Jessi's Travels: Windmills, cheese, and flowers.

WHERE: Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany
WHEN: March 1998
WITH: Dad, Mom, and Diana
WHY: Spring Break

MEMORIES:
-1st time to Europe.
-Rijksmuseum
-Lots of bikes
-I was so incredibly tired once we got there...we took a canal boat to see the Anne Frank house and I remember falling asleep before my head hit my mom's lap. I also remember really liking the visit to Anne Frank's house.
-We stayed at a bed and breakfast in Amsterdam...which was essentially this old lady's house. Dad had to speak German to her.
-I liked going to Edam...a cheese town. I remember trying some new cheeses but not being brave enough to try the really strong cheeses.
-Waiting late at night at a bus station and seeing drug deals take place. They had blue lights in the bathroom so that people couldn't find their veins to use needles.
-We stayed with our friend Louise Gregory (she was my older siblings' 5th grade teacher) and her (then) husband Sjaak. We went to dinner in Germany. Diana and I were craving the American cereal we saw on top of Louise's fridge, but Sjaak insited we have a traditional Dutch breakfast. We were pretty disappointed, ha.
-My big souvenir was a small clock-locket on a long chain. My mom spoke French to a lot of the jewelers to ask if they had them. I still have it and wear it occasionally.
-Going to a flower auction - so pretty to see all those flowers!
-Seeing windmills and touring one.
-Learning about pewter.
-Using our umbrellas a lot.
-Cities we visited: Amsterdam, Volendam, Edam, Brugge, Brussels, Luxembourg City, Clervaux, Liege, Maastrct, Heerlen, Brusnum, Aachen, Valkenburg, and Aalsmeer.
-Food I remember eating: dutch pancakes, lots of baguettes with peanut butter mom brought, orange fanta, smurf cookies, genuine Belgium waffles (so good), chocolate, and traditional bread/cheese European breakfasts.

Oldest home in Amsterdam.

Lady whose "bed and breakfast" we stayed in.

Edam cheese in Edam.

Working windmill in Edam (someone's house).

Brugge

Chocolate shop in Brussels. I bought my older siblings a hollow chocolate egg that was full of different chocolates. I'm sure it broke on the way home.