It was our plan to go to mass at St. Jan Cathedral in ‘s Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch), but we took too long to get going and got there late. So instead we walked around this gorgeous building and nearby streets to admire the architecture and feeling of the city. I believe that the church was built between 1200 and 1500 AD. In those days parishioners would have donated their expertise and labour being good members of the parish. Den Bosch has a long and interesting history throughout the middle ages and more recent times, having been a stronghold during several wars and occupations by the French and Spanish at different times, too long a history to write here. We had lunch with good friends Marianne and Pieter in Boxtel and spent many hours chatting about our ... read more

Our hosts gave us coupons for the Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) to get deals to travel by train. After having downloaded their app, we bought tickets to go to Nijmegen to watch some of the events going on in that city with the Vier-Daagse, which is the largest walking event in the world held here every year. The March of the World has some 48,000 participants walking 30, 40 or 50 kilometres per day for four straight days. While mostly for private entries, each NATO country sends army representatives to walk in full uniform and full pack. People dress up, sing and dance as they complete their daily walk and cross the finish line. The sidelines are packed with family, tourists like us and many other well-wishers, who also dance and applaud as they sip on ice-cold ... read more

We must still be somewhat jet lagged. I slept until 10am today. Today we went to market, on 18 Septemberplein, named after the day Eindhoven was liberated by the Canadians. By all accounts, this mid-week market is a small one. Usually the Saturday markets are larger. Yet we found many interesting things, like several cheese stands, fish stands, vegetable & fruit stands, and many textile stands. Also a McDonalds of course, who charge only €0.30 for a pee. Sellers scream out their wares to attract the attention of the many passersby. Not having had lunch and Marion needing her regular meals, we tried some of the Kibbeling, everyone’s favourite here by the looks of it. Kibbeling is chunks of cod tongues deep fried to perfection, with a side of tartar sauce. No fries, no veggies, just ... read more

Leaving by bus for Montreal tomorrow morning. Then overnight KLM to Amsterdam. Last minute packing. Listening to the Dutch band BZN to get into the mood. They’re a Paling Pop band, very strange name meaning Eel Pop, a very unique sound created in the seventies by this band from Volendam. It’s a derivative from the Beatles, mixing in some ABBA sound and the unique one-two step dances from the Netherlands as well as some Vienna waltz melodies. Go to YouTube and check out BZN. Maybe not your taste but I like it!... read more

Saturday Sep 8 Woke up to some rain this morning, which we had on and off throughout the day. Stops were limited today since we we needed most of our time driving. But we did make some stops along the way. First up, Giant Cedar Board Walk in Glacier National Park, where we walked among some pretty big trees in what looked like a rain forest. Luckily it did not rain during this walk. Got some nice views and some nice shots. Lots of construction in the snow sheds, including installation of new LED lights. Rogers Pass Centre was a must stop, to see all of the stuffed animals on display, the layout of the Pass within the surrounding mountains, and how it became a mountain exploration Mecca for early Swiss guides. We weren’t quit sure ... read more