Oct 8 – As our hike from Valkenburg continued, we left the farmlands, walked through the suburbs…

…over a pedestrian bridge and about an hour into the center of the city of Maastricht. We maneuvered down a very crowded shopping street with upscale stores and lots of restaurants.

There were things to see, but my pack was getting heavier by the minute, so Jim took us right to our B and B, Chez Helene.

The funny thing about this country is that the small hotels we tend to frequent all call themselves B and Bs, but most do not serve breakfast. So what is the other B? We may never know. This one was even curiouser, as the advertised en suite did not actually have a separate bathroom. The toilet was right in the bedroom, with no door of any sort. Travelers can get used to anything, I guess!

So, after a good night’s sleep and a healthy breakfast from the nearby supermarket (coffee, hard boiled eggs, plain yogurt and fruit, and more coffee), we set off to see Maastricht.

We knew from our time in Valkenburg that the Basilica of St. Servatius was here.

Then we had a lovely café lunch and walked around town.

A very nice day!