Category Archives: Travel

Pieterpad: Venlo to Swalmen

July 6, 2025Hiking, The Netherlands, TravelPieterpad, Swalmen, Venlokarenfranza

July 3 – What a difference a rainstorm makes! We bid adieu to Villa Anna, and stepped out into the 56 F morning – a forty degree drop in one day! A beautiful clear day, with a high in the mid 70s and 15 miles planned.

More quirky statues as we walk out of Venlo

Getting out of the city. Which way do we go now?

Today’s signage was the most confusing so far…do we follow the red and white, or obey the X?

A noisy wood chipper came by to widen our path

This is St. John of Nepomuk, also known as the Bridge saint, as he was killed by being thrown off a bridge. He has his finger to his lips as he was martyred for refusing to betray the confessed secrets of the queen.

An exquisite supper – Jim had the stuffed peppers, and I had pasta and burrata. I’d not had burrata before: it is a cheese globe of mozzarella on the outside, which you break open to find soft creamy stracciatella inside. What a treat!

A Day in Venlo

July 5, 2025Hiking, The Netherlands, TravelGiselle Kuster, hot weather, Museum of Modern Art, Venlokarenfranza

July 2 – Well, we managed to get some sleep in our very warm room, and enjoyed a nice breakfast with some very crabby Germans who obviously did not sleep well either. Today’s temperature is expected to be 98 F for the second day in a row.

This is a planned zero mile rest day in the city of Venlo. We are happy not to be hiking, but wondered how to spend the day without cooking our brains. We ventured into the city to see what there was to see before the temperature got too hot.

Jim wanted to meet with his online group today, but our hotel has no Wi-Fi, so we looked for a place that might accommodate a Zoom call.

We went first to the bibliotek (a library should be a good resource no matter where you are), but they had neither Wi-Fi nor air con.

Most area restaurants had Wi-Fi but no air con, and did not appear to be places that would allow us to sit for an hour holding a meeting. We finally came upon the Museum of Modern Art, which had a little cafe where we could sit as long as we kept buying lemonades. Here are some things we saw in the city:

We stopped in the St Martinus Basilica, where it was dark and cool. This bishop must have been very famous, as his gloves and shoes have been preserved

Pretty carvings at the steps of the pulpit

The Museum of Modern Art. Light on your feet? Twinkle toes? Name this piece of art!

The museum featured the works of Giselle Kuster. She started out painting realistically…

I like an elevator with a sense of humor

When we left the museum at 4:30, the sky was turning dark and the streets were almost empty due to threat of the impending storm. It was 99 degrees F. We hustled back across town, and reached Villa Anna just as the sky opened and the rain poured down.

Pieterpad: Broekhuizen to Venlo

July 4, 2025Hiking, The Netherlands, TravelBroekhuizen, hot weather, Pieterpad, Venlo, Villa Annakarenfranza

July 1 – We have been watching the weather all week, as the temperatures continue to rise way beyond what is usual in the Netherlands. We chuckled when a heat emergency was declared at 80 F, but today will get up to 95 F, and we are not chuckling now.

We asked for the earliest breakfast time, to take advantage of the coolness of the morning, but it’s looking like we’ll be taking a miserable walk.

We reviewed today’s route, and saw that we are scheduled to walk by an Albert Hjein (Netherlands best grocery store!) at about mile 5 of our 12 mile day. This gives us a place where we can direct an Uber, if Uber exists out here where there is no city.

It took a minute, but yes! Uber is available, and Rajik will come for us in 14 minutes! O happy day! A 7 mile day is doable in any heat.

I bet you wish you weren’t wearing those wool coats!

So, today we learned another lesson of the Pieterpad. When Uber drops you off right on the trail, make sure you are walking in the right direction. Yes, we walked this stretch twice. Now it’s an 8 mile day!

Interesting yard art – I like the pants!

I bet this guy heats up nicely in the sun

We were hoping for a shady woods walk, but no luck so far

Another ferry crossing – wonder why they don’t just build a bridge?

Time to put up the sun-brella. That little bit of shade makes all the difference

Jim didn’t have that option – he left his umbrella at home

We got to walk along the water for a while, but it was no cooler there

Well look at that – a marker for the Camino de Santiago!

…and walk some more into the city of Venlo

So now we’ve arrived at Villa Anna, a lovely historic B&B with – you guessed it – no air conditioning, and only one window, so no chance of a breeze. And no Wi-Fi either. It actually got up to 98 F this afternoon. It’s going to be a long night…

Pieterpad: Meerlo to Broekhuizen

July 3, 2025Hiking, The Netherlands, TravelBroekhuizen, Klein Lourdes, Meerlo, Pieterpad, roseskarenfranza

June 30 – Only seven miles planned today, so we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast. Leaving the B&B, we stopped to admire the variety of colors and wonderful aromas of the nearby rose farm. Although the Netherlands is best known for tulips, it is also the world’s largest exporter of roses, carnations, chrysanthemums and other flowers.

