Amsterdam to Belgium and onto Paris

Saturday third of April                        frosty fine sunny.

A leisurely farewell to our friends and on the way again.  Liz and Rob and Jim and his wife.  We headed north to Markem via Haarlam. 

Marken, Netherlands

It is connected to the mainland by a built-up road.  It is in the Isseljsee, the old Zuider Zee.  Not as nice as Volendam - a fishing village that relies mostly on tourists and fish - people weren't as friendly, but that could have been because a funeral we saw - behind the coffin came the men in national dress and the women in their long gowns, whilst bells rang in the church.  The procession look like a long centipede.  We saw a man making clogs, same wood as cricket bats.  After lunch we decided to head for the Hague.  

Davanzo van following

Arrived here at Duinrell about 6 p.m. - had a quiet tea and all into Lee's van to Madurodam.  Had two hours of daylight, everyone loved it and then as dusk fell the lights came on - looked like a miniature city all alight - we were cold, so into cafe for coffee.   It sounds funny asking for a table for 10.  Home to hot Dutch soup and toast then bed.

Madurodam, Netherlands

We stopped in the afternoon at a flower show a bit early for full bloom, then through de Zelk-tulips lined the roads, Katwik and here at Wassermann, near The Hague.

Sunday 4th April, 1982                       fine and sunny

Leisurely sleep in then began washing, Duinrell is quite a good caravan Park has all we want.  The rest went off to church, all bar Marie reluctantly - all the excuses they give.

Duinrell is fantastic - everything for kids.  Playground equipment is fantastic - junior Wonderland, swings of every description.  Boat and train rides fun things for $.25, like a donkey that sends out bubblegum - a little boy who will wee all over you and a ramp that shoot water up your legs.  Funny?

Duinrell Caravan Park, Netherlands

Sequel to mass - they don't know if it was a reformed Dutch or not - the bread was brown and it was Palm Sunday so was a long service.

Lovely warm spring day.  Walked around the Park tried all comic cuts- after tea we all went up the road to a Dutch pub.  Home by 10:30 p.m..

John says the church was a Dutch reformed Church much to Marie's horror.

Monday fifth of April

On the road again - called at Delft again.  Such a pretty place - Marie wanted to buy some presents for her sisters.  Brought pepper and salt shakers and little vase.  Whilst in Delft 2 kids cleaned Lee's van windscreen even though he said "no", when they were refused money they up with the bucket and threw it over the screen, then took off - cheeky buggers.  Poor Delft put a negative on it for us - Sandra had words with a rude fellow about 20 - we weren't impressed with the Dutch, very intolerant, cross race but very clean.  

Out on the road about Krabben Bossen we stopped for petrol and three young English bike riders came up and spoke to us - they had been on a bike rally top of Holland and were on the way home in one day 700 miles they said.  Had fun at the border, the guard wouldn't let John speak kept waving us on - silly John kept insisting till the guard lost his temper and guards hat +2.  Had to turn around and go back to opposite side - then we had to drive kilometres to Wurstwezel where they found it would cost them more money than they save for paperwork -some misunderstanding along the line.

Belgium.  On through Brasschaat, Merksem to Antwerp, where we filled the larder at the supermarket, then fun and games to find a camping area again - Sean remembered the VVV in centre, so found map and on the way again to Jan van Ryswycklan camp area - liked it there -  fellow had only just taken over.  We had to hurry to shower and catch bus into Antwerp for dinner at Simone's - Lee wasn't feeling too well - he's sinusitis is still around - a sleep and shower and we were on the way.  Well Simone excelled herself for just a short notice.

We had Belgium and chicken soup - huge pork steaks - salad and chips till they came out of our ears.  The kids loved that, Yves and Brett out stayed everyone.  Simone's eldest girl was there and Matthew her husband - a lovely family.  Everyone enjoyed the evening - Simone as vivacious as usual.  Jules was in London - had a beautiful fruit salad, cream and coffee - home in two car loads driven by Jenny about 2 a.m.

