Sorting some pictures...

I was going through some of the pictures from last year.....came across this sequence. It was probably Natalie or Noel who caught this.

Makes me want to be 4 again. Grab a cousin and just have some fun!

Two Weeks from Today

I'm not counting down....just kidding, I'm totally counting down! It's a pretty exciting proposition to pick your kid up from a mission. And this is it. Last kid. I have to admit, it's a little bitter-sweet. And again, another one of life's milestones we have to 'check-off'!

The Hall Connection

I tried 4 times to get a picture without a 'beer-belly' in the background....

But I wasn't having much luck!

Arianna can put on ANY hat and look gorgeous!

Buying rings/jewelry in Brugge

Happy chocolate tasters!

Oh yes, Desi gives Belgium a 'thumbs up' for first rate chocolate!

Berlin

We rented bikes for a day and I felt like that was when we really got a feel for the city. We rode along a canal to get to the Charlottenburg castle just outside the center of the city.

Charlottenburg castle

Having to rebuild the city completely from rubble after WWII they had some really unusual buildings.

A section of the wall that is totally ignored. Almost the best place to see it because it is in it's original and raw form.

On the reputed 'most beautiful bridge' in Berlin, there was a celebration going on. I participated!

The most beautiful bridge

Brandenburg Gate. Being able to walk through the portals makes your heart miss a beat for the joy of the freedom!

It's a beautiful city with lots of water and impressive buildings....even though it was leveled during WWII....they have done an amazing job in restoring it.

The 'historical' boat trip. Neither of us were impressed.

There were several areas of the city that were covered in graffiti. This was the Jewish quarter.

"Schmuck!"

This was symbolic for me. The wall....and above it the air balloon.

A long portion of the Wall still standing. We both thought that most of the wall was demolished, but there are long parts still standing. This is the area called 'Terrain of Terror'. The wall went up on Aug 13, 1961....so there were 50th anniversary 'remembering' events all over the city. Great time to be visiting!

A Jewish Memorial. Unmarked maze.

BEARLIN.....that's how they pronounce it!

We loved Berlin. We had mixed reviews from other travelers, but the city is clean, chock full of history, great restaurants, loads of super museums, canals and waterways.

For me though, it was the history that seemed to come alive. Nazi regime, Hitler, the Berlin Wall and communism. My two favorite museums were 'Terrain of Terror' where there is a long standing part of the wall with a display of pictures depicting the history of when/how/it was put up. The other was where Stauffenburg had his office....the guy who attempted to assassinate Hitler....remember the movie Valkyrie? It was amazing to be in his office and see the inner courtyard where he was murdered.

One coincidence. Tom moved to Germany as a boy in the early summer of 1961...and the wall goes up. Then we move to Europe as a family in Feb 1989...and on 9 Nov 1989 the wall came down!

We did have a fiasco because I mis-read the departure time from Berlin. Missed our flight. Oops. Had to buy new tickets and stay another night. Wasn't all that bad.....

Stupendous Sixty

Pop/Dad/Tom.....Happy 60th! Sixty and strong!