Debbie and Steve leave Montalcino today.  First stop:  Milan.

Where did the time go????  From Milan we go to Bern Switzerland , then Interlochen, then  Garmmesh,  back to Venice , then Salzburg , then Munich , Rottenburg, Denmark , Sweden , home.  We have to make calls to book the military bases that will house us when we are in Garmmesh, Venice , Munich and Rottenburg.

With all the water in Holland, she didn’t know whether to have us travel on a road or canal.

In Monaco, she had no understanding  of what a one way street was (we spent an hour going 3 miles…round and round and round). 

And because she thinks she knows it all, if we ask to get out of Monaco and into Italy, rather than take the best road, she just takes us up and out and into the French Alps, whereas 2 miles out of our way would have given us a real road and not a cart path.

Now tomorrow  she has her last challenge for awhile: to get us to Montalcino from Pisa in the 3 hour drive time indicated…or she goes in the suitcase and I go buy a map.

Rijksmuseum

The Rijksmuseum in the heart of Amsterdam has the greatest collection of Rembrandt paintings (his home town) as well as a collection of Vermeer’s to die for.

We were frisked and relieved of our carry-stuff, but stood inches away from the paintings that, up until now, I  had only seen in books.

Because the place was open late on Friday, we were able to squeeze it in after driving into town, parking under the Olympic Stadium, and taking a trolley to the center of town (you should be  impressed by that feat).

There were even madrigal singers doing a program in one of the galleries.

We enjoyed a full day of God’s magnificent creation in the morning, and Man’s atempt to paint it in the afternoon.

Sadly we couldn’t take picures of the paintings.

So much water!

And sooooo many tulips!

And so many Bicycles.

This completely level country of canals is overrun with bikes as the major means of transportation.  The bike lanes are bigger than the car lanes and have the right of way. We are talking Millions!

We enjoyed a delightful B&B for 2 nights and crammed one full day with the Gardens and the Rijksmuseum.

This country definitely has personality.  It is definitely COLD and I am wearing 4 layers.

Only open two months of the year, what originally started as a competition between tulip growers has become a renown vista of incredible beauty…it just feeds the soul.  We drove with the top down in the car, speakers blaring, seat warmers on!

Only about 30% was in bloom, but you could see the potential. There is a huge greenhouse display that had everything in bloom, There were also various competitions going on  in several halls showing orchids, mums, amaryllis and many others.

We walked for miles,but never tired looking at all the beauty!

The Road Through Kiel

We left the Volvo dealership with only 5 miles to drive to arrive at the ship and we still got lost! We drove the car up the ramp, hopped out and went to our stateroom for a 13 hour boat trip from Gothenburg (gyoatbuhrg) Sweden to Kiel, Germany.

Once in Germany, “Lucy” had a great deal of difficulty getting used to Europe.  But we eventually found our Bed & Breakfast in Keukenhof, Netherlands and will be staying here for the next 2 days.

But let me tell you about the Autobahn…it’s raining, new car, new country, and the speed limit is 120!  We stayed to the right at a respectful 70 mph. That was fine, until 2 Smart cars passed us (we didnt count the Citroens and Mini Coopers).  We found the replica  of  “Noah’s Ark” in Dracken, and are near the flower fields which we will keep for tomorrow’s adventures.

It’s been a difficult day with being lost and everything in German or now Dutch.  Marriage is a daily commitment…we will try again tomorrow.