on the Amstel River around 1270, which gave the city its name.
The roughly rectangular square, measuring about 200 by 100 meters. It is dominated by the key landmark of the Royal Palace (originally the city hall).
As a central hub, Dam Square is a major tourist destination known for its street performers, frequent public demonstrations, and national ceremonies such as National Remembrance Day on May 4th.
The current monarch of the Netherlands is King Willem-Alexander, who has reigned since 30 April 2013. He is the first male sovereign in 123 years and belongs to the House of Orange-Nassau.
The lineage of reigning monarchs since the Kingdom's establishment in 1815 includes:
King William I (1815–1840): Proclaimed King at the Congress of Vienna; abdicated following the Belgian Revolution.
King William II (1840–1849): Oversaw constitutional reforms in 1848; died in office.
King William III (1849–1890): His death without male heirs led to female succession.
Queen Wilhelmina (1890–1948): Reigned for 58 years, leading through both World Wars; abdicated due to health.
Queen Juliana (1948–1980): Oversaw post-war recovery and decolonization; abdicated in favor of her daughter.
Queen Beatrix (1980–2013): Modernized the ceremonial role; abdicated after 33 years to facilitate generational renewal.
King Willem-Alexander (2013–present): Succeeded his mother; known for advancing sustainable water policies.
The heir apparent to the Dutch throne is Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange, the eldest daughter of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima.
King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima reside at Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague.
Our 3 PM destination was the Anne Frank Walking Tour. This was a 2 hour walk through the streets of Amsterdam in the area that Anne Frank and her family lived before going into hiding. We walked through the former Jewish Quarter to learn more about the courageous girl Anne Frank and the Jewish history of Amsterdam.
We learned about Stolperstein (in English "stumbling block") which is a ten-centimetre (four-inch) concrete cube bearing a brass plate inscribed with the name and life dates of victims of Nazi extermination or persecution. The Stolpersteine project, initiated by the German artist Gunter Demnig in 1992, aims to commemorate persons at the last place that they chose freely to reside, work or study (with exceptions possible on a case-by-case basis) before they fell victim to Nazi terror, forced euthanasia, eugenics, or deportation to a concentration or extermination camp, or escaped persecution by emigration or suicide. As of June 2023, 100,000 Stolpersteine have been laid, making the Stolpersteine project the world's largest decentralized memorial. The majority of Stolpersteine commemorate Jewish victims of the Holocaust.
The tour ended in the upstairs of a pub where we received a beverage and a headset that ran an interactive program of the furnished house where the Frank family and several other Jews hid from the Nazis in WWII.
We saw a few sites in the area before taking the Metro back to the hotel and it started to rain a little. We enjoyed another lounge dinner and did have on the agenda to do an Outdoor Mystery Game starting at 5 PM but we were already too late and tired to get to this event, plus it continued to rain. Bed by 10 PM.
Tuesday, June 9/26 North of Amsterdam Cloud/rain/sun 65 degrees
Up at 8 AM for breakfast at the hotel and Tom and Ben went to pick up the rental car we would be using for the next 2 days. Tom navigated the way out of Amsterdam to head north to my second cousin Joke Tessel’s house at 11 Bernhardlaan in Monnickendam.
Joke had prepared tea and cookies for us and invited her brother Jan (75) and cousin Truus (daughter of To Tessel) and her husband Piet to join us as well. Truus and Piet are to visit Canada in August and a dinner date has been set up. Apparently, I had met Truus and Piet 50 years ago in Enderby BC as we were both visiting the Out family the summer of 1976. Although we did not recognize each other we both had it written in our travel journals. Joke’s older brother Jacob (80) from Volendam also joined us.
We went with Joke and Jan to the nearby Grote Kerk and climbed the tower for an elevated view of Monnickendam. Joke is a volunteer guide at the Grote Kerk so she had a key. This was originally St Nicholas RC Church but converted with the Reformation.
Jan took us further into Monnickendam to see the marina, a stop at Gerbrand’s house (where we stayed for a week over 30 years ago when Tom and Katie were young) (Gerbrand is living in a care home in a town close by so Jan had a key to check on the house), witnessed the 12 PM play in the Speeltoren, and a quick stop at the RC Church where the Tessel family worshipped and worships.
