{Airline Baggage Weight and Campbell Dinosaur Soup}

Thinking about HOW much we have carried inside our suitcases over the years... it is hard now for bringing anything besides your clothes and toiletries for the total allowed baggage weight of 1 piece of 50.5 lbs or 23 kg at present. We did the lion share of our travel on KLM and back then it was 2 pieces of 70.5 lbs or 32 kg each! In the mid 90s when flying from the USA to The Netherlands, we did even have CANS of CAMPBELL DINOSAUR SOUP + CAST IRON DINOSAUR MUFFIN PANS as a gift for our Dutch nephews...

Courtesy of Campbell Cares is this original photo from such a can of Dinosaur Soup.

Thanks guys +Campbell Soup Company your courtesy is highly appreciated!

Having been both International Consultants, we did spend a lot of time aboard KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.

Just slightly tagging behind husband Pieter's total Mileage...

We always have valued KLM's Royal Dutch Airlines Courtesy Card!

Above is the one we had in Italy, while working and living there, just like we had before in the USA.

And again, continuing with our Royal Wing card in the USA...

We had so many benefits because of that.

Getting an upgrade to Business Class whenever Economy got fully booked.

Being allowed to check in at the Business Class counter, even with others that traveled with us.

Making use of the Business Class Lounge, we also did on the way over to the USA when all 4 of us used the Van Gogh Room at Schiphol Amsterdam Airport.

Mom & Dad even got an upgrade to Business Class, just like I had, when flying to Amsterdam from Atlanta, USA in May of 1987.

Mom & Dad sat in two seats next to each other and I shared a seat with a widow traveling back home after having stayed with her ailing brother in the USA.

Always easy for getting out of the roomier chair instead of sitting with 3 or even 4 passengers in narrow chairs.

But the Coach Class did allow Two (2) pieces of 70 pounds / 32 kilograms each!

Can you imagine?

That's how we could afford to travel with One (1) piece filled with gifts and things for relatives and friends.

Can you imagine the anxious recipients upon our arrival?

We even did carry: 2 Cast Iron John Wright Co dinosaur pans each 8 - 10 pounds

There was snow upon arrival in The Netherlands, on March 2, 1995 and we did tote all this weight into the train, with 2 stop-overs along the way.

Muscle power...

Hand delivered on March 8, 1995. Our 7 and 5-year old nephews loved their Dinosaur soup!

Were we crazy or what?

This is unthinkable for present time travel with its luggage weight restrictions!

{In 2005 President George W. Bush visited Margraten - Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial in my Province of Limburg}

Tomorrow, May 26 is the official Memorial Day for the USA. We honor all the fallen men and women in service. 

Photo taken by my brother Martin Van den Munckhof

You can view more photos—also closeup from one Georgia soldier—and read about it in my previous post, see below.

We are proud of President George W. Bush's visit to Margraten, Netherlands at the American Cemetery and Memorial in my Province of birth; Limburg.

12½ jaar L1 - Amerikaanse president in Limburg | President George W. Bush visits Margraten on May, 8 in 2005. He did stay at Château St. Gerlach and was very complimentary towards the Staff.

Proud of my Province of birth; Limburg!

President George W. Bush was so nice and you can hear about it in this short video (link above) and it is mainly in English so you understand this TV program from my Province of birth, Limburg's L1.

President Honors and Commemorates Veterans in the Netherlands - Margraten, The Netherlands | From White House Archives May 8, 2005

Above link gives you the text of President's speech.

The Dutch have their Memorial Day earlier in May...

Dutch Queen and Bush lead VE Day memorial

Related links:

{Margraten - Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial in my Province of Limburg} | previous post by me

{MEMORIAL DAY - FREEDOM HAS ITS PRICE} | previous post by me about husband Pieter's personal story

{A Heart of Gold - Great Memorial Day Story} | previous post by me

{Gift Bird Feeder}

When we were in The Netherlands we did receive a very special gift...

Such a hand painted Bird Feeder by little kids' hands is unique...

Indeed, made in The Netherlands WITH LOVE!

Serious painting...

Here it is hanging on a tree...

Holding some yummy bird food.

Guess it will need a perching stick for birds to actually sit on when snacking. Stick got added yesterday so birds can now sit on it!

It got moved towards our huge dogwood tree and you can see it to the right. This is the main Bird Restaurant area of our garden and we always can watch them from the bay window of our kitchen during breakfast and such. Our Spicy girl loves to go there after her breakfast but the early birds have already eaten!

Now the wooden perching stick has been added and a lot of the seeds with peanut butter have been eaten away.

Those two kids did a great job and it blends in with nature so well! Do you also feed your wild birds?