Taking Mom & Dad to Bad Münstereifel in Germany

During my vacation period of July 1977, we helped out in the greenhouse picking gherkins and also took Mom & Dad on several day-trips.

One more was to the medieval city of Bad Münsereifel, even an old Roman city!

Nestled in the Eifel Mountains in Germany, a beautiful area.
Münstereifel got started in the year 830!

Here you see my sweet Mauzie girl with Dad and Mom after we climbed to the top of the old medieval city walls. 

Overlooking the quaint little city, to the left of my Dad you see Stiftskirche Church of St. Chrysanthus and Daria from Bad Münstereifel. Also the remains of the old Castle are above Dad's head and more to the left.
Top right you see one of the 4 Towers that were build inside the city wall.

The former collegiate church of the Benedictine order, today the Catholic parish church, received the relics of Saint Chyrsanthus and Daria in 844. Building was begun in the mid-11th century and completed in the 12th century. It is a romanesque, three-nave buttressed basilica without a transept, with west work and long chancel, as well as an important crypt. Restoration work has been carried out from 1876 to 1893 and since 1957. The interior of the church is well worth seeing.
Link to the above: Churches and Monasteries in the District of Euskirchen

You can see more here on this short video: Stiftskirche | Bad Münstereifel | Rhein-Eiffel. TV

Mauzie sure enjoyed the walk, as long as she could be near me, she was happy!
Those medieval city walls have protected the city in earlier centuries and they still make for a very special attraction of the little city.
To view the old Burg Münstereifel | Stadtmauer | Rhein-Eifel. TV click on link to see the old Castle and City Wall from 1.6 km length with its 4 Towers, before the word Bad got added for their Kneipp Kurort function (Spa Resort)
Sebastian Kneipp (1821-1897), German priest and hydrotherapist who introduced hydrotherapy.

Mom with Mauzie and Dad taking a rest from climbing and walking those city walls.
Such a perfect day with most pleasant weather!

Here you see Dad with Mauzie and Mom from the other side of Bad Münstereifel.
In the back you can see the old city wall were we walked in the above photos!
Also the Stiftskirche, Church of Saint Chyrsanthus and Daria is visible again to the right of Mom, but from the other side now.

Dad being happy and relaxed for enjoying one day of vacation and being a tourist!

Here we are in the gardens of the Kurhaus with its fountains.
This Kurhaus or Spa Resort in English got started in 1926 and drew lots of tourists and visitors.
It is a famous Spa Resort for which the word Bad (Bath), got added in 1967.

Dad, with his huge garden at home where many couples had their bridal photos taken, always was interested in trees!
Remarkable how much he resembles here my youngest brother Jan...

Inside the city, Dad had to walk up close to inspect this huge tree...
Some very stylish homes to be admired!

Before driving the 1.5 hour back home, I took Mom & Dad to my favorite Hotel-Restaurant-Café "TANNENHOF' (Tanne means Fir in English and Hof is Garden...
Bad Münstereifel Hotel Restaurant Tannenhof (click on link) has changed over the years and this is the only thing I found on the Internet.
Guess it is now called and changed into: Hotel-Garni Tannenhof.

Happily back home in  their own garden with pond...
So glad I did take them on this day-trip and for being able now to look back at fond memories with some photos.

Thanks for your visit and comment!

Related links:
Day-Trip to Paris & Versailles with Mom & Dad | previous post by me
Mom & Dad Often Talked About Siegerland in Germany so we Went Back! | previous post by me
{Mom Did Wear Many Hats} | previous post by me

Day-Trip to Paris & Versailles in France with Mom & Dad

Also during the summer vacation of 1977, we took Mom & Dad to Paris, France five days after taking them to Siegerland in Germany.

On Monday July 18, we picked the gherkins very tight and left early morning on Tuesday, July 19.

Dad pointing at the Eiffel Tower and explaining to Mom...
It was a very cloudy July day!

This is the route we took by car in 1977.
From Horst aan de Maas, in the south of the Netherlands, through Belgium into France all the way to Paris.
Roughly five hours for a one-way trip!

Bienvenue à Paris! 
Welcome to Paris...
We had a flat tire right on Boulevard Périphérique!

But here we are, viewing the Eiffel Tower from the Trocadéro.

My late husband Frans to the left, me with dachshund Mauzie and Mom, as Dad took this photo and forgot to use the camera vertical...

Me and Dad...
Sorry for the bad photos from that time!
It is all about the memories.

Mauzie my Dachshund has traveled to many countries and quite a number of States in the USA.

The men smoking... Dad enjoying his cigar.

Both my late husband Frans and Mom, did not want to ride up the elevator to the top of the Eiffel Tower, so Dad and I only went up.

On this picture postcard, you see the Trocadéro underneath the Eiffel Tower, from where we first viewed.

View from the Eiffel Tower down...

View over the river Seine...

View of the Trocadéro and its Jardin.
In the diagonal street to the left we had parked our car... Just across from the river Seine, which you see below with some boats.

Well, in a city like Paris, it is important to find a W.C. or restroom...

