Ashley came for her second
visit during the month of July this year. We were delighted to have her stay
with us for over two weeks. During her stay our two main trips were a day trip
to Paris and a long weekend road trip.
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| Ashley and Ryan in Paris |
Paris
Like Ashley’s last visit to
Germany we made a day trip to Paris using Germany’s high-speed train. We were
excited to have Ryan join us this time. Since the three of us had already made
at least one trip to Paris we decided to see different parts of the city. Our
first stop was La Grande Arche de la Défense. This structure is a monument and
building in the business district of La Défense. La Défense is known as the
futuristic business district of Paris. The monument is a 20th-century
version of the Arc de Triomphe and a monument to humanity and humanitarian
ideals rather than military victories. The construction of the monument began
in 1985 and was completed in 1989. The Arche is gigantic: it is twice the size
of the Arc de Triomphe and its archway is large enough to fit the Notre-Dame
Cathedral.
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| La Grande Arche de la Défense |
Our next stop was
Montmartre, a 130-meter high hill in the northern part of Paris. Montmartre is
known for the white-domed Basilica of the Sacré Coeur on its summit. In 1870
following the military defeat of France by Prussia a project began to build a
church in Paris dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, as a sign of penitence,
trust, hope, and faith. In June of 1875 the first stone of the basilica was
laid. The basilica was finally consecrated in October of 1919. We spent time
exploring the basilica and climbing the 300 steps to the top of the dome. The breathtaking
view of Paris and the Eiffel tower from the top of the dome was definitely
worth the climb.
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| A View of the City from Montmartre |
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| The Eiffel Tower from Montmartre |
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| Basilica of the Sacré Coeur |
The final major stop of the
day was the Jardin du Luxembourg or Luxembourg Garden. The widow of King Henry
IV created the garden in the beginning of 1612 to go along with her new
residence at Luxembourg Palace. Today the garden is owned by the French Senate,
which meets in the Palace. The park, which covers 23 hectares, is known for its
lawns, tree-lined promenades, flowerbeds, and statues. We spent time exploring
the garden in search of the small-scale model of the Statue of Liberty. On this
beautiful sunny day we also took some time to relax, enjoy the garden, and
sample some refreshing ice cream.
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| Luxembourg Palace |
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| Statue of Liberty in Luxembourg Garden |
Amsterdam
Over the Fourth of July
weekend we set out on a four-day driving excursion. After leaving Friday morning our first stop was Amsterdam,
the capital city and most populous city within the Netherlands. Amsterdam
became one of the most important ports during the Dutch Golden Age (17th
century) and was the leading center for finance and diamonds.
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| Houses in Amsterdam |
One of the best ways to
explore Amsterdam is by way of its 17th century canals. After
finding our hotel we set out to find a guided canal tour. Amsterdam has a rich
architectural history. On our canal tour we were amazed by the beautiful views
on the canals and bridges, merchant’s houses, 17th century gables,
and the multitude of houseboats. Our tour took us through the Red Light
District and along side Mint Tower. Mint Tower is one of the city’s most
visible landmarks. The bell tower has a clock on each of its four sides and was
originally part of Amsterdam’s fortified city wall. The tower gained its name
in the 17th century when the French occupied parts of the
Netherlands forcing the Dutch to move their coin minting operations to this
location.
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| Amsterdam Canal |
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| Seven Bridges on the Amsterdam Canals |
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| Mint Tower |
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| House Boats on One of the Canals |
After spending the night in
Amsterdam we decided to see more of the city by land. We used the Hop on Hop
off bus to take us to the sites we were interested in learning more about. Our
first stop was Gassan Diamonds where rough diamonds are transformed into
dazzling jewels. Gassan is know for its over 400 years of craftsmanship and
tradition. On our tour we were able to watch diamond polishers at work while a
guide explained the diamond cutting and shaping process.
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| A Small Glimpse of the Multitude of Bikes in Amsterdam |
Our next stop was the
Heineken experience. Heineken is a historic brewery and corporate visitor
center for Heineken beer. The industrial facility was built as the first
Heineken brewery in 1867 and remained the primary brewing facility until 1988
when a larger facility was built outside the city. The Heineken experience is
comprised of four levels of historical artifacts, product exploration,
sampling, horse stable, and interactive exhibits. We had a great time touring
the facility and enjoying the interactive exhibit where we were bounced along
an assembly line like beer bottles.
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| Old Heineken Logo |
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| Heineken brewery |
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| One of the Many Interactive Exhibits at Heineken |
Rotterdam
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| Exploring a Park in Rotterdam |
In the afternoon we left
Amsterdam and headed for the city of Rotterdam. Rotterdam is the second-largest
city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Beginning as
a dam constructed in 1270 on the Rotte River, Rotterdam has grown into a major
international commercial center.
Rotterdam is known for its university, cutting-edge architecture, lively
cultural life, striking riverside setting, and maritime heritage. Rotterdam is
home to the largest port in Europe and the fourth busiest port in the world.
The port was the world’s busiest from 1962 to 2004 when it was surpassed by
Shanghai.
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| Rotterdam Port |
Rotterdam is also home to
the Euromast. The Euromast is a 607-feet tower and the highest lookout tower in
the Netherlands. The view from the top gives an amazing view over Rotterdam,
the port, and beyond. Above the observation platform is the Euroscope, a
rotating lift that provides a 360-degree panoramic view of the city surrounding
area. We enjoyed the views of the city while the sun was setting. After leaving
the tower we walked through the city taking in the architecture and the people.
The city was buzzing with orange jerseys as the Netherlands prepared to play in
the world cup. It was an exciting night for the Netherlands, but a sleepless
night for us as many were out celebrating in the streets until all hours.
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| Euromast Tower |
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| A View of Rotterdam from the Euromast Tower |
North Sea
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| Beach Along the North Sea |
The
next morning we were ready to leave the city for a drive along the North Sea
coastline. The North Sea is a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean located
between Great Britain, Scandinavia, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and
France. The North Sea is more than 600 miles long and 260 miles wide. We made a
stop at one of the many beaches along the coast. We enjoyed the sand beneath
our toes, picking up seashells, and playing in the water. After leaving the
beach we continued along the coast enjoying lighthouses and the windmills the
Netherlands is famous for.
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| Ryan in the North Sea |
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| A Lighthouse Along The North Sea Coast |
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| One of the Windmills we Saw in the Netherlands |
Bruges
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| City Hall in Bruges |
We ended our day when we
arrived in the city of Bruges. Bruges is the capital and largest city in the
Flemish Region of Belgium. Bruges is a canal-based city and is known as the “Venice
of the North” because of its many winding waterways. We spent Sunday evening exploring
this beautiful city and enjoying some traditional Flemish food.
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| One of the Beautiful Canals in Bruges |
On Monday morning we headed
to the town square where we began our horse drawn carriage ride with a guide
telling us all about the lovely city of Bruges. Many of the medieval buildings
in Bruges are notable, including the Church of Our Lady, whose brick spire
reaches 401 feet, making it one of the world’s highest brick towers. The
sculpture Madonna and Child (1504) can
be seen in the transept and is believed to be Michelangelo’s only sculpture to
have left Italy within his lifetime. Bruges most famous landmark is its 13th-centruy
belfry, housing a municipal carillon comprised of 48 bells. After our carriage ride we spent more
time exploring the city and the Church of Our Lady. Bruges was the final stop
on our driving excursion.
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| Carriage Ride in Bruges |
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| Church of Our Lady |
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| Houses in Bruges |
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Madonna and Child Statue
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