SoF - Amsterdam / You've been saying it wrong!

The dust had just settled from our whirlwind tour with the kids when we decided to throw the dogs in our purple Mini Cooper and head on up to Amsterdam! The drive up was nice and not too long…just under four hours with a rest stop in Liège, Belgium. Sorry we didn't take any pics of Liège, so I'll just leave you with a link to their Tourist Office website. Yeah.

Any-who…On to Amsterdam. There is so much more to The Netherlands Capital beyond the Red Light district and the Coffeeshops. It truly is a spectacular city full of fun friendly people (mostly on bicycles), beautiful canals, unique architecture and loads of history and culture. We were absolutely mesmerized by the place. Amsterdam mingles Old World Charm effortlessly with modern ingenuity. As an added bonus for us Americans, everyone speaks English. Flawlessly.

The Dutch aren't afraid to erect slick new apartments in the Old Town just beyond a clock tower dating to 1614!

Vodelpark early in the morning before the bike commute began.

We did have one small hiccup with our hotel. Obviously we booked a hotel that was pet friendly, but upon arrival we were informed that the general manager for that particular hotel had decreed that pets were not allowed to be left in the rooms unattended. This makes little sense, and this also made us a bit perturbed. After a bit of negotiating and perhaps a threat to move to the hotel next door, we were able leave the boys in the room while we went out and about. Really, do they expect people to come to Amsterdam and not visit museums, churches and historical building? I simply suggested that they no longer advertise that they are pet friendly because their policy certainly isn't. One bright note is that we were mere steps away from the Vondelpark which was a great place to get the dogs their exercise.

Old Town Amsterdam is defined by a series of concentric canals that create a wonderful framework and allow tourists to wander freely over a myriad of bridges and through ancient cobblestone streets. There really is something magical about a city on the water, and Jeni and I can certainly see why the locals consider this 'The Venice of the North'. Although they do have stiff competition :)

Getting the boys some much needed exercise and culture...

…not to mention some practice at their cool café lifestyles.

We only had two days in Amsterdam, so unfortunately some top spots were missed. I say unfortunately, but I guess this just gives us another excuse to travel back to this magnificent pearl of a city! Here's just a fraction of what there is to see…enjoy!

Firstly, there's the Dutch Royal Palace.

Then there's completely refurbished Rijksmuseum which is home to many of the greatest works from the Dutch Masters

Like Rembrandt's 'The Night Watch'…re-imagined here life-sized in bronze.

And, yes there is a bike path that goes right through the ground floor.

The old city gate at Nieuwmarkt which is now a fun little café

Of course we found a Mexican Restaurant!

And finally, it's pronounced "Gow-Dah" cheese, and it is fantastic when baked into a pastry crust!

SoF is Exhausting!

As our Summer of Fun continues, we have tales of travel and lore of libations! June 23nd was Luxembourg's National Day and our most recent visitors arrived just in time to see the fireworks and jubilation that mark the night before Duke's Day. Our boy, Vann (aka Jihad), and his lovely wife, Alicia, flew all the way from Seattle to be with us and continue our explorations in and around the Grand Duchy….and, of course, we just had to show them the most important landmarks here in the Ville.

Well this is important to the Millennials…look at that smile :)

After the National Day festivities, we were treated to a huge pizza luncheon. Our new Italian neighbors, Massimo and Valeria, stuffed us full of homemade pizza baked on their grill. The food was fantastic, and hopefully gave the kids a glimpse into how sweet everyone here in Luxembourg truly is.   The food had hardly started digesting before we set off for the beautiful city of Nancy, France. I've already written quite a bit about Nancy, but the UNESCO World Heritage Site never ceases to amaze. It's even more stunning when the sun is out. Jihad claims to have permanent retna damage from all of the gilded ironwork and white stones!

They look so miserably cute, don't they?

Now you may notice a trend in the next series of pics...

After our day trip down to France, we took the opportunity to show the kids a bit of our other large neighbor, Germany. To be sure we popped over to Trier which is too close not to visit, and after that we drove down the Moselle River to the quaint medieval village of Bernkastle. 

Bernkastle is in the heart of the German wine region - the vineyard's line the slopes behind the town.

Vann and Alicia were with us for only six days which was way too short. I feel bad that we ran them ragged trying to squeeze in as much as possible in this small window. Our European friends can't fathom how one can have only a week's vacation each year…America truly needs to step up it's holiday game. The kids were stoic, but the jet lag and all the day trips really took their toll. One small reward was the discovery of a new drink. Vann found a mixture of lager beer with a splash of Picon (a slightly alcoholic herbal aperitif) to be quite refreshing. Unfortunately they don't import Picon to the States…we'll have to see about bringing him some the next time we travel home :) At any rate I think the kids had a great time, and at the end of their week exploring the Green Heart of Europe they got to meet a real princess!

That would be Princess Paloma -The world's greatest Galgo! Christian's pooch always brings a smile to everyone's face :)

In other news, I am sure you're aware that the World Cup has been ongoing. Unfortunately the US was escorted out by our neighbors to the north, Belgium. Cup Fever is in full swing here in Luxembourg. With all of the expats, and the general proximity to many qualified teams, Luxembourg is an exceptional place to watch. The Ville even has super-sized screens in the square. Jeni and I have been down in town for a few matches. The game between Germany and Portugal was a blowout (Germany won 4-0), but the atmosphere was electric!

There must have been well over a thousand people in Place Guillaume II!

Including us!

