We took this trip to explore parts of Europe we hadn’t visited before, specifically the Benelux region, which includes Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. The name “Benelux” comes from the first letters of each country’s name:
- Be for Belgium
- Ne for the Netherlands
- Lux for Luxembourg
These countries formed a customs union back in 1944 to strengthen economic ties and remove trade barriers, eventually inspiring what we now know as the European Union. Our main reason for visiting was to see Bastogne in Belgium, where Carey’s dad served during World War II in the Battle of the Bulge. It was important for us to visit this historic site.
We arrived in Amsterdam a day before our Gate 1 tour began, giving us the chance to explore the Molen Sloten windmill, which was fascinating. The next day, we met up with our group of 14 travelers, led by our friendly Irish guide, Wesley. Everyone got along really well, making the journey through the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, and Germany even more enjoyable.
Some highlights included walking tours of charming towns like Ghent and Brugge, visiting the impressive Delta Works, and exploring the Rijksmuseum. Of course, we couldn’t resist sampling some local specialties like Belgian waffles, chocolate, beer, and the famous Belgian fries. Despite a few rainy days, the trip was fantastic, thanks to Wesley, our skilled bus driver Mohammed, and the great company of fellow travelers. After the formal tour ended, Donna & I rode a train from Frankfurt to Hamburg with the goal to visit the Miniature Wunderland in Hamburg. I am a model train hobbyist and Miniature Wunderland is the largest model train layout on Earth. We arrived a day early and were able to take a Harbor ferry tour, which was good but the dialogue was in German, so we didn’t understand a word they said. In any case the next day’s visit to Wunderland did not disappoint. It truly was unbelievable attraction and without a doubt, the highlight of the entire trip.
