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| Riding on my lap in the car. |
I had decided that it was about time that Jack got out of the country to see somewhere new. Actually, it was the perfect overnight trip to take her on since we had a hotel that accepted dogs and we planned to spend lots of time walking outside.
The city we went to, Monschau, was recommended by a couple of friends who had been there and said it was the perfect little German village. They were right. This place is so cute and picturesque that you turn every corner and want to take another photo. Before I inundate you with photos of the town itself, check out our digs for the weekend:
Pretty great, right? When we arrived to check in they told us they were going to house us in their apartments across the street since we brought our dog along. So a big thank you to Jackaroo for getting us that upgrade! It worked out great to have more space than a typical hotel room, and we were basically the only people staying in the building, so it was nice and quiet. I felt more than OK leaving Jack there while we went out to dinner and such. However, before we were allowed to check in, we had another first with Jack. We took her into a restaurant with us. Now, I've seen this done fairly often by people in Europe, but I wasn't sure how it would go with Jack. But it turns out that she was a champ. She only sneaked a sniff of the server's feet once.
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| She looks like she's loving it right? |
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| Enjoying a local brew at lunch. |
They even brought her a bowl of water. So hospitable, these Germans. Following lunch, we explored a lot of the city. So here's the first batch of photos of the town:
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| This cigarette machine is old. |
The setting is so charming because it is situated in a large valley with a river running through the middle of it. We had a great time just exploring all the nooks and crannies and bridges. We attempted to see the glassmaking factory that is there, but it doesn't open until later in the month. Instead, we took advantage of our apartments and bought some German wine and cheese for our own little happy hour before dinner.
For dinner, we headed to a very German looking establishment (think lots of lace curtains and dark wooden beams) where we could eat some very German food. Schnitzel, of course!
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| MMM-azing. |
The next day, we strapped on our walking shoes to hike up some of the surrounding hills which would offer great views of the city. Jackaroo joined us for this portion of the day and she loved every second of it.
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| View from near the top - notice the 13th century castle on the hill across town. |
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| We made sure she didn't jump. |
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| Cuties. |
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| Ruins at the top. |
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| Watch your step! |
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| Here, we've climbed up the other side by the castle. |
What a fabulous and relaxing weekend. It was great to spend time in such a peaceful and serene place. And I'm guessing it's really pretty in the summertime too, although the snow added a certain je ne sais quoi.
Alas, we are now at the final day of the trip. Since it was a Monday, Todd headed to work again. My parents and I then headed up to Den Bosch (20 minutes north of Eindhoven) for the afternoon. We did some shopping, and of course had a bosschebol:
We had one at Banketbakkerij Jan de Groot, which is apparently where they make them the best. These desserts can be found throughout the Netherlands and originate from Deb Bosch, hence bosschebol. They are delightful chocolate covered pastries filled with cream. After a nice afternoon, we headed back to Eindhoven for dinner at Mangiare.
It was another lovely dinner, we didn't leave the place until around 10:30! The next morning, sadly, my parents headed up to Amsterdam to catch their flight for home. What a great week of making memories. I think they may try to visit us one more time, so I will just say, "Until next time!" Thanks for coming Mom and Dad!
Great trip! Jack is adorable!
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