No Flights: No Mail

We've just been informed that since the airport closures began in Europe a week ago none of our mail bound for the U.S. has gone anywhere, nor has any mail from the U.S. been delivered to any APO in Europe. This is just what we need, considering that under the best of circumstances a simple letter from California takes about 12-15 days to make it to Belgium. I'm sure the American companies/banks, whose bill payments from us are now certain to arrive late, will be most understanding and will have the grace and kindness to assess no late fees. NOT!

Bikes, Not Dikes

In fairness to Holland and Amsterdam (see the post below, from a few days ago), they do have some very obvious redeeming qualities. When we think of Holland, the first thought that often comes to mind is dikes. For me, it's bikes. With the possible exception of Copenhagen, nowhere have I ever seen as many bikes as in Amsterdam. What the car is to L.A., the bike is to this city. And please note, these are not your fancy-schmancy, 35-speed, American mountain-desert-ocean bikes, capable of reaching speeds of Mach 3. Every one seems to be a 1-speed, 1-color, 1-seat, no-frills, basic Dutchorama, which makes a Schwinn look like a Harley.
But there are exceptions: what is the highest number of children you've ever seen on a bike with a parent? For me, I think it might possibly be two, but one is the more obvious answer. Not in Amsterdam. Try four! Yup - that's what I saw on a small street running beside one of the 3,578 canals in this city. Three in a Kiddie-Box up front, and one in a more traditional behind-the-mom perch in the back. I saw no bruises or scars on the faces of the kids, so I have to assume it all works out. All I can say is, better she than me!

(In)Famous Amsterdam

Every large city in Europe is associated with a famous site or two. I say London, you think of Big Ben. I say Rome, you dream of St. Peter's and the Roman Forum. Think of Paris and you instantly have a mental picture of the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe.
So, what about Amsterdam, the largest city in the Netherlands? I just got back from a business trip there and had a chance to visit the city for the third time. This is not your typical tourist's Europe, I think that's safe to say. The "coffee houses" are well-known to certain younger folks and the red light district (which is blocks long, or so I heard from a friend. Really!) is featured on every city tour. Some of the shops are, well, almost beyond description. You be the judge.
I guess it's better to be famous for something, even if it's this, than to be famous for nothing. I guess...

Baby Stalactites

An artsy shot from a recent visit to one of Belgium's numerous caves.

Smallest? - No way. Very Pretty? - Absolutely

There is a small town in eastern Belgium called Durbuy (sounds like the start of a Neil Young song...). It's been around for 700 years and somehow continues to claim to be the "smallest town in the world." With a population of over 1,000 today, this is obviously a bogus claim. Maybe centuries ago it might have been the smallest incorporated town, but today I imagine there are dozens of villages, right here in Belgium, that are smaller.
Brags aside, Durbuy is a very cute village and, based on our visit last week, a real draw for Dutch tourists (nearly half the cars in our large parking lot were from Holland). As we quickly noted, with almost every street cobble-stoned, this is a place to leave your high heels and baby strollers in the car!

Paying Respect

About 60 miles east of here, near the German border, there are 2 large U.S. cemeteries. We have visited one (Henri-Chapelle) several times, where 7,000 dead (mostly from the Battle of the Bulge) are buried. Last week we visited the other (Ardennes), where 5,000 are buried. Here, most are downed bomber crews, lost on their way to or back from Germany, late in the war. There are 9 sets of brothers, 3 Medal of Honor recipients, and nearly 1,300 MIAs or unknowns. Like all other U.S. cemeteries we've visited in Europe, this one is beautiful - so tranquil, well-maintained, and respectful. Mysteriously, there is a single female (civilian) buried here, and no one seems to know exactly where she "came from." Some say she was the daughter of an early caretaker, but the current managers here have been unable to find a shred of proof.
We always feel good about visiting these cemeteries; it just seems like something all Americans in Europe should do, at least once. It truly is a moving experience.

Livin' the Life of (Cat) Riley...

They're Here...They're STILL Here...

That's right: the potholes from hell are still with us, 3 months after their birth. But progress is being made: just last week I saw a 3-man road crew shoveling some fresh asphalt into a few pits on a major highway. They then tamped it down...with their shovels. And I'll bet they were shocked the next day to find that all their magnificent work had magically disappeared. If you think it's bad for cars, what about for motorcycles? A group of two-wheelers got so angry that they carried out a small protest march recently in downtown Brussels. The result? You guessed it: three months and counting. If the bikers' group was just a bit larger, they could form a union and then go on strike. I believe that striking has now overtaken soccer as Europe's biggest sport.

Colors of Barcelona

Plant, vegetable, mineral...

Barcelona is definitely a colorful place!

That's Gaudi, Not Gaudy

Moving on to happier thoughts (see the older post below), this is Barcelona. If you know Gaudi, come to Barcelona. If you love Barcelona, you must love Gaudi. If you hate Gaudi, you'd better stick to Madrid or Pamplona. It's that simple.

Probably nowhere else in the world is a city so associated with a single architect, and vice versa. From the Park Guell at the top of town, to the not-close-to-finished-and-may-never-be Sagrada Familia, to the private houses and smaller monuments, the city is a tribute to this one man, whose work you probably either love or hate. To me, it's a mixture of Art Nouveau, sand-drip castles on the beach, and a scene or two from the Flintstones movie. He makes Frank Lloyd Wright seem downright old-fashioned and tame.
We found it all fascinating, so very different from everything else we've seen in northern Europe. Now, if Barcelona can just work on its pickpocket problem...