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Northern Europe 2024
  • Bill and Margie
  • MargieBill Butz

Northern Europe 2024

We begin another wonderful trip. We will experience Norway, Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Paris. We'd lo
ve for you to come along. Læs mere
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  • Northern Europe 2024
    Just off Rembrandt SquareThe Thinker - Joseph KilblanskyRembrandt SquareLook up to see the beam and hook we mentioned.Ann Frank's home, now a museum.Missed Tulip season, but next season will be beautiful! Sadly, California won't allow us to bring in

    Amsterdam Culture - No shock

    12. august 2024, Holland ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Today, we visited the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum (National Museum). We've created separate footprints for these for you to peruse as you wish.

    We covered a lot of Amsterdam today, mostly just enjoying the city and the canals. It is really pretty.

    Observations of the Day: The more you see of Amsterdam, the more you say to yourself, "I could stay here a while. I wonder how much that canal home costs?"    Læs mere

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  • Northern Europe 2024
    We sampled lots of Gouda.Clogs.Tunnel at Central Rail StationHolland...aise sauce on my 3 egg BenedictBest stroopwafels in all of Amsterdam!2nd generation of wafel makers.Not even sure what they are servingHip new area called De Hallen MarketDe Hallen

    Holland

    13. august 2024, Holland ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    A visit to the Netherlands might make you think of tulips and windmills. No tulips in August, but today we took a bus out to see windmills. We haven't used the name Holland before today, but Amsterdam IS in the region still known as Holland. (Netherlands is the country, Holland is actually 2 regions in the country. Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands). It was fun seeing the windmills up close. The blades were turning in the breeze, and they are massive! The cheese shop was also a hit. Gouda is king here!

    Public transportation is so easy to use here and will take you anywhere. We were back to the city by early afternoon and had fun getting on and off trams to stop for a late lunch and then back on to find more neighborhoods, Bill guided us to Rudi's Original Stoopwafels! Made as you watch! Billed as best in Amsterdam, and they had a long line to validate it. Delicious! We have one more day in Holland. ☺️ 🇵🇾

    Observations of the Day: While we have thoroughly enjoyed Amsterdam, it is a big city with their share of litter, unlike Scandanavia.

    Second Observation: Are they fit because they all ride bikes or do they all ride bikes because they're fit? Doesn't really matter because they're all fit.    Læs mere

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  • Northern Europe 2024
    Museum
    Just a pretty canalDifferent soda type drinks like this tasty orangeWe love how everyone patiently moves off the ferry. Walkers, bikers, schoolkids on their way home.Even the tiny guys rideDancing houses because they're so crookedThe Dutch love their French Fries!We were told the canals are 3 meters deep. One meter of silt, 1 meter of bikes and 1 meter of waterThis is actually a facade. See next pictureYou can see there's actually no back to the buildingLots of people live in and rent these canal houses. They are in lots of our pictures.Benedictus de Spinoza, see plaqueOnly appropriate to finish with a Dutch beerThis is in front of the theatre in De Hallen

    Amsterdam

    14. august 2024, Holland ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Our last day in Amsterdam has been greeted by rain and overcast skies. Today we simply wandered the wonderful city. We took in some highlights, dancing houses, but mostly just enjoyed the liveliness of the streets along the canals. We took the ferry across the Amstel River to an area just north with a number of museums like This Is Holland. We just wanted to see the city from another viewpoint, so we had lunch in the Eye Filmmuseum overlooking the canal and the city.

    Observations of the Day: Unlike in the US, cars are probably the third most used form of transportation. Bikes are king, followed by public transportation. Amsterdam has a metro system, but it is their trams that rule the public transportation realm. We used them frequently and efficiently, never using the metro. They're far better than the metro because you get to see the city and they seem to go EVERYWHERE. We'll take another tram tonight as we head back to De Hallen for dinner.    Læs mere

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  • Northern Europe 2024
    From our AirBnB window
    The city was so quiet when we left for the train station. No cars, no bikes, very few people.The frite (French fries) restaurant had a long, long line!Every 2 years, Brussels creates a carpet of flowers. This year dahlias and begonia were used.Light show with music. It was 10 pm, and the crowd was huge.City Hall, BrusselsWe're 2 blocks away, and it was that loudStreet outside our Ansterdam hotelWhat the lights looked like

    Welcome to Belgium & Brussels

    15. august 2024, Belgien ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    We are in Brussels at a very special time. It is the biennial Flower Carpet Belgium celebration. They use the square in front of the City Hall, called the Grand Place, and create a huge blanket of flowers in beautiful designs.

