Wednesday, September 9, 2015

AMSTERDAM


Today we visited Amsterdam. Amsterdam has more bicycles per capita than anywhere in the world. Everyone has one or two. We took a boat tour of the city. We fly back to the U.S. in the morning. We have been on one river cruise and ridden 25 trains to get from Avignon, France to Amsterdam, Netherlands. We are ready to get home and see our kids and grandkids. I am ready for some Donut Stop coffee and Nonette is ready for coffee with her prayer group girls. It will also be great to be somewhere where we speak the language   It has been a wonderful trip and we hope you have had fun traveling with us. Enjoy a few pictures of Amsterdam.



Tulip bulb market
Hillbillies at the tulip market
A canal cruise boat 
There is nothing "square" about these pretty buildings. 
Kids on boat tour 
One of the 1000 bridges in Amsterdam 


I'm a sucker for a Porsche
Amsterdam train station











Tuesday, September 8, 2015

THE LOUWMAN AUTOMOBILE COLLECTION IN THE HAGUE

Today we visited the Louwman Automobile Museum in The Hague, Netherlands.  This is one of the largest privately owned automobile museums in the world.  He has over 250 cars and the Talbot Lago's  pictured below are worth several million each.  A great collection with many rare American Cars.  This collection of cars compares well to the Nethercutt Collection in California.  There are several cars that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans race.  Tomorrow is the "shop til you drop" day in Amsterdam.  We are scheming a way to smuggle tulip bulbs out of Holland; except that would probably put us over our weight limit for our luggage.  Tomorrow in Amsterdam; then we are flying home on Thursday.

32 coupe with Hemi
Lincoln custom sedan delivery

Custom cycle in back

1939 Lagonda class winner at 1939 24 hours of Le Mans

1955 Abrath

1914 American Underslung

Chrysler Town and Country Convertible

1935 Duesenber SJ Nonette says we would look good driving this in Canyon

1910 Rolls Royce Shooting Brake

1903 Spyker Race Car; First car with 6 cylinders, 4 wheel drive, and 4 wheel brakes

1924 American La France fire truck; had to have driver for back wheels too

1935 Talbot Lago

1937 Talbot Lago

1904 Daimler Double Decker bus

1935 Lagonda winner 1935 24 hours of Le Mans

1912 Panhard with body by a ship builder; no doors

1903 Ford Model A

1887 Steam Car

Nonnie under small art work

1957 Jaguar Overall Winner of 1957 24 hours of Le Mans

1952 Aston Martin Competed in 1952 and 2015 Milli Miglia

The Aston Martin from the movie Gold Finger

1913 Thames Double Decker Motor Coach 45 horsepower; top speed 13 mph.  That back wheel is about 48 inches tall

This guys first car collected was a '24 Dodge.  He recreated a old Dodge Dealership in the museum



Sunday, September 6, 2015

BRUGGE BELGIUM

Brugge may be the chocolate capital of the world. There is a chocolate shop every 100 feet. Chartered in 1129 Brugge was one of Europes most important trading centers until about 1500 when the canals silted in. Because of the many canals Brugge was called the Venice of the north. We toured a brewery that was very interesting. Some their beer has 11% alcohol. We saw Michelangelo's Madonna and child which was done in 1504, in The Church of Our Lady.   We walked up on a cheese festival and had lots of samples. Brugge is a beautiful old city. 

The burg

Brewing pots
Great fries with mayonnaise 

Cheese festival
Swiss horn blowers in Belgium

Madonna and child

Church on market square

NONNIE on bridge with swan 


Our hotel on the canal
Sunbeam Alpine by our hotelo