Germany & the Netherlands

In early April we took a trip to visit some of my family in Germany and the Netherlands who I'd previously met in 2014 when my parents were in Europe.

First stop was a couple of days sight seeing in the Black Forest. We stayed in a postcard perfect town called Gengenbach; within the city walls, the cobbled streets and immaculate old buildings made it feel like you were stepping back in time. 

Gengenbach

From Gengenbach we explored the Black Forest region, stopping at an old village that is now an open air museum, the town of Triberg to see the worlds largest cuckoo clock and sample some of the famous Black Forest cake, and also Lake Titeesee and Schluchsee, and the town of Baden Baden (where apparently all the rich Russian tourists come on holiday).

A 400 year old farm house in the Black Forest

Worlds largest cuckoo clock!

Triberg

Waterfall above Triberg

From The Black Forest we made our way north east to the small town of Tauberbischofshiem, near the Rhine valley area along the Romantic Road, to visit my Great Uncle Rob and his wife Marie Luise. It was wonderful to see them again, to catch up and to hear more about my family history (Rob and my Opa and their family grew up in Indonesia, before & during WWII). We all took a day trip to the nearby town of Wurzburg to visit the Residence, which my dad had mentioned was very impressive, and it certainly was! Unfortunately it has been bombed in WWII, but a lot of the original furniture and paintings had been moved into storage prior, and was therefore saved, including the worlds largest ceiling fresco painting (with strange interpretations of exotic animals which no one in Europe had seen at that time!). Inside was the most impressivly decorated golden room that you could ever imagine! The room was wall to ceiling painted mirrors with spectacular gold frames. If only we could have taken pictures!

Tauberbishofshiem

Wurzburg Residence

The 15th century fortress, Marienberg, in Wurzburg

Views over Wurzburg

From Tauberbischofshiem, we had a mammoth day of driving all the way up to Amsterdam where we had dinner with my mum's cousin Annelies and her partner Tobias. It was lovely to meet them, and I definitely could sense the family resemblance with my mother!

For the next few days we were welcomed into the home of my mum's other cousin Emiel and his wife Helma, and sons Vincent & Joshua. We enjoyed spending some quality family time together in their home in Rustenburg, a rural village just out of Alkmaar, and also exploring the nearby cities of Alkmaar and Hoorn. While in Hoorn we had a tour around the Half Moon - the ship that Hudson discovered America in.

Hoorn

The Half Moon

On the way back to Frankfurt (where we were dropping the car and flying back to London), we stopped in Keukenhof Gardens to see all the beautiful tulips. Truly lovely and a welcome sign of Spring.

It was wonderful catching up with my family again, and I truly hope that some day I can repay their generous hospitality back in New Zealand!