Driving to Texel, Nederlands, August 23, 2008

And we enter Holland.

cute car...

first old windmill sighting...

cool bridge...

flat farm land, note the new windmills on the horizon...

dike with the first of many sheep sightings...

local industry...

we had a surprise as we entered Den Helder...

waiting for the Ferry at Den Helder

a tall ship coming into the harbor

lots going on this weekend....

our Ferry arrives....

a look back at Den Helder, check out the naval ships....

getting closer, island in view, as well as gulls....

excited, almost there.....

WHAT! only a thirty minute ride!

We made it, and they left the light on for us!

Waterloo-being there

Wils get to handle an infantry sword. It is pretty heavy according to him. The French re-enactor chuckles as we all look on.

Paul says this guy is "Hardcore" meaning for us laymen to reenacting: His outfit is well researched and put together....nothing "farbie" about it.

We like reenactors. V and Paul posing with the infantry. This guy to the right looks the part: right age, right size, (also a good looking Frenchman...yeah Pauls holding on to Vaden pretty tight in this picture)

Here is a statue of the little man himself. This is an excellent museum to visit. We thought the info was given in creative and varying ways. There is even a tour of the battle field by four wheel open bus. We chose not to go as we had a ferry to catch....we also felt like that was for the real enthusiast of the battle ie. lots of Brits the day we visited, they like it here, they won!

Waterloo-getting there

We set off on August 23rd to find Waterloo, Belgium curious about Napoleon and the famous battle.

We found Waterloo and after we saw a multimedia staging of the battle and then an excellent short movie that set the mood and stage, both made to music, the international language. Here we are at foot of the Lion Monument.

Going up to the top of the Monument. Lots of steps and narrow.

Stryker-Ann strikes a pose with Mr. Lion, dedicated to the 47,000 soldiers on all sides, killed or wounded at the Battle of Waterloo.

Vaden reading the map of the battlefield and troop positions. This was an amazing view of the countryside and made you pause to think of the waste and destruction of war.