We took the train to Saarbrücken and then the bus to Luxembourg. Seating was tight and Dennis was cramped, his knees stuck into the seat in front of him. We crossed the Moselle River about noon and then made our way into the capitol. As the bus went through towns, I wondered what the folks… Continue reading Sunday, May 25, 2014 Luxembourg
Category: Europe
Saturday, May 24, 2014 Sembach Germany
Henri drove us to the train station in Offenburg, Germany. From there we took the train to Kaiserslaurten. Fortunately, we had made reservations because the hotel was full. There are many conventions this time of year and without reservations, we would have been SOL. We took the local bus to Sembach and walked about a… Continue reading Saturday, May 24, 2014 Sembach Germany
Friday, May 23, 2014 Kertzfeld, FR
Lydie went out early to the bakers and returned with two baguettes: one white, the other dark. She also purchased a sweet bread typical of the area, Hugel Loaf. In good company, we breakfasted on tea, bread, local creamy butter, and Lydie’s homemade preserves. While Lydie prepared a traditional sauerkraut meal (oven-baked pork shoulder and… Continue reading Friday, May 23, 2014 Kertzfeld, FR
Thursday, May 22, 2014 Strasbourg, FR
The birds and dawn woke me at 04:00. I rolled over and dozed until the alarm sounded two hours later. We arrived at the train station, activated our Senior Global Rail Pass (now good for 10 trips in 20 days), bought snacks for the 12-hour ride with the last of the krone, and then boarded… Continue reading Thursday, May 22, 2014 Strasbourg, FR
Wednesday, May 21, 2014 Copenhagen
Tivoli’s grassy lawns entice people to settle down with a picnic lunch or just to enjoy the outdoors. Lounge chairs are available and people relaxed in the sunshine. Lots of children, dogs, and elderly on the green. Compare these prices with your last visit to the café: The Big Cheeseburger 145 DKK ($30.00); French Fries… Continue reading Wednesday, May 21, 2014 Copenhagen
Monday, May 19, 2014 Copenhagen DK
The ship let us off about six miles from the hotel. Since there were no ATMs (this happened at the dock in Barcelona as well, so I should have known better) we were unable to use the city bus. We managed to find a map in a gift shop (not in the terminal, which would… Continue reading Monday, May 19, 2014 Copenhagen DK
Sunday, May 18, 2014 Helsingborg, Sweden
Around 10 A.M, we took the tender from the ship to the port and got my passport stamped. Dennis and I found a map of the walking trails around the city. We passed a park with waist-high tulips. I had never seen such large and colorful blossoms. The Swedes must like flowers: homes had them… Continue reading Sunday, May 18, 2014 Helsingborg, Sweden
September 7: Amsterdam
Why is Amsterdam so noisy. Its 4:30 A.M. and the city is keeping me awake. Does the din have to do with the low altitude, the tall stone buildings, the long wide streets? People’s voices are amplified; someone talking on a cell phone appears as if they were speaking into a megaphone. The tapping of… Continue reading September 7: Amsterdam
September 6: Amsterdam
This is the West Tower, the tallest tower in Amsterdam, 85 meters (279 feet). The West Church was purposely built by Protestants in 1620. Rembrandt is buried here. In her diary, Anne Frank mentions listening to this church’s bells while she was hiding in a storage building across the street. As I write, the clock… Continue reading September 6: Amsterdam
September 5: Amsterdam
The Netherlands is the most densely populated country in the world, and Amsterdam is its capital and most populous city. In addition there are the tourists. According to Wikipedia, “Amsterdam is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe, receiving more than 4.63 million international visitors annually, this is excluding the 16 million day trippers… Continue reading September 5: Amsterdam