Belgium & Holland Day 7: Rotterdam & Such

On Thursday, we left our beloved Belgium and drove back to the Netherlands (Holland).  It is only a two hour drive from Ghent, Belgium to Amsterdam, the Netherlands but we took our time and stopped in 3 cities along the way.  The weather was really chilly the rest of the trip...so I'll be wearing the green peacoat in the remainder of the photos.  You guys are cracking me up with your comments about my coats.  I took 4 (green, yellow, orange and pink) and wore them all on our trip but when push came to shove and mama was cold...I stayed coziest in my green peacoat.  (It's a shame you never see my shirts in all of these pictures!  I promise I wore cute shirts too!)

 

I digress...this top pic is us in Rotterdam...the busiest port in the world (as a travel agent...I know awesome details like that ;)!).

After Rotterdam, we went to Utrecht...this adorable little town built over canals.  The weather was chilly and wonderful and we thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon there.

When you don't have cute kids with you...all you do is take random photos of yourself.  I was warm and cozy!

 

 

 

 

We arrived in Amsterdam and checked into the Marriott.  We really loved it two years ago when we took the kids, so we booked there again.  However, this time, we really, really loved it!  We were on the top floor with an amazing balcony over-looking the city.  These are our views.

 

 

 

We decided to head off to Anne Frank's house to tour it before dinner.  We toured it last time with the kiddos but decided it was worth touring again (minus the 5 and 21 month olds!).

 

 

 

After a busy day, we sat down to a great meal and relaxed.

 

We love Amsterdam!

 

 



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Belgium & Holland Day 6: Breendonk

Day 6 was a weird day.  It started off very solemn and sad as we visited the concentration camp, Breendonk but then ended super happy and fun when we finished our day elsewhere.  We went to pay our respects to Breendonk and its thousands of victims

 

I'm very blessed to have traveled all over the world.  I've been traveling since I was a small child and have seen a multitude of really cool, really historic things.  However, if I'm ever asked what my favorite place is that I've ever visited, I always say it's when I have been to concentration camps.

 

My dad did an excellent job while we were growing up to exposing us to things related to World War II.  We went to Pearl Harbor, Normandy Beach, Eagle's Nest, and to several concentration camps.  I'm blessed to still have a grandfather that's alive that served during this awful time.  I'm a really big believer in remembering the past...no matter how horrific it was.

 

I don't normally walk around concentration camps smiling but Andrew said my sad face wasn't pretty.  So here I am, bright and early, about to enter Breendonk.  The last concentration camp I visited was two years ago when we took the kids to Mauthausen.

 

 

The weirdest part about the whole experience is that Andrew and I toured the entire concentration camp alone.  All by ourselves.  Walking the halls.  It was really disturbing if I'm being honest.  Andrew even said it freaked him out.  We were the only ones there when it opened other than a school group (pictured above) but they were detained for a lecture at the gate.  So, we just walked the entire complex by ourselves.

 

Some of the faces who lost their lives in that very room.

 

The actual beds prisoners slept on. 

 

Walking the same halls that Nazis walked.

 

Andrew standing in a cell.  The bench would be removed during the day and the prisoner would have to stand all day...they couldn't sit or lean against the wall.  They had to stand at attention all day long.

 

A torture chamber.  The Nazis would bring people in one at a time, strip them completely naked and then torture them.  See the hook hanging from the ceiling?  How would you like to be tortured using that?  They didn't just torture men...they tortured women too.

 

This is where they would stand before the firing squad.  Hundreds of people were shot right there.

 

 

This is where they were hung.  All  for being a Jew.

 

The names on the wall are of every person who lost their life at Breendonk.  The urns in the middle carry their ashes.

 

Andrew and I smiling because we are so blessed to live in  a free country.  A country where we don't have to hide our faith.  It's so hard to stand in a place where you know people died.  But we can't forget the past.

