Last week we introduced the festival that went all week in Rijnsberg. Saturday and Sunday were the last two days. Saturday morning they had a small car show. The Dutch like American cars like this 1960 Cadillac. It's all original, including the paint.
This is a beautifully restored 1930 Model A Ford.
And an impressive 1930 Rolls Royce.
We invited two other Senior Couples for lunch and to watch the flower parade from our balcony overlooking the town square. These are Elders Anderson and Beckstrand.
We were expecting flower covered floats similar to the Rose Bowl Parade. As you can see, the flowers were in huge arrangements on cars...
more cars...
and vans...
and trailers...
and more trailers...
and bikes...
with some really good brass bands. The parade lasted about an hour and the flower arrangements were HUGE.
After dark the street lights come on and different parts of the town have different light decorations.
A few families decorate their individual homes.
The evening ended with fireworks over the big canal that runs along the edge of the city.
Great fun.
On Sunday, we left for church and a large semi was pulling up in front of the apartment. When we returned home, they had set up a stage and about 200-300 chairs. In the evening there was a devotional service with a children and youth choir and several preachers. That wrapped up the week's activities. This evening the doorbell rang and a gentleman brought us a bottle of wine as a gift for the inconvenience to us during the week.
Monday was my birthday and Paula prepared her normal delicious lunch, which included a homemade carrot cake.
We only had one candle, so we started a tradition that on your 70th birthday, you start over. It was pretty funny having the elders and the president try to spell out 70 with their arms - they did it backwards and we were all laughing very hard (Paula speaking).
We left the office after lunch and picked up Gail and Conner at the airport. We drove to Naarden, a little medieval city near Amsterdam. the old city is completely surrounded by water that was installed after the Spanish were driven from the city. The fortifications are in the shape of a six-sided star and look really impressive from the air.
We took a boat ride around the city on the canals surrounding it.
There were some pretty little secluded areas.
This is a good shot of the wall and water surrounding the city.
Tuesday, we went to District Meeting and then drove to Haarlem. Kim Stichter, a young lady in our branch, agreed to be our guide. This is underground storage for bicycles at the Haarlem train station. There a more bicycles than cars (maybe people) in the Netherlands.
We went to the Corrie Ten Boom house and took the tour. It was last tour of the day and went longer than normal, but the guide was excellent with lots and lots of detail.
Gail had a chance to stand in the "hiding place".
This was a cool church in Haarlem with fascinating rooflines.
Kim and Conner.
Wednesday we drove to Brugge. This is one of the many old 16th -17th century bridges still standing.
Gail and Conner in Brugge, the Grote Markt.
Friday morning we went to the flea market in the Morrales district of Brussels. It's a unique experience.
Cartoons are significant in Brussels and the Cartoon Museum is not far from this part of town. The trash is pretty typical of this part of town, too.
This is from the Petite Sablon Park, with the Church of Notre Dame du Sablon, in the background.
Cool cookies at a candy shop at the Grand Place.
Suckers at the same shop.
It's been really fun having Gail and Con here. He actually received his mission call back at home and is waiting until he returns to open it. We hope he comes here!!!
We also stopped and visited Anya's family on our way back to the Netherlands, which is always nice.
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