Europe 2010 P. 4

 One of our favorite parts of the trip was the market in Caan on Sunday AM.  European cities are famous for these on weekends and maybe one day during the week.  The photo with my wife above is just outside our hotel.

 We were hungry and ran into a guy who was making Ol gratin potatoes.  We got some in a bowl to share.  But the guy didn't have a spoon.   So I thought, "Wait a minute, our hotel has a restaurant, I'll borrow one from them."  I said to my wife, "I'll be back."  I went to our restaurant and tried to tell the waitress that we are staying in the hotel, I need a spoon.  She didn't know hardly any English.  She looked at me for a moment, I said please with a pitiful look on my face, and she gave me one.  I ran back to pam with a spoon.  She asked how I did it, I answered sign language!  They were the best potatoes we've tasted. 

I don't have any photo's for this blog.  It's something special that I want to share.  I don't know were my files for the national cemetery in Holland are.  So, I'll tell you what happened when I was photographing the family from a distance.
    I noticed that my family was talking to an older Dutchman.  One of my brother-in-laws could speak some Dutch.  I seen some of the family crying after the man left.  My brother-in-law asked the Dutchman why he was placing flowers on a grave.  We found out that it was the Dutch version of Memorial Day.  Why that particular grave we asked.  The Dutchman answered, "When I was 8 years old, the Nazi's overran  our country.  When I was 13, the Americans came & freed us.  I promised that every Memorial day I would place flowers on a grave until I died.  I chose this grave.  This young American gave his life for me and my fellow Dutch at 19 so we could be free.  I am greatful for these young American Soldiers!
    That is why we were there in 1945.

Europe 2010 P. 3

 One of the dream places that I've always wanted to see is Normandy.  I received that chance on this trip.  We stayed in Caan France, another place rich in history of WWII & England's  1st King.  We were able to see the beaches that the Army invaded.  As I was standing there, I couldn't help but get a lump in my throat as I was imagining what took place back on June 6th.   Above is Omaha beach,  The photo below is General Theodore Roosevelt Jr.  He was the nephew of the President, son of another.  He received the Medal of Honor while going on the second wave of soldiers.  General usually weren't allowed till the 3rd to 5th wave.

 

 THIS IS ONE OF 5 WOMEN BURIED AT THIS SPECIAL PLACE. 

The cemetery overlooking the beach.  My wife & I below.

 

 The above photo is a hole created by a navel ship.  With my brother-in-law standing in the middle of it, you could see how deep  the hole is.  There are many there.  This is at Point-De -Hock.  A gun emplacement below.   

Europe 2005 Part 3

 One of the reasons why we went to Europe was to pick up Chris from his mission.  It was fun to see him in his suit & other missionaries.

 One of the places we went to was Aachen.  This was one of Chris's favorite city.  We went to the Cathedral & to the bratwurst vendor.  He and other missionaries use to go to this guy a lot.  He was surprised to see Chris again.

 Below is spaghetti ice.  Ice is ice cream.  Spaghetti cause it looks like it.  Pam showed it to me when we were dating.  I got hooked!

Europe 2010 Part 2

 Taking the train was fun.  You always need to take the train in Europe at least once.  We went to a suburb to take the train into Amsterdam.  It's always hard to park there.

 We went to see the Anne Frank house.  A must if in Amsterdam.  It has a protective stuff on the outside but real inside.  It makes you aware of the sacrifice if that family.

 As we were walking the streets of Amsterdam, we helped Mary Jane with her walker.  One time when Josh & I were pulling/pushing her, we looked up at a guy who was hanging out a 6th story window when we heard a thud on the sidewalk.  Mary Jane hit a hole and fell on her head!  We hurried and picked her up thinking she might be seriously hurt.  She said she was good.  We didn't believe her.  she had to have a serious headache.

Like the Europeans we ate at the cafes.  Pam & I enjoyed it.  They cost a lot but it was fun to take the time & talk about the day.  The Europeans take a couple of hours or more when the go out & eat.  We did also.  We were able to talk about how much fun we were having.

Europe 2010 Part !

 In April of 2010, Opa wanted to take his kids, with spouses to Holland.  So we did.  Getting there was not half the fun.  The plane was hours late leaving.  The volcanoes in Iceland was messing every thing up.  Then we took off.  We ended up in Edinburgh Scotland!  We had a choice of backtracking or buying tickets to Amsterdam.  We bought tickets to Amsterdam.  We went on Easy Jet.  Some of us went to a hotel, Opa needed that.  Some of us went to the airport for the night.  It was a long night!

 One of the 1st things we did was the canal rides in Amsterdam.  Pam & I went in 2005 with Chris.  We loved it then like this time.

Europe P.2

 Part 2:  This photo is to show you how beautiful the Alps are.  It's shocking when you actually see them.  Below Pam is eating something we really miss here in the states.  Italian Ice.  Their ice cream.  It's great.  Our favorite is Spaghetti Ice.  Here is Pam eating one after several years of going without.

 This next photo is Pam eating at a German restaurant called Guesthouse.  I hope I spelled it right.  When Pam & I were dating we would go 2-3 times a month to eat at one.  She always got Jaguar Snetchel.  (SP?)  I would always get Cordon Blue.  It would come with french fries, a salad, veggies.  Very fattening, but always good.  Then Pam got me started with Spaghetti Ice.

 When we were in Garmisch we stayed at the American hotel the Edelweiss Lodge & Resort.  The American Military had 3 there in Garmisch.  But because of the downsize they eliminated 2, built this one finishing in 2004.  They had to update.  It was a very nice place to stay.

They had very nice restaurants, swimming, spa and other things.  While Pam played the slots, I rented a mountain bike & rode around the trails and the town.  It was a very nice place to stay.  I recommend it to anyone.

Our European Vacation!

 I'm starting our blog with our European trip.  It's the 1st trip that I used a digital camera.  I really didn't start until 2005.  Pam bought me a little digital for Christmas.  It's a start of a new era.  The date that we left was 05/05/05.  Cool huh?  I had won tickets for British Airlines.  All I had to pay was about $350 for both of us.  When we got to the airport to check-in, they told us to come back at 4:00 & then they will know if were good or not.  It was a non-rev ticket.  We went back to the ticket counter they gave us the tickets, we thanked them & proceeded to the gate.  Pam asked for the tickets to see where we're sitting at $ was very surprised!  I asked her "what is it?"  She said these are $9,000 tickets!  They put us in Business class!  That's the photo you see 1st.

We flew into London & had to wait for 6 hours.  We flew into Munich.  We rented a car.  The layover wasn't to bad now cause there was a lot of construction on the autobahn around Munich & part way down to Garmisch.  By the time we got there the traffic wasn't that bad.  If we got there on time we would've had rush hour traffic which is murder in Germany.    The next day we took off exploring.  Here I am standing on the German-Austria border.

We went to Innsbruck to look around.  It was a Sunday so light traffic.  European do no drive much in town on a Sunday.  Before that we looked around Fussen which is close to the Ludwig castles.  The photo below is that town.

Innsbruck was a pretty city.  We looked at the buildings & window shopped.  If I was prepared I would've checked out the Olympic stuff that were available.  They had 2 Olympics in Innsbruck.  They have some of the stuff where you could ride. 

Below is the place were one of the Emperors lived when in town.  They had a band playing while people were drinking their beer, or tea.

We went to the  Neuhcwanstein Castle.  I've been there several times.  My 1st trip when I was stationed in Germany was here.  That was December of 1979.  Pam & I have been to his Linderhof Castle, that's why we chose this on, shes never been & we get to go together.

This is Part 1 of our European Vacation.