Day10 - Valkenburg an de Geul (21 Des 2022)

 After a night of negotiating the tower-of-Piza-pillows… we were up at the first light (but is totally not so early in the northern winter!!). Running shoes, slipped onto our feet, Arno and I grabbed a little map of Valkenburg and surroundings from the well stocked information rack at the front door of our hotel. We walked up the mi-zillion steps to the 11th century Valkenburg Castle, overlooking the village, then commenced with jogging up the hill pass all the entrances to the caves. 

The name of Valkenburg aan de Geul explains everything: Valkenburg is located by the Geul, a small river in the province of Limburg, down in the south of the Netherlands and not far from Maastricht. Every year the whole town turns into a Christmas Town or 'Kersstadt'. Markets inside this network of caves, draw tourist from across the world. This very unusual place for a christmas market intrigued me enough to include Valkenburg as one of the stops on our European adventure. 

Valkenburg itself is mainly known for its marl caves. In Valkenburg - or rather, below Valkenburg - the 'municipal cave' lets you into a fascinating world. Marl was once mined here, and today, visitors can explore the caves - on foot or by slow train - where the Romans already mined marl 2,000 years ago. Another cave in Valkenburg is the Fluweelengrot which lies below the castle ruins. This corridor labyrinth was first discovered in 1937. In the past, it acted as an escape opportunity for riders and castle residents, in case the castle was invaded by enemies.

We found our way back through a little forest, passed some more Roman ruines and a training centre for the Wim Hoff

enthusiasts.

On our return we joined the kids in their rather spacious room -  the crew room. By now they were dressed in some fashionable outfitts…ready for their soiree through the streets of our Christmas village. Not too impressed with us, when we informed them gently, of our intentions to depart on a 'caving' adventure. The steep entrance fee for the Mahler Cave was putting Arno off, but I insisted that we do something different, than spending money on entrance to the Christmas market cave (Geementschap Grotto). 

 What a great two hours we had. Beside the whole history of mining the precious mahl stone (source of most of the building blocks of the early centuries), we leaned about the different purposes of the caves over the years…bomb shelter, hospital, mushroom factory,.. We loved the 3D wall paintings, where we could take the funniest photo's. 

The beautiful miniature display of the few months leading up to the birth of Jesus, with the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem and beyond, was really very special. 

The ultimate surprise we found at the very back of one of the tunnels. They have set up a stone masonary where we could create our own mahler stone creations to take home with us. This was  a great experience to get creative together. 

After a little lunch in the 'crew room', we ventured out again to catch the last of the afternoon light. This time we walked up the hill to the Christmas village themed park. We gave this attraction a skip and walked around it instead, through the most spectacular fallen leaf forest.

 We stumbled across a 'summer' bob-sledge track. After a bit of uhm'ing and aa'hing I got all the kids to give it a go. Arno and I once tried something similar in Rotorua, New Zealand. They had equal fun!! 

 

We heared a rumour that on Wednesday eve's during December, a Christmas parade with floats and dancers will prance through he village. When in Rome…. So we just behave like proper tourists from South Africa!!!  

Our plan was to go for a nice restaurant meal after the parade, treating ourselves with something different than the Christmas market food we'd consumed over the previous days. So for a little snack before the start of the street-show, we decided to indulge in a very cool local snack - we ordered 3 different types of 'vlaai's!! To explain - it's am apple, cherry, custard, fruit or anything you can lay your hands on in a pie form - sugar pastry bottom AND top. The sweet/sour cherry syrup'y filling was our  unanamous favourite.

 

 

In a gentle drizzle, we made our way over to the street corner, where we were told to position ourselves. The anticipation was building up... at 7pm groups of local villiagers children, adults started to line up behind decorated vehicles...of all sorts. Music started playing and the christmas parade was on it's way.

The crazy dancing of Alana and Nina, and Philippa's occasional jerks, entertained the other onlookers and the praticipants of the parade as much as they were entertaining us!!! We were not only watching the parade, but totally taking part in it!!!

 A lovely meal followed and a magical day was drawing to a close.  