Passing through the town of Tienray, we stopped at an important pilgrimage site called Klein Lourdes, where folks travel to pray. The church was bombed in WWII, and was rebuilt.

Inside is a replica of the grotto where St. Bernadette spoke with Our Lady

What’s this? A field of immediately recognizable plants!

The sun is so bright that some folks shaded their beautiful hydrangeas with umbrellas so they wouldn’t get crispy. The temperature reached 92 F – very unusual for here.

And we’re almost to our hotel! I’ll do a seven mile day anytime, even in the heat!

Landhuishotel de Hilkensberg was like a spa, with extensive grounds

And – saving the best for last – a baby alpaca! How cute is that?

Pieterpad: Vierlingsbeek to Meerlo

July 2, 2025Hiking, The Netherlands, TravelMeerlo, Pieterpad, Vierlingsbeekkarenfranza

June 29 – We had one more good breakfast at the Hotel de Kroon, then the dad of the owner drove us back to Vierlingsbeek so we could resume our hike right where we left off. 12.3 miles planned for today.

We were dropped off right at the church steps, and, as it is Sunday, we asked if there was a church service. Oh no, came the reply, perhaps if someone wants a wedding or a funeral the church can be rented, but otherwise no services.

This is the first day we will be walking in the sun, with no clouds expected. Today’s high is anticipated to be 82 F, which qualifies as a heat emergency in the Netherlands. As Virginians used to hot soupy weather, this made us chuckle. Our hiking app warned us not to hike in this extreme heat. I hope we make it!

We were very self assured after completing the previous day’s walk without taking any wrong turns. Perhaps we have figured out the Pieterpad? Nope!

We crossed on the ferry again to return to Vierlingsbeek, this time in a car

On the other side of the woods, a little town with some roadside art

After the town, a very sandy area, although there is no beach nearby

A thatched roof cottage. Here we learned a lesson of the trail: just because others are walking in one direction, doesn’t mean you should follow them.

This is a rose farm, with folks cultivating baby rose bushes. The Netherlands is one of the world’s biggest exporters of flowers of all kinds. Here we learned another lesson: don’t get so interested in your surroundings that you miss your turn!

Midafternoon, with no shade. We stopped at a bar, and Jim popped in to the outdoor restroom, just to refill a water bottle. As we left, the owner came out and chased after us, yelling that we were stealing his water. I guess he was the opposite of a Nice Person. Hope we don’t meet too many like him.

Thanks to whoever took the time to decorate the roadside posts

A little chapel in the middle of the woods

The door was locked, but here’s what it looked like inside

A picture worthy hollow log along the way – I would definitely plant some flowers here

Look in the distance- that must be Meerlo!

Indeed it was Meerlo – we walked into the town

…through the town, and out the other side

Our B&B was quite an extra hike, but we got there eventually. We had the place to ourselves, as our host said the other expected guests cancelled due to the heat. There were no restaurants nearby, so Jim made us a ramen noodle supper. A good day!

A Day in Gennep

July 1, 2025Hiking, The Netherlands, Travelcarillon, Gennep, wall artkarenfranza

June 28 – Today is a planned zero mile rest day. The pretty little town of Gennep deserves to be seen in great detail.

The toy store sells a wooden jigsaw puzzle featuring the town, with customized puzzle pieces. If Icould fit this in my backpack, I would buy one.

Lots of bikes, as throughout the Netherlands, but this is the first tricycle-built-for-two that we’ve seen

The town hall has a carillon of 25 bells that tinkle sweetly several times an hour – selections range from Ode to Joy to the Yellow Rose of Texas, with a lullaby the last song of the evening

We learned as much of the town history as we could figure out out without English signage

This is the original water spigot that the townspeople used to draw their water, for a fee

The Protestant church was open – very plain inside. The man we spoke to said the church is of the Calvinist tradition, but not especially strict

Mosaics in the square commemorate the 22 Jews who “left” during WWII and never came home

This tower is all that remains of the Roman Catholic Church that was bombed during WWII. We climbed to the top to see the view

There are murals painted inside the tower – see the Pieterpad hiker?

The murals were done by the same artist who painted the overpass on our way into town. I recognize the badger!

The top of the tower didn’t provide a view, but a reminder of the American pilot who died here in WWII. He thought he had crossed the border into Germany and dropped his bombs too soon, then was shot down and died in the crash.

This wall contains insets of some historical buildings

The River Meuse runs along the old city wall

A lovely day in a pretty town – tomorrow, we walk!

Pieterpad: Gennep to Vierlingsbeek

June 30, 2025Hiking, The Netherlands, Travelferry, Gennep, Meuse River, Pieterpad, Vierlingsbeek, wall art, Wildflowerskarenfranza

June 27 – We heard rain early this morning, but it stopped by the time we finished breakfast. Twelve miles planned for this cool and cloudy day.

