Going Dutch: May 6: Moving north

Note: this info is from a few days ago, but I just got wifi today :-)

Greetings from Stein and Urmond! We left Maastricht yesterday morning after we visited the Sappi paper factorvvy on Tuesday afternoon. We had Tuesday morning to ourselves and we got some shopping done. Some Maastricht wine is now packed in my suitcase :-) Tuesday night was our presentation to the oldest Rotary club in Maastricht. They meet in a beautiful old building that was built in the 1600s. Afterwards we went out with a few members and had a great time. We were sad to leave everyone yesterday --- everyone was gracious and wonderful hosts.

Yesterday morning we went to Blegny coal mine in Belgium. It closed in 1980. It was a privately owned mine while it was open. Cool tour, but very cold in the mine. Lunch was in a good restaurant on the border of Belgium and the Netherlands. We then went to meet our new hosts.

I am staying with Hans and Bernadette Lurvink in their 1790 home. As soon as Heather and I arrived, we were told to get outside to see a parade pass by. Turns out that it was Liberation Day and everyone was celebrating the 65th anniversary of their freedom. As part of the celebration, a group of runners started in Normandy three days ago and ran up to Stein. They passed us, and then a parade of old US army trucks and vehicles came past. Hans stopped a truck, opened the door, and shoved us in. Heather was barely in and the guy took off with us hanging on. So we drove down the street in this 1940s tow truck, waving at the locals who were lined up to watch. We kept going and going, and Heather and I started asking to be let out. With his limited English, it wasn't working well. He finally stopped and there we were, about 25 minutes (walking) from home. We started heading back and met Hans who was out to come find us. Without missing a beat, he put us in the car and drove like crazy to the city center. A big festival was set up and Hans took us up into the reviewing stand and then into a reception. Everyone knows Hans, and he was intoducing us to tons of people, including the air attaché for the US to the Dutch air force. He grew up in Ohio, so he was great to chat with. Dinner was at Hans' home (delicious lasagna) and I called it an early night.

Today has been a visit to the DSM chemical company. Super huge complex with 55 plants and 2500 acres. They make fertilizers, products for food, and even non-reflective window glass. A bit too technical and science-y for this English major, but still interesting to see the plant. This afternoon is a trip to Aachen, Germany. It's a 2000-year-old city --- should be cool!

Update:
It's Friday and we are at Orbis Hospital in Sittard. This morning I went to Open University on Herleen. It has 30K plus students and they take classes online via distance learning. I met with their marketing/communications director. Very interesting! The other team members went to an old monastery that is being turned into apartments. The pictures look really neat.

And I had my first herring today! Actually, I liked it. Not fishy at all! I'd do it again :-)

Raining here again today. Aachen was cool, but wet and cold. We took a walking tour and had a coffee in a cage that was built in 1655. Very cool. Dinner was in another old restaurant and was great. The cathedral in Aachen was beautiful, even in the rain.

Rotary club meeting tonight. Hope it goes well!!

Going to the coal mine.

Lunch!! Vleercroketten, or something like that.

Aachen cathedral