Another Easy Journey

For my return journey back to the UK, I caught a Thalys high speed train from Aachen that took just over an hour to reach Brussels and connect with the Eurostar to London. The 07:23 from Aachen meant I was home in time for lunch - amazing.

So what have I learnt on this trip:

Well the most obvious one - something that everyone knows - is that you are unlikely to get run over by a car in The Netherlands, the trams and cyclists will get you first. Interestingly no one in Holland seems to wear a helmet - peddle power or motor cyclist - it must be a Dutch thing.

The trains in Holland operate with Swiss efficiency - so why can't they do the same in the UK? (Abellio who operate trains in the UK are part of the Dutch National Railway). On the same thought National Express who gave up running trains in the UK, putting it in the "too difficult" box, appear to be doing very well in Germany - it must be a British thing.

Following on from last years trip to Ruegen - the ice cream in Germany is still plentiful and cheap - it must be a German thing.

And lastly for those of you who are worried about plastic waste clogging up our oceans and landfill sites - have a heart attack over this one. The Belgians have plastic cans, yes plastic container, tin can lid. Apart from being able to see the contents I don't really get it - it must be a Belgian thing.

Bye for now - next trip is Belfast, first week in October.

GERMANY - A Breath of Fresh Air

This trip has been quite urban so I thought that it was about time I did a bit of hiking so have travelled into the Rhine Valley just south of Bonn.

The Rheinsteig is a long distance footpath following the right bank of the River Rhine all the way from Mainz to Bonn. It involves a lot of climbing up from riverside villages to high view points then coming down and going up again. Fortunately there are also foot and cycle paths at river level on both banks so you can mix and match,

I therefore followed the Rheinsteig from Linz am Rhein to Unkel then walked along the river bank to Rhoendorf before climbing up the Drachenfel before the descent into Koenigswinter.

Here are some photos

Linz am Rhein is a typical Rhineland town with traditional buildings

Did you know that these signs are placed at 2 kilometre intervals along the river so you can track the distance

The black pillars are what remains of the famous railway bridge at Remagen

There are car ferries across the river

And vines on the slopes - the grapes appear quite small this year

Looking south from Drachenfel

Looking north towards Bonn from Drachenfel

GERMANY - The City of Charlemagne

Well, it was very much the morning after the night before in Brussels today, by 10:15 the flower carpet had been almost cleared from the Grand Place and the cobbles were being washed. Time I think, to move on.

Particularly when the next country is less wealthy, railway companies will sometimes use their most decrepit rolling stock on services that go across a border because they are worried their train may get damaged or not returned - This was often the case in the days of the Iron Curtain.

Clearly the Belgians don't trust the Germans to give them their trains back as can be seen by this graffiti covered specimen that was on the cross border service to Aachen today. It's one of the oldest trains in the Belgian fleet.

Aachen is the first city over the border in Germany - indeed it's urban area spills over into both Belgium and The Netherlands making it a truly European place. It is also the city of Charlemagne who was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by the Pope in the year 800. He ruled from Aachen and his remains are in Aachen.

Charlemagne's last resting place is the cathedral. A real mixture of architecture with the inside (which is beautiful) being covered in mosaics rather like an eastern church.  It has some fine stained glass most of which is modern due to war damage.

As with a lot of German cities, Aachen also has a rather impressive Rathaus or Town Hall.

Lastly, I think I have discovered what is wrong with the British High Street and why all the shops are closing ........ We don't have shops like this!!

BELGIUM - Saving Europe

It's 1974 and Europe is in turmoil - Luxembourg had won the Eurovision Song Contest the previous year but had declined to host the 1974 competition - what was to be done? Fortunately Britain came to the rescue of Europe in its hour of need and the BBC staged the event in Brighton, with Katie Boyle eventually announcing that a group from Sweden had won, singing a song called Waterloo.

Now ABBA were not singing about rush hour rail delays in South West London, no, they were singing about a battle just outside Brussels in 1815 when Britain and it's allies, led by the Duke of Wellington, rescued Europe (yet again) by defeating Napoleon. So today, let's see where this great battle actually took place. It's a short train ride from Brussels but note that if you are going to the battlefield site then the station at Braine l'Alleud one stop after Waterloo is actually the better place to get off.

Firstly there is the "Memorial 1815" a large underground visitor centre which because it's all very modern and hi-tech, I'm guessing, was all done for the 200th anniversary in 2015.  It takes you through some of the history of the time, tells you a bit about the armies and alliances and when the timeline reaches 1815 you go into a cinema where a 3D film literally puts you in the middle of the battle.  

From the visitor centre you move to the older exhibitions, firstly another of those panoramic paintings like I saw in The Hague.

And then you climb the "Lion's Mound" - a man made hill crowned with a large statue of a Lion with it's paw on a sphere.

And look out on the battlefield

I know - it's just a load of fields - but after you have spent some time in the Visitor Centre it actually starts to mean a lot more. And remember .......... WE WON!

BELGIUM - Get Those Selfie Sticks Ready Guys!

It really has been the battle of the Selfie Sticks here in Brussels today as the city is packed with tourists all trying to get the best view to Instagram to the world. I saw a woman in the cathedral earlier striking a pose outside a confession box - perhaps she has a big announcement to make this evening?