Monnickendam is a historic city in the Dutch province of North Holland, situated on the shores of the Markermeer. Founded by monks—reflected in its name, meaning 'Monk's dam'—it received city rights in 1355 and once thrived as an important port. Though it is now a quieter town, it retains a rich heritage with landmarks like its 14th-century St. Nicholas Church, a 17th-century weigh house, and a 16th-century bell tower.
We strolled back to Joke’s house to meet up with cousin Marianne and Peter Raps who agreed to guide us through the surrounding area.
Our first stop was the Henri Willeg Cheese Factory and Farm (Jacobs Hoeve) at Katwoude where this family business started in 1974. We did a lot of delicious gouda cheese tasting and visited the calves too. This was a great follow-up to our Cheese Shop stop in Amsterdam 2 days earlier. Diana bought some wooden tulips and some cheese too.
Next stop was Volendam and right to Photographer Zwarthood for our dress-up picture of 8 of us in Volendam costume (E116 for 4 5x7photos and a flashdrive of the 12 official photographer shots). After the official pictures were taken we were allowed to take our own pictures using their props in their backgrounds which was lots of fun.
The kids had fun with the photos but commented that they did not want their friends back home to see their photos in costume.
We walked around Volendam’s pretty harbour and shops. We ate “Poffertjes” (tiny pancakes) and fish.
Volendam is a picturesque tourist town in the municipality of Edam-Volendam, North Holland, located approximately 20 km northeast of Amsterdam. Known as the "Pearl of the Zuiderzee," it is famous for its traditional fishing heritage, quaint streets, and the iconic Volendam costume, particularly the high, pointed bonnets worn by women. It was not crowded with tourists as is usual, possibly because there are less Chinese and Japanese tourists since their flight path is over the Middle East and flights are less due to the conflicts in that area.
Next was a country drive through “Broek in Waterland” and by the “Zaanse Schans” windmills and stopped in Haarlem center around 5 PM. Marianne and Peter drove on to their penthouse condo in Hillegom to prepare dinner for all of us.
Haarlem is a historic municipality in the North Holland province of the Netherlands, serving as the provincial capital and situated approximately 20 km (12 mi) west of Amsterdam. Located on the Spaarne River near the coastal dunes, it is often nicknamed Spaarnestad (Spaarne City) and Bloemenstad (Flower City) due to its central role in the Dutch tulip bulb-growing district.
Granted city rights in 1245, Haarlem was a wealthy trading hub during the Dutch Golden Age and the birthplace of renowned artists like Frans Hals and Jacob van Ruisdael. The city is also credited with giving its name to Harlem, New York, when New York was the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam. Today, it is known for its preserved medieval center, including the Grote Markt (Market Square), the St. Bavo’s Cathedral, and the Frans Hals Museum.
We were too late to enter the Grote Kerk but were able to walk through the shopping streets around the church. There was a special brush store so Hannah got a special brush like Diana bought in Paris. Ben bought a special beret at The English Hatter shop.
Then back to the car and on to dinner. Marianne and Peter served us a delicious homemade lasagna dinner and ice cream bars for dessert. It was so nice to see their new home in a small town very close to the tulip fields. Had a lovely Rose wine too. Marianne gifted us with strop waffels to take home. We left at 8 PM and were back to the hotel by 9 PM. At 9:30 PM we had a lightning and thunder storm pass through and bed by 10 PM after another busy day.
Wednesday, June 10/26 East of Amsterdam Cloud/rain/sun 65 degrees
Up at 7 AM. Short gym visit and breakfast in the hotel at 8 AM. Left at 9 AM for an almost 2 hour drive east to Giethoorn to meet Sina to spend the day in her area of The Netherlands.
Giethoorn is a picturesque village in the Netherlands, often called the 'Venice of the Netherlands' due to its extensive network of canals and waterways. With no roads in its historic center, transport is primarily by boat, foot, or bicycle, creating a serene and car-free atmosphere. The village is dotted with charming thatched-roof houses connected by over 176 small bridges, and its tranquil water lanes offer a peaceful glimpse into traditional Dutch rural life.
