Trip to Maastricht Fortress and Caves

Thursday, we went to a fort and the caves and in the fort, we saw stuff from a long time ago. We saw a cannon ball from a cannon and we saw a lot of old buildings that lead underground and I saw the 3 story high fort and we saw the top of it and the guide told us there was tunnels underground every which way we went to. Then we waited for a while for the cave's tour person to come. When the person came, we went into a mountain and we were in the caves. It was dark in there, but it was freaky at the same time. Then we saw some fossils from a dinosaur called “The Mossasauris”. It was an animal at the time of dinosaurs were around and was extinct millions of years later.

Then the guide needed people to volunteer for the lanterns in the caves. I raised up my hand and the person said I am now responsible now for making their way out for the cave. The guide took the lanterns because we were going to do an experiment without the light. He said that we had to hold the wall and walk down the long hallway and it was a scary one. I was so freaked out, Mom pulled out her phone and shone some light and we were behind and that freaked me out even more. Then we caught up with the group and we saw the entire caves and passage ways. It started off with 20,000 kilometers. 12,000 kilometers was either collapsed or used for the Quarry we saw before. 8,000 kilometers is left of the cave and when it started off, it went off the map and went to Belgium. Some person made the map of the cave using charcoal as the black line. Then we got out of the cave and went back home. I was so tired after a lot of walking I passed out at the apartment. The End.

Yesterday, Tuesday we went to a church called St. Jan’s in Maastricht and we went up a 218 step staircase and 436 up and down. At the top, it was beautiful at the top I saw the entire city I found a piece of artwork. But, I can’t tell you what it is until you go up there. Then we went on a solar panel bus/train ride on road and saw a church that was unfinished and it was one of the 52 churches in the Netherlands. 31 are still in business and 21 are not used like a church from the tenth century church that looked just fine. But, they just re-fixed the building and then we got tired and went home.

Last Friday, we traveled to Brussels and went on a really long walking tour of the city. The Grand place was really nice. My dad ate snails there. We visited the Parliament of the European Union with dad’s students and saw the floor where all the representatives make European laws. We also stood next to a piece of the Berlin Wall. We saw lots of information about World War ll. The next day, Saturday, we visited the Parliamentarium centre, which gives information to people about the European Union. Then on Sunday we went to Brussels airport to pick up my sister and my mom. But it so long to wait for them and it took an hour and a half to wait for them and went back on the train and we had 2 transfers on the train. We missed one transfer at Leuven and we had to wait an hour to wait because of the train we were on was waiting so long. Then we went on the train and stayed on there for 10 more minutes and did our transfer again and almost missed it again, but we made it by 30 seconds and we were on the way to Maastricht. Then we went to the train station and walked a long way home to the apartment. Today, we took mom and my sister on a tour of Maastricht and crossed two bridges. I am very tired now.

The last 2 days I spent my time with dad in his class. Down below there is a picture of his students doing some work and learning something about violence in the world. He says the world has lots of bad people who fight wars and do bad things to people. There are good people too and good-bad people as well. He has the college students write a lot, but he says it isn't bad in Maastricht. My dad likes writing about the world. We took pictures of another medieval fortress in Maastricht. Also, the other day, a parade just marched down the street. I don't know why.

I am reading my books and doing my homework as well. Also, writing the blog. See down below for the picture.

Today, we woke up, had breakfast and I did 6 sheets of homework (which I do every single day in the morning) and went to the University of Maastricht and dad talked to important people. We all then went to a restaurant with Dario and his boss Joerg who work at the University of Maastricht with my dad. We had lunch. Dad ate lettuce with something called melted cheese from a goat and Dutch dressing. I had franse frietjes- you may call them French fries- and croquettes, which are really Dutch.  After that we went to an Ice cream place called Pinky which is all pink inside. I had something called after eight and smurfen flavors on a dutch waffle cone. Dad drank cappuccino coffee because he won’t eat ice cream. We went home. Dad is doing work and I have decided to read my book again. It also rained today.