The city really comes alive in summer. Yes all the activities can be tiring, but there's no place like Luxembourg when the weather is fine! Stay tuned we still have Amsterdam, Bruges and many more places to explore! Plus, the Blues and Jazz Rallye is just around the corner…I shall be typing as fast as I can.

Art along Rue Phillipe II - 'Let the Sun Shine In'

So simple yet so cool!

I did mention that we now have a proper Mexican Restaurant, right?

 Muy deliciosa! 

The Summer of Fun!

In honor of our 75th post…we're celebrating with another round of Lavender Infused French 75's!!!

Well our Summer of Fun has officially begun! After spending way too much time away, Jeni is now back in Luxembourg and enjoying a much deserved break. In fact she's accrued enough time-off that we will be able to spend the entire summer together exploring, entertaining and Livin' the Vida Luxem...I can finally show her how to revel in the good times and relish the fine weather as an International Lady of Leisure!

Monique and Jeni in front of the Pont Adolphe

We welcomed our first guest of the season late last month. Monique is one of Jeni's dearest friends, and their amazing friendship predates George Michael's solo career and has outlasted nearly all of Joan Collins' marriages. If you haven't been keeping up with the Jeni and Mo Show on FaceBook, I'll give you a quick recap of our adventures over the past couple of weeks.

As is fitting, we once again made the tour of major European capitals. Monique began her journey in Paris to catch the opening rounds of The French Open at Roland Garros. From Paris she arrived in the capital of the Grand Duchy via the fast train, TGV. We then popped up to Brussels for a day before heading to London for a nice long weekend…whew! In between all of these fantastic destinations we were able to cram in a little bit of Germany and of course see some of the highlights here in Luxembourg.

The Formal Gardens of Echternach

Aside from walking the charming cobblestone streets of the capital, we were able to take a ride over to Echternach in the east of Luxembourg as well as the quaint village of Cochem, Germany. After our tour of Luxembourg and Deutschland we then headed to Brussles where Monique got a true taste of Northern Europe's incredible springtime weather…

…YES it was a two-umbrella day!

The rain was literally pissing down!

We ended our tour in jolly ol' London-town but not before squeezing in a few extra tidbits. For example, I participated in the Team Run in Luxembourg's Night Marathon (without puking up a lung, I might add), and we were able to see the finish of the first leg of the Tour de Luxembourg down in Hesperange…

…where we got up close and personal with pros like André Greiple...

…and there were even some Schleck sightings :)

Without puking!

OK…London is a huge city, so bear with me. Here are just a few of the highlights.

This would be us in front of the Tower Bridge with our tour guide on the Thames.

Don't be alarmed…everyone has normal sized heads in real life!

We also took a ride on the London Eye which offers spectacular views of the city...

…right?

Then we hit some street markets...

…where the food is excellent!

The Iconic Tower of London...

…and this huge Blue Rooster. The German artist responsible claims that you can see Paris from this spot in Trafalgar Square :0

Oh yeah, we saw this idiot in Piccadilly Circus with TWO smart phones WHILE WEARING a set of Google Glasses! 

And, we were even able to catch up with some old friends on our visit!

From left to right we have Ola and her parents Alex and Laura, Monique and Jeni, then there's me next to Lina a friend who recently moved to London from Luxembourg!

This one of Ola os just too cute not to add…no hands! 

CHEERS!

The Octave and such...

The Spires of Notre Dame de Luxembourg.

 This week the Ville hosts two separate festivals that may, somehow, through the weirdness of time and space be distantly related. The annual Octave began last Saturday and is a religious event which sees pilgrims from all around the region descend on Luxembourg in a ten day celebration honoring the Virgin Mary. The other major happening in town is the Foire de Printemps being held out at the LuxExpo. You may recall this venue from such occasions as the annual International Bazaar.

Quite the Fussball table, non? Or, as it's called here, Kickerball.

The origin of Luxembourg's Octave dates back to the 17th century when a plague ravaged Duchy came together to thank the Holy Mother for ending the Black Death. Today pilgrims from the greater region (that used to be Luxembourg) descend on our lovely city to worship at the cathedral and eat churros at the fair held in the adjacent Place Guillaume II.  I guess being a tiny catholic nation among secular and protestant nations can sometimes be a draw in itself.

During the Octave the ailing and elderly come to pray for Peace and Healing.

Sometimes Mystical things do occur...

at the final resting place of the Grand Duchess Charlotte

It's no Gromererekichelcher, but tasty nonetheless :)

The other fair taking place this week is the much larger Luxembourg Spring Fair, or Foire de Printemps. I have no facts to base this next piece of conjecture, but I imagine the Foire is a spin-off of the original fair that was set up to feed and entertain the religious travelers. The springtime fair is more or less glorified trade show where Luxembourgers go to find contractors and get ideas for this summer's project for the house and garden. Of course it wouldn't be special if it didn't have a little Luxembourg Gusto to keep you interested. Along side the standard fare (pun intended) there is a Salle de Gourmande where all sorts of food is presented, and there are countless wine vendors sprinkled throughout. On our visit we sampled well over 20 wines from all over Europe. It was certainly a cheap buzz…the entry fee is a whopping €5, and I know at least one wine we 'tasted' sells for well over €100 per bottle! Needless to say Jeni and I walked away with a mixed case, so maybe it wasn't such a bargain after all.

Our case (+ 3) does't contain anything as fancy as a €100 bottle of Bordeaux, but we did have a great time and actually learned quite a lot about the different wines of Europe. I'm sure we'll be back out again this weekend because any excuse to track down Grompererkichelcher is a good one!!! These lovely little potato pancakes apparently have there own Facebook page…as they say in French, Likez-nous sur le Facebook SVP!