Friday, April 17, 2009

YOU DONT WANT THE DUCK?


So this is a collaboration from Lucille and Taylor regarding Lu's first couple days here...

Taylor:So Mom flew in on Wednesday and rode the train to Maastricht where I greeted her at the airport. Then we brought her stuff back to my dorm and then we walked around town and ate lunch in the Vrithof, the main square. Mom learned her first few words in Dutch and threw in a few in French when she almost got hit by the bicycles. 

Lucille: The bicycles! Oy! I still can't get used to seeing grown men in suits and ties, women with babies and groceries, young girls in high heels, flying down the cobblestone street. We have not yet seen a wreck. Apparently, bicycles have reign over the streets, more so than cars. This is how people who eat chocolate, gouda cheese, and beer all day stay so thin. 

After lunch, we walked around town. Went into a former cathedral turned bookstore and a monastery turned hotel. Interesting, but both were very beautiful. We went to the grocery store and got some rolls and cheese for dinner, had to ask a lady what kind of cheese to buy since there were about a thousand variations. Came back here to have dinner and tried to stay awake.

Taylor: FAIL! After her sentences stopped making since around 6 pm, I let her go to bed. She woke herself up snoring (and probably the neighbors too) and I watched Desperate Housewives on my computer.

Lucille: We woke up on Thursday and took a walk to Taylor's university here. And by a walk, I mean a 45 minute trek through some very confusing twisting streets. We met the director of the study abroad program, a French woman named Severine. We went to a sandwich shop nearby called "Something Good". Long, skinny, hoagie-like, sandwiches with combinations like honey and goat cheese, and Taylor's favorite--turkey, sour kraut, cream cheese, and mustard. We ate our sandwiches and strawberry smoothie while walking to the train station.

Taylor: We took a bus about 10 miles out of town to the American World War II cemetery that my professor had told me about. You are actually standing on American soil while there. We took lots of pictures. It was very serene, with hardly any people and beautiful green scenery. 8000 US soldiers are buried there. Pretty humbling.

Lucille: After that, we came back and did some of Taylor's laundry. You need a PhD to work these Dutch washing machines. Then Taylor took me to the student hangout restaurant, Grillroom Nora, a Turkish frituur for Kebabs! Its a little hole in the wall that has cigarette vending machines, Egyptian murals, Iraqi MTV on in the background, and a guy named Samir who keeps asking Taylor out on dates. We got the Doner Kebab sandwich, which is gyro meat inside bread with lots of salad fixings and some spicy sauce. We washed it down with a cold Heineken. Yum!

We came back and watched an episode of Desperate Housewives in Taylor's bed, the size (and quality) of an army cot. Realized it was almost midnight and decided it was time to go to bed.

Taylor: The room was still dark when I woke up this morning so I figured that as usual Mom was up at an ungodly hour, so I tossed and turned trying to fall back asleep, asked Mom what time it was and she responds "I dont know. 7 or something." So I look at my cell phone and think Im seeing things. 10:45?! I remind you that my mother can remember the ONE time in 5th grade that she slept in past 9am, as if it were a monumental event in her life. So the two of us frantically get ready since now about half our day is gone. 

Lucille: We made another quick walk (ha!) down to Taylor's university to print out Anne Frank house tickets for when were in Amsterdam. Apparently the lines are pretty nasty. It was pouring rain and my khaki capris became completely soaked and see through! Oh, and we were both in flip flops while everyone else is dressed like it's December with their knee high boots. Yet, a Dutch man still asked us for directions..as if we looked like we belonged. Oh boy..

We rode the bus to the train station and caught another bus to Thermae 2000, a hot springs, spa that we had agreed would be a great thing to do on such a gloomy day. 

Taylor: Once we get to Thermae we change into our robes and get lunch at the restaurant. We dont really know what we ordered since the menu was in Dutch but it ended up okay. Some sort of salad with tiny strips of bacon and four leaf clovers thingys? and then baked feta with tomatoes and bread. We also got some special vitamin water stuff made especially for "sauna-ing" Next stop, information desk. 

Lucille: First of all, no kids allowed. In fact, almost every one was over 50. It's like Water World for geriatrics. Every half hour there were a multitude "activities" offered throughout the facility, including Floaten, where you drag your partner through the water while they float and listen to underwater music and little lights are on the ceiling resembling stars, and berken-something something, where they wave misty tree branches in the sauna to "baptize" you with pine scented water. There was a class for everything.

Taylor: Our favorite activity, however, would be where we went into the "no clothes" sauna for the honey treatment. Don't worry, Mom and I kept our towels tightly around our bodies, unlike EVERYONE else. They hand you a little cupful of honey and as mom and I take turns between awkwardly making an attempt at holding our towels up and rubbing it on our arms and face with the other hand, everyone else is rubbing themselves down with both hands, legs spread and towel dropped to the floor. 

Lucille: This just goes to show you that in the right circumstances, you can get used to just about anything. 

Taylor: Needless to say, we only hit up one of about ten different saunas. All featuring a different aroma therapy, temperature, moisture level, and demographic..no wait, they were all old Dutch people. 

Lucille: After the sauna, we participated in some Floaten and then hit up the outside hot springs which resembled the lazy river at Water World, but with the magnetic pull of the Solar System. We ended up going around the circle a few extra times than desired before we could get thrown back out. 

Taylor: We sat in a few hot tubs and then went up to this bar which doubles as a mild sauna and had a glass of wine. 

Lucille: Envision leather couches, people in robes sprawled out asleep in front of fire places, and an accidental view of the saunas down below through the stair...You've seen one "No Clothes Allowed" sauna, you've seen em all. 

Taylor: Our day at the spa had come to an end (skinny old rear ones), so we navigated our way to the Valkenburg bus stop, which proved to be difficult since they were setting up for a huge Amstel Gold bike race happening this weekend. 

We returned to Maastricht and stopped for dinner at La Chine, one of the few Asian restaurants here. We ordered Orange Beef and Chicken Curry, but were slightly thrown off by what we were served. The "chicken" seemed a little spongy and the beef hadn't slightest taste of orange. Guess they do Chinese food different here. Mom choked on some little tiny bones in the beef, just as the little Asian owner quietly asking "How is your dinner?" Pretty good. "Well," he responds "There's been a bit of a mix up. You ordered Orange Beef and Chicken Curry, but we gave you a vegetable platter with tofu and Peking Duck." It all made so much sense. He brought us some chicken curry on the house and charged us for the least expensive two dishes.

Lucille: With three entrees we couldnt finish it all. So we asked for a to go box. "Sure," the owner responded. "But just the vegetables and chicken. No duck." we say. "WHAT?! You dont want the duck?" he said outraged, then composed himself, "Oh ok" Apparently we offended him by not wanting to eat the most expensive item on their menu that we didn't order, or pay for. 

Back in the dorm now, going to Bruges tomorrow for the day. Mmm...Belgian chocolate. 







3 comments:

Charlotte said...

The 2 of you write so well. Keep having fun and making great memories. Miss the 2 of you.

Laura S said...

Great team-post! Sounds like lots of "interesting" fun. Enjoy the rest of your travels!

Anonymous said...

What an experience! I can hardly wait to see the photo album. Enjoy and be safe. Melba