The first few days of our trip in great detail Belgium to Puy Du Fou

This is only the first few days of our trip…it ends with our arrival at Puy Du Fou one of the most breathtaking spots on Earth for what they have pulled off there. It is a good spot to stop and add to in the next few days for I just the thought of capturing Puy Du Fou in the way it deserves exhaust me. It is a special place… I will share a fantastic YouTube video and their website and will come back and start the rest of travels with our day there…Watch the video closely especially if you have children into Vikings it will show a ship coming out of the water with vikings on board...just stunning. It should show five shows...Knights, Vikings, Musketeers, a Falconry show that had me in tears and Gladiators and a medival feast in a castle.

As you read this please remember I have five children needing me as I type an almost seven month old baby who is becoming very active and a two year old bossing me at all angles and at the same time home schooling…if I am not clear on something please understand the effort it takes to even pull this off…I hope it makes sense I hope to  share links of everything for others and would be more than happy to answer any questions that I can. Just know I type quickly because I have to.

 It started occurring to me that I wanted to go to Europe for a month in late summer early Fall about 9 months ago right before little Aynsleigh arrived.  I love traveling, and Europe was strongly calling my name. As mentioned it is not a good time to go due to the exchange rate but my calling was strong and I thought we could take many steps to help us pull it off. We are a family of 7 so our steps had to include keeping everyone happy and safe. I spent a great amount of time preparing the children for the trip…had I not there was no way it would have been as successful as it was and much of the money spent would have been wasted if I dare allowed the children to just flush each lesson I worked hard and still do to keep the stories, the artist the history alive and in our conversations and readings. I really cannot put a time frame on the amount of work and effort that went into preparing for our trip but it was not done alone and the children were champs embracing our studies and sharing in my excitement…our strong school curriculum gets a lot of the credit but we find as we study something we are always led on what a home school mom described best, “rabbit trails”.

I booked our tickets thru my trusted travel agent just after Aynsleigh was born, got our passport pics taken at Costco (inexpensive) and started getting our passports ordered.  We home school and are using a very strong history program that sparked the boys fascination with Rome and on his own Reichen started embracing Medieval studies  and legends and the house caught on fire with energy and excitement waiting for our trip.

This blog will have many layers to it, diverse readers …most of it is written  for our sake and a way to track what we did, where we stayed, about how much we spent and links of places we studied ahead of time and many  links to places that we hope to study now.  There are many people who have approached us telling us that they  want to do such a trip and some  who have shown an interest in traveling with their family to Europe and wondering where to start and financially how they can pull it off.  I suspect I will ramble on things we could have done better…ways to save money…special detail to areas we stayed and that will be for the purpose of those seeking such a trip.  I can say that each and every day surpassed any and all of our expectations…we have been asked a million times what was our favorite thing we did and none of us can answer…I could not dare organize the trip in my mind that way…it was all simply perfect.  I hated to delete things from our itenary but had many special things that we added.  I had to remind myself that there will be more trips if I didn’t I fear I would have cried over sites unseen.  I can honestly say that not once did anyone say they wanted to go home…and only one day was there a complaint about the time on the road, it was the stretch from Geneva to Florence and Tristan whined that we had been in the car “all day”, and he was right with stops to Chamonix. Turin, Pisa, and the Italian coast he was correct. Only three spans (Normandy to Puy Du Fou, Geneva to Florence, Rome to Venice) of our trip had us in the car for about 5-6 hours …for two of those trips the children slept thru them for they were at night after enjoying late nights at a location and the other was Geneva to Florence however that day was filled with some wonderful side trips

Financially we started planning right when the trip entered my mind…We all caught ourselves every step of the way when I was craving a restaurant  and it would have been so easy to go  and I thought, “hmmm would I rather spend that money here use it to get us all a sandwich under a Campari umbrella in Europe  ( I call those moments “chasing my Campari umbrella moments”).  I don’t know how much I saved this way but those thoughts were in my head for months with just about every financial decision I could make.

I booked our tickets thru Tram who has always done my tickets…if others use her know she works during the day at a job but is always available in the evening hours and has always found me wonderful deals. I have used her for a decade now, she has advice to share, almost motherly at times…but she has always been pretty spot on in what she says.