    Today, in addition to seeing the Flower Carpet we went to the Atomium. This is a very large structure meant to look like an atom. It was originally built for the 1958 Worlds Fair. Inside is a museum of sorts about the building of the structure and nuclear power.

    Observations of the Day: We are definitely Central California coast people. We are so accustomed to mild weather. It has been warm, 80s, with high humidity for a few days, and it drains us. Hate to end our trip in 9 days, but the California coast weather sounds really good.

    Second Observation: Frites (French fries) are served with everything here. I had a lage bucket of mussels for dinner, and it came with fries. One frites shop had a long line just to get French fries.    Læs mere

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  • Northern Europe 2024
    We are right above a French bakery. Today I brought my almond croissant up to our terrace.
    2Mannekin Pis (pissing boy) video.Wait for the best part ...Les Galeries Royale. Shopping area.Belgian ChocolatesIf you don't feel like walking.Tintin comic parodies all over Brussels. This one is a parody on Mannekin PisMusical Instruments MuseumEarly gramophoneEarliest musical instruments. Whistles made from finder bones.Can't stop taking pictures of the Flower CarpetDon't know who he is, but I loved the mustache

    Brussels

    16. august 2024, Belgien ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Rainy day today, but we're still having fun. It was a good day to not be outside, so we went to the Musical Instruments Museum. It exceeded my expectations. Free headphones let us listen to pretty much every musical instrument ever made. There were flutes made from finger bones from 18,000-12,000 BCE.

    Of course, we had to buy some Belgian chocolates. They lived up to the hype. Also, we had the frites again with our lunch. Well, the Belgians are also wild about mayonnaise. So much so that they serve it with the frites. Oh my, it's good together. The frites are cooked in beef fat and are crispy, and the mayo is flavored with something. The end result is REALLY good.

    Observations of the Day: Before coming we were of the impression that Brussels was not a great tourist town. We're finding it to be a fun place.    Læs mere

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  • Northern Europe 2024
    Inside the Antwerp Central Train StationIn case you didn't catch it, that's a boat coming out of the buildingThe Island. Now a sought-after neighborhood near the old wharf.De Kathedraal van Antwerpen. The Cathedral of our Lady. Building began in 1352.Nello & Patrasche statue dedicated to a Flemish boy and his dog. The Cathedral is in the story.Nello & Patrasche. From a story of a boy and his dog.Antwerp Train StationRelaxing after a hard day of being a touristStairs up to our apartmentStairs in our lunch restaurantStairs to our loft

    Antwerp Bike Tour

    17. august 2024, Belgien ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Today was our bike tour in Antwerp! We were excited to finally get on bikes with a guide and a less crowded city. What a fun ride! Our guide was so full of information about the history of Antwerp. We planned an early start. That meant an 8:30 train from here in Brussels, but well worth it to be on bikes before the crowds joined us! Afterward, we found an Italian restaurant 😊 and loved our seafood pasta and a conversation with an Italian family sitting next to us. They liked the way Bill used his bread to eat all his sauce. "Just like an Italian! We say scarpetta. Means little shoe. "

    Observation of the day: We wanted to experience the local people wherever we traveled. But there are far more people of other nationalities than Belgians here. I think when Marc traveled the world 30 years ago, travel allowed you to meet local people. We now seem to be one mixed people. But the architecture, history, and nature stay the same.

