After Denmark, we headed towards Amsterdam and Brussels. We decided to break up the drive and stopped in Bremen, Germany, for the night. Sarah had caught a stomach bug and was not feeling well, so we took it easy for a couple of days. Our hotel in Amsterdam was near the airport and had an aviation theme. The hotel even had a jumbo jet and a penthouse bar with flight-related cocktails. Since we were still taking it easy, we went downstairs and watched Top Gun Maverick in the hotel's private movie theater. Sarah had watched the original Top Gun for the first time just a few days before. We both thought the sequel was very satisfying and worth the 35-year wait; see it while it is still in theaters!
We explored Amsterdam for a day, mesmerized by the boats and canals weaving through the city. We visited the site of Anne Frank's house and explored the Tulip Museum, learning how tulips became so ingrained into the dutch culture. The real treat happened the next day when we visited the dutch town of Make. Make is a wonderfully walkable town and we ate at a well-regarded friture. We shared an outstanding tray of frites; french fries covered in delectable sauces are a mainstay in this region of Europe. So delicious!
We finally made it back to Brussels! We stayed in a comic-themed hotel in Brussels; only Belgian comics, cartoons, and anime were displayed. Who knew that the Smurfs were Belgian? We ate at several good local restaurants in Brussels and explored Brussel's wonderful town square. Incredibly, the square's architecture has remained unchanged since 1697! Brussels is known as the "Capital of Europe" because it is the capital of the European Union, an economic and political union encompassing 27 countries (and allows open borders between most of Europe). Be sure to check out our photo gallery for all the photos of the square!
It was finally time to say goodbye to mainland Europe (until we return in August). Train trips are a pleasant, relaxing way to travel. We jumped on the Eurostar train to London, reaching speeds of 180 mph and arriving back in the old country in just 2 hours. From London's King Cross Station (which includes a 9 3/4 platform for Harry Potter nerds), we headed up to Suffolk, England, for the next chapter of our Adventure. Thanks for reading!
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