Part 35: A whole new world...

So, it finally happened. Our cherished friends from Houston braved the long flight, the Atlantic Ocean, and separation from their 1 year old for a 10-day trip of a lifetime. It may seem silly, but we have been planning this trip ever since we told them we were moving in our kitchen in September 2006.

The four of us are great friends. I don't know how it happened, but Amanda and I feel as though we found our kindred spirits just two doors down from our house in Humble, Texas. Our relationship with them is a true blessing and one of our big drivers to get back home.

The trip was basically planned with the following precepts: (1) get a feeling of what it is like to live in Holland, (2) take full advantage of free lodging by maximizing day trips, and (3) do Paris and Normandy.

We started the trip much like we have other times by picking them up at the airport and then heading to Amsterdam. It was a little different this time because I had to work until noon and planned to meet Amanda, Jacob, Brandon, and Kristi at the airport. This was also another one of those times where I had returned to Holland about 1.5 weeks prior to Amanda and Jacob. But, we were lucky enough to book Amanda and Jacob on the same flight as Brandon and Kristi. So, everyone arrived at Schiphol around noon.

As expected (by most), I was late and didn't get there until after everyone had arrived. So, they were very ready to get the vacation started. We dropped the bags off at the lockers, bought our train tickets, and headed out.

Amanda and Jacob are seasoned international travelers (i.e. they know how to sleep on the plane). Brandon and Kristi are not. So, B/K didn't sleep more than 2hrs (and that would be two for Brandon and zero for Kristi) --- they were wiped out. In fact, I think Brandon was dozing a bit on the train (with his eyes open).

Kristi: "It's 11:15 in Europe right now, and we are flying over the North Sea, about to touch down in Amsterdam!" Our bodies think that it is 4:15am, and Brandon and I feel like it! Brandon got about an hour of sleep, and I did not get one wink! Hopefully we will not be too tired to enjoy all that Amsterdam has to offer."

One of the really cool things that Brandon and Kristi both planned for this trip was to diary the events we experienced. Both brought a book and kept it handy. We would find them buried away in the book trying to capture the events. I have pulled details from their diaries and inserted their comments throughout. Their comments are in "quotations".

Regardless of how good you are at international travel, there is no way you can enjoy the food on the airplane. Therefore, the first order of business was to get to Amsterdam and walk over to the Pancake Bakery. At that point, I think any food would have tasted good, but Brandon and Kristi raved about it. I think both indicated they could just stay there and eat pancakes for the entire trip.

The weather was superb. Really -- it couldn't have been better. It was cool enough for a light jacket, but still really sunny. While walking the circle (i.e. train station, by the bikes, to the Pancake Bakery, to Anne Frank's house, then around to Dam Square, through a souvenir shop to sit in the shoe, and then back to the train station with a small detour through the red light district) we hit most of the popular sights (except for the museum district). The weather made the walk great, but everyone was wiped out by the time it was finished. Brandon did get a burst of energy as we wandered through the RLD; no pun intended.

Kristi: "We then took a tour through the Red Light District which very interesting to say the least! One "employee" felt the need to "evaluate Dustin's equipment" as we walked through!"

One of the most striking aspects of Amsterdam are the tree-lined canals. And, while Amanda and I have been there a number of times, it seemed especially beautiful that day. I don't know if it was the company, the weather, or finally seeing Amanda and Jacob after a 1.5 week withdrawal... Probably just a mix of everything. It was a perfect day.

It is cool to visit and travel with people who haven't been to Europe before because they see it with a completely different perspective than you do. Maybe we used to look at it that way, but after 2 years, we have grown immune to the novelty. They still saw it and were amazed with the cheese, numerology, and outdoor toilets.

We left Amsterdam around 6pm and started our trek home. We trained it back to Schiphol, got the bags, and then split up. Amanda, Kristi, and Jacob took the bags and the car home while Brandon and I took the train. There wasn't nearly enough room in the car for everyone and all the bags.

It was a fun night for Brandon and I as we dropped off at Laan Van NOI station and walked through new Voorburg. He got to see the town the same way I see it every day after work. Everyone got settled in around 7:30, Jacob went to bed at 8:30, and the rest of us started to unpack, shower, and chill out.

Everyone was really tired, but they made it and broke jet lag the first day.

I really like to show off our house to folks that visit for the first time. In the States we took our house for granted; we forgot how cool it is to invite folks into your house for a visit. In the States, everyone knows what our house looks like, but in Holland, no one does. Plus, since the architecture is so unique here, our house tour is an event. It was nice to finally show them where we have been living and give them a fresh perspective of our digs.

Everyone settled in and hit the sack around 11pm... It was a much deserved break to the day.