Sina’s first treat of the day was hosting a beverage and delicious Appletart in a lovely restaurant in Giethoorn where we parked. This was followed by an hour tour through the canals of Giethoorn and the lake adjoined to Giethoorn.
After the boat ride we walked around the Giethoorn tourist shops. We stopped in at the Mineral and Stone shop for Ben since he does have a liking for stones. This was followed by a delicious lunch at another beautiful Giethoorn restaurant – Sina paid for everything again. The usual tourist crowd was not in Giethoorn either so it was quiet which we liked but not so good for the businesses that depend on the tourist money.
After lunch we motored on to the nearby small city of Blokzijl.
Blokzijl was founded in the 1580s as a trading post for peat. After the Siege of Steenwijk (1580–81) in the Eighty Years' War, the Dutch built a fortified lock or in local dialect zijl or siel. The monumental houses around the picturesque harbour were built during 17th century. One the interesting sights of the city is an old cannon, located on the harbour quay. This cannon was not used for defense purposes, but as a warning device during storm and high tide. Flooding was a real danger before the Noordoostpolder and the Afsluitdijk were constructed in the 1930-40's.
On to a sheep farm outside of Zwolle to catch the 4:30 PM milking of many sheep with 16 sheep going through the milking process at a time. Sheep have 2 tits rather than the 4 cows have. Bought my favourite type of hand towel and tea towel with a sheep motif there. The kids enjoyed an ice cream treat and fun playing with small tractors in the playground there. Also passed by a stork nest with 2 chicks along the road.
On to Zwolle old downtown area for the short walking tour. Zwolle is a historic city in the northeastern Netherlands and the capital of the province of Overijssel. With roots dating back to the early Middle Ages, it was a member of the Hanseatic League and retains a rich cultural heritage. Today, it blends its medieval charm with a vibrant, modern atmosphere shaped by students, entrepreneurs, and creatives. Known locally as the home of the 'Blauwvingers'—a nickname with legendary origins—the city thrives on its dynamic spirit and strong sense of identity.
Also, never saw a small round Zodiac boat with a barbecue in the middle.
Final new stop of the day was Sina’s beautiful condo in Zwolle where she had made a delicious spaghetti/pizza/salad dinner for us with an ice cream treat for dessert. We gave her a bit of prep time and visited the Albert Heijn and Jumbo grocery stores adjacent to her condo building. Bought some specuulas and some salted licorice to take home. Sina gifted me with a beautifully colored artistic pashmina scarf that she had worn that day on our adventures.
Left Sina’s full and happy at 8:30 PM for the drive back to our hotel in Amsterdam. We arrived around 10 PM and off to bed.
Thursday, June 11/26 Amsterdam to Iceland Cloud/rain/sun 65 degrees
Up at 6:30 AM for packing up and 7:30 AM breakfast. Then we set off for a quick march to the “Anne Frank House” for our 9:15 AM tour. Mieke gave us a great presentation to our 30 person group. Then we were hooked up for the audio tour of the Frank hiding spot. All well done.
The Diary of Anne Frank, is a book of the writings from the Dutch-language diary kept by Anne Frank On 5 July 1942, Anne's then-16-year-old sister, Margot, received an official summons to report to a Nazi work camp in Germany, and on 6 July, Margot and Anne went into hiding with their parents Otto and Edith. They were later joined by Hermann van Pels, Otto's business partner, his wife Auguste and their teenage son Peter.[14] Their hiding place was in the sealed-off upper rooms of the annex at the back of Otto's company building in Amsterdam. Otto Frank started his business, named Opekta, in 1933. He was licensed to manufacture and sell pectin, a substance used to make jam. He stopped running his business while in hiding. But once he returned in the summer of 1945, he found his employees running it. The rooms that everyone hid in were concealed behind a movable bookcase in the same building as Opekta. Fritz Pfeffer, the dentist of their helper Miep Gies,[16] joined them four months later. With the assistance of a group of Otto Frank's trusted colleagues, they remained hidden for two years and one month. The family and others were apprehended in 1944, and Anne Frank died of typhus in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945. Anne's diaries were retrieved by Miep Gies and Bep Voskuijl (employees of the Frank’s business). Gies gave them to Anne's father, Otto Frank, the family's only survivor, just after the end of World War II in Europe. When Otto Frank returned in June 1945, he tried to rebuild his companies and his life, but due to the war the property including the hiding place fell into disrepair. Otto lacked the ability to stop this until a group of prominent people of Amsterdam banded together to stop it. Thusly, the Anne Frank Stichting was founded on 3 May 1957 to prevent the tearing down of the house in Amsterdam in which Anne Frank was hidden since 1942 during the German occupation of the Netherlands in the Second World War. They intended to preserve the hiding place, open it up to the public, and promote her ideals.
