Hi from Betty again,
Internet will soon run out so just a note to say we spent all day in Amsterdam! Canals and bicycles!!! We'll get you more details later. Tomorrow we head up along the Holland coast over the dyke to northern Germany. We hope to find some of the villages my mother's Dutch relatives came from.
Love to all,
Betty
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
June 13 from Betty
Hi everyone,
This is Betty sending her first post so hi to everyone from the Netherlands. I will just add a few of my comments to what Brett and Elise said about our travels thus far. I found all the Normandy sites to be very moving. The American cemetery we visited had over 9,000 graves and another nearby had over 5,000. 300 hundred were marked as "known only to God". We also visited a museum at Arromanches which explained the artificial port built there by the Allies after the invasion. There was a group of WWII veterans from England on the tour looking very dapper in their uniforms with medals across their chests. It was touching moment at the end when one of them politely asked if he could point himself out in a picture that was hanging on the wall. He was in a jeep entering a bombed out French village. The tour group applauded him and his fellow veterans. What sacrifices have been made for our freedom.
London was awesome and we learned to navigate the public transportation system like pros for Mid-westerners who love their cars. It would be crazy to drive in downtown London although Randel and I did back in 1972 when we visited the first time. Now there is a congestion tax you must pay to drive into the city. We really loved riding on the top level of our double decker bus from the campground. We had to then catch an overland train and then transfer to the Tube underground.
The dryer is done so I'm heading to bed and we'll fill you in on the wonderful day we had for Randel's birthday yesterday later.
Blessings to all! We are so thankful for your prayers for our health and safety!
Betty
This is Betty sending her first post so hi to everyone from the Netherlands. I will just add a few of my comments to what Brett and Elise said about our travels thus far. I found all the Normandy sites to be very moving. The American cemetery we visited had over 9,000 graves and another nearby had over 5,000. 300 hundred were marked as "known only to God". We also visited a museum at Arromanches which explained the artificial port built there by the Allies after the invasion. There was a group of WWII veterans from England on the tour looking very dapper in their uniforms with medals across their chests. It was touching moment at the end when one of them politely asked if he could point himself out in a picture that was hanging on the wall. He was in a jeep entering a bombed out French village. The tour group applauded him and his fellow veterans. What sacrifices have been made for our freedom.
London was awesome and we learned to navigate the public transportation system like pros for Mid-westerners who love their cars. It would be crazy to drive in downtown London although Randel and I did back in 1972 when we visited the first time. Now there is a congestion tax you must pay to drive into the city. We really loved riding on the top level of our double decker bus from the campground. We had to then catch an overland train and then transfer to the Tube underground.
The dryer is done so I'm heading to bed and we'll fill you in on the wonderful day we had for Randel's birthday yesterday later.
Blessings to all! We are so thankful for your prayers for our health and safety!
Betty
Apologies
Brett says:
We have really been going, going, going. So far, we have done an excellent job filling each and every day with activities but have been forgoing any sort of down time. Due to this, our posting on this blog has been a bit sparse so far. Another hurdle has been internet access. It is much more restricted than in the States and I have had a hard time finding places where I can use it. Our last campground in England charged 5 pounds (about $8) for a 24-hour access period. Obviously, we do not want to pay that every night.
We met a nice nice English couple while having lunch at the British museum on Friday. After telling them our ambitious plan for both traveling and lodging, one of them said, "Well, that seems American." I feel like our pace is a stark contrast to the way Europeans go about their day. Before 8am or after about 7pm most places look like a ghost town. Another one of our repeated observations is that a large portion of the cattle here are actually laying down in their pasture rather than standing and grazing like most industrious American cows. It's those funny little differences that let you know you are in a foreign place.
We survived left handed driving in the UK and drove all day today, making it to a secluded campground between Amsterdam and Haarlem in The Netherlands. It is about 11:20 here and we are finally doing our first load of laundry, using internet as we wait.
It has been quite an adventure and I just hope we have the endurance to last for 7 more weeks!
'til next time,
BA
We have really been going, going, going. So far, we have done an excellent job filling each and every day with activities but have been forgoing any sort of down time. Due to this, our posting on this blog has been a bit sparse so far. Another hurdle has been internet access. It is much more restricted than in the States and I have had a hard time finding places where I can use it. Our last campground in England charged 5 pounds (about $8) for a 24-hour access period. Obviously, we do not want to pay that every night.
We met a nice nice English couple while having lunch at the British museum on Friday. After telling them our ambitious plan for both traveling and lodging, one of them said, "Well, that seems American." I feel like our pace is a stark contrast to the way Europeans go about their day. Before 8am or after about 7pm most places look like a ghost town. Another one of our repeated observations is that a large portion of the cattle here are actually laying down in their pasture rather than standing and grazing like most industrious American cows. It's those funny little differences that let you know you are in a foreign place.
We survived left handed driving in the UK and drove all day today, making it to a secluded campground between Amsterdam and Haarlem in The Netherlands. It is about 11:20 here and we are finally doing our first load of laundry, using internet as we wait.