We did visit the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, here you see dachshund Mauzie, Me, Mom & Dad admiring the Western Facade of this architectural marvel.

Guess we were amongst ALL tourists...
We also did go to the Palace of Versailles.

Here we are on the left, me with Mauzie and Dad and Mom following...
To the right you see the Royal Chapel under renovation. It is the tallest building of the Palace.

Here you see Mom, my late husband Frans with Mauzie and Dad in front of the statue of Sun King Louis XIV on his horse.

Here you see Dad studying the Fountain Stag... Not working at the time.

My favorite was the Orangerie with its many planters!

A place to linger but we must start the long journey back because early morning the gherkins are calling us in the greenhouse!
Back in those days I loved wearing those bell bottom jeans!
And I had bangs...

Adieu Versailles!
I've been here twice with my late husband, this was my second time.
Went back once more in 1983 with Pieter and his best friend.
IF one had the luxury for staying just a couple of days to see it more in depth...
But we were fortunate for having done this.
Otherwise, Mom & Dad would never ever get to travel to France or Paris!

Thanks for your visit and comment.

Related posts:
Mom & Dad Often Talked About Siegerland in Germany so we Went Back! | previous post by me
{Mom Did Wear Many Hats} | previous post by me
{World Animal Day started in 1931 in Florence, Italy} | previous post by me with Mauzie photos

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Mom & Dad Often Talked About Siegerland in Germany so we Went Back!

Summer months were always peak season. But during my vacation time, when I still lived in The Netherlands, I helped them always out, by picking gherkins in the greenhouse.
Only in the summer of 1971 and in 1979, I did go with my late first husband to Germany and the South of France...
ALL other vacations, we helped Mom and Dad for several weeks managing their peak season.

By picking the gherkins a bit tighter we could skip a day and manage to make a one-day-trip to Germany with Mom &  Dad and my Dachshund Mauzie. This was on July 14, 1977 at the Biggesee (lake) in Germany.

Smoking a sigar on his special day off, together with Mom.
They always worked so hard!

Mom is here picking gherkins inside the greenhouse.
We always did start very early, at 5:00 AM because around noon it would get very hot, around 120ºF or 49ºC and that was no FUN! 
Even when Dad placed a big running fan in the isle...

Here you see Mom picking gherkins. 
Two wooden boxes on the special built cart by my Dad, on wheels for easy pushing it forward. 
Each box would contain 25 kg (55 lb) of gherkins.
We had to dump those boxes later on inside one giant wooden box for bulk delivery to the auction.
Yes, I could lift such a full box and lift it over the edge of said giant box to dump its contents.

From a distance, two rows under each pointed section of the greenhouse.
The leaves of the gherkins were very prickly!
I used to wear one of Dad's old long sleeve shirts to protect me from it.
Okay but now back to the subject!
Mom & Dad had been to Siegen/Weidenau in Germany by bus, with Dad's choir, to perform in the Bismarckhalle, also called Siegerlandhalle.

Here in October of 1965, Mom admiring the hills around Hilchenbach, Germany of beautiful Siegerland.

Mom standing in front of Hotel Deutscher Hof in Hilchenbach, Germany.
A beautiful centuries old building it was in traditional German Fachwerk.
Yes, it literally was as it burned down in December of 2016...
Photo quality is poor, this is what I received as scanned material from my youngest sister...
As for myself, I love to scan in higher DPI - takes longer but with far better results.
Nevertheless, they are very meaningful to me!

Here it was, photo from Tripmondo.de, as it did burn down in December of 2016...

Mom standing in front of the sign 'Zum Süssen Konrad' pointing to a German Konditorei, Bakery!
They always talked about how beautiful that region was and thus, my late husband and I said, let's take them back one more time!

So we went to pick Mom & Dad up in Horst aan de Maas, we lived in Panningen, a municipality of Helden, in the Province of Limburg/The Netherlands.

At that time we still had to cross the border of Germany, now it is open within the European Union.
To the right you see Hilchenbach, where Mom's photos got taken.

We passed through Helden in Germany - from Helden to Helden but not close to home!

You also see Biggesee.
The photo at the very top got taken there!
A big lake with beautiful surroundings, belonging to Attendorn.

My late first husband standing here at the Biggesee, Attendorn with the bridge behind him.

We also did visit Burg Schnellenberg in Attendorn, a 13th-century castle that now has become a hotel, just click link as it is in English.

Thursday July 14, 1977 was a rather cloudy day!
Taking a break on this medieval stone bench...
Yes, that was a lot of driving in one day; some 9 hours and we'd risen at 4:00 AM and will have to do the very same for next day, picking gherkins again...

Here Dad, Frans with dachshund Mauzie on the leash standing in front of Mom's feet...
So happy to know now that this 13th-century castle has been converted into a hotel!

All of us enjoyed Siegerland and Mom & Dad especially for being able to go back one day in their own footsteps...

Now the journey home and early rising next morning!
We had an Opel Kadett Special at the time...

Hope you enjoyed this little journey back in time with me.
Meaningful to me, fond memories of Mom's happy days!
Thanks for your visit and comment.

