In Limburg with Friends

From Schiphol Airport, I traveled South to Limburg with two Friends that had come with the 5:43 NS Intercity to pick me up...

End station Horst–Sevenum and we're in the South of The Netherlands!

In less than two hours from Schiphol Airport to Horst–Sevenum by Intercity.

Travel by Rail is so relaxed!

Comparing to the hectic traffic and especially on a Monday.

Sure, my original plan was to arrive on Sunday... but some 3,000 flights got cancelled over that weekend.

My happy friend Ellie (friends for 57 years) and her daughter Elvira...

See links below post for reading about our very special relation with her.

This was on May 31 with 17°C or 62.6°F in Sevenum with a maximum of 18°C or 64°F

Yes, that was quite a cool–down for me; coming from Georgia/USA...

Elvira made us a yummy lunch on Wednesday, June 1.

She's a great Lady Chef

After our lunch at about 14:00, we did video WhatsApp with Pieter in Georgia/USA, who had just had breakfast at 8:00 in the morning.

Always great to see, and hear each other over the 8,000 km distance or 4,970 miles!

Pieter enjoyed talking with Elvira's boys.

The youngest, to the right of me, told Pieter that he had to carefully read all the notes...

They'd just overheard me reply to Elvira about her question what Pieter is eating all those days.

I told them that I'd hung sticky notes from the cabinets in the kitchen for each day for getting the meals together from the freezer and such.

Yes, I'd prepared a lot of food ahead of time!

Ellie's granddaughter Famke is into aerial fabric dancing!

Got to see her doing this LIVE.

Quite impressive and don't know if I could do that?!

Weather for the coming days would be lovely with on Saturday as high as 26°C or 78.8°F but on Sunday all rain...

Friend Sissy in her Tesla electric car, took Ellie and me around my home town and we even sat on a terrace in the sun, enjoying a cappuccino or tea. 

Also ice cream with some fruit.

Indulging in those things from the past; for me at least, as I'm out of The Netherlands for 39 years.

Next day we met again with Sissy and Ellie + spouses...

Time for dinner at Restaurant De Kraal in Venlo.

My selection was Heilbot or Halibut in English

And for me also white asperges soup... It still is in season and in the USA we never find them.

My Halibut served over a bed of pasta with a lemon sauce and spinach.

Topped with a fresh Coriandrum sativum.

Edible flowers look beautiful... and yes, I ate them!

Sissy captured this photo of Ellie and me...

So grateful for happy time with friends!

To be continued...

By the way; my humble blog reached 3,500,000 pageviews!

Related links:

Flying on Delta Premium Select–Savannah to Amsterdam | previous post by me

Back Home from my 67th Trip to Limburg in The Netherlands | previous post by me

{Wedding Elvira & Bob in 14th Century Castle} | previous post by me

{Wedding Elvira & Bob - Michelin Star Top Restaurant Brienen aan de Maas} | previous post by me

{Wedding Elvira & Bob in 1662 Franconian Auberge 'De Grote Waaij'} | previous post by me

Flying on Delta Premium Select–Savannah to Amsterdam

 FINALLY, after years of COVID nonsense, I would be flying across the Atlantic Ocean for bringing home some special items from Mom & Dad's Estate.

Things that could NOT be sent by mail or any other means as their sentimental value was too high.

So, on the evening before husband Pieter's 93rd Birthday, I logged in to his Delta account for checking how many miles he had left.

Pieter had indicated that with all the nonsense going on at present he did NOT want to fly; way too much stress for his heart condition.

How RIGHT HE WAS!

This was Thursday evening, where I had the option for 148,000 miles to fly with Premium Select (only 2 seats available!) to Amsterdam, from Savannah, Georgia via Detroit, Michigan.

Did not want to complete this option before checking with Pieter (who was by now sleeping...)

Next day I tried again to complete my trip on line but could not do so...

My long legal name, always causes problems.

So, I had to call.

After 1 hour 47 minutes (mainly for being on hold...) I finally managed to book this special Premium Select flight!

Now I had to pay with 152,000 miles, but I GOT it and was oh so happy, and so was Pieter for making very good use of his miles!

This very flight would have cost me US $ 2,406.97 + Tax in the end...

LOVED this: ADJUSTABLE FOOTREST.

Arrive refreshed... especially for a night flight — I loved this idea!

BUT on my departure day at 2:03 AM while we were sound asleep... This email arrived.

My Flight got cancelled but rebooked.

Now I had to fly via Paris on Air France and then on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines to Amsterdam...

Our private driver, who used our own car, arrived by 10:00 AM to drive us to the Savannah Airport in two hours time.

At the special check–in counter for Sky Priority® I showed my paperwork and the agent was so helpful and courteous but he did NOT manage to print my boarding passes for whatever reason.

So he called a higher ranking Delta person, who had to call him back.

A total of 2 hours I stood there, Pieter and our private driver waiting patiently.

But nothing could be done.

Went home with this... a new booking for next day!

Due to INTERRUPTED TRAVEL...

My new schedule for the SHORT solo trip to Limburg, The Netherlands...

Sure enough, we again went to Savannah, with our private driver.

I joked, that now Mike our driver, didn't even need the GPS as we all remembered the Interstate exits... 😏

Arriving in Savannah, the very same agent at the Sky Priority® counter recognized me from afar and waved.

In no time he'd checked me in and I was off to Atlanta and on to Amsterdam.

Hugging and kissing my Pieter goodbye for a brief time!

When I tried to call Pieter from Savannah, my iPhone 13Pro read: no server!

True, as I had requested to switch my service to The Netherlands and that went already into effect.

But in Atlanta I still managed to do a video WhatsApp call with Pieter at home, just before boarding with the use of the Airport WiFi.

I was in the air soon...

The adjustable footrest however did NOT FUNCTION, neither for my neighbor, a young German.

But I managed to fly to Amsterdam!

Oh, also my Low Sodium/No Salt added meal went 'missing'...

And NO Tumi Amenity Kit either.

On my way and yes, I did wear my down jacket during the flight!

Felt great.

Stay tuned for more...

Related link:

Back Home from my 67th Trip to Limburg in The Netherlands | previous post by me

Delta Premium Select | Delta's Newest Cabin Revealed | Delta Air Lines | short 28 seconds video

Back Home from my 67th Trip to Limburg in The Netherlands

 Just to leave a token of being alive and well...

Yes, on Friday, June 17 by 19:30 I got home with our private driver (in our own car) from the Savannah Airport.

I'd flown in at JFK New York on Delta Airlines 49, earlier and then the Delta flight to Savannah, Georgia.

Pieter was happy and so was I!

And of course our kitties...

This sweet note from my Pieter awaited me:

LL—Lieve Lieverd or Dear Sweetheart in English...

Together with these Red Roses... neatly arranged in our Wedgwood Cream Color on Cream Color vase.

Detail...

Two days later I'd arranged them in a different Wedgwood Cream Color on Cream Color compote bowl.

Of course teamed up with our rose linen table cloth...

More about my trip later.

This was the 2nd time that Pieter and I have been separated for some 3 weeks...

When he went in March/April, 1987 to China for People to People Citizen Ambassador Program.

Also then, I went solo to Limburg for being with family and friends.

Related link:

{People to People Citizen Ambassador Program - Husband Pieter's Trip to East Asia} | previous post by me