Pictures & Writing: Lyle Such
Camera: Canon 5D MkIV & Mavic Pro
War Museum Bastogne
We left Bouillon behind and headed north towards Spa. On our way, we decided to stop in Bastogne to visit a museum dedicated to The Battle of the Bulge, Germany’s last major offensive campaign of World War II.
Next to the museum sits the Mardasson Memorial. Built in the shape of a 5-pointed American star, the monument is meant to honor the memory of the American soldiers wounded or killed in The Battle of the Bulge.
The museum tour was narrated using the writings of three people who lived through the war. It was interesting to hear the different perspectives and see it all put together with exhibits and short films.
Reinhardstein Castle Ovifat
That afternoon we were planning on attending a Porsche Club meet at the Circuit de Spa Francorchamps and ride along with a professional driver. We arrived late and a major crash had occured which pushed back their drive times, so we rescheduled for the following day. Instead, we drove over to the nearby woods for a short hike to Reinhardstein Castle. We flew Crevit to scope out the area, then as darkness approached we headed into the wooded hills.
The castle was perched on the hillside completely surrounded by dense woods and hiking trails. You could spend days wandering around this area. The grounds of the castle were closed, but the gates were not, so we entered. We spent a little time exploring the building up close, then once again headed into the woods, following a trail that would lead us to a lookout point high above the castle.
The view, especially from the drone, was straight out of a storybook, the castle stood alone engulfed by the surrounding nature.
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
The following day we made it to the Circuit de Spa Francorchamps on time, and were able to take the much anticipated drive around the course.
Thu was nervous, considering how susceptible to motion sickness she is, but she made it successfully without any vomit. Good news for Christian, our driver. I have a feeling that if we told him about Thu’s high probability of getting sick, he may have declined to allow her into his Cayman. The three laps were a blast, and the track lived up to it’s reputation of being fast, fun and one of the most scenic tracks in the world.
After our drive, we wandered around the paddock and admired the variety of Porsches that were attending the meet. It was fun to watch the owners, who spent so much time and energy keeping these cars in top condition, having fun out on the track and being able to let loose. We really enjoyed the style and colors of some of the older models. Porsches are one of those cars that look good no matter what color they are, and no matter how much or how little they are modified. My favorites were the simple old school models.
We were on a tight schedule for the day. Our next stop was a small town across the border in Germany, so we had a look around the parking area full of Porsches in every color, and then hit the road. It was an exciting experience, I wish we had more time at the track!
A perfect match, I think we found Thu her new car!
Monschau Germany
Not far from Spa, across the border in Germany, there’s a tiny little town called Monschau. With it’s preserved half-timbered houses, narrow winding streets, and tranquil river, it’s kind of like a real-life Hogsmeade. We had to visit. We parked our car and walked along the river that leads into Monschau, and as we rounded the bend the city started to emerge from the hills. We really felt like we had entered a different time period, the town felt so old, and yet amazingly well kept. There were plenty of cafes where we could eat, but first we followed a trail up the hillside for a better view.
We had a great view of the town and Monschau Castle, which loomed over the entire valley. We didn’t have much time, so we walked back down, found a small cafe, and had a quick lunch. The waiter didn’t seem to like us sharing small plates of food, but we did anyway, and the food was great.
The Orange Rotterdam
After a long, beautiful drive across Belgium, we ended the day in Rotterdam where we watched The Netherlands national football team take on The Ivory Coast. It wasn’t a fair match, The Ivory Coast was terrible, but the game was still so much fun. There was even a small but enthusiastic Ivory Coast fan section. The Dutch hold the record for playing the most World Cup finals without ever winning, so as good as they are, they are almost like a perpetual underdog. We were impressed at how good-natured and fun loving the crowd was. The train ride back to the car was an event in itself. Imagine a train, packed full of orange-clad fans singing and cheering, passing through the quiet Rotterdam streets.
