Winter Weekends

We've been doing a lot of weekend and day trips to stave off the winter blues. It's not really much colder here than it is in Baltimore or Tahoe, but it does feel darker. It is often cloudy (bewolkt, as they say here) or foggy or misty, with a very low ceiling (it can feel like ten feet). Days can go by without a hint of sunlight; good for your skin but not your mood. The former director of the Loyola program said that last February logged 33 HOURS of sunlight, which at first I thought was a joke.

Luckily, Belgium itself not only has a lot of cool stuff but it's also close to everything. Here's a quick summary of our trips this winter:


Day trip to Namur in December of 09

Capitol of the French region of Belgium (otherwise known as Wallonia), the city is at the confluence of two major rivers. A castle, fort, then citadel has been here for a thousand years. You can still see destruction to the outer walls from the last siege (1870s?). The best parts, especially for kids, are the tunnels. We visited in the off tourist season and were pretty much left alone to wander through the crumbling, dank, unlit passages.

The flags behind Kathy and the boys mark the point overlooking the rivers. You can see one of the rivers down the hill to the left.

The boys exploring a secret passage.

Day trip to Villers la Ville January '10

This is a former Cistercian abbey just south of Brussels. It's an incredible complex--with an enormous cathedral-- in the middle of nowhere, as it was in the Middle Ages. The community flourished in the 1300s, with about 100 monks and 300 support staff ("lay brothers"). Obviously not everyone followed the Rule of St. Benedict consistently since the abbey included four dark jail cells, each with a closet latrine, but nonetheless as dark and dank as you would imagine a medieval prison to be. As you might be able to tell from the pictures, there is something really beautiful about the dripping, mossy, decaying--but still impressively massive--ruins.

The vine covered ruins were an impressive sight. I think I liked them more than some of the intact churches we've been touring.

Jesse likes to find the kid sized nooks

Looking back towards the Abbot's residence and gardens

Weekend Trip to Luxembourg in January '10

First stop was Luxembourg city

Freezing family checking out the sights from the city wall

This was some of the remains of the city defenses

We had lunch at McDonalds in Luxembourg City, so it's hard to comment on Luxembourgeoise cuisine. Our first site was a mom and small daughter in matching leopard print short skirts and metallic boots. A freezing cold day, but spectacular views from what was again a massively defended and fortified city. Miles of underground tunnels criss cross the city, but they were closed in the winter.

We were done looking around Luxembourg city at about 2:00 so we decided to take a side trip about 30 minutes away to Trier. Trier is said to be Germany's oldest city. It has several impressive relics of the original Roman city. One of the best is a gate to the city (the Porta Nigra) built around 200 AD.

Us in front of the Porta Nigra

The next morning we stopped at the Military Museum in Diekirch, Luxembourg. The Battle of the Bulge happened in northern Luxembourg and southern Belgium and most of the museum documented that battle.

Jesse overloading on all the 'army stuff' in the great collection of vehicles and hardware.

It was nice to see some brotherly love after seeing all the weapons of war.

After the museum we went on to Vianden

This is our first view of the Viaden castle through the fog as we drove into town. Very impressive.The boys checking out the 'old army stuff'
This chest was in the Viaden castle with no description. I'm guessing the elaborate top was used to lock it somehow.

Weekend trip to Rotterdam in February '10

Kiek Kubus (Look, Cubes!) houses, built after Rotterdam was bombed flat, twice, by guess who...the Germans.

Jack in the 'forest' of houses
Check out our groovy cube

This church in Rotterdam was used by the Pilgrims before they set sail for AmericaHarbor in front of the church

After Rotterdam we spent the night in an apartment on the coast in Katwijk. It was relatively cheap since we were in the off season. The next morning we walked on the beach (which was covered with snow) and collected sea shells until our fingers started to freeze. Then we went up the road a few kilometers to Den Haag.

The Hague, probably the city with the weirdest name. It means "the hedge" and this is the shortened form of the real name which is 's Gravenshaag ("the count's hedge"). Must have been an incredible bush. Great art museum--Vermeer's famous "Girl with the Pearl Earring" (starring Scarlett Johanson) is here, among other favorites.

One of the government buildings in the Binnenhof

Two views of the Knights Hall. This is where the Parliament meets (since 1446) and where the queen gives her yearly address to Parliament.

All of these trips were less than 3 hours by car - and we still have several places on our list - stay tuned.