I booked our vehicle thru www.autoEurope.com they are here in Maine and their employees are VERY knowledgeable and professional. They are not just customer service folks in a que each and every one convinced me highly they were very professional and full of advice.  NOTE if you go this route check their website for deals, we had an excellent deal on our 9 passenger Euro Van that they could not give me on their own but if I mentioned the website they could honor/match it. ALSO if you do this check with your Visa or MasterCard if you use a platinum card it was brought to our attention by my father that there is an insurance that they offer as a benefit, you have to pay for the car with that card to get it, in any case would rather you hear that from the card company vs. me but it is a HUGE benefit. We actually just days before our trip called them back and changed our payment to such a card so we were insured and did not have to pay insurance we were surprised our insurance carrier who use to insure such trips recently had changed their stand on it. Also make sure when booking that the countries you want to go to are allowed in what you rent. Eastern Europe and some others are not allowed in some cars…so make sure, shockingly Italy was not available at some of the rates- check and don’t read it in the fine print when it is too late.

Updated for I just found my reciept we spent just under $2,000 on this 9 passenger van though we only have 7 passengers we needed room for tent etc...This was $700 off the original price, this was evidently a good price for September and the length of time we had it. We paid no insurance since covered via our platinum card...we put some 6,000 miles plus on it and will update the cost of gas so folks are aware it is more there. ALSO we used a Diesel car!!!!! Gas is cheaper if you use Diesel...there was an odd sound to the car from the outside but that was recommended by our agent and glad of course that we did that.. The car was manual with air condition and had a CD player. One of my biggest regrets was not getting the GPS. GPS was offered to us for $12 a day, that didn't peak my interest at all...UNTIL we got lost a few times and I really think it would have been worth it. Highway signs are different there in that they don't really say "Washington DC 22 miles away" they have exits that will say "Washington DC" (for example) and the direction...well within that direction lies all of the other cities not getting a mention on the sign up on your map. ALSO the round about is a huge thing...you get in the circle and find your direction. On our honeymoon I don't remeber the trouble we had this trip with direction...anyway I would get the GPS!!!!

I packed way more clothes than I needed…I always do…packing the kids clothes was important to me but for myself I really wish (and so does Steve) that we packed little for us.  We did bring bags of raisins, a few containers of peanut butter, some tuna fish cans (we never used), some plates, utensils, cups and mayonnaise in packets a picnic blanket (a must).  If I could do anything again I would have stuck with my intent to make more peanut butter baguettes (French bread) sandwiches. Going to markets in Europe is fun, cheaper…filled with fresh items and just the thing to do. Ice and coolers if there are items that I never saw and could not find…if I did it again I might actually have taken a cooler from here packed but then I still don’t know how I would have handled the ice part of it.  Food at restaurants is expensive…everyone told me but I really think I thought I was above it all with a plan that I did not keep to well. I don’t know why I didn’t keep my plan as much as I would have liked, we all love French Bread, a bag of chips and a piece and an apple…things that could be found all over the markets and could be enjoyed on the side of the road. Don’t get me wrong we picnicked…but we should have done it more…we should have done it every single day and not just every three.  Driving thru Dordogne you would see cars on the side of the road colorful blankets brought out and a couple dining on the side of the road. In France everyone sports his or her baguette as if a status symbol. In Dordogne while we ate on the side of the river we watched a young man walk by us…a few minutes later he walked by us in the opposite direction with his bread and a bottle of wine…a few minutes later he rowed by us with a lady on the river both eating their baguette and drinking their wine. So simple and so beautiful…it all appeared almost effortless.

Just an idea on Markets/Grocery Stores

A baguette (French bread) cost less than one Euro

A good Cheese for the family cost about $3

A salami meat that they call sausison (sp???) can serve us all for about $3…mustards are cheap and good…jelly is cheap and good.

Bottled water…get it here at the market…make sure you like the brand before committing to a big number of bottles, I found one that I did not care for…pick one you like stock up on them.

We flew KLM…I love KLM!!!!!!!!!!!  They are Dutch and laid back as far as airline employees go, they were always  smiling and truly either seem to really love life or convince you well that they are there to help you. Anyway flying over the Atlantic with a nice crew and children all around you helps jump-start you off in a good way.

