Tongeren, Belgium- A Treasure Trove of History

When you think of Belgium, like me you probably think of one place: Brussels. Known for its history, world-famous chocolate, and beautiful architecture, Brussels is the city to visit in Belgium. While I've not yet seen Brussels, after a visit to Tongeren, I'm left wondering "Why not Tongeren? Why doesn't anyone recommend that city? Do they even know about it?" Brussels may very well be the city to see in Belgium, but Tongeren has plenty to offer, as well.

Tongeren is located near Liege.

Tongeren was founded in 15 BC (that's 2026 years ago!) and is the oldest town in Belgium. It's located in the northeastern part of Belgium and is close to both the German and Holland border. The Jaar River meanders along this ancient town, winding through low-lying hills and lush, green countryside.

Historical Tongeren is a gluttonous feast for the senses. Buildings dating back to Roman and Medieval times co-mingle with newer shops offering Belgium's world-famous chocolates and pastries almost too beautiful to eat.

On Sunday, the shops are closed, which is typical in Europe. But Tongeren is host to Europe's second largest Antique Market, which more than makes up for the inability to peruse the stores.

Browsing the Antique Market illicits both giggles as well as "oohs" and "aaahs". One vendor might showcase fine antique crystal and silverware while the next proudly displays a mounted boar's head or fancy 19th Century chair-style commode. No matter what your weakness or shopping pleasure is, the Antique Market is sure to have what you desire (as well as what you never imagined) in one form or another.

When your feet are tired or you want to escape the heat or cold, head over to 't Poorthuis, which is Flemish for The Gate House. Poorthuis is a simple cafe with wooden decor showcasing old photos and glassware on the walls. A delicious array of choices are offered on the menu including pancakes, omelets, sandwiches and more. A variety of beer is available for those who are as serious about beer-drinking as the Belgians. Whichever type of beer you choose (there are over 450 varieties of beer in Belgium),  it will be served to you in the appropriate glass...not just any old beer glass. The Belgian people are serious about their beer. The man dining next to my friend and I enjoyed a full-bodied, dark brown beer and thick bacon (think Canadian bacon) sandwich at 10:30am while I enjoyed my cappuccino with whipped cream and pancakes served with brown sugar.

Walk off your meal along the Ancient Roman wall which was originally build to protect the soldiers based at a supply camp in Tongeren. If historical architecture tickles your fancy, it can be enjoyed as you walk away from the Tongeren Antique Market and head down the street toward Basilica of Our Lady Church, a gothic church built in the 1100s.

Yet again, one day is not enough to cover Tongeren. It is, however, long enough for me to know I must return to this Belgian city which creates the perfect intermingling of ancient history and current times. And, since the shops were closed on Sunday...I must to go back to taste the chocolate.

A Day in Amsterdam



Amsterdam Centraal Station

 Crisp Spring air greeted me as I stepped out into the morning sun. I walked at a fast clip through town to catch the 8:19 train to Dusseldorf. From there I was catching the ICE train for my very first trip to Amsterdam. The ICE, or Inter-City Express, is a high-speed train that travels predominantly throughout Germany, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Austria and Switzerland. Traveling at a speed of 300 kph (190 mph), the ICE is much more cost-effective than flying. Four hundred twenty-five miles lie between Dusseldorf and Amsterdam and the ICE makes the trip in two hours and 12 minutes, half the time of a regular train. The short travel time makes for a great solo day trip or family excursion.



Beautiful craft work inside Amsterdam Centraal Station



Amsterdam, named for the Dam on the Amstel River, was settled in the early 1200s. The natural harbor formed by the dam was known as an important international trade area. Between 1544 and 1662 a ring of canals, formed in the shape of a semi-circle, was built, creating the central area of the city. Between the 13th and 20th centuries, Amsterdam rose, fell and rose again through the perils of flood, fire and war, the glory of the Golden Age, the devastation of the Bubonic Plaque and the arrival of the second Golden Age.

The rich history of Amsterdam is far too lengthy (and interesting) to do it justice here, but history played a big part in my decision to visit the Dutch city. Aside from the beautiful 17th century architecture, Amsterdam is home to a vast array of cultural exhibits and museums including the Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank House. History and art museums abound as do the lesser known (and sometimes more obscure) museums such as the Tulip Museum, Vodka Museum and Sex Museum.

Amsterdam offers a variety of cafes and shops along the canal-lined streets. Tour boats and house boats provide a different vantage point from which to see the city. Just when you think you've seen the most beautiful canal-lined street ever, you walk a couple blocks further to find one even more charming than the last.

