Tag: #retirementtravel

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Leuven Part Ii

St. Peter’s cathedral is worth a visit
carved from one log
the station
obviously he is pouring knowledge (water) into his brain. open access is efficient
so many “Asian” restaurants. Most are really Vietnamese or Turkish run. there are no Japanese here in the restaurant business that I can see
one of the interesting bike creations. so many people have these unusual bikes to take care of family and business
haven’t heard of the drink on the bottom
being a Californian at birth my DNA is fixed to wine. so I am happy wine is inexpensive here
at 22:00. still light
this is a new shop but seems this gelato is pretty popular
had to try the peanut mix with a scoop of chocolate
city hall at night
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Leuven, Belgium I

the Leuven beetle

Leuven is very close to Brussles and worth at least a day visit. there is more to the town than the stuck beetle

city hall…soooo famous
Platz
didn’t note his name but must be famous
these types of facades seem so common in Belgium
famous people who patronized this restaurant/bar
Hawaii in Belgium
Beer and wine in the hotel vending machines
naais is a dutch word meaning “sew”. this is a seamstress shop
In Germany people Blow the dirt away. In Belgium the Suck it in.
looking like a secret agent with a backpack
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Koblenz, Germany

some famous general at Deutsches Eck

Koblenz is on the Rhine so of great importance in transport history. There are many Rhine river tours starting here. It is a beautiful town, one some of my ancestors lived in several hundred years ago.

on the hill, Festung Eherenbreitstein
would you pay 75 Euro for an alcoholic cat?
that’s a big guitar
named after me, of course, young and handsome
police obviously feel safe here
these are bus stop signs
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My Home (ancestral) – Bad Kreuznach

This house was built by my great great grandfather
When I researched my family the local press editor interviewed me
Again at the front door
Inside the front door

This house is now a place for abused or threatened women to be safe. they allowed me to go in only this far.

house history
Memorializing the synagoge my great grandfather and family attended
Plaque inscription
English translation
downtown
some building history
nice place for a lunch on a sunny day
local post delivery. fun way to work but maybe not in the snow
relaxing in one of the nice parks
the new synagogue

I should note this synagogue is now surrounded by a 2 meter tall fence and all the outside decorations and religious symbols have been taken down. This gave me a very unsafe feeling concerning potential terrorist attacks against the Jewish population in Germany.

a cute small car. yes, it is electric and made in Stuttgart, Germany
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Bad Münster – Germany

Bad Münster is near Frankfurt and a short distance from one of my ancestral homes, Bad Kreuznach. This is a beautiful area of cliffs, wineries, castles, retired people and tons of tourists in Bad Kreuznach. It is a great place to relax and get to know Germany. The wine is delicious!

castle view from our apartment
A view from our apartment
bikes everywhere, especially on sunday
climbing up to Ebernburg Castle
managing doggie business
just for fun
salt making
this high wall of bush allowed evaporation from dripping water to leave salt for harvesting
leading to the house of a great wine making family
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Seoul Korea 2

everyone loves a biker
nightlife
what is the nuance?
An old style village
special ceremony
ancient King
a hero general, one of the greatest ever
harleys are prized posessions
nice canal
Seoul Olympic Stadium
Great street type food from the 1950’s
Goethe wrote a story…
…with a character named “Charlotte”. It was the inspiration for naming the Lotte business empire
running up 123 floors (2,914 steps) – competition
all the ladies selling the same street food
palace entrance
delicious old street food vendors. the vendors weren’t delicious, it was the food
Seoul tower
nice view
locks with love letters, just like Paris
loving duck using a lock
nice duck
entertainment at the tower
delicious dumplings
new meaning of “over parked”
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Gyoengju – Korea (a break from Europe)

This city is one of the most important cities in Korean culture. It is the birthplace of the Kim family. Several stories passed by me. One is the Silla king had a phoenix lay a golden egg in front of him and a baby popped out. Kim in Korean, Chinese and Japanese means GOLD! In my travels here, once 45 years ago, the streets had no golden eggs laying around but I am sure there were many Kims.

This is an astrological observatory built in the 7th century. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheomseongdae)
used for storing goods
people do these rock towers for good luck
there are many dozens of these tombs around the city. they look like large mounds
guess who is minding the store
the reconstructed walking bridge
the almost ccompletely rebuilt “traditional town” (model) with the walking bridge on the right
in complete control of things
organic Cornell collors
a school for manga and animation creation, a huge Korean export
if you do the doo doo that he do
an excavation site around a former castle
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Mainz – Germany

With the printer!

The visit to Mainz would never be considered as having “happened” if you did not visit Gutenberg’s museum and also had a photo taken with the “printer” himself, even if he is a pretty “hard” fellow to get to know. I think he is now Bronze. From here you can take a vineyard and wine tasting trip on the Rhine or visit Wiesbaden, another beautiful place with an iconic Old Town.

One of the famous Gutenberg bibles
we stayed across from the Jewish cemetery. many gravestones have been disfigured or destroyed.
St. Stephen’s church where Chagall created some of the stained glass windows.
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Frankfurt Day 1

I found in Frankfurt it’s good to have a sense of humor. Our first day here was filled mostly with shopping for necessities Such as shoes which I did not have since I have been a beach bum for the last three years. My long trousers were completely worn out so I needed a new pair. Included in the shopping list was a SIM card and fixing my brothers ring which broke a few days ago. The city is very much a financial center so it has some drabness to it but today we are going to look for some interesting buildings and scenery. Some of the food takes me back to my childhood since my mother made a lot of German recipes. Now it’s time to go and walk around.

Near the airport in Bangkok, we found Khao Soi, the Chiang Mai version, so decided to stop for the flavor.
Outside the hotel, in front of the main station.
This is an inexpensive place to go shopping, very middle class.
Vespas come in all sizes. All of them were for sale.
A practical joke.
This German idea of Asian food includes foods from different places in east and Southeast Asia. The addition of chop Suey obviously indicates some US influence.
Exactly why I came to this shopping center
Of course we need some delicious bread for Breakfast
Frankfurt main station