There was no special agenda for the next day except for: (1) market by 10am, (2) bike ride to Clingendael Park for picnic lunch by noon, (3) return home by 3pm, (4) Axis and Allies game to start at 4pm, and (5) fondue night by 7pm... It was a very relaxed schedule for the day.

We have stated it before, but the market is one of the most unique experiences of our time in Holland and probably the single thing we will miss most. It is an event that we plan most visits around and the highlight memory for most when they go back home.

It always starts with a short walk from our house, is filled with a few snacks along the way, and ends with an arm full of groceries for the trip home. As you can see from the pictures, Saturday proved to be just as beautiful as Friday; two in a row in Holland is a charmed oddity.

We have yet to find people that haven't fallen in love with the market. Brandon and Kristi were shocked with what they saw. This was a case of the image in your head not matching reality. For 2 years now we have been telling them about "the market", but I guess we never really explained it very well. They thought it was an indoor "flea market" event; it isn't. Our market is more like an outdoor farmer's market where they sell everything from cheese and butter to deodorant and hairspray.

Kristi: "We all slept well, but not long enough, and walked to the market in Voorburg that is open every Saturday. The market was incredible! I have never seen so much fresh bread, fruits, and veggies! There are no words to describe the apple flaps that were introduced to us this morning."

Nonetheless, they loved it. We found the trimmings for our picnic lunch and fondue dinner and Brandon found the stroopwafel he had been dreaming about.

The walk to and from the market is very nice. It roams through a few authentic Dutch neighborhoods, a nice big park, and the "rich" street. It is a very pleasant stroll.

After making it back home we put away the groceries and packed our lunch. We were prepared. We brought sandwich stuff, chips, drinks, desserts, the Ipod speakers, the blanket, and the American football. I borrowed a couple of bikes from some friends and had them ready to go. We adjusted the seats for everyone, gave Kristi a quick "bike-riding" refresher, and headed out.

Holland is all about bikes. Their ubiquity strikes most as odd, but after living here for a while you learn that a bike will likely get you there faster than a car or bus. So, after you see everyone else riding bikes here it becomes a special treat to ride one too.

Our bike ride took us by a classic-style windmill, the Queen's palace, and through The Hague's biggest and nicest park. As you can see from the picture, Jacob has become quite accustomed to riding bikes and tends to kick back and take it easy.

We found a nice spot by one of the lakes, spread out the blanket, and had a great lunch. It was the first time Amanda and I had picnicked in Holland and so, a new experience for everyone.

After lunch we played around with Jacob and threw the football. I had been looking forward to throwing an actual football around in Holland for a long time. It was wonderful.

We left the park around 3pm (still on schedule) and found our way back home. I remember Kristi making a comment about how unique the buildings were; she was right. In all the travelling we have done, Amanda and I think Holland has the most unique residential architecture in Europe.

Jacob fell asleep in the bike, but still made it home for a good nap. After getting home, Amanda and Kristi went out for a quick shopping trip and Brandon and I played a round of Axis and Allies.

We ended the day with our fondue specialty. The first course was cheese with bread, apples, and cauliflower. The second course was a "coq au vin" equivalent with beef, chicken, shrimp, fish, potatoes, mushrooms, and broccoli. This meal is stolen from the Melting Pot and turned into a favorite at our house.

Kristi: "We had fondue tonight around 9:00pm, and it was delicious! Dustin and Brandon stayed up playing Axis and Allies, and I went to bed!"

The day ended with very full bellies, bulging waistlines, and exhaustion. The four of us spent the remaining minutes of the evening chatting, playing guitar hero, and flipping through a wide selection of authentic Dutch television programming.

The next morning was a blur. Keep in mind Amanda has been out of the country for approximately 5 weeks and, in the meantime, her duties at the Women's Club have been piling up. So, before embarking on our first day trip to Brugge, we had to make a quick trip to the clubhouse. While Amanda took care of business, I drove Brandon and Kristi to the beach for quick peek at the North Sea.

Then we went to Brugge. Is there a nicer place in Europe? In the world? All I know is that we love Brugge. It personifies the greatest aspects of Europe through the lazy canals, timeless city-center, and chocolate.

We made the drive to Brugge in approximately 2hrs, but we did have one glitch. The brakes were making a horrendous screeching sound everytime we used them. It made me a little nervous and made Amanda, Brandon (although you couldn't tell by looking at him), and Kristi really nervous.

It was a classic case of owner-neglect. I knew the brakes needed work, but neglected to get the pads changed prior to wearing them down to the rivets. Dang --- this is going to cost me more money now.