It has been quite an adventure and I just hope we have the endurance to last for 7 more weeks!
'til next time,
BA
Saturday, June 11, 2011
We're Here!
Elise here - my first time posting! It's been a total whirl-wind of a week! It's past midnight here (Saturday night) and this is the first chance we've had to use internet but I'm gonna write quickly cause we need to get to bed!
Last Sunday we drove up to stay at Rol & Karen's just outside Minneapolis. They were so wonderfully hospitable (as always) and sent us off Monday morning with an amazing brunch (GREAT last meal in the states!). Rol dropped us off at the airport, and we pulled up RIGHT behind Cherise & Jenna!!! Cherise and I booked flights a month apart and unknowingly booked the same one... awesome :) We were on the same flights until Iceland and then she and Jenna went to Sweden (where we'll meet up with Cherise on the 17th) and we flew into Paris.
We spent the first 2 nights in a wonderful campground in Normandy and visited Utah & Omaha beach and several other places associated with D-Day. The very first place we stopped was a German soldier bunker/hide-out thing (I don't remember what it's called) and we were just walking back to the car when all of a sudden... BANG BANG BANG...and lots of more bangs and lots of shouting and lots of soldiers running towards us!!! I was so confused (and scared!) and pretty much just hit the deck! I can't stop laughing now when I think about how funny I must've looked :) We didn't know whether it was a re-enactment (since it was the day after D-Day we were there) or if it was military training... either way it was a pretty exciting/funny/odd way to start our trip :)
Then Thursday we drove to Calais (France) to catch a ferry to Dover (England) and then drove to Paris. Spent all day Friday seeing the sights in London - Big Ben & Parlaiment, Westminster Abbey, British Museum, Trafalgor Square, Downing Street, St. Martin in-the-fields, etc. I really enjoyed every minute of it - it's just like NYC! So much diversity - it's a people-watching paradise :) Today we went to Stonehenge and to see the Roman Baths in Bath. Another fantastic day! Tomorrow we will see the rest of the things in London that we didn't get to see yet :)
I'm super thankful that European campgrounds are amazingly CLEAN and well-kept, they're much nicer than the U.S. I'm also thankful that I can sleep in the back seat of the car - it's been too cold for me at night... I'm kind of a wuss. I'm also thankful that Brett & Dad are such fantastic drivers - the roads here are TINY and people go so fast! Plus it's really weird in England when we drive on the left side of the road. I'm also thankful for the safety we've had - I feel like God's just looking out for us and taking care of all the details :) So we're one week in and all is very well - Praise the Lord :)
elise
Last Sunday we drove up to stay at Rol & Karen's just outside Minneapolis. They were so wonderfully hospitable (as always) and sent us off Monday morning with an amazing brunch (GREAT last meal in the states!). Rol dropped us off at the airport, and we pulled up RIGHT behind Cherise & Jenna!!! Cherise and I booked flights a month apart and unknowingly booked the same one... awesome :) We were on the same flights until Iceland and then she and Jenna went to Sweden (where we'll meet up with Cherise on the 17th) and we flew into Paris.
We spent the first 2 nights in a wonderful campground in Normandy and visited Utah & Omaha beach and several other places associated with D-Day. The very first place we stopped was a German soldier bunker/hide-out thing (I don't remember what it's called) and we were just walking back to the car when all of a sudden... BANG BANG BANG...and lots of more bangs and lots of shouting and lots of soldiers running towards us!!! I was so confused (and scared!) and pretty much just hit the deck! I can't stop laughing now when I think about how funny I must've looked :) We didn't know whether it was a re-enactment (since it was the day after D-Day we were there) or if it was military training... either way it was a pretty exciting/funny/odd way to start our trip :)
Then Thursday we drove to Calais (France) to catch a ferry to Dover (England) and then drove to Paris. Spent all day Friday seeing the sights in London - Big Ben & Parlaiment, Westminster Abbey, British Museum, Trafalgor Square, Downing Street, St. Martin in-the-fields, etc. I really enjoyed every minute of it - it's just like NYC! So much diversity - it's a people-watching paradise :) Today we went to Stonehenge and to see the Roman Baths in Bath. Another fantastic day! Tomorrow we will see the rest of the things in London that we didn't get to see yet :)
I'm super thankful that European campgrounds are amazingly CLEAN and well-kept, they're much nicer than the U.S. I'm also thankful that I can sleep in the back seat of the car - it's been too cold for me at night... I'm kind of a wuss. I'm also thankful that Brett & Dad are such fantastic drivers - the roads here are TINY and people go so fast! Plus it's really weird in England when we drive on the left side of the road. I'm also thankful for the safety we've had - I feel like God's just looking out for us and taking care of all the details :) So we're one week in and all is very well - Praise the Lord :)
elise
Monday, June 6, 2011
D-day has begun!
