31.08.2026
A weekend in Berlin. Spectacular architecture, interesting art, lively streets. An amazing city. I could definitely live here, lol.
Andrzej
24.08.2026
After a few days in Benelux countries we found ourselves back in France. This time we went to the north-east corner of the country, the Alsace region. Bordering Germany and Switzerland, the region has passed between German and French control numerous times, resulting in an interesting cultural blend.
We visited, the picturesque old town of Colmar and, the very impressive city of Strasbourg. Strasbourg's historic city centre, the Grande Ile (Grand Island), was classified a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988, with the newer Neustadt being added to the site in 2017. The city is well known for its Gothic Cathedral and for its medieval cityscape of black and white timber-framed buildings. We also recommend a visit in the Musee d'Art moderne et contemporain, one of the largest museums of its kind in France.
Andrzej
16.08.2026
Our second day trip: Well, Shona suggested Rotterdam, I was more interested in The Hague, mostly because of the artist, Piet Mondrian. So, we went to The Hague, lol.
Nice city (lol), but it looked like at least half of the old city center is blocked off and under renovation. After wandering around for an hour or two, and a nice lunch, we went to the Kunstmuseum. Very, very interesting if you are into modern art, and a fan of Mondrian, but 40 euros for a ticket was a little pricey, and no discount for seniors (seriously?!).
Andrzej
11.08.2026
After leaving France, we ended up in the small town of Bergen op Zoom, in the Netherlands. We chose Bergen because of its location. Close to the Belgian border and interesting Dutch cities like Rotterdam or The Hague.
Our first day trip was to Antwerp, the city known as the hub of the world's diamond trade (very dirty business, if you ask me). Antwerp (as almost every European city) has a lot to offer. Top attractions: Antwerp Central Station (also known as the railroad cathedral); the Cathedral of Our Lady and the statue of Nello & Patrasche in front of it (the main characters in the fairy tale "A Dog of Flanders"), and the spectacular City Hall, erected between 1561 and 1565. And, of course, don't go cheap on Belgian fries, chocolate, or beer. Lol.
Andrzej
31.07.2026
The city of Lille was quite a positive surprise. Nicknamed the "Capital of Flanders", the city has much to offer but just wandering around its colourful and interesting streets and plazas was a lot of fun. We also recommend a visit to LaM (Lille Metropole Musee d'art moderne).
Andrzej
19.07.2026
After exploring Brittany, we made it to Normandy, which has been on my bucket list for a long time. Of course, the first thing we did was visit the famous Mont-Saint-Michel. This place is amazing, you'd have to visit many times in different conditions to fully appreciate it. We did at least make it there early in the morning, before the crowds, but the tide was already going out. Such is the life of a road-tripper, you take what you get! We also visited the historic capital of Normandy, Rouen. The city is famous for its gothic cathedral and the beautiful half-timbered houses. Then we did something that was very special for me. We visited the Canadian Battlefield Memorial at Juno Beach and the memorial at Courcelette. My grandfather lost his leg during this battle. So many lives lost. There are actually many memorials from different countries along the Normandy coast, and it was so hard to imagine the horrific conditions as we drove through the idyllic countryside. Will we never learn? Anyway, it was nice to be able to visit and the area is quite beautiful.
Shona
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