More Koln pics

Beer brewed in Koln.




Up in the tower, 100 meters high.









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Greetings from Germany!

Hello from Essen! A damp and cold Essen, that is. I'm staying with Chris (Peter's second cousin) and his girlfriend, Sonja. Yesterday was a visit to ancient Xanten to see 2000-year-old ruins from Roman times. Then dinner with Chris's family. Today Chris and I visited three castles and then went to Koln to see the cathedral. We climbed 533 steps up to the top of the south tower. Pant pant. The inside is amazing. Just beautiful. Then back to Essen and dinner with the fam. Tomorrow is exploring Essen, and it's supposed to be sunny. Hooray!!














Not much left of this castle.










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Jen's trip: Part Two

It's official --- the 2010 GSE trip has ended. Kevin and Heather and Dick are on a flight back to the States right now, David is on his way to Denmark with friends, and I will soon be on my way to Duisburg, Germany, to meet Chris, Peter's cousin. I actually should be on my way there right now, but we were waiting on the wrong track for the train. D'oh. So now I have an hour to kill before the next train arrives.

So Chris and I will be staying in Essen and traveling to Koln and along the Rhine to see some castles. I plan to stay Wednesday night in Amsterdam to fly out Thursday morning. It's cold and rainy here today and my suitcases each weigh at least 50 pounds. Need to clean out a few more things before Thursday.

Happy Memorial Day to everyone back home!!

Pics from Utrecht

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Friday

Shopping day in Utrecht! Excellent. Tonight is our final night together because David is leaving tomorrow after the district conference. I'll head to Germany Sunday morning and everyone else is flying out that morning as well. It's been an amazing trip!!! Thanks to everyone who made this happen, from our family and friends at home housesitting to our host families and clubs. What an incredible opportunity we've had.

Location:Oudegracht aan de Werf,Utrecht,The Netherlands

Photos

Amsterdam







Apple factory!




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More photos

Housing at Utrecht University




Cooking class in zaltbommel.




I made the mousse with vanilla sauce.




Dick and Kevin made the starter



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Zaltbommel photos

Kevin and the apples.

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Amsterdam pics

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Finally, an update!

I'm writing this this afternoon in hopes that it can be posted tonight at a restaurant with wifi. Hope so! We've spent the week in Zaltbommel, only about 25 minutes from our last club. We went biking last Sunday through Geldermasen (sorry if it's spelled wrong) and to the town of Buren. Had a great cherry and apple pancake with cream. Pancakes here are like large plate-sized crepes. Deelish!
Monday was Amsterdam with a boat tour through the canals and a visit to the Hermitage, a branch of the Hermitage in st. Petersburg. We saw several pieces by Matisse and Picasso among others.

Tuesday was what we called "fruit day." The day involved visits to a fruit broker, grower and trader.

Wednesday was a vocational day and I went to Utrecht to visit a hogeschool and a university. The hogeschool focuses on applied arts and the university is more research and science. Too complicated to explain here while typing on an iPhone :-)

And now today I went to a magazine office this morning and we are on our way to Lovenstein Castle. RC meeting tonight, and shopping in Utrecht tomorrow. Excellent!

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Hi from Amsterdam!

Just arrived --- had a great day of biking yesterday. Staying in Zaltbommel until saturday. Going to a Matisse exhibit next then a canal tour. Enjoying the sun and warm weather!!


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A Close GSE Team

Today was our much-anticipated visit to the sauna, Thermen Lucaya. They had an 80-degree Celsius sauna, a 90-degree sauna, a room with infrared lights, a steam room, an ultraviolet room, a room with a salt scrub and lavender pool to soak in, and then they have a whirlpool with pine and herbs in it, a regular whirlpool, and my favorite, a room with five salt water tubs in it. All the rooms had low lighting, LED "stars" on the ceiling, and soft music. You choose what you want to do, just making sure you go from hot to cold and not hot to hot. Oh, and a large swimming pool is in the middle, and there is another pool with freezing water in it. Yes, freezing. It was like getting an electric shock. You can also go outside and sun bathe, or go into other relaxation rooms with reclining rocking chairs. We had just two hours and then the girls got a 30-minute hand and foot massage and the guys got a 15-minute water massage. Then a deelish lunch, and we had to leave.

And yes, the clothes went into a locker when you got there. And that's probably all the details you need to know ;-)


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Pics

Rotterdam.

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Video of biking

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Boating day

Great afternoon sailing on lake IJsselmeer. It's a giant inland lake --- not sure of the size, but here are pics.












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I'm on a boat!

Almost .... ;-) heading out soon!



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At Nyenrode University

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Monday, May 17

Quick update --- went to the city of Oss today. Had our RC meeting after we toured the city and visited the Meuditrend furniture company. They make custom-made furniture and we saw everything from the sewing department to the wood cutting to the assembly. This afternoon was the long-awaited tour to the Mars chocolate factory. Sorry, no pics to share, but we got to see lots of chocolate bars in production and eat some samples on the way. Super cool place, and though I didn't fulfill my dream of swimming in a vat of chocolate, eating a bar off the line was pretty cool. :-)

Just finished a great dinner and will be heading to Rotterdam tommorrow. Tot ziens!







Couch in production.




No photos inside!






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Where we are

In s'Hertogenbosch. Finally got the name. We did a boat tour on the canals under and around the city. Really cool! 900 toilets used to dump into the canals, so it's nice that changed. Off for a city tour then not sure what. So happy the sun is out!!


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More stuff

Break time :-)




Deelish cream puff thing.

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Pics

From our river tour




What we do whenever we find wifi :-)








Under the city




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Pics

Today in a place I can't spell :-)














Our boat on the river Dieze (I think).

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