But, who cares? We made it safe and sound and we were in Brugge. The best little village in Europe. We walked through all the typical stops - chocolate shops, lace shops, the temple of the holy blood, and got a general feel for the town. We stopped at a cafe in the city center and enjoyed a fantastic Flemish meal: simple and succulent.

Kristi: "We then went to the Basilica of the Holy Blood, where I was able to pray over Christ's blood. Now that is something that you cannot do everyday!"

I think this was the first time that Amanda and I used Rick Steve's for the tour. As expected, he pointed us toward a very cool little chocolatier called Dumon's. The chocolate was great, but what set it apart from the rest was the building. The outside was unique and the inside was small and crammed full of chocolate. The owner was really helpful and said that Rick Steve's was one of the nicest and most intelligent visitors of the store. They said, "He is as advertised - down to earth and earnestly interested in the people".

You can't visit Brugge without stopping at the Church that houses Michelangelo's virgin and baby statue or grabbing a waffle. Good stuff.

This time we also walked over to the Begijnhof. Amanda and I have never wandered that deeply into the city, but were glad we took the time. This is a convent that houses women of "The Order of Beguines" which are basically single or widowed women that take a vow of service and piety. They are similar to nuns, but do not take the vow and are not subject to the same lifestyle restrictions.

It was a beautiful day so we were able to get a few great pictures.

After grabbing some snacks for the ride back home, we jumped back in the car and headed back. It was a good day.

Kristi: "We stopped to get a Belgian waffle covered in warm chocolate....Yum-o!!""What a suprisingly incredible experience in Brugges"

We got back home around 6pm: early enough for dinner and early enough to get a good night's rest. That was important since Germany was on the agenda for the next day.

Part of the value of day trips is saving money on hotels and transportation, right? True, but only if you have a safely functioning car. We didn't.

After grinding our way home from Brugge, we opted to rent a car for the trip to Germany. It is a little further than Brugge and unencumbered by irritating speed limits. So, to best take advantage of the autobahn, we picked up a Eurocar at the local dealer in Den Haag.

We left with lofty expectations of trying to see the Cathedral in Cologne, the Burg Eltz south of Cologne, and a Charlemagne exhibit in Aachen. Sound familiar? Too much planned for one day? Oh yeah -- It was my idea.

We arrived in Cologne just before lunch and found a spot recommended by Rick Steve's. It was good and served the best schnitzel I have ever had. Brandon had his German beer, Dustin his Pepsi, and Jacob his milk. And, that succession made for a great round of pictures.

We parked in an area near the shopping district in Cologne - about a 10 minute walk from the garage to the cathedral. If the tour guide is properly doing their job, then they can distract the newbies from seeing the cathedral until they walk upon it. By doing so, the tour guide creates an impact difficult to describe...

Most people can't imagine the sheer size of this place. So, as they turn the corner by the Louis Vuiton store, the biggest church in the world will tower over them (maybe not the biggest, but it's got to be close). Most of the time, it brings a steady stream of giddy comments and laughter followed by silence.

This time was no different. We turned the corner and almost immediately Kristi said "Oh my... Brandon look at that".

After lunch we went inside to tour the inner-details. We saw the Chapel of the Virgin, the shrine of the magi, and the Gero-Crucifix. We sat quietly in the pews and just basked in the awe of the church.

After touring the site, Kristi was itching to shop and Brandon didn't want to shop... So, Brandon and I climbed the 650 steps to the top of the cathedral while Amanda, Kristi, and Jacob shopped. It was a really tough climb, but we made it to the top. We happened by the church bells as they rang and got a good view of the "busiest rail bridge in Europe".

While Brandon and I worked our tails off, Amanda and Kristi hit the souvenir shops and dreamed about buying expensive bags. Fortunately for Brandon and I, they were only dreams.

After Cologne, we debated about our next destination. As a loser of that debate (3 to 1) we decided to drop the Burg Eltz and Aachen for the friendly confines of Voorburg. I didn't mind too much as I expected to return to the Burg some other day. Plus, we had had two days of heavy driving and everyone was pretty worn out.

We made it home around 7pm, ate some leftovers, and settled in for the night watching football and playing Guitar Hero.

The next day was a "break" day where we planned to do very little. When planning the trip we consciously broke the week into heavy and light touring days in an attempt to maintain some resemblence to a relaxing vacation.

So Tuesday was a light day, and a very rainy day. So, we decided to take a morning trip to the Delft pottery factory (4 miles from our house) and find a nice cafe on the square for lunch. Amanda had done the Delft museum tour before, but always while I was working. So, I was totally game for the trip.

The factory tour was pretty fun. It is the only surviving production facility in Delft and a full scale shop. They have a mixing area, foundry, glazing station, and multiple painting areas.

