Knokke, Knokke...it's the Martin's and Gigi!

After leaving Mini-Europe, we drove to Knokke-Heist for lunch.  Knokke-Heist is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders.  It is located on the Belgian border with The Netherlands and is considered Belgium's better known and more affluent seaside resorts.  September in the rain didn't really cut it, but I am sure it is beautiful on a sunny Summer day.

Europe in under 2 hours...

Located right near the Atomium, Mini-Europe is the only park where you can have the abridged tour around Europe in just a few short hours.  You can see Big Ben, the gondolas of Venice, take your picture with the Eiffel Tower, see an actual piece of the Berlin Wall, and much, much more.  

Unfortunately, we had been making plans to visit the ACTUAL Eiffel Tower, but those plans didn't pan out.  Seeing as how I have not been to the real thing yet, I wouldn't be sure, but I wager to say that this pales in comparison.  However, there are rumors that Mini-Europe is on it's way out, so we are glad that we got the chance to see it.

I have to take a moment to laugh...

  One of the first weekends after we moved here we traveled to Antwerp to go to the Zoo.  After we paid and entered the Zoo we were tackled by two men dressed in Monkey suits.  They had a photographer with them to take your picture, but if you attempted to take a picture with your camera they would turn and try to drag the kids with them so as to screw up your picture.  There was also a mascot at Mini-Europe, with a photographer who attacked you upon entering.  Apparently there is power in numbers because between Jason, Gina and myself we managed to peep a shot...

TAKE THAT MR. ORANGE TURTLEMAN!

SHE LOOKS MENACING TO ME!

CLICK THREE TIMES....
ONE,

TWO,

THREE!
NOPE, STILL HERE!

A PIECE OF THE BERLIN WALL

DOES HE HAVE A FUTURE?

Take a peek at all of the shots of the day!

Mini-Europe - slide show

Road trip to Brugge

Jason took a day off and after we dropped Cole, Liv and Sophie off at school we hopped in the Vito and drove to Brugge for the day.  

We went into a couple of stores, checked out the canals and had a great lunch.  Brugge is a definite on the list to bring all of our visitors.  It is close enough that we took a day trip and were home in time to pick up the kids from school.  

I just had to include this photo in the blog.  We this statue and right away I said, "Hey, look...it's Joe Paterno!"  Nope...this is actually a statue of Frank Van Acker.  He was a Belgian deputy, minister and senator, and a one-time mayor of Brugge.  Whatever...I am going to stick with Joe Paterno!

Car-Free Sunday

Brussels, like other European big cities, organizes a car-free Sunday in September.  During this day every motorized vehicle is forbidden in the whole of the Region, with the exception of public transport, emergency services, buses and minibuses, taxis and authority vehicles.  It turned out to be a beautiful day so we took the train into Brussels for the day.

It was so nice to be able to walk the streets and not have to worry about "looking both ways".  Although...as you often see in Europe, the bicyclists were out in FULL EFFECT!  There were concerts, skateboarding displays, food, fun and of course, the beer was flowing!

WORLD TRAVELING SISTERS!!

WATCHING THE SKATEBOARDERS

GIGI AND THE SPROUTS 

THE SCOTTISH BAGPIPERS

GIGI COULDN'T PASS UP THE SMURF!

FOUND A FRIEND...TOOK A PIC:)

DADDY AND THE SPROUTS

CAP OFF THE DAY WITH...A WAFFLE!

Pass the microphone, please!

A friend of mine that I just recently have met through another friend (got that?!) has 3 little girls.  One of them is in 4th Grade with Cole.  Her name is Ari.  All three are very strong, talented ladies.  For Ari's 9th birthday she decided that instead of having a party, where her friends brought her gifts, she would put on a talent show.  They have a family member who is Autistic, so she decided that the talent show would support that cause.  Ari was set to be the MC and decided, at the last minute, that she needed a Co-Host.  She and a teacher suggested that she and Cole would make a great team, and Cole accepted. 

I was SO PROUD of Cole!  He got up there, was the only boy in the entire show, and KILLED IT!  I cannot even begin to tell you how many people came up to us after the show to tell us that they really enjoyed Cole and he did such a wonderful job.  We also had the added bonus of having Aunt Gina in the audience.  After all was said and done, Ari raised almost 3,000 euros for Autism Europe.  