We boarded our plane in DC, from Dulles on September 11^th…there was an interesting calm to the airport, I am convinced different than anything I have ever witnessed in airports before.  I prepared the children and ourselves and it must be noted if you have never flied abroad that the time change can do major damage on you if you don’t take your mind there and embrace the time you get on and realizing that you will land on a new day…the beginning of daylight in a new area and if you have not slept you are starting a trip tired…without sleep etc… 

I preached to the kids that they would board in their PJs and that I would get them comfortable but they were to go to sleep knowing that in 6 some hours we would be going from 6PM to literally a brand new day of about 7AM.  I prepped them better than I did myself… I forewarned them that movies were not going to be had in this direction of the trip for they cut into your sleep and you could easily never go to sleep.  We ate and then I tucked them in. I got extra blankets and made them a fort in their seats…I bet a good 20 people remarked them, one grandma actually was journaling for her daughter (how special) and sharing how our children were in Superman outfits and how they were set in a fort to sleep. I took the blankets and canopied the kids into a cocoon together by tucking it behind their headrest and behind the headrest of the seat in front of them (ours). I used a blanket to make a wall and it really helped to get them off to sleep.

Due to a flight change we had to hit Amsterdam before catching a short flight to Brussels…I really would advice folks to do direct flights even it involves driving four hours to a major airport to do it…legs take wind from your wings. Since our trip was almost a month we could afford to have a little wind taken…but if your trip were much less I really would not want to lose time and most of all energy on a leg like that. 

We arrived in Brussels and instantly drove to Waterloo …note they had a children’s “treasure hunt” guide and the children get a present if they answer the questions, I got the guide (free) but with so many children it was just best for us to go our pace but if you go keep that in mind that this is offered.  At Waterloo there were two short videos they show you one tugged my heart strings it started with young children playing on the grounds and there was the “leader” evaluating his “troops” they were all dressed in their handmade warrior clothes, each different and each taking their rolls so seriously…they resembled my children,  on any day I see my oldest Reichen evaluating the troops in our backyard…in the eyes of these young kids I saw my children at play just the same…it was sweet to see.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Waterloo

http://www.waterloo1815.be/en/waterloo/

 the site of Napoleon’s last Battle…the children knew of Napoleon and could pick him out of a line up in appearance but we have not studied him with the exception of his relationship to Ancient Egypt and his efforts to secure it’s artifacts and his men’s finding of the Rosetta Stone. They enjoyed the time there and it was a great way to stretch the legs after a long flight. My intent was to go to Dinant also before settling into our camping site in lovely Brugge…time had gotten away from us in additional leg and the length of time to get our car and we sadly did not do it.  The Napoleon wax museum and their circular area to view the war was well worth it’s purchase as well we also took a wagon ride around the battlefield, I forgot if the ticket was inclusive or not but do recommend the whole kitten caboodle if not.    For anyone really into Napoleon I found this site while on some other hunt and it looked promising for those wanting to capture more Napoleon in their vacation  http://www.napoleon.org/en/magazine/itineraries/index.asp

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 As I researched our trip out I found that Wikipedia actually was a good source of information for within Wikipedia are tons of links that open more information…as I blog instead of describing the area Joan of Arc was burned at I am going to give links since those links can share way more than I can and I will also share books etc… if time permits that I used for the kids to understand the many things we did. I can not stress enough that taking the long almost obsessive amount of time to educate them on where we were going made the trip worth it in that if I missed the 2^nd floor of the Musee d’Orsay it was noticed by Reichen…there were many times (more than I want to admit) where my 8 year old was reminding me of things we had learned…not things I taught as much as things we learned together.

So our trip has begun…fresh from Waterloo and the relaxed it provided at this time of year we headed to Brugge I am going to guess about an hours drive away. Steve and I had stayed there on our honeymoon exactly 8 years before. The guidebooks mentioned a campsite within walking distance of the Old Towne that had our name written all over it. We drove on the street and were convinced we were in the area…back and forth we drove. I have never seen a campsite just go out of business in Europe before, I am sure it happens but I have never witnessed it…most seem to have been there from the beginning of time and it never occurred to me that times might have changed.  We pulled over at a gas station where we were told the campsite is no longer. She informed us there were no other campsites in Bruges. It was getting late at this point and we were eager to have our castle set up…we proceeded to the next town where we saw no mention of a campsite. We then headed to the coast…the Atlantic coast only about 40 minutes.  Where we ended up in Ostend.  We did not stick around Ostend however I have no doubt it could be a vacation in itself and if we go back I plan to spend a few days there relaxing…there was a museum there that looked like it catered to children it was not what we were searching for this trip but if you were there a few days it might be something to look into.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostend,_Belgium

see below where I clarify that we ended up in  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bredene.