The traditional Delftware is very easy to identify. It is white porceline with light blue inscriptions. This is the most popular piece and what you most often see in the souvenir shops around Holland. There are, however, other styles which get less fanfare: Polychrome, Black and white, and 24 carot gold. All are cool, but the blue (in my opinion) is the best.

After the Delft factory we headed over to a little restaurant in the City Center. It was recommended by one of the Delft factory workers and turned out to be pretty good. After lunch we split up for about an hour. Amanda and Kristi went shopping (surprising, huh?) and Dustin and Brandon went to the Nieuwe Kerk. I didn't know it at the time, but that church is the Netherland's version of Westminster Abbey. The entire Royal family has been buried there since William of Orange liberated the country back in the 1500's.

We made it back home around 3pm and just spent the rest of the day chllin' and packing. Afterall, the highlight of the trip was the next day: Paris, France.

The plan was pretty good. Up at 5:30am, drive to the Rotterdam Central at 6:15, and catch the earliest train to Paris at 7:25am. This worked great, gave us time to sleep on the train, and got us to Paris before noon. It all went without a hitch. Made it to the station on time and even had time to eat a few pastries and drink some coffee.

This was Brandon and Kristi's first big train ride (aside from Schiphol to Amsterdam) and so it was especially fun to watch them get excited about it. I mean, Brandon could barely contain himself --- if you know Brandon, you know what I mean.

We had three days in Paris (and surroundings). Day 1 was together and dedicated to normal Paris sites: Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and Saint Chappelle, etc. Day 2 we split up. Amanda and Kristi stayed in Paris and shopped, while Brandon and I headed to Normandy. Day 3 we planned a few things during the day, but had to catch the train back to Rotterdam at 7pm.

It was a perfect trip... Relaxing for the girls and all about WWII for the boys.

Kristi found a great hotel on Rue Cler street - an iconic spot for high-end shopping and class. The pick didn't dissappoint either. Our rooms were on the street side where each window was dressed with massive flower baskets and traditional iron railings.

We found a Rick Steve's recommended restaurant. And, aside from Jacob melting down during the meal, it was a pleasant stop.

When you go to Paris there are a few things that are definitely on the list. Must do's that depend on the weather and must do's that don't. If you plan your schedule too rigidly, then you may miss a must-do at the perfect time. Our original planning had the Eiffel Tower planned for Friday, but Wednesday brought sunshine, so we hit the tower first.

Brandon and Kristi went to the top of the tower while we stayed down below. When they were up at the top, I ran over to the car rental place and picked up the car for our trip to Normandy and Amanda & Jacob stayed below the tower and memorized the the flags for all EU member countries. It was impressive.

B&K returned from the top about 15 minutes after I returned from the rental spot. They had a good time and got a bird's eye view of the city.

After the Eiffel Tower, we dropped into the subway and headed over to the Notre Dame / Saint Chappelle area. You know, Amanda and I have been to Paris several times, but every time we came Saint Chappelle was shut down for one reason or another. After the first time, we just brushed it off and figured we see it the next time. But, then after missing it the 2nd and 3rd times, we wondered if we would ever get there.

Finally, we made it. From the pictures below you really can't get a good appreciation of the stained glass, but it is beautiful, really really beautiful. There were hundreds of people staring at the ceiling and it reminded me a bit of the Sistene Chapel in Rome. We were lucky enough to arrive while the sun was shining. And, as the light passed through the glass it cast an amazing red hue across the room. The chapel was built by Saint Louis IX to house multiple relics from his crusades to the west bank and some of them are still on display. The panels are really ornate and they exclusively represent excerpts from the Bible.

I must admit the admission is a little pricey - approximately 13 Eur/person. And, you only stay for 20 minutes. So, if you do the cost / benefit analysis, it probably doesn't make sense. Nevertheless, you only live once.

After Saint Chappelle, we headed over to Notre Dame to set our eyes upon the most "over-hyped" church in Europe. At least, the most "over-hyped" church in Europe after you have seen the Cologne Cathedral. On the way there, we wandered past one of Paris' first subway stations, turned random Rick Steve's tourist stop.

It isn't like Notre Dame isn't cool. It is. It is a really nice church with lots of cool features. Victor Hugo's famous novel convinced the city to repair the delapidated church. Which, in hindsight, appears to be a great economic decision as millions of people flock to Paris everyday to see the church.

Nevertheless we made it there, got the picture and then strolled through the Isle of St. Louis for some ice cream before dinner (Amanda and Brandon's style --- ice cream before dinner). We had a first that night too. We ate at a Rick Steve's recommended joint that didn't taste good. I know it is surprising. It shocked us.

