On our day of arrival in Kerkrade to Jos and Ria’s home (Han’s younger brother and sis-in-law) we had a (quite) a bit of wine, enjoyed a lovely late dinner and “attempted” to finally sleep. Sleep eluded us. Ugh! But, before I forget, we have in the meantime learned that Melatonin is your friend for combatting jet lag. It was practically miraculous. Just wish we had taken it upon boarding the plane.
Our first full day in Kerkrade had a slow start. Coffee was high on my list of needs, and Jos makes a perfect cup of coffee and plenty of it.
After we started floating on a sea of coffee, we all got dressed to take an invigorating walk into town. Majority of folks living here in the towncenter are very senior. Do we fit in? Nah, much too young! At least that is how it made me feel.
We went to a very thought provoking library (HuB.Bibliotheek Kerkrade), which had coalmine shaft elevator cars converted into little reading nooks, an inspiring dedicated children’s area and beautiful art work. Located upstairs is a full blown theater where plays are performed. https://www.bibliotheekkerkrade.nl
Note: Kerkrade was once, about 900 years ago, a suburb of today’s German city of Herzogenrath and today, lies directly on the border with Germany. The Monks of the local Rolduc Abby, started mining coal here in 1113 AD and Kerkrade became the first major coal mining town in Europe, which lasted until the 1970s.
We walked a bit more, strolled through a diverse art gallery, did some window-shopping and took another coffee break while sitting on an outdoor terrace. Heat lamps kept the exterior quite comfy.
In doing so we gained more strength to carry-on to our next destination. The local liquor store, completely different interior than in the States as they are nicely decorative, to purchase my staple aka Tequila. It’s vacation party time after all. http://www.wijnhuisdetros.nl
Next stop…to shop for some groceries at “Jumbo” so we can continue on our Keto lifestyle. Huge problem for me, obviously, was to read the ingredient list and amount of carbs, but I quickly caught on. I absolutely love shopping in Dutch stores. It is practically an art experience, and the quality of food is beyond compare. Even Han, who normally does the grocery shopping in our little household, noticed my delight.
True, it was difficult, but I averted my eyes away from the delectable devils on display in the bakery area, however the smells followed me through the store. We did buy two fresh warm baguette’s, which I carried home, and Han was surprised at my self control for not ripping a piece off and gobbling it on the streets. Bread no longer interest me as before.
Once we got home, Jos, an accomplished chef with an international taste, made dinner, we ate, visited some more, then collapsed in the bed. Our first full day in Kerkrade felt familiar yet exciting, since the last visit three and a half years ago.
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