"Does the fact that you were just passed by 5 Harleys while on a Vespa make you feel like less of a man?"

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My dad made it to Europe safely! It's so nice to have him here again. I'm glad that he caught the "Europe bug" because now that means that family vacations will be trips through the Old Country...

Today was a beautiful day. It was sunny, 72 degrees with a slight breeze & no clouds in the sky. Needless to say, we decided to spend today outdoors! Dad, Carolina, & I decided to rent Vespas, which has been a dream of mine for quite some time now. I've always joked that I wanted a Vespa at home so I could take it to Thunder in the Valley (a festival that our town holds where bikers come from all over the US to show off their motorcycles). I also want a green helmet that says "sustainable development," since it's only fitting... I can picture it now - I roll up to TITV on my Vespa that goes about 30 miles per hour wearing a perfect J. Crew outfit... I'm sure it would be well-received by the bikers in their black leather & tattooed arms... Totally fitting... hahaha

Anyway, the town we rented the Vespas in is about 10 minutes west of here by train in a town called Valkenburg. I figured it would be a good opportunity to see more of the Dutch countryside because up to this point, the only country I've seen has been through a train window. It was beautiful. The town itself is fantastic. It's small, but there are a ton of hotels & restaurants, & it seems like it's a pretty decent "sight-seeing" town. On one of the hills, the ruins of the Valkenburg Castle are located. In its day, it was the only elevated castle in the Netherlands. The original castle was built in the 12th century; however, the castle was destroyed & rebuilt several times in the ensuing centuries. The ruins that stand today are those that were destroyed in 1339. In 1937, when restoration was taking place, the workers found underground tunnels beneath the castle that were used by the medieval nights as an escape route during sieges. Attached to these tunnels is the Velvet Cave. In September 1944, the citizens of Valkenburg used this Cave as a hideout when the Allied front moved through the area. Unfortunately, due to renovations & construction work, we weren't able to enter the castle ruins to poke around. Regardless, the outside of it is truly impressive.

We did, however, come across a castle still standing in all its glory. The Schaloen Castle is absolutely beautiful. We were making jokes that it was small compared to the Swedish castle where Carolina lives. hahaha. The castle dates back to the 14th century. It was destroyed by Spanish occupation in 1575, but was rebuilt shortly thereafter. The castle was last occupied by royalty (a countess) in 1934. Throughout the years, it served as a school & also stood empty for many years, but currently serves as part hotel/part private residence. Could you imagine giving someone directions to your castle? "Make a right-hand turn. You'll see the moat, so just cross the bridge." Really...

All in all, it was a really relaxing day. We had a fantastic time, & I would do it again in a heartbeat!

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Photos

Vespas
They may not go very fast, but they're still fun!

Carolina & a Dutch horse
We came across a field of horses on our exploits in the Dutch countryside.

Small head, giant helmet
The size of Carolina's head was a running joke throughout the day. Dad had to get an XL helmet... Carolina had to get an XS. We said that just because her head is small, doesn't mean her brain is...

Schaloen Castle
The castle serves a double purpose - hotel & home. You can see the people's car parked in front of the castle..

Valkenburg Castle ruins
We're not sure about the story behind the statute of the man on the diving board. It's really bizarre, though.