 

Dinner at Simone's 

Tues 6th April, 1982                       cold and windy

Up and on way reasonably early - bye Amsterdam and Antwerp, hello France - past Halle, lunch at Briand-le-Compe, Mons, St Gishlain and Dour.  At the border saw a well-dressed man hitchhiking with his umbrella - through Valenciennes to Iwuy where we had morning tea beside one of the many memorials to the allies during two world wars.  

On through land of the Somme where many battles were fought in 1918.  Through Peronne, Masniers to Roye where we couldn't find camp area so followed a sign out of town and spent the night at Beuvraignes - an old campsite at the back of a bar - hole in the ground toilet - no hot or cold showers only one tap over a dirty sink.  We decided to stay as Lee still had a headache.  Into the bar  - all but Marie and Sandra - after about 1 1/2 hours the locals became friendlier - ended up a nice evening.  

Drinks at the bar with the locals (even the kids)

Then the funeral director asked us all home but we had to eat first then it was 9:30 p.m. and he came to pick us up. Lee and John went off whilst the girls settled the kids - then they were back to pick up the girls.  I chickened out and went to bed - by 10:30 p.m. they were all back rain and all.  They ran away after he had filled the men with some potent potion.  He seemed to act funny so they took off.

Drinks with the local funeral director

Francis Grenier funeral director - knock on door - the funeral director with Sandra's umbrella left it there in their panic.

Wednesday 7th April, 1982               rain and windy

Suffering from the potent potion, the men drove slowly out of Beuvraignes.  Goodbye to the small population - even the garage man.  Brett brought his hat for 10 francs.  Off on the village roads to Ermeronville where we pulled in for lunch at a supermarket-we just had time to buy bread when we were hustled out-so we decided to eat there, just got our lunch set out in one car-Lee was asleep in the other, when we were told they were closing gates so we had to hold all on the table and drive outside-Marie drove theirs, Lee didn't stir.

On then to Paris through Louvres to the Peripherique and off at Pt de Malliot and here to Bois De Bologne at 4 p.m..  A few drinks in the van , washing at machine, long walk and bed.  It is becoming quite crowded here and a very muddy.  Rain has found us again.

Thursday 8th April, 1982                          wet and miserable

Up early and off to town earlier than usual.  Wet and cold but can't dampen our spirits as we took over the bus which only took nine passengers but conceded when 10 of us plus two other Aussie girls got on board.  Introduced the Davansos to the Metro system.  On to the Eiffel Tower - they loved it.  Alighted at Trocadero and approached from a different way - very impressive!  On then to Notre Dame - rain - had chip roll and drink in Lebanese cafe which was very filling - on then to Sacre Couer to meet John.  Up on the funicular - I think the lolly machine owners will be smiling tonight - the kids wouldn't pass one - we had chewy peanuts, sweets etc all day.

Saw some funny things in Paris streets.  Everyone does their own thing.  To American Express and home tired and ready for bed.  Titus and Charlotte gave us an old warm coat and as the weather improved, decided to hoist it.  Left it in shower - it kept being moved from shower to shower till it disappeared.  Rae tells me it ended up in garbage - pity!

It is Easter week and people are all coming to Paris.  The CA bulges already.

Friday 9th April, 1982                     Good Friday                cold wet then fine

Into town quite late today.  Sandra, Rae and Renée stayed home.  They put a full bus on this a.m..  People still arriving at park in droves.  They were arriving at midnight.  The parents went into town for te. It was cold-wet.  Disappointing day - didn't get into the Louvre or the Impressionists - too many people - Paris in spring is the in thing - crowds everywhere.  Everyone knows it's spring, bar the weather.  The trees are full of blossom, flowers bloom, birds chirp, lambs are born but still the sun refuses to shine.  We walked up Champs Élysée -lunched at the Burger King - strolled to Arc de Triomphe - Metro to Louvre - then home.  A drink after tea to cool off - the showers were too hot!  Rang Karen.

Funny sight: two gendarmes versus 4 gypsies in the Place de la Concord - the gendarmes won.

