Tulip Trip to the Netherlands: Leiden (April 28, 2017)

Back in November of 2016, I was notified that I'd earned my way to the Beachbody Success Club Trip in Punta Cana.  It was largely paid for.  I was elated.  Shelby was going to join me.  Sadly, when we went to book, only the most expensive rooms were left, and we couldn't justify the increase in price.  We promised each other we'd figure out another trip.  So when Shelby told Kristy that there was a flight sale to the Netherlands, we both proclaimed we'd love to see the tulips, and plans were born.

Day 0 - Friday, April 28, 2017
DFW to ATL to AMS
While I absolutely love having the Priority Pass that gives you lounge access, the DFW lounge has to be one of the weakest we’ve been to. Regardless, free beverages even if the staff is slow to restock and a touch rude.

When we found out the flight to Atlanta was going to be delayed, I went to ask the desk if there was anything we could do to help expedite ourselves or the chances the next plane would be held. We only had a 40 minute connection, and I was nervous. Turns out I was speaking to the pilot. He was incredibly kind. He told us about the layout of Atlanta's airport and told us he'd speed. He really did put the pedal to the metal. We wound up somehow landing on time and getting to our gate during the boarding process. He even mentioned me on the intercom!

Doggie rest area in ATL

Day 1 - Saturday, April 29, 2017
We arrived in Schipol around 1pm.

AMS is a really nice airport.

We found the train station (so easy), and, while it wouldn’t take our credit cards (heads up…Visa is not well accepted in the Netherlands) and we had to use my Schwab debit card, we did luck out and each got a free sample of First Choice cola (original American taste) from the company who had a booth in the train station.

Shelby samples First Choice cola with Original American taste

We’d already received train information from our AirBnB host in Leiden, and we took the train to Leiden Central where Dennis, our nice AirBnB host, was waiting to take us to the apartment.

Our AirBnB was large and had character.

We loved the dishes in our AirBnB.

I thought these tulips were fake at first.  So pretty.

After getting our bearings, we spent the rest of the day exploring the markets in Leiden.

We enjoyed eating hot stroopwafels, buying fruit, bread, and apple pie, and seeing a little of Leiden and the awesome poetry they have in the sides of buildings throughout​ the city.

The flowers are so inexpensive

Dinner was chicken from the market for Shelby and grocery store chicken from quick shopping at Dirk's grocery for Kristy.

We called it an early night. 12 hours of sleep later, we were ready to go.

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Berlin Broke My Blog (July 3, 2014)

Today is April 2, 2017...it's been far too long since I've blogged.
I say that Berlin broke the blog...not because I didn't like Berlin...I did.  More because seeing the lines that represented the wall that divided the city really hit me deeply...especially since we were seeing this city on July 3rd & 4th (USA Independence Day) in 2014.

Walking the marker that represents the Berlin wall was a somber experience.

When you added up our trip to the Anne Frank House, the readings I'd been doing on the Holocaust, the trip to Dachau, the memorials in Budapest and the Terror Museum...Berlin just cemented it all in.

I haven't successfully written a blog post since.  But I will.  I'm going to finish Berlin (July 3rd and 4th of 2014) and then I'm going to start from my latest trip and work my way backward.  Because I miss the stories...

July 3, 2014
Truth is, we stayed in a lovely AirBnB Kris had found (save $40 using my AirBnB link).

The Berlin train station is quite lovely, and I enjoyed the cartoonish street crossing signs.

And our first day in Berlin was largely spent admiring the colorful, powerful, large murals around the city.

I highly recommend doing a street art tour, even if it's self-guided.

Parts of the Berlin wall still stand, and these parts are covered in graffiti.  I held most of it in reverence, but I had to laugh at this piece with David Hasselhoff.

What remains of the Berlin Wall is covered in street art.

It's hard to fathom that the Berlin wall stood in my lifetime.  I appreciate that Berlin has emerged so colorful.  

After the street art tour, Kris took us to Berlin's Computerspielemuseum.

Since it is several years later, I can't remember what many of the items in the photos below were, but I do remember having fun...especially playing with the life-sized Atari joystick.

And anywhere with Link and Zelda is naturally good with Kris.

We hit a grocery store on the way back to our apartment where Kris made us some Spaetzle mit gewurtz hackfleisch und tomatensauce (dinner for two for only 6 Euro), and we did laundry. 

In the words of Kris, "The wash cycle is very similar to how we do it in the states, but the dry cycle takes 2 days. As a bonus, all your clothes are crunchy!"

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