After dinner we planned to stroll back over the Seine to the Latin District to take in the atmosphere and grab a crepe. Unfortunately, it was getting late and we were all really tired. Instead we just grabbed a train back to the hotel. But, we did still manage to find the energy to grab a Nutella crepe outside the hotel.

Brandon and Kristi's night didn't end there... Boom, chicka, bow, wow... They pushed on even further and grabbed a night cruise on the river.

The next day is kind of a blur. For Day 2 we decided to split up; Amanda and Kristi to do some shopping and Dustin and Brandon to hit the beaches for a WWII extravaganza.

Day 2 for Amanda and Kristi:

Unlike the boys, we were planning on an easy day walking the streets of Paris. First, we met for breakfast at a cafe down the street from our hotel. For 6 euros, you got an egg, slice of ham, bread, croissants, and coffee or hot chocolate. It was delicious. After that, we headed to the Arc de Triomph to get a view of the Champs Elysees. Since we had Jacob in a stroller, we were able to ride the elevator to the top rather than taking the stairs. What a relief! It was a sunny (but windy) day so we had a great view of the city. After the Arc, it was off to one of the most famous shopping streets in the world.

Mainly we just walked the street and didn't go into many stores. I mean, who are we kidding? Those stores are too rich for my blood. We did go into the Gap and Disney stores. We figured those were a little more on our level. Jacob ended up with a Mickey Paris sippy cup.

After making it down one side, we crossed over to the other and headed back up the street. We wanted to stop for lunch at this tea house, but when we walked in, it looked a bit too fancy for people with a toddler. So, instead we bought some traditional French cookies and left in search of a different lunch stop. We ate outside at one of the many outdoor cafes.

Shortly after lunch, it started raining. Conveniently, the Louis Vuitton store was right there, so we ducked in to avoid the rain. I was a little sticker shocked since I don't normally browse the high-end brands. I'm just too practical, I guess. I'll stick with the knock-offs.

After the Champs Elysees, we thought we would go to some famous department store listed in the tour book, but it was raining and cold and farther away than we originally thought. So we headed back towards our hotel instead. Kristi still wanted to get some wine for some gifts, and Jacob was having a hard time settling down in his stroller. So, I went back to our room while Kristi did some shopping on her own. We met back up about hour later (after Jacob had fallen asleep) and enjoyed some more shopping at some local stores in the neighborhood.

We found a cafe for dinner and had a pleasant evening chatting. We both ordered ceasar salads. When they came out, they didn't look like any ceasar salad I had ever seen, but it was delicious nonetheless. We had a much earlier night than the boys, but it was good for Jacob to get to bed at a decent time. Plus, Kristi was able to make some phone calls home to check on Griffin.

It was probably the most relaxing day I've ever had in Paris (which is a good thing!).

Day 2 for Dustin and Brandon:
For Brandon and I, this was the trip. This was the day that we had talked about for the last 1.5 years. We were probably, actually most definitely, way too energetic about the day. In fact, to achieve everything we had to leave at 5am (not wake up, but meet in the lobby and leave).

The first time I went to Normand, with my Dad and Kay, we left late, started in the wrong direction, and got to Normandy about 3 hrs late. We couldn't make the same mistake this time. And, we didn't.

We met our first challenge at the parking garage, when the working attendant wasn't at his post. After honking and ringing the bell for 10 minutes, I finally got out of the car and attempted to push up the gate. I was successful. I pushed up on the gate and opened our escape route beautifully. Unfortunately, just as I lifted the gate, the attendant walked up. He shouted several obsenities at me (in French) and then tried to fix the gate. As he tried to fix the gate the arm actually fell off. He was really, really pissed. I can't think of a better way to start the day than by pissing off the French. Can you?

Our plan started by trying to find Pegasus Bridge. This is the bridge that the British commandeered during D-Day. It was a critical take as it prevented the Germans from reinforcing the beaches with additional support from the north. We found the bridge around 7:15am and walked / read the site. It was cool.

The best part about this stop was the cafe. There was a woman sweeping the floor when we arrived, but we didn't pay too much attention. After walking the site, we went inside and grabbed breakfast. We noticed pretty quickly that there were a lot of pictures of the woman hanging in the building. Crazy pictures too - with the Queen, several US presidents, and a lot of military officials.

As it turns out, she was actually in the house (at 6 years old) during the invasion. Her family was required to provide provisions to the Germans during their stay and they were rescued by the British after they glided in on 6-June 1944. She told us she remembers a lot of gun fire that morning and how happy her family was after liberation.

That is a conversation that we will remember forever.

