Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

Today we decided to go to Luxembourg with a group of friends to explore their famous casemates and visit the Luxembourg American Cemetery Memorial.  We had gone to Luxembourg before but this time we were able to find parking!

Our first stop was the cemetery to pay our respects to the American soldiers who died in WWII.

Verdun, France

After paying our respects at the Lorraine American Cemetery, we headed into the village of Verdun to see the historic battlefields.  The number of people who died here and the devastation caused by the battles are incomprehensible.  The area was so destroyed after the war (and full of leftover munitions) that the battlefield was declared a "Red Zone" and the nearby villages were unable to be rebuilt.

Our first stop in Verdun was the Douaumont Ossuary.  There is a very large (free) parking lot near the monument and it was easy to get to.  Inside you can visit the war museum and watch a video presentation (in English). However, they were closed during our visit (most everything is closed here in January).

Saint-Avold, France (Lorraine American Cemetery)

Today we had a quick day trip planned with some amazing friends of ours. Our first stop was the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial in Saint-Avold, France to pay respects to our many fallen comrades from WWII.

"The Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial in France covers 113.5 acres and contains the largest number of graves of our military dead of World War II in Europe, a total of 10,489. Their headstones are arranged in nine plots in a generally elliptical design extending over the beautiful rolling terrain of eastern Lorraine and culminating in a prominent overlook feature. Most of the dead here were killed while driving the German forces from the fortress city of Metz, France toward the Siegfried Line and the Rhine River. Initially, there were over 16,000 Americans interred in the St. Avold region in France, mostly from the U.S. Seventh Army's Infantry and Armored Divisions and its cavalry groups. St. Avold served as a vital communications center for the vast network of enemy defenses guarding the western border of the Third Reich. 

Dachau and Berchtesgaden, Germany (Dachau)

This past October we took a weekend trip and went to the Bavarian region of Germany.  Two things we really wanted to see were the Dachau Concentration Camp and Hitler's Eagle's Nest.

We debated on whether to take the kids to see Dachau. However, they behaved with respect and although they asked questions (and we answered truthfully) they didn't seem to comprehend what happened here and why. I'm not sure I will ever comprehend it. 

Never Forget

Luxembourg American Cemetery, Luxembourg

Today we went to the American Cemetery and Memorial in Luxembourg to pay our respects to the soldiers who perished in the Battle of the Bulge.

Bastogne, Belgium

We had an amazing time exploring Bastogne, Belgium today.  My husband (a history buff) especially enjoyed this trip!

Berlin, Germany (Hop-On/Hop-Off City Circle Tour)

This morning we woke up early to be at the City-Circle Tour pick-up point at the Alexanderplatz before the tour buses arrived (and maybe so we could stop at Dunkin Donuts on the way)!

We specifically got there super-early so we would be first in line for the bus and the kids could get the "good seat" in the front of the top of the bus.  We even split up so that my husband would be first in line if they opened the back door and I would be first in line if they opened the front door.  What really ticked me off was when a French couple at the end of the line (who had seen us waiting for at least 15 min.) directed their kids to get in front of us!  I am normally not a rude person but I shook my head no and placed my hand along the door so they couldn't cut us.  Then, when they did open the doors they tried to push past my kids to get in front of them.  I got in front of them again and told my kids to go get their seats and then blocked the path again so I could show the driver our tickets (and make sure those kids didn't try to take our seats)!  I was so angry!  They ended up sitting right behind us too and at one point even came in front of us to take pictures...breathe, Mel, breathe...

Berlin, Germany ("Field of Stelae")

After a yummy breakfast buffet we packed up an left Tropical Islands and headed the hour we had left to get to Berlin!

(Photo:  www.novotel.com)

The drive went quickly and we had reserved underground parking at our hotel so that made things easy once we got into Berlin.  We stayed in a family room at the Novotel Berlin Mitte.  It was a nice little hotel, nothing fancy-smancy.  The staff was friendly and helpful and the place was clean and modern looking.  A breakfast buffet was included in our room rate (202 EUR).  Although it was a little bit of a walk to either the Alexanderplatz or Potsdamer Platz, it was conveniently located in between them and there was ready access to public transport and we would stay here again.

Nuremberg, Germany

Handewerkerhof Nurnberg (Craftman's Yard)

After a fun morning playing in Playmobil Park we drove into Nuremburg, Germany to check into our hotel (A&O Nurnberger Hauptbahnhof). The hotel was great (for a hostel).  We had our own private bathroom and the kids had a bunk bed (which they thought was "the COOLEST"), plus it only cost 51 EUR for the night and had private parking on site!