During the non summer times campsite staff is not there as late as the summertime and we feared we might have to enter a site and pay in the morning which was fine…but in doing so it usually meant the road access to drive your vehicle thru was not there and that we literally would have to carry all items over a gate of sorts…with five children that task is not as easy as it was when Steve and I did this on our honeymoon.  So this story will provide some humor as we go thru our travels…not finding an open campsite and being very tired I pulled over and asked a police officer where we would camp with our tent (looking for a campsite with water, green grass etc…) he said to follow him and he took us to this safe little parking space with about 10 campers in it. None were just big vehicles like ours they were true campers. At the time I poo poo’d that idea greatly, I had never stayed at such a place plus had the safety of my children to think about…it ends up I think every little town in Europe has such a place for “free camping” and while I questioned its safety that night I look back on it and folks were beside their campers socializing and eating and in hindsight it was probably as safe as anywhere. I have only camped in wonderful sites before…running water…hot baths…playgrounds etc… and knowing that we were all maybe able to skip the showers (and boy did we) we were not really able to skip the other bodily functions that we had little control of. So we drove on within the town…filled with campsites that seemed to house “summer homes of nice campers” and knowing that just a month ago this was a true “beach town” filled with activity, swimsuits etc… we were driving a long what a month ago would have clearly been a boardwalk but to us right then we just wanted a place to sleep. All of the camp grounds were “locked” for safety and no one was manning the offices…five of them or so connected to each other and one in particular had a parking lot back outside of the office that appeared kind of safe…we felt we had no choice but to sleep in our van that night in their parking lot and check in in the morning. As we were scouting out what seemed like such a life changing decision a car pulled up that ended up being the family who ran the campground…they were I think just returning from dinner, they were very pleasant and opened the gate and allowed us in with instruction to just stop by in the morning and pay.  Ahhhh showers, bathrooms…campers outside socializing…we were the only tent and pretty humorous to see late at night with all of the bright and shiny campers that resembled summer mansions on the coast in the camping industry.   On our honeymoon we seemed to find campsites with big bushes that separated the sites on this vacation not as much, though we were fine with that.  This site had an open patch of grass for their tents, and sure in the middle of September we were the only tent however I feel safe to say had we been there one month earlier there would not have been room for us. This would be our only really nervous night until we were let into the campground as to “where do we stay…can we walk over the fence”…we were tired and not as bold and confident that night I suspect in the future and in the past things like this didn’t stress us out as much as it did that first night.  The cost for all of us camping totaled 22 Euros each night…one token worth a Euro was needed for hot showers. A clean, very nicely equipped site with a wonderful playground that would have been enjoyed so much more if our time was spent around the tent and not out and about.

My days delay in posting this entry was actually to find the information about this site and here it is www.campingduinzicht.be. I did not get the impression that this family spoke much English but they certainly did what they could to help us, there is a big chance during the summer months they have help that can speak English. I only share that incase someone tries to make reservations over the phone.  I am also noticing that I have ID’d this town as Ostende previously their brochure calls it Bredene!!!!! Ostende though I do know was just a second or two down the road.

Here is info on Bredene  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bredene

While we did not scratch the surface of this town I know a month earlier it would have been hoping with beach seeking families and could have been a vacation in itself…we used it as a place to sleep and I am certain it could have been a vacation for some on its own.

We awoke to seeing the beach community around us that we had only imagined was there…as we drove out and turned left to go back to enjoy Brugge for the day and night we saw the huge sand dunes on our right with paths and people with beach umbrellas and baskets making their way to the Atlantic Ocean on the other side. There was tremendous comfort in that…we have a home just a few miles from the Atlantic Ocean on this side of the pond…so it was neat to imagine that we could enjoy this same Ocean as they did.

Brugge  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brugge …wonderful Brugge…everyone should check it out. I find Brugge to be pretty inexpensive and a storybook of a place. If you mention it most everyone will says, “Ahhhh Brugge is beautiful, I love Brugge”.  Steve and I stayed in a little B&B when we came for our honeymoon…we just found it and lucked out at the time, I think I could find it if set lose for the day…but we were camping with children and times sure had changed in 8 years.  We lucked out to find a parking lot that charged 6 Euros for a day to park…it was safe, unmanned but locked. A local guy told me it was a ‘secret for the locals” and seemed surprised that I stumbled upon it…a few wrong turns and our trip moto “let’s get lost in _________ (pick a city)” found us this.

