Monday, July 4!

And I start a new week in Holland.  This marks the start of week # 5 since I left home!  About ready for a baby to show up don't you think?  Well, since Laura is 42 weeks tomorrow, I think it's safe to say it will be any time!

This morning Laura and I decided to take the train over to a nearby town to check a couple stores there.  We didn't find what we were looking for, but it was a fun trip & excuse to get some new pictures.  I really do love the train transportation in these countries, this is the first time we've taken it here, but it's just so incredibly efficient.  My opinion is the US is seriously missing something by not having train transportation like these other UR countries!

All these Rainy days, but the yards/gardens/flowers seem to thrive.  The back yard sure looks pretty this morning!

Even tho today looks sunny, I'm packing my umbrella & jacket. 
As it turned out I didn't need either one, but it's good to be prepared for these unexpected showers here!

Unfortunately I'm having issues getting my photos transferred from camera to computer, so I'm downloading to fb first then the computer.  It makes the quality look much poorer.  I can't wait to print some out when I get home, as the colors are way more vivid on the originals!

Here we arrive at the train station, park our car, and here's the parking lot for the bicycles!  It's quite full!
 

Laura demonstrates how the bikes are put on the upper level--
 

Checking the train pass card--everything is automated



 

 We're in Borne station, and we're headed to Havelo

 


 

 And here's our train

We arrive in Hengelo, & go downstairs to the street level.  I kind of had forgotten how cool these huge train stations are!




 And outside.  One of the main reasons we took the train over here (even tho it's only about 10 minutes) is that this area of town where we wanted to go is right off the train station and the car parking is further away & more difficult for shopping right here.

 
 Our view back as we cross the street

 How do you like this for a parking garage? 


 

We wandered thru this outdoor mall area & enjoyed browsing a few stores but didn't find what we were looking for.
One of the shops had some quite interesting things (antique & craft) which I could have been quite tempted to spend money in if I had been in my own country!  I was admiring these cute books, but of course they did me no good either being all in Dutch :)

 


 
 We did step into one of the stores and check out the cold drinks-- Some familiar labels!!

 Our treats today were these.  Yummy!
 

 Here's some amusing signs I thought on this restaurant


 


 And a really pretty flowering bush in the town square

 Here's our train waiting for us

And this time we decide to take the top level

 

 A view out the window of where we were across the station

 

 And a view from the other side out our seat windows

 And the pretty country side as we speed by

 Here we are arriving back in Borne again.  Watch for the trains before you cross over!  I did forget to get a picture of the area where we scan our train card before and after riding.  Maybe next time I will remember :)

 Next post, our Monday afternoon adventure!