June 30th, we were told we were being moved back to Illinois. This was one year earlier than we anticipated. We were also told we could not tell anyone (what?!) After my initial devastation and temper tantrum, three things came to mind. We had a cruise planned, my mom and sister had booked their tickets for the end of July, and Rachel had booked her ticket and wasn't due to arrive until August 3rd. How would I ever push our move date out that far? I decided to give it some time. Maybe CAT would change their minds, and I wouldn't have to do any canceling or move at all? Well unfortunately, the "canceling the move part" never came, but we were able to push our move date back far enough to not only take our cruise but also accommodate our guests. I told Rachel it may be a little crazy, but we would make it work.
August 3rd, this smiling, chipper, former student of mine arrived in Brussels, Belgium...Her first trip overseas!
After a little unpacking and freshening up, we hit the Grand Place in Brussels!
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| It was the most gorgeous day! |
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| We stopped for macarons at Ladurée on the Sablon. It is so much larger than the Paris shop. |
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| The Sablon Church |
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| I really wanted family pictures on these steps. |
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| Thomas jumping would have to do. |
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| A visit to the Petit Sablon. |
The Palace of Justice has been covered with scaffolding for the past 25+ years. It's such a shame. Once you get past the scaffolding though, it is gorgeous. I think it is safe to say that many tourists only see the outside and don't venture in to enjoy the beauty.
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| Still outside...but inside the scaffolding. |
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| The magnificent inside! |
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| One of my favorite views of Brussels. |
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| Turn 180 degrees, and this is the other view! |
The following day, we took a drive to Cologne, Germany. Our goal was to see as much as we possibly could with Rachel. There is a bit of pressure to maximize your guest's time.
The weather was not as cooperative as the day before. We visited the cathedral, the lock bridge, did a little shopping, and we were on our way to Monchau, Germany.
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| Beautiful Monschau! The weather was much nicer too! |
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| It is a picture, perfect German town! |
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| One last hug for his beloved statue. |
Next up, was a trip to Amsterdam!!!!
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| A stop at the iamsterdam letters is a must! The Rijksmuseum is in the background. |
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| We have a visitor wall in our guest room, and this is the shot I chose from Rachel's visit. |
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| I have been to Amsterdam several times, but this was the first time we had wandered through Vondel Park. Thank you for the tip Alex! |
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| Amsterdam is fabulous! The buildings are so beautiful! |
It took until our last visit to finally visit the Rijksmuseum. It was closed for renovations the first couple of years we were in Belgium. It did not disappoint!
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| A horse from the Battle of Waterloo. That is one really old horse! |
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| The painting of The Battle of Waterloo (Jan Willem Pieneman, 1824) is so impressive! |
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| Better perspective. |
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| The Milkmaid (Vermeer) |
But this.....This is what I came to see!
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| The Night Watch (Rembrant, 1642) |
I remember in third grade....the "picture lady" brought this print into our classroom. We had to identify what we liked about the painting and what made it special. It has been one of my favorites ever since. So, thank you to the picture ladies, Artistic Adventures parents, and those who share their love of art with kids. It leaves a lasting impression.
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| It is amazing. I might have cried a little while I took in how magnificent it is in person. |
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| I should mention that Rachel is an amazing photographer. Her pictures should really be in this post. |
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| The library inside the museum. |
It wouldn't be a trip to Amsterdam without a cruise on the canal.
We had hoped to get Rachel into the Anne Frank house, but it was sold out online and the wait was 3 hours long. Such a disappointment, but someday I believe she will be back.
A stroll through the red light district. Don't worry. We didn't stay long.
Just giggling about the trip where the kids learned what these were for. They were 12 and 10. It was a teachable moment.
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| We were exhausted! But, it sure was a great day! |
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| Duck face! |
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| T's face in the background! LOL! |
More to come from Rachel's trip. Stop back for more fun!
Until next time,
Wendy
Loved seeing the pictures of Monschau again. It was one of my favorite places. I have to admit that when I read about the picture you saw in third grade brought tears to my eyes. I just wish the picture ladies could read this. It is so amazing that this picture stuck in your mind like it did. I am sure Mrs. Fanning might have been the one to catch your attention. :)
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