I was so excited to receive an early Christmas present this year - a visit from the Polkas! After a rip-roaring good time together at Oktoberfest in 2009, I was so thrilled that one of my dearest friends from high school, Allison and her husband, J.W., made it possible to squeeze in one more trip to visit us overseas. Unfortunately, this would be a much shorter visit than before, only 5 days, but we still managed to see and do a lot in this timeframe. After picking them up from the airport in Amsterdam, we immediately trekked to the Kinderdijk with its 19 windmills strung out on both sides of canals. What would a trip to Holland be without windmills?
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| At the Kinderdijk |
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| At the Kinderdijk |
After a morning of admiring windmills and lunch at the best pannekoekenbakker in Thorn, we finally made it to our house where they received their "welcome" gifts.... clog slippers, of course.
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| Showing off their clog slippers |
There's nothing better than being able to show off your town and a glimpse of your life to friends and family from home. I was so happy that Allison and J.W. loved Sittard and our way of life here. When Jon and I had to abandon them for a couple hours for church cantata rehearsal, they made the most of their time biking to town and perusing the shops and cafes.
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| In the Sittard Markt |
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| Sittard |
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| Jon's favorite statue, in Sittard |
Although the weather can be quite cold, one of the best reasons for visiting in December is to see all the fantastically festive Christmas markets throughout Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. We first went to the Christmas-glammed town of Valkenburg, the Netherlands, to visit the unique market in the caves and enjoy a superb dinner.
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| Valkenburg Christmas Market |
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| Dinner in Valkenburg |
On our way to my favorite Christmas market in Aachen, Germany, we visited the Drielandenpunt, where the borders of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands meet.
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| Drielandenpunt |
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| Enjoying some cocoa and gluwein at the Aachen Christmas Market |
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| Aachen Christmas Market |
At the end of their stay, we spent their final day and night in Amsterdam to explore Holland at its best - canal-roaming, flower market perusing, cheese-tasting, Van Gogh admiring, Heineken-brewing and Anne Frank learning. And we still managed to fit in a bit of shopping as well.
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| An Allie-Cat in a Clog |
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| Amsterdam |
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| Jon and JW touring the Heineken Brewery |
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| Amsterdam at Night |
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| A post-dinner stroll through the Red Light District |
We couldn't have asked for more beautiful weather during their stay and I was amazed how much we were able to fit in during their 5 days here. It was an incredibly wonderful visit and I'm so grateful to Allison and J.W. for making this trip a priority before their baby comes this spring. Thanks for the many good times and I can't wait for many more ahead!
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