After the Bridge, we headed to the beach and drove along the coast by each of the beaches -Gold, Sword, Juno. We stopped along the way at the Arromanches. Arromanches was the invention of Sir Winston Churchill and the single most important accomplishment during D-day (+ xx days). Arromanches was an artificial harbor built within days of the landing that provided the Allies with a functioning harbor for moving additional machinary into France post D-Day. Without the harbor, the Allies would not have been able to support the troops with enough reinforcements to withstand the German counter-attacks.

The site is pretty cool because there are still bunkers and barriers left over. We didn't tour the museum, but we did hit the sourvinir shop pretty hard. It was a superb stop.

The next stop was Omaha beach. As everyone knows this is one of the two beaches that America invaded and also the beach that sustained the most resistance. Over 1500 Americans lost their lives that day (read Bedford Boys for a tear jerker).

Today, it is a cemetary and museum. Recent fame came back to this site with Saving Private Ryan's opening and closing scenes.

This place means a lot of different things to different people. But, for me, it is a memory of a time that no matter how hard we try to forget, we cannot. It is an example of selfless gifts of few to many. It is bravery, courage, youth, chance, hope, dreams, and patriotism. It is an example of the best in people.

We spent about 3 hrs at Omaha in the new museum, cemetary, and beach. We walked the beach trying to find metal that still washes ashore. We didn't find any, but good friends of ours did. Amazing right? Metal from 1944 is still washing ashore.

We left the beaches at 1pm and headed for Pont du Hoc. Pont du Hoc is the area where the Germans set up their guns that fired on Utah and Omaha beaches. However, the area is about 100 ft above sea level and on a pennisula surrounded by steep, sheer cliffs. A batallion of Army Rangers tried to scale the cliffs on D-day to take out the guns. It was a perilous endeavor that left 70% of them dead.

We stayed there for about 15 minutes. And, in that time we got soaked and really cold. Still we saw the bunkers, got the pictures, and can now say "we've been there".

After leaving Pont du Hoc, we headed back toward Caen and stopped at Bayeux. This stop was completely "non-WWII" related but highly recommended by Rick Steve's. We stopped at Bayeux for lunch (McDonalds) and to see the 1000 year old tapestry detailing William the Conquerer's rise to power in 1066. William the Conqueror was England's first king and given credit for positioning England to be a world power.

The tapestry is 1000 years old and displayed in a "no-flash" zone so we weren't able to get any pictures. It was cool though. The audio guide told the story, scene by scene, and taught us a bunch about the events leading to "the English Empire".

After Bayeux, we headed to Caen to the biggest and possibly the best WWII museum in Europe. We only had 2 hrs before it closed, but it was enough to breeze through and see the highlights.

The best thing about museums like this are the pictures. I love taking pictures of the famous pictures in museums. This place had a ton of great stuff that we hadn't ever seen before. It spoke a little about the events leading to the war and then in detail of the events during the war.

Some of the best exhibits included (1) an enigma - famous code machine used by the Germans, (2) a letter from Albert Einstein to FDR about a potential weapon of mass destruction, (3) actual copies of Mein Kampf, and (4) dummies dropped during D-Day to distract German forces.

It is a great museum and I wish we would have had more time.

We had one more item on the agenda: Mont Sant Michel. This is a monestary built on a rock off the Normandy coast just south of the beaches. When the tide is in, it is an island. When the tide is out you can walk to it.

The pictures turned out terribly. They just don't capture the beauty of the place. When we finally made it there we were totally excited. It was an incredible place, but more importantly, a symbol of accomplishing our day's goals.

It was a 60 minute drive and in the opposite direction of Paris. So, at 6pm it wasn't the smartest decision to make the trip. Nevertheless, we did it. We made it there aroun 7pm and found a great little place for dinner. It was a stellar way to end the evening.

After dinner we headed back to Paris. And, after 3hrs, countless old stories and bad jokes, and more caffiene than should be humanly consumed, we arrived back at our parking garage. The gate had been fixed and the guard was no where in sight.

We arrived back in Paris at 1am. In this one day, we were out for 19hrs, we drove over 400 miles, toured Pegasus Bridge and met a famous WWII survivor, visited 4 of the 5 famous beaches, Arromanches, the Omaha museum and cemetary, the Bayeux tapestry, the Caen museum, and Mont Sant Michel. Can you do much more than that?

It was a great day. One of the best for me since arriving in Europe.

The next day we were a little tired, so we only met at 9am for breakfast (at a place Rick Steve's, Amanda, and Kristi all recommended). From there we headed immediately to the Louvre. It was a whirlwind tour, but we saw the big stuff --- Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and the Winged Victory.

After the Louvre, we found a quick spot for lunch and then headed off to the Invalids. Brandon, Jacob, and I hit the museum and tomb while Amanda and Kristi shopped (theme here?).

