Awestruck.

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From the airport in Amsterdam we were taken by bus to our hotel in a small town in Holland, whose name I have forgotten. The landscape was flat but very green, pastoral, calming and very pleasant. Homes were rural and well kept and many dairy cows were seen. The clutter and industrial unsightliness ones sees while traveling in the States was noticeably absent in almost all of Europe. The only part of my European trip where I saw it, surprisely was in Italy, on the way to Venice.

We were given the day just to rest, which was welcomed news to me, as I traveled all the way from Hawaii, whereas the others in the group came from various states on the Mainland. First surprise for me was the shower. It was barely larger than a telephone booth. This I found to be almost standard in all the hotels in Europe, we stayed in. Being Asian, I’m relatively small, so I could imagine how difficult it must have been for the Occidentals in the group. It was a bit amusing to imagine them using the showers. Of course at our dinner, it was a point of conversation. This is an account from a European trip taken several years back.

The next morning we were told our first stop would be at Antwerp, a city in Belgium. I was a bit taken aback, since we haven’t even been to Amsterdam yet. However, that would be later on the day. Belgium we learned was really part of the Netherlands, until they gained their independence at about the 1850’s in a small skirmish which according to the Dutch Guide, “we let them win”.

When we reach Antwerp, we had to park the bus quite a bit out of the main town. The first structure I saw was a Medieval Castle. I’ve seen those in my History books, but actually seeing one in real life for the first time, was a big thrill. Later we approached a tall church tower, elaborate in designed and very very tall. I was impressed that people could build something so great without cranes and spend so much time, energy and manpower to build a structure mainly to support a Bell. I could not help marvel at their devotion to their Creator for this labor of love.

When we reached the town square, that’s when I was really blown away. The buildings were beautiful and there were so many lined up in a row. Again the thought that those buildings were built without the benefit of modern day machinery and hundreds of years ago, with such attention to detail and aesthetics was beyond my imagination. Where I live, perhaps because of termites, a standing building more than 100 years is a real rarity and treasure. Also the fact that they would allow so much empty space for a cobbled town square also was also mind boggling. Anyway, in a nutshell, this first impression of my first European city was one of great amazement and I felt already, the price of the trip was worth it. What later was to come, on the itinerary was icing on the cake.

Later that day, we crossed back into the border of Holland and stop at Maastricht, where there was a cemetery for the American Soldiers killed in WW2. It was a very solemn and sobering experience to see rows and rows of white crosses and Stars of David, that almost looked like a white carpet a certain angles. I wish everyone could see it and remember the sacrifices that were made and not take freedom or peace for granted.

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Photos

Knockout Beautiful.
My first thoughts, as I viewed these row of beautiful constructed bldgs. glimmering in the morning sun.

What Happened to All the Artists?
Nope, they don't build them like they did, anymore.