 

I caught myself a few times during the day, dreaming about actually maybe someday living in Valkenburg - going for runs in the forests and exploring more of the cute craft shops, getting to know a few people….who knows..??? 

 

Day 9 - Belgian Chocolates and Dutch Christmas Markets (20 Dec 2022)

Still very cold and dark mornings, but that did not put Arno and Thomas off from doing a little early run, from our Hotel to the Avis Car Rental offices outside the old city. A number of phone calls, brainstorming and two hours later, they arrived very cold an wet back home. Why did it take them so long?? Arno booked us a 7-seater vehicle for the next 21 days of our trip. The plan was to pick the rental up in Ghent and drop it off in Paris. Unfortunately, at the local rental shop, this arrangement was not working for them, since they wanted their cars back in Ghent. Eventually they found a solution - we can take one of their 7-seaters (fitted with winter tyres…there were 9 seaters, which would have been a bit easier for us with our luggage, BUT they were not fitted with snow tyres….), so long he just bring the car back to Ghent. Ok. We will just need to' make this one work'!! The new plan is that Arno will drive the car back to Ghent and then take a train back to Paris. I guess it is the best solution. 

 

So after all this unexpected drama, we did not manage to visit the Ghent Altarpiece in the St Bravo Cathedral. This work of art was chopped up in pieces by the Nazi's in their mission to collect art for the Führer Museum, which Hitler dreamed about. Later it was found and recovered in a salt mine in Germany. Restored to it's place in Ghent after the WWII, but unfortunately one of the pieces was stolen again, never to be found. 

 

We were heading east towards Lochristi. This is the little town from where our friends, Inge and Philip relocated from. They now live (with 3 of their 4 children) in Riebeek West - our neighbouring village in South Africa. We stopped (in pouring rain) at the Leonidas Belgian Chocolatier shoplet in the town to pick up some echter Belgiese truffels and sjocoladen. When I told the shop owner, Daniella, where we were from, she jumped for joy - because she is a good friend of Inge!! I love the way that we can connect with people around the globe, if we just took a minute to talk to them!!

 

Next stop was for lunch with Barbara, Wim and Michael. Also friends of Inge and Peter. Alana stayed with them for a few days in April. Now it was our turn to meet up with the family. A Lego paradise awaits us!! We had to tear ourselves away from this very kind (and very musical) family. We can not wait to welcome them to our home!! 

 

The afternoon was spend in really tricky driving conditions. We crossed the border of Belgian with The Netherlands and stop in Maasdrich.. Andre Rieu fans will recognise this name straight away. This very southern town in the Netherlands is home to one of the worlds best known classical violinists and back orchestra directors. They tour the world and was one of my fathers best loved musicians. My dad, on his last trip to Scotland, bought us tickets to see Andre Rieu's concert in the 'flying saucer' arena in Glasgow. 

 

I read about a rather unique bookshop, just off the square in the town centre. We were so lucky to get a parking place below the square. When we surface, we found oursleves in the middle of a Christmas wonderworld!! It was just the prettiest sight with all the decorations, the lights on all the the churches and prominent buildings, surrounding the market square. Totally magical. The church-converted bookshop was just around the corner. We spend a lovely half hour in this calming place. 

Dinner at the Christmas market followed - the best smoked salmon brötchens!! 

 

The last stretch to Valkenburg (also in The Netherlands) led us to the Hotel Heeren van Valkenburg, owned and run by Olaf and José. Together with their two daughters, they even live on the first floor. Our rooms were on the second and 3rd floor. The Theron kids did an amazing job, hoisting our big bags up the tiny tiny stairs. 

Olaf and Jose are planning renovations in January 2023 on the rooms we were in. (I guess that was why we could still afford it to stay at this location for two nights!!) The hotel is situated right at the old city gate, giving us walking access to the sweetly decorated little streets with café's and decorated shop windows.

 Arno and I went for a little stroll after we got settled in. Minuture wooden footbridges, decorated with fur tree  twigs, red ribbons and lights. We came across a three story high Christmas tree in a small little square. The setting was highlighted by die reflection of this tree on the wet pavement. Surely my highlight of the day.