    Second Observarion: While Europe is notorious for their narrow, winding stairs, they do make for some cool photo opportunities.    Læs mere

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  • Northern Europe 2024
    Saint Peter'sSaint Peter's ChurchSaint Peter'sInside church. Only name we could find was Latin1Town Hall, scroll in and see some of the 235 statuesThis lady was REALLY friendlyEverybody has their dogs with themLeuven is the home of Stella Artois

    In Love With Leuven

    18. august 2024, Belgien ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    We took the day to tour Leuven. After a quick breakfast at our apartment, we caught a 9:00 express train and were there in no time. Leuven is one of the prettiest towns you can find. Nearly every street is cobblestone. Leuven University is the oldest university in Belgium. Sadly, the city was bombed in both WWI and WWII. The university library (Bibliothekken) was completely destroyed in both wars. Today, we admired the rebuilt icon.Læs mere

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  • Northern Europe 2024
    Hope you like this, we had to stand in line an hour to get these views. Worth every second.
    Flower LeopardLots of wall artLook close at top and bottomTown Hall TowerClub 58 on top of this brand new buildingThe long line made us curious. What a surprise when we went to the rooftop!Last night at Club 58Sunset view of Brussels.Our little apartment view.Flemish Stew. Of course, with frites.

    Sunnier Brussels

    18. august 2024, Belgien ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    After coming back from Leuven, we had to see the Flower Carpet again. This time, we went up to the Town Hall balcony to get a more bird's eye view. Well worth it. We could see the entire arrangement before us. Beautifully done.

    For dinner, we both had Flemish stew, a Belgian classic dish. It tasted just like my mom's stew.

    Observations of the Day: This is our 27th day of this trip. We are both bone weary, and yet, we're both regretting having to come home on Saturday.    Læs mere

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  • Northern Europe 2024
    Entering Luxembourg
    Where we planned lunchComing back to Belgium

    Luxembourg

    19. august 2024, Luxembourg ⋅ 🌙 11 °C

    Went to Luxembourg to have lunch and visit another country. Unfortunately, the restaurant we planned to go to was closed on Mondays, and there was nothing else there without driving a lot further. Nice try.Læs mere

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  • Northern Europe 2024
    U.S. monument dedicated to every division that fought in the Battle of the Bulge from all 50 states
    The 101st Airborne Division. These are the men that are portrayed in Band of Brothers.Margie's father fought with the 84th InfantryU.S. Eagle honoring the "Battered Bastards of the Bastions of Bastogne"Ardennes Forest where Battle of the Bulge foughtActual fox holes in Ardennes Forest where battle foughtEntering LuxembourgDash on car showed us entering LuxembourgPlanned to have lunch here in Luxembourg, but it is closed on MondaysLeaving Luxembourg

    WW II

    19. august 2024, Belgien ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Today's road trip took us to Bastogne and their WWII museum. This entire area was part of the Battle of the Bulge. Margie's father was with a tank corp that came in immediately behind the initial battle. They were the 84th Infantry Division, fighting in what was also known as The Battle of the Ardennes. It was an emotional morning, knowing he was one of the courageous men who was there during that bitter cold January 1945.

    Bastogne, Belgium was at the epicenter of the Battle of the Bulge, the largest and bloodiest engagement of WWII, with more than 90,000 U.S. casualties. Immediately after the war, private Belgian citizens constructed the Mardasson Memorial as a tribute to all of the American forces who fought in the Battle of the Bulge.

    Afterward, we made a quick run into Luxembourg and then went to the spectacular little town of Dinant where we had the worst meal of our trip. 😊 The town is wonderful, the restaurant, not so much. Dinant is the birthplace of Adolphe Sax, the inventor of the saxophone. The town gives much tribute to him. We loved the Adolphe Sax bridge!    Læs mere

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  • Northern Europe 2024
    Salmon dinner, of course, with frites

    On to Brugges

    20. august 2024, Belgien ⋅ 🌙 17 °C

    We arrived in Brugges, our last stop in Belgium, under dark skies. Most of the day was filled with heavy rain. However, by early evening, it cleared enough to go exploring. Already, we can see this may be our favorite spot in Belgium. It is so old world. If you allow yourself, you can imagine you are walking around in the 17th century.

    We went out of the hotel for dinner and found this small mom/pop restaurant where we had excellent salmon. We finished off the meal by finding a waffle house, making everything from scratch even with fresh fruit. The perfect Belgian desert, although they called them Liege waffles.

