Another crazy day in the books! Parts of it were a train wreck (pun intended), but it was a great day overall.
Starting in Trier, my only morning plan was to tour the historic Cathedral. I did a walking tour around the city last night, so I felt like I had a good feel for the place. Upon arriving at the Cathedral, I accidentally stumbled upon morning Mass. Certainly a welcome treat, it was a fantastic way to start the day. To add a little whipped cream on top, the Mass was complete with music on the majestic and incredibly unique organ. I have never seen another organ constructed in this exact way, and it added to the brilliance of the Cathedral.
The Cathedral itself is the oldest church in Germany and one of the oldest in Europe. The original was ordered built back in Roman days, at the same time as the first St. Peter's in Rome. Until now, I never knew the importance of town such as Trier to the Romans.
After Mass, I zipped off to Luxembourg City. Due to only having about 15 minutes online last night, I had no concrete plans for the city. I had to use my limited time online pulling up train schedules , booking hotels, and snagging emails. However, I had managed to pull up a number of windows on Luxembourg tourism before I got booted off. Today on the train, I read last night's research and learned that an American WWII cemetery with General Patton's Grave and the dead from the Battle of the Bulge was nearby. This grabbed my attention (having done papers and projects on the General and the battle during school),and I decided that I was going to do my best to get there. Upon arriving in Luxembourg, I quickly inquired about travel arrangements. A 15 minute bus ride and 30 minute hike took me to the absolutely serene cemetery. Humbling, sad, and yet beautiful, I paid my respects. Patton's grave is marked just like his troops. with a solemn and simple white cross. The cemetery is the final resting place of over 5,000 Americans, with two of those being Medal of Honor recipients, several Band of Brothers members, and one female. The latter certainly reminded me of my Nana, who served in the Navy. There was quite a bit of restoration going on, and I was gals to see that we are keeping the place in good shape. I said a few prayers, and began my trek back to the city. As I left, there was a Michigan-esque weather change, going from a beautiful summing day to cold rain and hail. This has persisted throughout the day.
Even with the hail, I took a quick walk around Luxembourg City before hopping on a train with the hope of ending in Tienen, Brussels. This is where things went haywire. Trains were late, connections were missed, and my arrival to Tienen was significantly delayed. In Tienen, my bus was cancelled. I finally made it to my destination--the dreary, run down town of Hoegaarden. The town is a bit of a country wreck, but is home to the world famous brewery sharing its name. Hoegaarden also happens to be the favorite drink of a few of my close friends: the Scollins and the Eldreds. Although getting to Hoegaarden and the brewery was a mess, the misery was smoothed over by free beer on arrival. They gave me a free and personal tour, and when I was done, they have me 10 cans of Hoegaarden!! Evidently they thought my pack was too small, so they also tossed in a Hoegaarden glass and another beer on tap. When I left, I had 10 cans of Hoegaarden...now typing on the train I have a few less! Seriously, every extra pound is a pain in the back--so I will be getting rid of it in short order.
I again navigated the transpiration mess and got as far as Brussels before having my train to Bruges cancelled. I am now on a later train, and fortunately I booked a hotel right by the station. Bruges is also loaded with history, once being the equivalent to Venice. Also built along canals, history has not been so kind to Bruges, but has left us with a cute town to visit!
Very tired tonight. Art and sights in Bruges and Brussels tomorrow before catching an evening train to Amsterdam!
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