 

 

 

 

We finished off our fabulous day in Antwerp, Belgium.  We had the best time in Belgium...loved it!  But tomorrow...we head back to the Netherlands...

 

 

 



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Belgium & Holland Day 5: Germany

On Day 5, we drove from Belgium to my favorite European country...Germany!  I'm not going to lie...we drove there for the food.  If you don't know about my love affair with German food, you can click here to read a little more.  I realized that this is my third year in a row to visit Germany and I'm  pretty sure positive I've gone all three years just for the food. I didn't take many pictures on this day....probably because I was too busy eating schnitzel...and strudel...and schnitzel.

 

Our first stop was Cologne, Germany.  I just love how cathedrals like this are right in the middle of a busy shopping district.  It's a shame we don't have architecture like this back home.

 

 

 

It's my first schnitzel of the day!  (And not my last!)  Do you see how happy I am????!!!

 

After spending some time in Cologne, we drove to Dusseldorf, Germany to finish up our day.  They have one restaurant that is famous for its apple strudel...so of course, that was our first stop!

 

On the Rhine River

 

Stopping for more strudel.  Don't judge.

 

We had such a lovely day here.  I really do love Germany for the architecture, weather, scenery, history and food.  I've been many times and it always holds a special place in my heart. 

 

Tomorrow, we take a serious turn and I visit my third concentration camp.  We will respectfully remember those who died at Breendonk.



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Belgium & Holland Day 4: Brugge

On Monday, we drove about 30 minutes from Ghent to Brugge, Belgium.  I looooooved this town!  It was so cute, the food and shopping were excellent and the parks were beautiful.  The weather was cool, the leaves were orange and falling, and the little store windows were decked out in pumpkins galore.  Just a great day with my hubby!

 

We had breakfast in our hotel every morning before heading out.  Not a bad view from my window, right?

We arrived in Brugge!

 

We couldn't tour the Belfry on this day because the BBC was filming a movie in there.  Do you see all of the movie trailers, lights and cameras out front?

 

We sat here with our cappuccinos and pancakes and watched for a bit.  It was pretty cool seeing the grand costumes and the movie action.

 

Andrew studying his map :)

 

 

 

Brugge has a French Fry Museum!!  Of course, we had to visit.  We had fun!

 

 

 

And then we walked over to Brugge's Chocolate Museum (this is my kind of history right here!).

 

I'm a cocoa bean!

 

We have our Belgian chocolate to sample (and when I say sample, I mean, we ate so much at one time that I thought I was going to be sick!).

 

We missed our babies but we had a great time in Brugge.  Tomorrow...we head over to my favorite European country for my very favorite food...schnitzel!

 



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Belgium & Holland Day 3: Brussels

On Sunday, we drove about 40 minutes to Brussels for some shopping and looking.  First stop, Andrew had researched out a huge flea market area...perfect for finding treasures.

It was so fun to walk through the flea market with all of the locals.  We came across some really neat finds.  I'm not one for haggling prices (it gives me great anxiety!) but Andrew is great at it!

 

Andrew collects old books.  He bought 3...one of which was published in the 1700s.  Super cool!

 

That's me posing with our new books :).

 

We ran into some trouble on our way into downtown Brussels.  What are the odds that the one day we decide to head downtown, the Brussels Marathon would also be heading downtown?  We were stuck in traffic for two hours (it should have only taken us 7 minutes!) because of all of these runners.  If I wasn't a runner myself, I might have been bitter.  Andrew was realllllly bitter ;)!

 

We made it into Brussels and were starving!  Pizza for lunch!

 

 

Me :)

 

A panoramic picture of downtown Brussels

 

We really, really liked this town!  The architecture, the people, the shopping, the art...it was perfect!  We bought several original paintings for our house and Andrew's office.

 

I also found a Christmas store!  Loved it!

 

I'm having cappuccino here :).

 

We finished off our day with a great steak dinner in Brussels.  So fun!

 

And of course, a waffle for dessert :)!

 

 



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