Every two years, a vast carpet of flowers is laid out in the centre of the Grand Place and as it is only on show for one long weekend you can image how many selfie sticks there are in action. Here are some of my pics and it was definitely worth seeing.

If you are thinking why have I not made the effort to get an aerial shot from the balcony of the city hall I will answer that thought with the statement - 6 euro and a very long queue!!

Then of course no self respecting tourist can leave Brussels without a pic with the famous peeing cherub, who is at the moment all dressed up for the occasion.

Personally after the disappointment of not getting a selfie with Nigel Farage outside a golden elevator yesterday I was rather hoping for one with King Philippe. Unfortunately he wasn't at the palace today.

The public summer opening of the state rooms in the working royal palaces of Europe is now very much a regular event. However, in contrast to the £24.00 to gain entry to Buckingham Palace in London, King Philippe lets you wander round for nothing. And very impressive it was too.

And just in case you are wondering what I did this afternoon. I escaped the crowds and spent a relaxing afternoon at the National Railway Museum - Train World - where amongst other things I had a couple of go's on the driving simulator. 

BELGIUM - Vive L'Europe

BREXITeers should look away now .............

Today I have been to the European Parliament - Aujourd'hi je suis alle au Parlement europeen - Vandaag ben ik in het Europees Parlement geweest - Danas sam bio u Europskom parlamentu

And that's the amazing fact that I have come away with - everything is translated into the 24 official languages used in the EU which equals 552 possible combinations. (The above are English, French, Dutch and Croatian (thanks Google translate!))

The other fact is that it is huge, the biggest parliamentary chamber I have been in. An interesting comparison is when you compare it with Westminster. There are 751 MEP's which is only 101 more than we have in London. However, in the House of Commons they are not all guaranteed a seat because it only actually seats 437. Now I'm being really cynical but I guess that gives 213 of ours an excuse for not turning up unless it is something really important?

Anyway here are a couple of pics and then it's time to change the subject and let the BREXITeers back in.

London has Big Ben (OK the Elizabeth Tower), Paris the Eiffel Tower and Rome the Colosseum .............. Brussels has the Atomium.

To be honest I have always liked the Atomium, built for the 1958 World Fair, It is wacky and retro and in August very very crowded.

You go to the top in a lift that in 1958 was the fastest in Europe. To move between the spheres the "arms" contain either staircases 

or escalators with some cool lighting effects. 

Here are some views from the top.

NETHERLANDS - Say Cheeeeeeeese!

Today, Thursday, is market day in Gouda and that means cheese and lots of it!

It also means lots of people in funny clothes (and clogs), horse drawn carts, organs and loads of tourists all wanting to get a selfie with a wheel of cheese. Touristy it is, but it's also good clean fun.

The action all takes place in the market square between the town hall and the weigh-house and as well as the cheese there are stalls all around the square selling fruit, veg, clothes and various take away foods - fried fish, waffles, pancakes etc.

The Town Hall

On a day other than market day Gouda would be a very pleasant place to have a wander, the church is particularly impressive - the longest in The Netherlands and has some very impressive 16th century stained glass. You can also have a look at a company that makes caramel waffles - lots of samples!

Later on this afternoon I caught a train from Rotterdam to Brussels where the Belgian part of this trip commences in the morning.

NETHERLANDS - Government and Art

Half an hour north from Rotterdam by train is The Hague, which although not the capital of The Netherlands, is the seat of government, the home of the King and where most embassies are located.

There were three main things to visit today - The Binnenhof, home of the Dutch Parliament - The Mauritshuis, the King's art gallery - and finally the Panorama Mesdag.

The Binnenhof

I hadn't really got myself organised with the Binnenhof as I should have booked the full tour online (but then I probably would not have had time for other things), however, I was able to get a tour of the Ridderzaal or Knights' Hall which is where King Willem-Alexander performs the state opening of parliament.  Judging by the film that is shown as part of the tour, it is much the same as what happens in London, complete with golden coach and lots of people on horses.

Nearby is the Mauritshuis, a not too big, easily managed art gallery which principally contains works from the golden age of Dutch and Flemish painting - Holbein, Rubens, Van Dyck, Rembrandt - with the most famous painting being Vermeer's "Girl with a Pearl Earring" I personally was rather taken with "Old Woman and a Boy with Candles" by Rubens.

 The highlight of the day was a visit to the Panorama Mesdag which was recommended to me by Geoff. This is a huge 360 degree painting of Scheveningen in 1880 painted by Hendrik Willem Mesdag. It's housed in a purpose built building and you come up stairs into the middle with the painting all around you and the aim is to make you feel that you are indeed standing on a sand dune in 1880. It's amazing, difficult to explain but if you go to The Hague, you should make time to see it.

Just around the corner from the Panorama is the Peace Palace, a building paid for by Andrew Carnegie and opened in 1913 which is home of the International Court of Justice. So when you see the judges in The Hague on TV, you now know where they are. Guided tours are available at certain times of the year but have to be booked online.

I haven't got enough time on this trip for a day in Delft. However, as I saw a tram in The Hague that was going to Delft I thought it would be nice to have an evening wander and dinner there before returning to Rotterdam. And so I end today's report with a couple of evening pictures of Delft. The canals were covered in duckweed which I think has something to do with the hot weather recently.