Programming my phone for today’s itinerary

Good morning, masked horses! The masks help keep the flies out of their eyes

The way markers seem clearer today, or maybe we’re getting smarter? The Pieterpad marker is the red and white in the middle.

A bit of road walking, with a decorated overpass

Take care – chicken crossing ahead! We did not see any chickens…

This was the only cafe we passed by today, but we had already eaten our lunch with a pot of Jim’s good coffee, so we didn’t stop in.

Now, here’s a sign you don’t see every day! An unusual way to alert folks that there is a ferry crossing ahead.

Sitting and waiting for the ferry – how often does it run?

It runs about every five minutes, taking pedestrians, bicyclists and cars across the Meuse River

The ferryman collected one euro from each person, and before we knew it, we were on the other side.

Some more good signage – don’t take this path!

Look in the distance – that must be Vierlingsbeek!

We walked into town and waited on the church steps for Nena from the Hotel de Kroon to come pick us up. The walk to Meerlo is too long for us old folks to complete in one go (24 miles and a bit) so our travel company split it into two 12 mile walking days with a rest day in between. This is the good life!

Pieterpad: Groesbeek to Gennep

June 29, 2025Hiking, The Netherlands, TravelGennep, Groesbeek, GUIBO, Pieterpad, rainkarenfranza

June 26 – Our first hiking day dawned to the sound of thunder and the patter of raindrops. We’ll be using our rain gear today! Our walk is planned for 8.5 miles – an easy first day.

The Pieterpad, the Netherlands most famous trail, runs from Pieterboro in the north, to St. Pieter’s hill in the south, and can be walked in either direction. We are starting in the middle and walking south. There are different routes for hikers, cyclists and horses.

Instead of a map, our tour company gave us the GUIBO app, containing turn by turn directions of our customized itinerary. We learned early in the day that a nice path straight ahead is not necessarily the right way to go.

After taking a wrong turn, we got a text informing us that we had left the trail, but not telling us where, or how to get back on track. So, we turned around and walked back until the app said we were, once again, on the route. After that, we checked our phones every few minutes for the rest of the day, like teenagers scrolling for new TikToks.

My trail umbrella attaches nicely to my daypack (under my jacket) so I can use both hands for my trekking poles. If I had a third hand to hold my phone, life would be ideal!

A horse looks like she’s wearing a raincoat too!

An old icehouse, used to store food in the hot summer

We walked through the little town of Milsbeek, home of another WWII cemetery filled with foreign soldiers

And now we are in the lovely town of Gennep, (pronounced Chhhhennep like you are clearing your throat), and the rain has stopped. A fine first hiking day!

Xanten to Groesbeek

June 28, 2025Germany, The Netherlands, TravelDr Seuss, Groesbeek, Museum of Freedom, Norman Rockwell, Vrijheidsmuseumkarenfranza

June 25 – Today Boris and his friend Simon picked us up in the morning for the 45 minute drive over the German border into the Netherlands. There is no border, of course, just a sign on the highway. We are heading to the town of Groesbeek, where we will start our Pieterpad hike tomorrow.

We checked into the lovely de Wolfsberg Hotel, then walked into town to see what there were to see.

Groesbeek is best known for the Museum of Freedom, or Vrijheidsmuseum, shaped like a parachute, and dedicated to the WWII participants in Operation Market Garden in 1944

There were so many thought-provoking displays in this museum, including examples of Dutch citizens during the Occupation. If it were you, would you work for the Germans to feed your family, lay low and wait for it all to be over, or join the Resistance? Good questions for us to ponder today.

One of Dr Seuss’ many wartime cartoons encouraging the U.S. to actively join the Allies

A different version of Rosie the Riveter, by Norman Rockwell

This chart was depicted in 3D in the final room of the museum. I had always thought about the war being about Germans, Japanese, Brits and Americans, and was astounded to see the number of Soviet and Chinese dead. Very sobering…

A sculpture of souls rising up from the many local cemeteries after the war, to see how it all turned out. This museum blew my mind. If you ever get the opportunity, please go!

On to Xanten

June 27, 2025Germany, Travelflowers, wall art, Xantenkarenfranza

June 22 – This morning we took the metro back into Frankfurt, a long train to Duisburg and a short train to Xanten. We were met at the station by Jim’s dear friend Boris and his daughter Sofia. We are here for just a few days so that Jim and Boris can catch up. Then we will start our Pieterpad hike.

Boris and his wife Anke treated us to a wonderful barbecue with grilled eggplant and mushrooms, shish kebab, and all kinds of meat – steak, chicken and sausage. Their son Louis (17 and a student) speaks excellent English, as does Boris and Sofia (23 and a pediatric nurse). Little Emily (6 and just completed kindergarten) was cute as a button.