The capital city of Holland, where old meets new, prides itself on diversity and acceptance rather than mere tolerance. Be warned: as part of its diverse and accepting culture Amsterdam allows soft drugs and the smell of pot occasionally wafts out onto the street. As I walked the historical streets the pungent smell greeted me from local dives, a few cafes and one very high-end clothing store. Whenever I travel somewhere new I always attempt to experience the culture as a local. But, in this instance, I did not "do as the Romans do", for those of you with inquiring minds.



Original doorway leading into Otto Frank's business.

 The highlight of my trip was a visit to the Anne Frank House. Having read The Diary of Anne Frank several times and learned about it in eighth grade I was thrilled beyond words to learn the Secret Annex where she, her family and friends hid during WWII had been preserved as a museum in Amsterdam. After liberation from the camps, Otto Frank...Anne's father and the only survivor from the Annex...returned to Amsterdam and vowed to preserve the building as a museum after learning of the loss of his family and reading Anne's diaries, short stories and novel.

I'd been warned it's best to buy tickets for the Anne Frank House on the internet to avoid long lines but online tour tickets were sold out by the time I attempted to buy one. Determined to see the museum anyway, I decided I was willing to stand in line up to two hours, if necessary. After the ICE train delivered its passengers to Amsterdam's Central Station, I walked to Dam Square, near the Royal Palace and Madame Toussauds Wax Museum. I'll admit I didn't stop at either because I was too fixated on getting into the Anne Frank House. But that just gives me another excuse to go back. Beyond the Royal Palace I crossed over several bridges then turned onto Prinsengracht, the street that was home to Otto Frank's businesses and the Secret Annex.

I give the Anne Frank House a lot of credit for running a well-organized museum. The line was around the corner and halfway down the block when I arrived but I was inside the museum within half an hour. Because picture-taking is not allowed in the museum any photos displayed here of the inside are from stock.



Bookcase concealing Annex entrance.

 A self-guided tour through the Anne Frank House leads you room by room beginning with Otto Frank's business warehouse and office. Photos, written documents, artifacts and videos from those who knew or helped the Frank family tell the story of the Secret Annex and its inhabitants. Then you arrive at the tall, movable bookcase used to conceal the entrance to the Secret Annex. A long climb up a narrow and steep staircase brings you to the rooms where the Frank and van Pel families lived from July 1942 until August 1944 when an anonymous caller informed Nazi police of the hideaway.



Anne's room in the Secret Annex.

 The rooms in the Secret Annex are no longer furnished but otherwise remain as they were in the early 1940s. Though picture taking is not allowed I was surprised to see the kitchen sink where the Frank's and van Pel's washed and prepared meals sitting out in the open where people could touch it. I was deeply humbled to stand there in the same room as the eight brave people who lived in the Secret Annex almost 70 years ago.

If time is taken to look at all the artifacts, watch all the videos, and pause and reflect for a few minutes the entire tour takes one hour. It was, in my opinion, an hour well-spent and I will visit the Anne Frank House again. Prior knowledge of Anne Frank and her story makes this excursion much more meaningful. I recommend families with children aged eight to 11 years old who want to visit the museum have their children read a children's version of the story and anyone older can, of course, read The Diary of Anne Frank.

By the way, did you know that we Americans have been pronouncing Anne's name incorrectly all this time? The German "e" on the end of a name or word is pronounced "uh". So Anne was actually "Anna" to those who knew and loved her.

Wanderlust and hunger lead me to find a place to eat before heading back to the train station. Earlier in the day I'd been in the Amsterdam Tourists Office and recalled the beautiful wooden staircase that lead downstairs to a cafe. I decided to go there in the hopes of enjoying a traditional Dutch pancake for dinner.

Smits Koffiehuis

Smits Koffiehuis (translated: Coffee House) is a brightly lit open cafe and restaurant with white walls and warm wooden decor and furniture. I sat on a ladder back Shaker style chair by the window where I had a clear view of the outdoor dining area situated on a dock by the canal. Cappuccino warmed my fingers as I awaited the arrival of my Dutch pancake.

The pancake was thinner than its American counterpart and thicker than a French crepe. I ordered a plain pancake because I didn't want anything altering the taste. Along with it came a side of powdered sugar and a delicious bronze pancake syrup that tasted of maple syrup with a strong hint of molasses.

One day is hardly enough time to see Amsterdam. It is, however, long enough to make you fall in love with the architecture, become enchanted with the canals and leave you wanting more. A day in Amsterdam is like spending the afternoon with a friend you haven't seen in years....you leave wishing you had more time. Another trip is already in the works and will include some of the more obscure museums, a canal boat tour, the Van Gogh museum, and a tour of the Royal Palace. Stay tuned...

Travel Tips:
Tip #1: Amsterdam was built primarily in the 1600s. While it is possible to travel through by car, many of the streets and neighborhoods are more easily accessible by bike or foot. Biking is encouraged and preferred by the locals and forty percent of the residents use this mode of transportation. Be on the alert for bikers...they are fast...and stay off the red "bikers only" paths.