Related posts:
Burg Schnellenberg in Attendorn/Luftbilder Videos/Drohne/4K | short Youtube video from the Castle
My Sewing Creation - My Bridal Gown with Damsel Sleeves | previous post by me + late husband
{Fond Memories of Mom with us in the Eifel, Germany} | previous post by me
{Mom Did Wear Many Hats} | previous post by me

{Papa is 90 today!} | previous post by me

Google.com/+MarietteVandenMunckhofVedder

Our Pet Squirrel Eekie & Dachshund Mauzie

Yes, the cutest pet I ever had!

On November 30, 1984, on the day of my Paternal Grandmother's funeral in The Netherlands, I was cleaning windows outside with my chamois leather, here in Dublin, Georgia/USA.

Suddenly I heard some 'peeping' noise and sure enough no young birds could be around at that time of the year...

So I stepped over the fence, chamois leather in hand, and found Casey the neighbor cat chasing a baby squirrel in the garage of our back neighbors.

Scolding Casey the cat, she let go of the squirrel and I scooped him up.

This is a screenshot from an 8mm movie that is shown below...

Pieter was still at work for Campbell Soup in Chicago.

When husband Pieter did come home from Chicago, by 23:30 o'clock with his new Rollei lens, he made the FIRST Pet Squirrel Photo of 'Eekie' -  Eekhoorn = Dutch for Squirrel so I created Eekie.

He was so very sweet and I got him installed in a crate with hamster bedding and food.
Pieter did build him a cage with real branches so he could exercise too.

On Sunday, December 2 of 1984 we had just come home from a weekend with friends in Atlanta. With the fire place warm and cozy, I sat with Eekie in my lap and had cracked him some pecans to nibble on.

On Sunday, January 6 of 1985, we got a kitty harness with leash that Pieter's brother had bought us.
Via special courier it came straight from Horst, The Netherlands to us!
After our two special couriers went home, Pieter did make some 8mm movie segments in our office.
Me in my morning robe as to not get any pulls in my good clothing!

Here Mauzie-girl is seen with her cat-friend Casey, playing near the wood logs. Eekie on Sunday, January 6, 1985 with kitty harness on leash in our office in the evening... Sorry for the poor quality but you can see Eekie on my back and on the chair with Mauzie.

Eekie on the chair in our office, climbing on Dachshund Mauzie's back! He climbs on the back of the chair and you can see him on my lap while I sit on the armrest of the chair...

Eekie our pet squirrel now is climbing all over me, on my head, in my neck and down my back. Very funny pet! He also loved to cuddle and getting kisses, tickling me with his fur! As long as he was outside of his cage, he was a happy camper.

Such a cute little baby!

Oh, I would have a zoo, if they let me...

When opening a Pepperidge farm pack of Sugar Cookies (2), Eekie would climb up on you and nibble around it! Photo shows Eekie doing just that on January 12...

Pieter with Eekie on January 13, in our veranda, just being released from his cage...

Climbing up on Pieter's pant leg... Oh, I also did walk with him outside and he LOVED climbing up a tree on his leash and than getting back on my shoulder!

Mauzie the Dachshund LOVED to be Mama to other pets! Once to a Guinea pig, a kitten and now a squirrel...

Eekie the squirrel loved to go 'dog back riding'... We would walk on the driveway outside when Pieter would be coming home from work. Such a fun duo!

We are so grateful for having these photos as all our photos from dear friend Natacha, our official house blessing on December 3rd and from Eekie on December 1st got ruined by Kodak and we received a new film roll...!

Eekie did climb up on Pieter's pant leg, and helped with writing the weekly letters to Mother Vedder, Pieter's brothers and to his adopted daughter Liz.

Eekie is seriously proof reading!

These photos from January 13, 1985 are the LAST photos we got. Sadly we found him dead on Wednesday morning on the 16th of January. He'd peacefully crept inside his knitted woolen pouch to sleep and after having him for only 6.5 weeks, he was no more... Very sad! While I was knitting Pieter's thick woolen Irish Aran cardigan, he slept in my lap, cuddling underneath my knitting. So when I was done, I did knit him a square and folded it over to sew it shut like a cone shaped pouch. Earlier he'd always used paper towels to make a nest and sleep underneath. Have any of you ever had a pet squirrel?
So happy with the converted 8mm movies by Costco onto DVD (just click it). Their YesVideo program lets you edit snippets and also share them on Facebook or share via email. However bad the quality at times, due to molds over the decades and with us crossing the Atlantic Ocean twice, it is a treasure of fond memories! Thanks for your visit! Related links: {My Hand Knitted Irish Aran Men's Vest} | previous post showing from which I did knit Eekie's pouch {World Animal Day 2013 and My First Pets} | previous post showing Mauzie girl my Dachshund {World Animal Day started in 1931 in Florence, Italy} | previous post showing Mauzie with her kitten Bartje and Guinea pig Mira and with the Eifel Tower in Paris...
google.com/+MarietteVandenMunckhofVedder