cyrsullivan
Oct 27, 2024
4 min read
After an uneventful flight from Ottawa, we touched down in Brussels mid September to launch our fall western Europe tour. We began in Maastricht, Netherlands, where we spent a few days touring with our good friends Paul Allen and his daughter Rachael. Maastricht is a surprisingly compact and dynamic town, well worth a visit. Another worthy stop is the nearby Abbey, Val Dieu. A Cistercian monastery turned brewery, it’s well known for doling out spiritual refreshment.
Maastricht street art. Stimulating
We had the pleasure of attending the WWII Liberation of Maastricht celebrations
Nothing says spiritual enlightenment like beer and charcuterie.
Next, we ventured north by train to Zandvoort, Netherlands, a seaside town near Amsterdam. We whiled away the days strolling the city, Amsterdam and Harrlem (Sandy’s grandmother’s hometown). Renting bicycles, we rode the breathtaking Dune Loop. A well-maintained bike path, it meanders through seaside dunes, lush forests and, unexpectedly, through Hillegom, Sandy’s grandfather’s birthplace. A perfect place to stop for a well deserved ice-cream.
Street art depicting Zandvoort as one of Netherlander’s Grand Prix circuits.
Amsterdam, a cornucopia of fantastic, albeit slim architecture.
An immaculately restored windmill, now a museum in the heart of Harrlem
The Dunes of Zandvoort, not your normal bike path
Our next stop was Koblenz, Germany. We teamed up with sister Maureen and her husband Roger to explore Koblenz and the surrounding Mosel Valley. A short-day trip to Traben-Trarbach and an e-bike up the Lahn River to Bad Ems were the highlights.
Traben-Trarbach, as seen from the Grevenburg Castle Ruins
Grevenburg Castle Ruins, as seen from the Traben-Trarbach
The Casino in Bad Ems exudes affluence,
while the many locks along the Lahn River hearken back to days gone by
The WWI cemetery in Koblenz was visually stark and poignant.
The horizontal grey pavers are the head stones of hundreds of German solders
Next, we set our sites on Maastricht collect Paul Allen, our unofficial tour guide, and begin our Battlefield Tour. Our target, Arras, France, a war-ravaged town close to the Western Front Line. Days were long and jammed packed, but extremely moving and thought provoking. The must-sees sites were the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial, the Vimy Ridge National Historic Site and the Carrière Wellington (a fantastic, guided tour through the extensive tunnels under Arras). After an emotional four days we returned Paul to Maastricht, dropped Maureen and Roger at the Brussels Airport and hopped a train south to Lyon France.
The Beaumont-Hamel Memorial, is a must see for Newfoundlanders and Canadians alike
The reconstructed trenches and the Vimy Ridge Canadian Memorial are breathtaking
The myriad tunnels under Arras housed thousands of solders during WWI
Lyon is a vibrant cosmopolitan town with numerous UNESCO heritage sites. It’s awash with stunning architecture and medieval charm. Paris-esque, it feels more approachable and relaxed. It’s easily visited in a few days. Again, we wandered the streets, visiting tourist attractions, sipping lattes and soaking in the atmosphere. We stopped by an ancient roman amphitheatre. Much to our amusement, it was hosting a Medieval Festival, sweet.
Live Action Roll Players (LARPers) want to LARP
Avignon was our next stop. Recommended by Rick Steves - and brother Kevin, it was a last-minute addition to our itinerary. Avignon is home to a plethora of abandoned gems waiting to be explored. The town is centred around the Popes’ Palace, a fortified palace of a colossal size. It was constructed by six successive Popes fleeing the unrest in Rome between 1309 to 1376 . We spent three days exploring the town before we continued south to Barcelona where we reconnected with Paul and Rachel Allen.
The Popes’ Palace. A literal fortresses of impenetrability
Sur le pont d’Avignon. Of course we danced!
The colourful and trendy vibe of Barcelona was instantly palpable. We stayed in a chic pad on Passieg de Gràcia, a majestic boulevard that was a showcase for Barcelona’s bourgeoisie at the turn of the 19th century. Time passes quickly when there’s so much to see. In our short three day visit, we were able to explore the Basílica de la Sagrada Família and the Park Güell, and partake in a three hour guided walking tour of the ancient city centre. By pure happenstance, we were promenading the waterfront as one of the 37th America’s Cup races concluded. New Zealand won, oh what fun!
One of Gaudi’s inspirations along Passieg de Gràcia
The Gaudi inspired Basílica de la Sagrada Família
Sandy and Rachel chill’n in Park Güell
As much as we were enjoying Barcelona, it was time to pick up a rental car for a quick three day loop of the area. The objective, a pilgrimage to Montserrat, a walking tour in the micro country of Andorra, and a visit to the Dalí Theatre and Museum in Figueres. All three objectives were a hit and highly recommended for anyone in the area. The week ended with the gang returning to the Barcelona airport. For Paul and Rachel, it was homeward bound, for us it was off to Portugal!
The Montserrat Monastery, the location of the Shrine of Our Lady of Montserrat, is perched high in the Montserrat Mountain Range. The statue of the Black Madonna created around 50 AD is the destination of the pilgrims.
Medieval Andorra la Vella is peppered with street art and eye catching architecture.
Salvador Dali’s surreal art challenges our imagination, but the man is the real story