Marken to Paris

Belgium to Paris, France

Saturday, 17th October, 1981                  rain

Raining this morning, so decided to leave for Belgium.  We had the washing to do so stopped at the Luxembourg laundromat in case we can't find one.  A good job done by Sandra.  The kids and I went for a walk in the rain then prepared lunch.  Good bye Luxembourg, hello Belgium.  On the way out we stopped at a hypermarket which was so cheap we bought gloves, warm socks and shoes for the boys - nil Sandra.  Rae spent her francs on some play mobile which was very cheap.  I notice Fisher-Price toys half price to Australian. John and I brought a bottle of brandy - mine was two dollars 50 - Napoleon.

On then towards Belgium where we passed through the border without a blink from the officers and then on to Virton.  We'll stay here for the weekend then into Champagne country.

Sunday, 18th October  1981                    Wet

Awoke to rain again, so decided to travel on to France as we can’t air the van.  As the showers weren't controlled by coins, we all lined up for a shower - who knows when next we'll shower.  Had fun and games trying to pay the camp - wouldn't take it off Sean, then San tried and then John.  Eventually we found we had to go about 1 mile away to another activity Centre where there was a family sports event on.  We saw one crowd go off trotting, rain and all - Belgium is very family minded.  Lots of outdoor sports they do together.  Well goodbye Virton in Belgian and hello France.  Passed onto French soil at Ecouviez where the official took our passports and stamped them - the second time only since entering Europe.

The border villages are so different to any other nation - they looked neglected.  No local pride, even the statues of Our Lady or the crucifix were surrounded with weeds.  On through Chauceney la Chateau where the low lands were flooded.  La Combus Stenay - large brick foundations on verandas.  Landeville, Beauclair and Vouzier where we saw our first War Cemetery.

On through Blaise where we saw piles of parsnips or turnips piled high on side of road.  About Berru we came upon the grapevines, and were in Champagne country.  Stopped in Rheims to see the cathedral - a beautiful construction built 400 AD, razed and rebuilt in 900 AD.  We walked around, hadn't any French money to buy anything as we still had deutsche marks.  A woman kept rattling a money plate at us but we had to act blind.  We then went on a tour of Verve Clicquot Champagne Caves.  Oh boy - down to the bowels of the earth through tunnels supposedly made by the Romans.  The end of the tunnel had fungus all over the walls and roof from the humidity.  The temperature stayed at 10°-11° all year round.

We saw how they bottle them and how after some time they tipped them up to remove the sediment.  Quite interesting!  They have been in operation since 1770.  A lot of Champagne houses here.  We began the Champagne Road and are now free camping at Rilly.

Monday, 19th October , 1981           fine

Awoke to a fine day and little activity at the station - guards coming to work.  The only toilet we had available was the male one at the station - a real French toilet - squat a vous - my first experience and maybe not my last.  France has not been very nice - its villages are frumpy, uncared for buildings, shocking roads, even the countryside looked neglected.  Grottoes stood like a ship in an ocean of weeds and every now and again a neat War Cemetery to remind us of grim days gone by.  It did not improve until we were within 50 km of Paris where new towns and well-kept farmland appeared.

We proceed over bumpy roads through Bellevue, Champillon, and Dizy to Epernay - a large town where we went shopping for Aerograms etc whilst the boys went on an inspection of Moet and Chandon.  Oh boy it can be hard going.  Decided then as we were only 60 odd kilometres from Paris to head for there.  On through grotty little villages with lovely names de'Ablois, Bussieres, Morass - a change with nice neat homes and on to Meaux, where John rang caravan park to book in.

Then the battle through the streets of Paris and on to the periphery road - a fast moving highway with hundreds of hungry Parisian’s wanting to get home.  Our navigators got us here quite safely, so showered and warm.  We are quite content.  Off to pick up mail in a.m. Had my first sight of Eiffel Tower and Sacre Coeur.

Tuesday, 20th October, 1981                       raining and cold

Our campsite is in the Bois de Boulogne.  Up and off on the courtesy minibus to town to collect mail.  A 15 minute ride into town through the park to the edge of Paris. We got off at Port Mallete and walked down the avenue des Champ Élysée - actually here at last in this lovely wide avenue.  We walked in the rain to the Opera - a beautiful old building.  Collected our mail at American Express, lots for everyone with all good news this time.  Then went looking for a coffee shop - all to no avail - every Parisian was in town eating so we found the metro by popular consent and headed for home.  A small wait for bus, a cup of coffee and read all of our mail.  We listened to Amber and Tony's tape - cried and laughed.