    Observations of the Day: Train travel lets you see a myriad of sites relatively efficiently. However, it can create its own angst as it isn't always clear if you're trying to get on the right train. Yesterday, our train was running behind so we almost took the wrong train leaving when ours was supposed to. We actually boarded, then jumped off.    Læs mere

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  • Northern Europe 2024
    There are horse carriage rides everywhere

    Brugges

    21. august 2024, Belgien ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Brugges has been a wonderful stop. There are canals everywhere. But, unlike Venice, there are lots of bridges, so no running into dead ends. We did a canal tour today. The sites were beautiful, but it didn't slow for pictures, and the people were too crowded in for pictures, anyway.

    Tomorrow, we reluctantly leave Belgium. We have thoroughly enjoyed this small country.    Læs mere

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  • Northern Europe 2024
    One last train this morning. Eurostar to Paris.
    Thomas Jefferson came to the Olympics!Sacre Coeur Basillica, from our balcony, but a long way offNotre Dame Cathedral. Renovation continues after the 2019 fire.Dahlias are in every country we visited!

    Oh Parie

    22. august 2024, Frankrig ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Final stop, Paris. Margie had been concerned about what Paris would be like following so closely after the Olympics. Her fears were founded. There are still barricades in most of the most scenic areas. In many cases, you simply can't even get to them, or once you get close, you are barricaded from getting through. We were forced to retrace our steps a number of times. On top of that, Notre Dame Cathedral is still under construction. We thought they were finished.

    Still, we saw a lot of the City, including some areas we missed when we were here 30 years ago.

    Observations of the Day: Our first couple days here, every time we got a water or soda, I would unscrew the cap and have to twist it to get it all the way off. It always left a dangling, sharp piece of plastic. THEN, I realized, you don't remove the cap, you smply fold it back. Their caps remain attached, so you never drop or lose the cap. It's kind of ingenious.    Læs mere

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  • Northern Europe 2024
    Very old bakery in Montmartre.Vincent Van Gogh lived at this address on the 4th floor.Boulangerie. Bread bakery.Sacre Coeur (Sacred Heart Church)Paris" favorite cookie ...macarons.3The Impressionist painters would gather at this cafe.Renoir's painting named for the cafe. Le Moulin de La Galette.2The Loving Wall. "I Love You is written in 250 languages!Character from a book about a man who could walk through walls! The author lived in this square.Thirty-two years later, we're back! ❤️

    Montmartre

    23. august 2024, Frankrig ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Today, we spent most of the day in Montmartre, known for Moulin Rouge (red windmill) and debauchery. However, it is most noted for all the famous artists that have spent part of their lives there, including Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Toulouse-Lautrec, Picasso, and on and on and on.

    Our tour guide was a young man from India who has lived in Paris for 7 years and in Montmartre for 5. He is a photographer who is documenting the 80 and 90 year old artists currently living in the area. He said he has a show scheduled next year. He brought Montmartre to life for us!

    Afterward, we went into Sacre Coeur Basilica. It sets on the highest point in Paris. Then it was on to the Eiffel Tower where we went to the top. Breathtaking views to the city! We tried finding all the places we had been in just 1 1/2 days.

    We ended our night and our trip with a delicious meal at an outdoor cafe, finishing with a Nutella crepe! What a fitting Parisian ending.    Læs mere

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  • Northern Europe 2024
    On board our flight to San Francisco.

    Best of Northern Europe

    24. august 2024, Forenede Stater ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    It's always good to end a trip by planning the next one. So ...Ecuador? Argentina? Vietnam? 🤷🏻‍♀️ We know for sure that this trip was everything we hoped it would be. New country experiences, time to explore the fjords, new languages, and cultures. We agreed our favorite language was Norwegian. Our favorite city was Amsterdam. My favorite activity was our bike tour in Antwerp, and Bill's was the Loen Skylift. We were healthy except for 3 days in Norway. We ate delicious food and walked miles. It was even more fun because we shared it with many of you. Until our next journey, goodbye, farvel, hejdå, qtot ziens, au revoir, ❤️

    Trips like this make you appreciate the different cultures around the world, even if Europe isn't nearly so different than us. You also appreciate home a bit more. We loved every step of the journey. Norway was amazing with the fjords and waterfalls, but every city and country offered new sites and experiences. We hope to continue our goals of experiencing the rest of the world, and as Margie said, it makes it even better to share it with you. Until the next adventure, adieu.    Læs mere

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    Slut på rejsen
    24. august 2024
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