We finished off around 4pm. Just enough time to pick up our bags and head out to the train station. We got to the station around 5:30 (way too early) and grabbed some food from McDonalds for dinner. We were all really worn out and ready for a break.

Paris in 2.5 days. It was a lot. Too much probably, but three days that we will remember for ever.

We arrived in Rotterdam around 11pm and home by midnight. We made it.

That was essentially the end of our vacation. The next morning we all slept in and tried to recouperate. We walked over to the market and reminisced about the week, everything seen, experienced, and enjoyed. It was fun.

That night Amanda had to attend a "high-dollar" celebrity charity event so Brandon, Kristi, Jacob, and I were on our own. We walked to the local Italian place and grabbed some takeout.

The next morning I took Brandon and Kristi to the airport.

The end... Or, the beginning... You choose.

Part 34: The good ole US of A

August marked our semi-annual pilgramage back to the US. Like most visits it was stretched between work and pleasure for me and purely pleasure for Amanda and Jacob. Also like most trips, I planned way too much stuff into too small of a time window. Oh well --- that's pretty normal for us, right?

In a nutshell our trip was (for Dustin) Amsterdam to Houston, Houston to Pittsburg, Pittsburg to St. Louis, St. Louis to Houston, Houston to Dallas, Dallas to Houston, and Houston to Amsterdam. All of that within 17 days. Amanda and Jacob's travelling was about the same, but without Pittsburg and spread over another 10 days.




Needless to say, it was too much in too little time. But, like every other trip, we tried to maximize our time with everyone given the tight schedule.

Our trip started with the flight to Houston. And, as we have come to expect from JT, it was very uneventful. He is truly an incredible traveller. We arrived in Houston on Friday and set out for an aggressive weekend of to-do's. It starts, like always, with a trip to Spring Creek BBQ with the Resendez's and Weber's. This time was a little different as Jacob couldn't even keep his head up during the meal. It was, afterall, 3am for him.

After dinner, the girls and kiddos went one way and the guys headed to the tennis courts for a healthy round of tennis ball. It was great, even though Brandon and Mike pounded Clint and I with a beating never before experienced on the court. Personally, I think Brandon and Mike are juicing.

The next morning we headed over to Brett and Laura's house for a leisurely day of games, catching up, and relaxing. It is always fun to visit them because they always have the latest and greatest gadgets offered by Best Buy. We had to leave a little early because Jacob needed a nap and I had an appointment with the batting cages with Brandon and Mike.

Sunday centered around Church and a cool get together with our "Lyondell" friends (or, now call the Lyondell - Shell friend circle) who seem forever connected to downtown living. We picked up Phil Ling at Matt and Jenn's new house for lunch, got the tour, and then headed out. They have a beautiful place that seemed to be built for hosting parties.


During lunch, we also made a slight detour over to the Galleria to exchange my Brooks Brother's birthday presents for sizes that actually fit. The stop was successful as we traded out the shirts and also signed Phil up to the BB fan club. Once you go BB you'll never go back.

The Kuhl party was great; lots of food, friends we haven't seen in ages, and an unexpected birthday cake for Amanda. It was superb. Scott was there too; he is our friend who has been battling cancer for the last year. It was the first time we had seen them in a while because our visits always conflicted with his treatment schedule or one of us in the group was sick. I can tell you that we truly miss this group of people. It is nice to know that good friends stay good friends regardless of the time gap. We appreciate still being accepted in their circle.

On Monday I worked from home and Tuesday headed to the office. Nothing exciting there. On Wednesday, the three of us headed to the airport for the second leg of our journey. Amanda and Jacob headed to St. Louis, and I headed to Pittsburg. For me, Pittsburg was the primary reason for the trip back home and required a lot of extra work in preparation.

In St. Louis everyone was eagerly awaiting their arrival. Dad and Kay flew into St. Louis for the weekend and Erin, Erik, and Jarrod all drove up from Cape Girardeau. We stayed with Ericka at her place in Foley so that Jacob and Emma would have a lot of time to play together. Frank met Amanda and Jacob at the airport and brought them to Scott and Ericka's place.

Dad and Kay arrived the next morning and the games began. It was great! These pictures did a good job capturing the fun that everyone had. It was only a few days together, but boy did everyone have fun. Dad looked like a kid again playing with the grandkids.


On Friday, I caught a really early flight from Pittsburg to St. Louis. Erik picked me up at the airport and we did some shopping prior to meeting everyone back at Ericka's house. We had a great time. A lot has happened over the last 4-5 years, but it is nice to know that Erik and I can still put that to the side and hang out like old days. It was also cool to see Erik hanging out with Jacob.