There are no furnishings in their hiding place under the request of Otto Frank. The diary has since been published in more than 70 languages.
Then a quick march again to the Van Gogh Museum. Did the audio tour which was very informative and took us through the 6 floors of this busy museum. Bought a book and a bike bell and bag in the Museum Gift Shop.
Vincent Willem van Gogh (30 March 1853 – 29 July 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who is among the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art. In just over a decade he created about 2,100 artworks, including around 860 oil paintings, most of them in the last two years of his life. They include landscapes, still lifes, portraits and self-portraits, and are characterized by bold colours and dramatic, impulsive and expressive brushwork that contributed to the foundations of modern art. His suicide at 37 followed years of mental illness and poverty.
Born into an upper-middle-class family, Van Gogh drew as a child and was serious, quiet and thoughtful. As a young man he worked as an art dealer, often travelling, but became depressed after he was transferred to London. He turned to religion, and spent time as a Protestant missionary in southern Belgium. He drifted in ill health and solitude before taking up painting in 1881, having moved back home with his parents. His younger brother Theo supported him financially, and the two kept up a long correspondence by letter. His early works, mostly still lifes and depictions of peasant labourers, contain few signs of the vivid colour that distinguished his later work. In 1886, he moved to Paris, where he met members of the avant-garde, including Émile Bernard and Paul Gauguin, who were reacting against the Impressionist sensibility. As his work developed he created a new approach to still lifes and local landscapes. His paintings grew brighter in colour as he developed a style that became fully realized during his stay in Arles in the south of France in 1888. During this period he broadened his subject matter to include series of olive trees, wheat fields and sunflowers.
We went back to the hotel to pick up our luggage and eat before driving to the airport for our 5 PM 3 hour Icelandair flight to Reykjavik, Iceland. Good flight but no food, only coffee, tea or water but they do allow one piece of luggage at no extra cost.
Tom picked up the rental car from Sixt that we would have for the next 23 hours for our stay in Iceland. The airport was 45 minutes from our hotel in Reykjavik so Tom had arranged passes for us to the Blue Lagoon that was on the way. We enjoyed the warm mineral water from 8 PM to their closing time of 9:30 PM (Iceland time was 2 hours back from Europe time so our day was lengthened – and the sun did not set till after 12 midnight and rose again at 3 AM and it never really got totally dark – just dusk – since the summer solstice was approaching.)
The Blue Lagoon is man-made. The water is a byproduct from the nearby Svartsengi geothermal power plant where superheated water is vented from the ground near a lava flow and used to run turbines that generate electricity. After going through the turbines, the steam and hot water pass through a heat exchanger to provide heat for a municipal water heating system. Then the water is fed into the lagoon.
The rich mineral content is provided by the underground geological layers and pushed up to the surface at a pressure of about 1.2 MPa (12 bar) and temperature of 240 °C (464 °F), which is used by the powerplant. Because of its high mineral concentration, the water cannot be recycled, and must be disposed of in the nearby landscape, a permeable lava field that varies in thickness from 50 to 100 cm (20 to 40 in). After the minerals have formed a deposit, the water reinfiltrates the ground, but the deposits render the ground impermeable over time, so the plant needs to continuously dig new ponds in the nearby lava field.
The water renews every two days. The average pH is 7.5 and the salt content is 2.5%. Very few organisms live in the water apart from some blue-green algae. Despite the water not being artificially disinfected, it contains no fecal bacteria, environmental bacteria, fungi, or plants.
Our passes included a silica face mask, a beverage, use of the sauna, steam room, cold plunge and waterfall. Lots of fun!