Tip #2: Many of the museums sell tickets online so you can avoid standing in a long line.

Dusseldorf, Germany- Citadellstrasse in Altstadt

The town of Dusseldorf is like Godiva Chocolatier's Dark Chocolate Gift Box. When you open the gold-embossed dark brown box to view the twenty-five assorted chocolates you see only chocolate on the outside. But bite into each chocolate and you find something different hidden beneath each delectable chocolate coating. Some chocolates encase nut filling, some fruit fillings. Those with soft nougat centers melt over your tongue slowly the way snow melts in March. Bite into a chocolate-covered piece of toffee and the crunchy caramel taste dazzles your taste buds the way the finale at a fireworks show dazzles the eyes.

While Dusseldorf is one city when you delve deeper you discover that this town, subdivided into several smaller districts, has as much variety to offer as Godiva does flavors of chocolate fillings. You can shop at all the designer brand shops on Konigsalle, known as the Champs-Élysées of Germany and affectionately referred to as "the Ko." Because Dusseldorf is a very international city, food from all around the world can be enjoyed at numerous restaurants ranging from casual pubs to fine dining, from typical German fare to Thai food or Lebanese dishes. Museums, art exhibits, university gardens, zoos and fashion and trade exhibitions round out the eclectic offerings of this old town.

 

Bolkerstrasse, Altstadt Dusseldorf



Wanderlust has brought me to different areas of Dusseldorf but always seems to lead me right back to my favorite area Altstadt, literally translated as Old City. Dusseldorf became a town in the late 1200s consisting only of a single street, a few houses and a small town square built in the area now known as Altstadt. Bolkerstrasse (pronounce the ending "e" as an "uh" sound) is one of the oldest streets in Dusseldorf. The cobblestone street stretches about three blocks, beginning near the underground train station and ending by the city building, referred to  as the Rathaus. Flanked by restaurants, shops, pubs and the Neander Church which was built in 1684, each night Bolkerstrasse becomes part of what is known as "the longest bar in the world" due to it's many pubs and bars.

Recently I met a friend in Altstadt for lunch. As we meandered through the streets she asked me if I wanted to head a different direction. Always one to have an interest in making new discoveries I was all over the idea of exploring territory that was new to me. We walked past Bolkerstrasse, heading farther away from the center of Altstadt toward a dark brown cobblestone street that wove us past a hotel toward the Dusseldorf history museum which sits across from a row of beautifully crafted buildings now serving as apartments. After warming our frozen fingers inside the history museum we continued toward the next museum my friend wanted to show me.

It was along the way to the Film Museum that I discovered the hidden gem in this trip. Let me back up and preface the rest of this blog post by saying that wherever I go in my travels I almost always end up learning something about myself or feeling a connection to the place I'm visiting. Citadellstrasse was no exception but the reasons weren't apparent to me until my second trip there. As I strolled down the street wtih my friend I was attracted to the quaint little antique book store and it's colorful display of old books. I was charmed by the ornate business signs and beauty of the old buildings. After returning home later that afternoon Citadellstrasse remained on my mind. The next week I made plans to go back with my camera and voice recorder so I could discover why Citadellstrasse had such a hold on me.

Six days later with an umbrella in one hand and camera in the other, another friend of mine and I winded through Altstadt toward Citadellstrasse with stomachs full of delicious Thai food. The cold air bit our fingers and the damp rain sent chills to the bone but I was determined to learn more about Citadellstrasse and my friend seemed equally excited at the opportunity to explore. This time I started at the end of the street where it forms a "T" with the Film Museum and Ceramics Museum with the intention of noticing each building and every address. Like a detective I wanted to piece together the different aspects of Citadellstrasse and figure out why it felt so special to me. Sandwiched in amongst the cobblestone bricks, the ornately carved wooden doorways, and the chiseled stone signs lied a story waiting to be told and I was there to learn the story.

At first glance, Citadellstrasse looks like any other residential-mixed-with-business type of street in a European neighborhood. I will agree that outward appearances do not blatantly convey anything that one would find astounding and certainly nothing that would likely be considered a tourist attraction. But as I explored building after building, sign after sign, door after door, the reasons for my initial sense of attraction began to take shape and the reasons for the bond I felt with Citadellstrasse became clear.

Tucked in amongst a beautiful, gated courtyard, the antique bookstore, a few art galleries, and some three-stories flats were the tales that told me why I felt connected to Citadellstrasse. Like pieces of a puzzle, I looked at each one, one at a time, with curiousity and wonderment then set it aside until I found more puzzle pieces with which to connect it. The common thread didn't become clear to me until I was at the end of the block and the proverbial lightbulb went on over my head and I knew, without a doubt, why Citadellstrasse called to me.