It's ironic that 67 years ago today France was invaded by allied soldiers. Hopefully today's visitors will be slightly less unruly. We are currently stopped in Toronto, waiting to get on our plane to Reykjavik, Iceland. From there we will continue to Paris arriving at 1pm local time, 6am Central.
We were blessed with great hospitality last night and this morning from my Uncle Rol and Aunt Karen. We got a good night of sleep and made it to the airport with plenty of time to spare. This next leg will be the longest. Neither Elise nor I have been succesful in figuring how the toilet in the airplane flushes. We will report...oh we're boarding. Iceland ho!
BA
We were blessed with great hospitality last night and this morning from my Uncle Rol and Aunt Karen. We got a good night of sleep and made it to the airport with plenty of time to spare. This next leg will be the longest. Neither Elise nor I have been succesful in figuring how the toilet in the airplane flushes. We will report...oh we're boarding. Iceland ho!
BA
Sunday, June 5, 2011
It's a Packing Day miracle!
As I write this we are currently eastbound on I-90 (I love my droid). We received a very pleasant surprise as we were packing today. Mike Christensen, a friend from my parent's church, will be living in our house while we're away so my parents were cleaning out some drawers for him. First, my Mother found a $100 bill in the back of one of her dresser drawers. Amazing, right? Only about ten minutes later, however, Dad found five bills amongst the many nearly empty bottles in the back of his bathroom drawer. He peeled them off one at a time: fifty, hundred, hundred, hundred, hundred. $450! So we made $550 today.
I am very tempted at this point to make a wise-crack about my parents age, punctuated with a clever suggestion of senility. However, I am going to chalk this one up to God's provision instead.
BA
I am very tempted at this point to make a wise-crack about my parents age, punctuated with a clever suggestion of senility. However, I am going to chalk this one up to God's provision instead.
BA
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Final Preparations
Well, we've reached the 11th hour. A trip that seemed so far away for so long is nearly upon us. All of us have had final preparations that have been taxing:
Elise will be staying at Schoo Middle School (pronounced "sko"), continuing to teach 6th grade next year. However, she is changing teams which will mean a different classroom. She also moved out of her apartment the same weekend which meant rearranging two very significant parts of her life in a short amount of time. I think we did pretty good but I now have a room full of Elise stuff and it is beginning to smell a bit girly in here. I really admire my sister for the number of significant relationships she is able to maintain and I know she is trying to spend as much quality time as possible with those people in the next few days.
Dad has had a few paintings to finish up and I even heard a rumor that he relived his college glory days by staying up until 4am to finish one of them. But isn't it true that no good art can take place before midnight? His last few pieces have been really good so I think it holds true.
I have had a large variety of things to do. On the way to get my international driver's license last week the throttle cable for my motorcycle (1971 Honda CB350) snapped. I was looking forward to letting my brother use the bike this summer, as sitting unused is about the worst thing for these old bikes. That will be one of tomorrow's projects. The last four days I have been finishing up everything at the mission and will definitely be missing everyone there while I am gone. Packing? More of an abstract thought than a plan at this point. I also need to update some insurance and get other finances in order.
Mom has the toughest job of all of us, keeping the rest of us on track. She is the most prepared in our group and I don't think this trip would be possible without her ability to plan ahead. She has already been researching campgrounds as we try to get at least the first few nights planned out.
That's pretty much where we are. I think we are all looking forward to just being on the plane. That way, even if we forgot anything it will be too late to worry about it!
I'll try to get the other family members to post here. I feel like I've been monopolizing the blog.
'til next time
BA
Elise will be staying at Schoo Middle School (pronounced "sko"), continuing to teach 6th grade next year. However, she is changing teams which will mean a different classroom. She also moved out of her apartment the same weekend which meant rearranging two very significant parts of her life in a short amount of time. I think we did pretty good but I now have a room full of Elise stuff and it is beginning to smell a bit girly in here. I really admire my sister for the number of significant relationships she is able to maintain and I know she is trying to spend as much quality time as possible with those people in the next few days.
Dad has had a few paintings to finish up and I even heard a rumor that he relived his college glory days by staying up until 4am to finish one of them. But isn't it true that no good art can take place before midnight? His last few pieces have been really good so I think it holds true.
I have had a large variety of things to do. On the way to get my international driver's license last week the throttle cable for my motorcycle (1971 Honda CB350) snapped. I was looking forward to letting my brother use the bike this summer, as sitting unused is about the worst thing for these old bikes. That will be one of tomorrow's projects. The last four days I have been finishing up everything at the mission and will definitely be missing everyone there while I am gone. Packing? More of an abstract thought than a plan at this point. I also need to update some insurance and get other finances in order.
Mom has the toughest job of all of us, keeping the rest of us on track. She is the most prepared in our group and I don't think this trip would be possible without her ability to plan ahead. She has already been researching campgrounds as we try to get at least the first few nights planned out.
That's pretty much where we are. I think we are all looking forward to just being on the plane. That way, even if we forgot anything it will be too late to worry about it!
I'll try to get the other family members to post here. I feel like I've been monopolizing the blog.
'til next time
BA
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