Rang Bev Klasups, a niece of Mabel’s from work.  We had a great talk as she is so homesick.  Still raining so into bed.  John came home with the four-day billets.

Wednesday, 21st October, 1981               sunny and cold

Woke to a fine cold day, so we packed our lunch and started on our four-day sightseeing with the billets - for 53 francs we can use bus and metro and Montmartre funicular.  Quite cheap as the first day cost us 13 1/2 francs in and out to town.  Our first day we decided to see Eiffel Tower and Sacre Coeur.  We took a photo of the tower with the Australian flag as Australia House is just near the Tower.  John took the kids up in the chairlift.  It is quite magnificent - built by Gustave Eiffel in 1880 to commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution.  It is quite high 313 m and has been used for radio in both world wars.  We had a lunch beneath its huge wings and then went off on metro to see Sacre Coeur at Montmartre, a really beautiful cathedral sitting high above Paris.  Some say the Church exterior never soils - it gets whiter every year.  It was built on the scene where France's first martyrs met their deaths.  It is built in Roman-Byzantine style and can be reached by road, steps or funicular.  We rode up and walked down.  Lit a candle for family.  Rae, Sean and John went up the dome and down to the crypt.  We then went out among the sinners at Montmartre, an area near the church where artists have for years made their living.  

Montmartre, Paris

Admiring artists sketches at Montmartre

About 70-hundred artists were in the square under umbrellas fighting for customers.  Sandra and Rae had their sketches done.  The rain held off for that.  As the cold set in we headed for home via American Express, tube and bus - tired cold but satisfied.

Thursday, 22nd October, 1981                     fine

Another fine day so we are going to explore more of lovely Paree.  Made lunches and armed with our thermos today (as yesterday we were unable to get into a coffee shop) the one we did have at Sacre Coeur cost 23 francs for three.  Caught bus after a brisk, cold walk uphill and into Port Maillot. Then down the metro to Franklin D. Roosevelt.  We walked up to the Champs Elysee to big Mac, our saviour for toilet and coffee then off for a stroll down the Champs Élysée.  On the way we strolled through Paint Pointe?? where all the exclusive shops are.  Yves St Laurent and Pierre Cardin men's.

The restaurant was beautiful but a little out of our league.  Marzipan shops beautifully done and expensive.  The French, like the whole of Europe, have a sweet tooth.  We strolled on past the Minister for Interior office where gendarmes stood at alert with guns.  Quite a sight in Europe.  Past the Royal Palace and petite Palace - a lovely street.  Down the Champs Élysée we arrived at Place de la Concorde where in the French Revolution the guillotine stood in a huge wide square with wide streets, where they pulled the carts with their victims standing in.  It is quite a place where once heads rolled.  Cars try to bowl bodies.  A huge obelisk stands high in centre. Over to the Tuileries, a lovely spot dotted with statues - a pond stands at the head of a walk to the Louvre-  once the palace and gardens.

We lunched by the pond and strolled up the walk on yellow and gold autumn leaves, a beautiful sight.  Turned before the Louvre and strolled along Rue Rivoli a mixture of souvenirs and expensive shops, until we came to W. H. Smith where we were in our glory among English books and English-speaking people.  The kids & San bought a couple - we browsed for ages.  The books are twice as dear as England.

On up Rue Royale where Maxine's is $40 a lunch so we strolled on quite content with our roll and cheese to Place Madeleine where rain put a stop to our gazing in such exclusive shops as Fauchon where one piece of chocolate was 10 francs or one dollar 70.

It is all done up so beautifu,l but Oh boy only for the oil kings I think.  Their fruit shop had fruit from all over the world - Kiwi fruit 17 francs or two dollars 80 each.  Their delicatessen made our mouths water so we decided to go home to our quiche Lorraine and veggies.  The quiche Lorraine was $13 or 78 francs so we bought one at a supermarket for two dollars 50.  Caught the metro back to Port Malliot then the bus to Bois de Bologne and home after hassling with the Post Office re mail and shopping.  Thunder and lightning kept us on the move till we arrived home.