Yesterday we went to Aachen, Germany a town in there that had lots of birds and stores and of course, lots of smokers. We saw an old church called Aachen Cathedral, where one of the world's greatest emperors is buried. His name is Charlemagne and his empire was The Holy Roman Empire. He started building his cathedral in 796 AD! We also saw St. Follian Cathedral next door and the museum of Charlemagne. Then we got some German chocolate and went back to the train station and the apartment.

Yeasterday we went to Brugge,Belguim and saw lots of great sights in there, and got some Belguim chocolate and found the canals. Plus we got a tour around just by walking around, looking at a map and someone telling us where to go. At the canals we found a boat guiding some people around the canals. We walked around and saw some ruins from the 1200's. It was very old and lots of people were walking. We sat down and started reading our books on a bench. Then, it started raining hard and we ran back to the town square, looked at the map to the map to the train station. Then, it rained even harder when we got there. There were people smoking in evey direction whitch made me breath in smoke. Too many people here smoke. It's the only thing I don't like. We got on the train at 6:57 and we were on our way home. Once we got settled, we went to transfer to another train that was about to leave and we ran as quickly as possible and we did get on the train we got home fast. We got there and walked again home. We got home and watched a movie and it was 12:20. Then we went to bed.

 

 

Today I ate a chocolate waffle and some Dutch kibbeling fish! Yummy! We sat by the river while dad his class stuff and I looked at the water. I found a bike lying in the water. It was moldy and nasty. If you want to find out what kibbeling is, check this out: http://www.thedutchtable.com/2012/10/kibbeling.html

Today we went to the University of Maastricht and went on a field trip with the students to the cemetery for the U.S. soldiers who died in World War ll. We learned that the Americans fought and that in the cemetery 8,301 people were killed during World War ll. Then we went to a cave with endless passage ways with lots of artwork, sculptures and even that look like kitchen and a table underground!?! Its amazing caves that look like mazes inspire me to want to become a geologist when I grow up. I want to study geological engineering.

Monday May 11, 2015

Monday May 11, 2015 so far today we woke up and ate breakfast and I had 2 Dutch waffles and dad had 1 Dutch waffle. Then we went to the University of Maastricht for dad to teach. Then we went to lunch with his students. After lunch, we went outside and I found a dungeon that someone died in 1675 which is 340 years old!! Then we went back to the apartment and did some math, reading and spelling homework because I felt like it. Then we went to a restaurant right across the street and ate a hamburger and some water and soda. I am having a great time here, it is beautiful here with lots of old buildings.

 

My dad and I flew to the Netherlands yesterday and today. He is teaching a class to college students about international law. We took off on American Airlines from Philadelphia International Airport. The flight lasted over seven hours. We flew over Canada, Iceland, Greenland, and the United Kingdom before landing in Brussels, Belgium. On the plane, we ate pasta for dinner and cheese, fruit, and crackers, used the iPad, and ate muffins for breakfast. Once we landed, we went through European Union immigration and security. I told them I was with my dad on the way to Maastricht University in the Netherlands. We took a bus from Brussels to Maastricht. My stomach was a little sick from all the traveling but I'm fine now. After going to the Maastricht University guesthouse where my dad's students are staying we went to our apartment near the public market. . I found some euros (European Union currency) on the car floor of the guy who drove us to our apartment. There are lots of people sitting outside on tables eating and drinking and listening to music. We then went to a small supermarket named Jumbo to get supplies for our apartment. After that, my dad got us a small pizza from a place called Napoli, like in Annville. I worked on some math and reading homework because I felt like it. I need to get this homework done to keep up with my class. I want to stay focused on school because I like my school in Annville very much. I am in school but, not in school because I am in Europe now. I don’t want to let my teachers down.

 

Saturday May 9, 2015 we leave

Today is Saturday May 9, 2015 we are going to leave around 1:00 in the afternoon. To get to the Netherlands in Belgium, whitch is in Europe, we are taking a plane. It is going to take 7 hours to get there. We are taking 8 collage students.