Marl quarry. In the Middle Ages a cheap way to get building stones was getting them out of a marl quarry. Marl is a soft type of stone, that can be cut out with a big saw. In one day, … Read More

Bonn. During the Cold War the Reichstag was in the Russian part of Berlin. Because the West-German government could not use it, they needed a new capital to rule West Germany. Bonn was chosen. During this time many powerful people … Read More

Hôtel de Ville Paris, France This is not a hotel, motel or other building you can sleep in. This is the Town Hall of Paris. From 1357 onwards this area is used for this purpose. In 1533 they removed the … Read More

Bastille. Once the Bastille was built as part of the Parisian defense. Soon it became a symbol of suppression. In Medieval times Paris was already a place of riots. King Charles V gave order to build the castle ‘la Bastille’ … Read More

Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower is the main landmark of Paris. This unofficial wonder of the world is a symbol of love, the city Paris and France. The Eiffel Tower is open for public from 9 am till 00.45 am, … Read More

Kasteel Ruurlo. This former castle was already mentioned in the 15th century. In the 18th century they transformed it into an estate with a country house. In 20th century it became the City Hall of Ruurlo. Now it is a … Read More

Eelerberg. Eelerberg is a hill near Hellendoorn. Officially it is not part of National Park the Sallandse Heuvelrug, but it is in the same wooded area. You can hike using the signs put up by Natuurmonumenten (the Dutch Society for … Read More

Corcelles-en-Beaujolais This village is a great place to stay if you like to experience the French countryside. From here you can visit a wine castle, Cluny, Mâcon or (a bit further away) Lyon or Geneva. It has a small bakery … Read More

Matrei am Brenner. Several years ago we drove from the Netherlands to Italy and stopped for the night in a small town called Matrei am Brenner. In the past a lot of traffic went through this town. However, this changed … Read More

Seat of Power. During the Cold War the West German parliament  seated in Bonn. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, all the power went back to the Reichstag. It’s at a walking distance from the Brandenburger Tor. Most people … Read More

Highway A6. Every country has them: parking places close to a highway. At most of them you do not want to stick around for longer than 10 minutes. When you drive along the A6 into Friesland, the first thing you … Read More

Völkerschlachtdenkmal. This monument was erected to remember the defeat of Napoleon at Leipzig. It was not only Prusian but a coalition of 4 nations. One can climb this structure of 91 metres. Alternatively, one can have a look at it … Read More