Friday, 23rd October, 1981    cold

The boys were tired after their return to town last night.  John took Sean in to see the lights of Paris and Pigalle at night - they missed the last bus home and had to walk and hitch hike.  About 1 km from home a Range Rover picked them up.  Had to pass the ladies of the night in the street.

We were a bit slow-moving so decided we would eat in town for tea.  We got the bus and the metro and walked to Notre Dame.  A lovely old church on an island in the Seine.  There has been a cathedral there since 900 AD. Had a cheese roll outside this magnificent building then walked up to George Pompidou Centre, a huge modern building mostly made of glass with escalators on the outside of the building.  Quite a contrast to the older structures here in Paris.  We decided to go for a trip on the R E R metro so chose Roissy-St Leger on the outskirts of Paris - a fast ride but gave our feet a rest.  Then back into town to see Paris by night - walked along past Moulin Rouge, giggled at the puppets in the window, and the men selling tickets outside sex shops.  Hunger pangs reminded us of tea - so we returned to a shop we found that p.m.  A pizzaria where we had a lovely filling meal for 27 francs each $4.20 3 courses and coffee and each one tasty.  Then home to bed. Brought scarves - Piere Patricia

 

Saturday, 24th October, 1981                      fine and cold

The car had to be recharged so Sandra and Rae went to American Express for mail - too late have to wait till Monday now.  Sean and I stayed with John - the gay life caught up with our boy, he slept till 10 a.m. then, when we left fell asleep again until 1 p.m.  Had a day home on his own.  John and I followed the others in about 12 midday met them in the Tuileries lunched, and then went to the highlight for me, the Louvre.  I thoroughly enjoyed gazing at the Mona Lisa behind glass and under guard by a nose picking sleepy eyed fellow.  The paintings of greats like Leonardo da Vinci, Van Dyck - and many others were a delight to see, so many to gaze upon - spent quite some time with the paintings then down to see Venus de Milo - had my photo taken beside her - she stands in the centre of a long room among other ancient sculpture.

Back home after a coffee in a bar near the Tuileries as John was taking Sandra for a night on the town.  Went for a walk up to Suresnees whilst they showered etc when we arrived home Sean had not let the sunshine go to waste.  After he lunched, he aired all the van and sleeping bags and prepared tea for Rae and me and himself.  San dressed up in her London ₤9.99 suit and looked very chic.  She made a faux pas to some people John was talking to.  She said the kids said act like an American tourist and the lady was an American.  She laughed.  We are not terribly impressed with the French people - they look as if they need an infusion of big brown Australian blood.  Sandra reckons they are hungry as we see everyday quite a few nose pickers on the bus and metro.  Lots of funny things happen on the metro - buskers are plenty.  One the other night played whilst his mate took around the hat.  Nil coins and someone clapped when he stopped and quite angrily he said

“No pay no clap" and hopped off looking for something greener

Sunday, 25th October, 1981                     fine a.m. and cold

Rest day today - we stayed in bed to 11 a.m. then rose and cleaned the van.  All had allotted jobs.  Sean washed outside, Rae cleaned the cabin and Sandra, the van and I did the washing, John repaired.  We were busy bees for some hours.  It started to rain so we played cards all afternoon and early bed. Oh boy is it cold here now.

Monday, 26th October, 1981                    rain and cold

We’re going into town to the impressionist museum - then we’re going to have a barbecue with some Australians - Don & Lee and Canadians when the rain washed that out.  So went up town, posted parcel to Karen with souvenirs and boys birthday presents.  What a hassle with the public servants, either can't or won't understand us - the Frenchman.

Filled the larder and invited Don and Lee to afternoon drinks - had a good stimulating afternoon with them whilst it rained and blew outside.  Talked till all hours - ate, then read.

Tuesday, 27th October, 1981

We got up early and off to museum.  Sean Rae and I went in on the minibus.  

Luxembourg to Paris, France