We made it back to Ericka's for the afternoon and started planning our Friday night on the town. Dad offered to take everyone out for dinner. With a mixed family like ours, it was nice that he agreed to take Erik out as well. It was especially good for Amanda and I because the steaks in the US just taste better than Europe. As you can see, Emma and Jacob were treated like Cowboy VIPs and left the restaurant with a toy.


After dinner on Friday the guys (Dustin, Erik, and Scott) all went to Shop&Save to pick up food for Saturday. See, we had been planning Saturday for quite a while. We decided the best way for us to see everyone was to have a BBQ. It was great and tons of people showed up.


In total, I think 25 people showed up. Mom, Frank, Sherry, Jeff, Megan, Sarah, Sam, Ericka, Scott, Emma, Aunt Sherry, Uncle Tim, Matt, Amber, Gunther, Dillon, Blake, Alissa, Jarrod, Erin, Erik, Daniel, etc. It was one great party.

We spent the afternoon playing games all afternoon. Jacob and Emma played in the back playhouse with Grandma. We also found time to patch together a wiffle ball game at dusk. Scott handled the burgers and hotdogs, and Ericka worked together all of the other sides. I think everyone had a great time.

Sunday morning Dad and Kay had to leave early (i.e. like 4am early). Jacob was a little sick that morning (and up anyway) so we told Dad and Kay goodbye early in the morning. We then went back to sleep for a couple of hours and then woke up, packed up and headed out to Mom's house.

Our flight to Houston left around 5pm, so we didn't have much time to spend with Mom on Sunday. But, we did our best. Made it to their house around 10:30am and Mom and Frank had breakfast ready for us. I swear we eat more at their house than anywhere else. Frank is like a bottomless pit.

After breakfast / lunch --- can't tell because they run together --- we exchanged gifts for birthdays, etc. It was good and clearly Emma liked her gift. It is always a little sad to end a trip like this one. If there is one place that we see less as a result of living in Europe, it is St. Louis. For us it had been nearly 9 months since we had seen everyone, so it was a bittersweet departure.

The majority of the next week in Houston was spent shopping and working (shopping for Amanda and working for me). Really nothing too exciting happened this week. Oh yeah, except for Hurricane Ike. On Wednesday the reports started to get pretty dicey. We knew it was headed in our direction, but it was becoming very clear at that point that it was headed right for us.

The Houston office basically evacuated on Wednesday, no one was left and the building was officially closed down. Unfortunately for me I didn't get the mass email since I officially work in Europe. Amanda, Jacob, and I fortunately were able to change our airline ticket from Friday afternoon to Friday morning. That turned out to be pretty important since the airport shutdown at noon that day.

Lucky for us we escaped to Dallas without any delay or problem. We, once again, left our friends, family, and house behind in Houston. We did keep in contact with them and no one had any problems (other than losing power). Everyone / thing pulled through ok.

Dallas is always fun because Amanda's family is so full of kids. Amy and Dave have the three girls, now Andrew and Meredith have one girl, and we have Jacob. This environment is quickly turnning into the memories that I remember from my youth.

As the only boy, Jacob is a big hit. All of the girls love him; especially Abigail and Amelia. I don't know if it is because they don't get to see him as often or just the novelty of him being a boy, but he is definitely a big hit.

Andrew and Meredith became new parents earlier this year (April) and I hadn't had a chance to meet Addison until now. It was nice to be back and get to spend a little time with them. For me, this weekend was plugged full just like the previous weekend in St. Louis. We had a lot of family time planned around lunches and dinners. We also spent quite a bit of time sharing gifts with each other.

For us, we were innundated with birthday gifts for birthdays that were past, present, and in the near future. For them, we gave them all of the "stocking stuffer" gifts we had collected from our travels. We dropped the bomb on the family that we "probably won't be coming home for Christmas". I don't think people liked it much, but they understood and accepted it.

For Amanda and Jacob they got to stay a bit longer. We had planned their departure consistent with Brandon and Kristi's voyage over. It is always easier to travel in groups with a kiddo.

Amanda and Jacob had a grand time for the next week. Since it was summertime and it was "hot, hot, hot" (according to Jacob), they focused their activities around water. Jacob really isn't used to this kind of climate yet (but, he will have to be when we return to Houston) or this kind of activity. So, while he was a bit wary of the water sports, he quickly warmed up to them and had a lot of fun.

Lucky for them, they were there during the Plano Hot-Air Balloon festival. It looked really cool from the pictures and I know they had a good time.

After an extra 10 days in Dallas, Amanda and Jacob headed back to Holland via Houston. I was glad to get them back home, but also happy that they had fun. Now, let the fun begin with Brandon and Kristi...