Germany and Czech Republic

I don't have time to write much now...I'll update it tonight when I can add some pictures! I'm in Prague right now...it's beautiful!!

We're on our way out for the day to see this gorgeous place. We've been through Germany, staying in Frankfurt, and now we'll be here in the Czech Republic for 2 days, then back to Germany.

Happy Birthday Hannah!!!!!! miss you
To my family: I love you lots and hope things are going well at home...send me a note. Do you miss me? :)

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -Mark Twain

Amsterdam

Susannah and I were walking past Buckingham Palace in London yesterday when I was wondering..."I wonder how long it would take the guards to tackle me down if I were to jump over the fence and just start running?" hmm...I guessed about 10 seconds tops. Although that would be an utterly crazy thing to do, there's something about it that would be exciting...give you a real rush. (I mean, what's the worst that could happen?) As we talked and laughed about this, I thought--"If we, relatively normal and sane people, think that would be a tad adventurous and even would joke about doing it, I can imagine that some people out there would be willing to try it!"

We left London very early this morning, drove to Dover where we crossed the English Channel to Calais, France. From there, we drove through part of France, Belgium, and up to Amsterdam. We saw many dairy farms, and windmills. Apparantly 1/3 of the land in the Netherlands is reclaimed land that is below sea level (kind of like Richmond I guess), and they have over 300 people per sqare mile!! (Canada has something like 5 people per square mile). The canola fields are blooming here (which they call "rape seed"?)

We took a canal cruise in Amsterdam and it is fascinating. We saw the Anne Frank House...that story has always fascinated me. We had supper at a cute little streetside cafe (not to be confused with "coffee houses" in Amsterdam where you can smoke marijuana!)

It was a good day...I'm reading a good Elizabeth Elliot book on the bus ("A Slow and Certain Light"), while looking out the window every so often of course. Maybe one day I'll write a book (an autobiography or something like that)...hopefully I'll have an adventuresome and meaningful life/walk with God so I have something to write about!

The Amsterdam Canals

London

Me and a guard at the horse stables for Buckingham Palace

Big Ben

I like Yogi Berra's advice, "If you come to a fork in the road, take it." That' just what we did. Yesterday Susannah, Grace, and I enjoyed walking around London, soaking in the sights. I like walking when you have no set destination. We explored side streets, stopped in stores, and strolled in parks.



We took the double-decker buses and the tube. It was a beautiful day. I love watching people. Wherever I am, I always imagine myself living there. London would be too busy for me, but when you get out in the English countryside, it's hard not to imagine yourself living an idyllic life in a cute little cottage with maybe some sheep and a milk cow!



I was reminded this morning that God has me on a journey, a wonderful and beautiful journey--not because it's all perfect and easy, but because it's unique and created by Him...and He has good in store for me. I am enjoying the moment and I love this adventure because I am seeing more of God (in his beautiful creation, people he's made, and in my own response to it).

A Walk Through Downtown Birmingham

Did you know that Birmingham supposedly has more canals than Venice? This city was once the centre of the Industrial Revolution and they used canals to transport materials all over the city. We were going to take a boat ride, but it was cold and we didn't feel like being outside much (I bought some long johns at the market to keep me warm under all my summer clothes!)

This is the City council building. This was right beside the Birmingham museum and art gallery we visited.

I had some troubles to understanding people's accents. I couldn't even hardly order a coffee! It was quite funny. Apparantly the Birmingham accent is especially hard.

Heather, I figured out that the smell here really reminds me of Australia (specifically the Epp's house reminds me of yours in Australia). I kept having the feeling that I'd been here before, till I realized it was the feeling of being at your place (the air, the house, the trees, even the feel of the neighborhood)

For All You Pride and Prejudice Lovers....

Today one of my dreams came true...I felt like I was Miss Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice when we went to visit "Pemberley" and I must say, "I've never seen a place so happily situated!" It is actually called Chatsworth House and it is in the Peak District of Derbyshire. BEAUTIFUL countryside...I can't even describe it. It was so relaxing, peaceful, romantic, and serene. It was a 2 hour drive from the Epp's, we packed a picnic lunch and spent the day walking through the house and the grounds. The gardens were quite amazing. We drove back and enjoyed fish and chippy's for supper! yumm...

The front view of the house

The library

Susannah

In the garden

Sitting among the bluebells

Wonky is good.

I saw this on a billboard in Birmingham today..."Wonky is good. Don't trust a symmetical loaf." It was an ad for bread. Ha ha -- but Jaclyn, I thought you would like that...since "wonky" is such a favorite word of yours. I agree with that billboard though, wonky IS good...from now on I'm going to use that as an excuse when something I do doesn't turn out like it's expected to!

The Expensive Sandwich

I got on the plane in Calgary expecting all our travel plans to work out nicely--I should know better. ha ha Connie, as everybody else was groaning on the plane, I thought of you and started chucking when the captain came on and said there was a delay because of some security clearance needed. We sat on the plane in Calgary for 1hr 45min before the plane took off...I thought we were going to miss our bus in London for sure. Hey, that's part of my adventures in life. But Grace and I made it just in time (nothing like running to catch a bus to start out a trip right!)

We met Susannah just fine in London (the airline lost her bags in Atlanta so she'll get them on Friday) --goodness! Waiting for our bus, Susannah and I were really hungry so we got a sandwich from a little convenience store....we didn't pay much attention until we figured out we payed $7 for a little sandwich. oops--yes, things are generally expensive but we won't do that again!

London is beautiful, brick houses all crammed together and people hustling and bustling all over the place. It was beautiful weather...21 degrees today.

We took a bus to Birmingham, where Saralee's dad picked us up from the station. They live in a beautiful 3-story brick house. Mrs. Epp had supper ready for us (bless her heart!) and we enjoyed good company. We went for a walk after supper and looked at all the interesting architecture (sorry no pictures yet). It smells so good here, the air is moist and there are SO many beautiful trees and flowers (kind of like BC)

The room I'm staying in is on the top floor with a sloped roof and a big sky-light....I can lay and look at the stars! I feel tired now, but managed to stay up all day. I should sleep well and that's where I'm headed.

Goodnight!