Alternate Route

Just when I thought I was doing well...

I know how to drive all the places our family goes on a regular basis.  I have learned how to navigate around SHAPE, even when they close roads (for no obvious reason).    I do not know however, any alternate routes when off SHAPE.

This was painfully clear this morning when a truck fire stopped traffic on the main road between our house and SHAPE.  Traffic could only move one way at a time.  What is usually a 10 minute trip became a 30 minute trip and I got to experience it both ways!

Most of the route was bordered by fields but there were side roads in parts.  These would have been helpful, had I known where they would take me.  I do know there is a back road way to reach our house, but knowing it exists and knowing how to navigate it are two different things.

I miss the handy ADC maps I had back home.  When stuck in traffic I could get it out, study side streets and plot a course.  Here, I just got to sit (twice!).

I've learned basic navigation, I'm getting used to the culture, I'm studying French, now I need to learn alternate routes, either that or I need a tractor so I can just drive through the fields.

Our European Vacation

Disclaimer - It is my intent to share information, my thoughts and in general let you know about my life here in Belgium.  I wish to share not brag.

Over the next few days, I'll be blogging about our recent family vacation.  In many ways it was similar to vacations we have taken in the US, except this time what is close to us is Europe.  So - if this is coming off as bragging, I kindly request that you don't read this blog for a few days.  In case you think life is glamorous here, I'll remind you I do not have a garbage disposal, the toilet lid falls down on me every time I sit, it is cloudy most days and because my washing machine is small, I'll be doing laundry continuously for three days to recover from this vacation.

And now on with the show..

All Saints' Day is observed in most of Europe as a holiday.  In the kids' case, as a week break from school.  So with a week off of school, our choice was to travel.

Allen's cross country season finished with the European championships held in Heidelburg Germany on Saturday, October 30th.  He traveled there on the team bus and Kyle, Kyra and I followed in the car Friday evening.

Allen competed Saturday afternoon (separate blog).  We then started our drive to Barcelona which was our cruise port.

We did a week long Mediterranean cruise which stopped in Naples, Rome (sort of), Pisa (sort of) and two small towns in France.

The picture is of our cruise ship taken through a window of a fortification in southern France.

We docked again on Sunday morning and then drove for over 13 hours to get home in time for the kids to return to school on Monday.

We had a great time and made some wonderful memories.  The most remarkable things weren't so much what we saw but what we did together.