Sitting quietly amongst the other buildings were three buildings that caught my eye. One was the Polish Institute for immigrants to the Dusseldorf area. Another was the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce for those of German/Indian decent. The last puzzle piece was an old apartment building at the end of the street where some Turkish men stood smoking cigarettes and leaning into the arched doorway to stay sheltered from the cold. In that moment I realized that, among other things, Citadellstrasse was a street that welcomed, assisted, and provided a home to people coming to Dusseldorf from other countries or whose family members before them had made the decision to leave their homeland for a new life in Germany. And therein lied the connection I was feeling.

 

As an immigrant I have felt the same sense of joy, excitement, and anticipation in moving to another country. I have experienced the same stresses over whether or not I will be allowed to stay...the same fears over whether or not I could learn the language, the customs, and all the new ways. Many of the people on Citadellstrasse experience the same feelings everyday and their emotions permeate the air. As I walked the length of the street another time I imagined countless immigrants walking through this area over the last 600 years since Dusseldorf started to grow. Can you imagine how many people have walked this area in 600 years or how they felt as they soaked up their first impressions of the new country in which they lived?

Aside from admiring the craftsmanship that went into the buildings and the street, visiting the museums for a glimpse at local culture, or enjoying the nightlife on nearby Bolkerstrasse, Citadellstrasse appeals to the heart and spirit of anyone who has ever wandered away from home. Whether your wanderings took you, as a child, to another neighborhood or, as an adult, to a new land...if you felt a momentary connection to other people who have made the decision to step outside the comfort of their own backyard then you understand why I felt the need to go back to Citadellstrasse. And you understand why it now holds a special place in my heart.

Introduction

Wanderlust entered my life when I was four years old. My family and I lived  forty miles west of Chicago in an area that was slowly changing from rural to suburbia. At the end of our block, on Drummond Street, stood the remains of an old farm. Most of the buildings were gone, leaving only crumbling foundations and one brick fireplace standing in their wake. Wood siding from the barn lay in a heap on the ground situated in such a way that you could envision the barn standing one minute and collapsing the next. At the opposite corner of the land stood a tall, twisted mulberry tree with raggedy bark.

One day my uncle, a photographer, took me to the old abandoned farm to photograph me in an outdoor setting and something magical happened; wanderlust was born. Something about the remains of the old farm peeking out from the tall grass intrigued me. I wanted to see more. Over the years, as I spent more time on that square of land, the abandoned barn, tall grass and solitary stone fireplace became pieces of a larger story. Not a summer went by that I didn't head home from that farm every other day with mulberry stained fingers and a stomach full of berries. My curiousity gave way to a greater interest because I knew everything I saw on the farm was part of a story. Someone else's story; many peoples'stories...now my story, too.

It is my opinion that once you come down with a case of wanderlust it remains with you the rest of your life. Whether or not you stifle it, feed it or succumb to its calling is an individual thing. Some feel you must travel far and wide in order to satisfy wanderlust. I say you can explore your own backyard or travel halfway around the world; it doesn't matter. What matters most is that you explore with an eye and desire for finding the places and things that interest you, beckon you, pique your curiousity and make you hunger for more.

I am a sensorial person with a love for old things. If it looks, smells or tastes beautiful I don't want to miss experiencing it. If it's old I want to appreciate it, learn about it and when I can't learn about it, then I want time to imagine the story. Old things have a story to tell to anyone who will stay still long enough to listen.



Cypress Funeral Home

 The old farm at the end of Drummond Street was razed when I was eleven years old. The neighborhood folks waited in anticipation for four new homes to be built where, once upon a time, one family had lived and farmed long ago. Instead, a funeral home was built. No one could believe it. Even after the the old farm was gone wanderlust lived on and lead me to explore other farm fields, other neighborhoods and eventually other parts of the United States.

Now I live in Germany.  A chain of events so incredible you'd never believe them lead me to move overseas to live with a man I'd fallen in love with thirty years earlier but hadn't been in touch with for a long, long time. Sometimes love lives on without you even knowing it...but that's another blog. Though I never ran out of places to satiate my wanderlust in America, I now explore with a new perspective...that of a foreigner living, learning and experiencing life in a new land. Most everyday is a walk down Wanderlust Road as I discover a different street or spy a new sign leading me off on my next adventure.

This blog combines my wanderlust with a love for writing and photography. Here I will chronicle the places, people and things I discover on my way to a great many destinations. Some of these destinations will be well-known while others will involve trips down roads less traveled. Together I know they will form the Tales From Wanderlust Road. I know this because I can feel the stories of these places beckoning me long before I even set out on my journeys. Join me along the way because it's your story, too. We are all part of this world and, at one point or another, we all find ourselves ambling down Wanderlust Road.