Great job, kids!

Let's climb some steps...

We had been wanting to visit one Belgium's landmarks that isn't too far from our house...Butte du Lion.    Butte du Lion or The Lion's Mound is a large hill raised on the battlefield of Waterloo to commemorate the location where William II of the Netherlands (the Prince of Orange) was knocked from his horse by a musket ball to the shoulder during the battle.  It was ordered constructed in 1820 by his father, King William I of The Netherlands, and completed in 1826.  The prince fought at the preluding Battle of Quatre Bras (June 16, 1815) and the Battle of Waterloo (June 18, 1815).

The mound was constructed using earth taken from other parts of the battlefield, including the fields between La Hay Sainte farm and the Duke of Wellington's sunken lane.  It is 141 feet high and has a circumference of 1706 feet.  Victor Hugo mentions the mentioned the mound in his novel Les Miserables that on visiting the site two years after the completion, the Duke of Wellington is said to have remarked, "They have altered my field of battle!"  

The Butte offers a great view of the battlefield and is the focal point of an area that includes museums and taverns.  For a fee of around 6 euros, you too can ascend the 226 steps leading to the statue and observation area at the top!

What, Gina, didn't you know you were going to get a workout?!  We climbed the steps...laughing all the way.  I was laughing so hard and so was Gina.  I am pretty sure I heard a few snorts!  When you stand at the bottom and look up, you really don't think it will be as difficult as it is.  The steps are made out of slate and they are very slippery.  Not to mention, but I will, the staircase is VERY narrow.  You use the same steps to go up as you do to go down, so it can get very tricky if someone else is going the opposite way you are!  

Map of the Battle

We have reached the top!

After our decent, we decided to check out the Panorama.  The Panorama is a huge round building, which holds the canvas painted by Louis Dumoulin in 1912 to mark the 100th anniversary of the battle.    it illustrates a key moment in the raging battle.  He depicted the Polish Lancers, the charge by Marshal Ney, Napoleon surrounded by his staff, and the resistance of the English infantry squares around Wellington.  The Panorama was restored in 2008, and is an important piece of historical heritage because it is one of the few that still exists today.  

Here is the round building that houses The Panorama

The Panorama

After all that climbing, reading and walking...what to do, what to do?!  Well, step on over to The Wellington Cafe and have lunch, of course.  We dined outside, had a great lunch, and really enjoyed our view!  Just as we were getting ready to go...the tour buses appeared!  Good thing we got our climbing in early!  Good times had by all:)

S-U-R-P-R-I-S-E...Guess who is here!

I haven't lived home in over 12 years, except for the 9 months in 2003.  As most people know, Gina and I celebrate birthdays just about a week apart.  Gina usually came to visit us sometime in September around our birthday's and before you knew it...it became a tradition!  About two weeks before my birthday this year I just happened to mention to Jason that this would be the first time, in a long time, that Gina and I wouldn't be together on our birthdays.  Little did I know....that would not be the case!

Jason and Gina started to plan my surprise when we were home this Summer.  I HAD NO CLUE!  Many people knew, but surprisingly no one blabbed!!  She arrived on a Thursday, and Jason had been away on business from Monday - Wednesday.  When he got home on Wednesday he told me that he had to go in to work early for a meeting Thursday morning that he couldn't miss.  The meeting was actually picking Gina up from the airport.  I originally was scheduled to go to Ikea with Piper and a friend of mine after we dropped our kids off at school.  After drop-off we decided to postpone our trip because we both had other things to do.  I left her and headed off to the grocery store.  On my way to the store Jason called me.  While I was talking to him I could tell that he was in the car and asked him why.  He came up with a really weird response and I thought something was up, but NEVER did I think that my Sister was sitting right next to him in the car!  I continued on my way and went to the store.  As we usually do, Piper and I spent some time there and headed home.  A good friend of mine, Brandon, called me on my way home and I was on the phone with him when I walked in the door...

THAT IS WHERE THE FILM PICKS UP...

Poor, Brandon...he got a high pitched squeal in his ear!  I might also mention that he is retired law enforcement and probably thought I walked in on my murder.  I called him back after the surprise and let him know all was well!

Many thanks to Jason and Gina for the BEST SURPRISE EVER!!!

P.S...What can they do to beat this one?!  hahahaha