If anyone wonders why I long abandoned taking pictures of a church etc… without someone I know in the picture the above Brugge link should shed some light on it. I realized I could find the perfect picture of a famous landmark on the internet to grab so why use my mediocre skills to try to capture its picture. So all of my famous landmark pictures have the children in them. Sadly when I share them via a collage I have to cut out a lot of stuff and more sad is that I have not really found a way to capture landmark and children together in a great way. I have a nice camera and this upset me.

We had a lovely day!!!!  Just like you shouldn’t go in a grocery store hungry it might have been a mistake to enter Brugge hungry. I will in a heartbeat spend money on a meal that is good and that is had in a scenic place but I do think I made a mistake in judgment when in hunger desperation I sat us down in the famous City Square to eat. The memories of the Clock in the Square and people watching and all will probably be worth it, but I fear I will always remember the most simplest meal to be had that we paid 125 Euros for and thus a good $150.   I had smoked salmon served with toast and the children fries and a soup and Steve maybe a more hearty meal but nothing real memorable. You must remember that all water in Europe is bottled…you will be asked if you want “bubbles” or “no bubbles” so be prepared or you will probably be served the carbonated water…but the price of the water all around for all of us adds to the bill a lot which is again why I stress have your grocery store/market stops in your time schedule and do them.  There was a little boat that departed back near where we parked that took people on a tour thru Brugge…I think it cost us about 30 Euros or so and I am really glad that we took it.  We were the last group on it for the evening, I think it was about 6:30PM and after that we went back to the Town Center and after an evening of Brugge headed back to our campsite almost an hour away (but an easy drive) to wake in the morning and head to France. Just to note we ate here on our honeymoon and loved it it is in our notes from our honeymoon and I remember Derek the inn owner telling us about it   We were to hungry to search it out this trip but I really wish we had.  Wanted to mention on a side street the kiddos saw a lady dressed in old traditional garb making lace and that was a real treat to them.

I would highly recommend the little boat cruise to anyone.

The weather was without a doubt picture perfect our first few weeks or so…not a drop of rain …We took the highway to Rouen France

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rouen

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rouen_Cathedral

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_I_of_England#Later_years_and_death

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronomical_clock

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_of_Arc

www.fayencerie-augy.com  updated where kids saw the artist doing faience

www.rouentourisme.com  updated from brochure of light show (maybe they do every summer)

…not far from Paris and still in the Northern area of France in fact near the Normandy Beaches, Paris, Claude Monet’s home etc… this area itself justifies several more days than we were able to give it.  Rouen was a lovely stop…we found a parking garage underground and a wonderful Information office (clearly marked “I”) on all maps and filled with people who for the most part want to help you. We were lead to believe it would be hard to park our van in cities…that Europeans have small cars etc… I will not argue that they do indeed have small cards, but there are also a lot and I do mean a lot of campers and vans similar to ours in the areas we were at. Sure it is more problem then having a small car…but without any huge exception we did always seem to find a spot for us. In this garage we really lucked out there was a place parallel to the wall that was meant for us and we pulled right along it and went out to enjoy Rouen. I have been guilty of blogging more about food than other things in the past…but when you have children and you want the best of experiences I have to say food in my life is a big issue.  I wanted the I named a good 15 years ago while in Greece “the Campari Umbrella experience”…I would spend for good food and in Rouen I wanted just that.  What we found was a decent little café where we could eat out on the cobblestone streets feet away from where Claude Monet propped easel to pain the Notre Dame Cathedral.  You will find such places everywhere, many have pre made sandwiches and pizzas and locals are gathered there too…it is not my cup of tea I really want food that is fresher…but you could be suckered into such a thing easily if hungry and looking to save a Euro or two…again I’d rather pay the Euro or two for a hot meal for there is nothing I love better than to take the first bite of food from a place I might not ever get the chance to return to.  The little place we ended up at was fine and the meal he made was done behind the counter while offering premade items as well.

We drove along the Normandy Beaches http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Normandy

We arrived at 4:00AM…we set our alarm for I think 8:00 and we slept in the van in an area at Puy Du Fou set up for campers, as safe as can be, campers all around and right there yards away from the entrance…free.  The children at this time were all asleep and I know they drifted off to sleep with great expecatations and excitement for the day that was ahead of them...I was like a child myself with excitement.