Maastricht

We've reached Malmedy, and we're settling in at MyHotel, conveniently just a few minutes walk away from the centre ville. This morning, we stopped at the Mairie in Malmedy in hopes to get Belgian ID cards for Gabe and the boys. Luck was on our side, and it was super easy. The woman was super helpful and made it happen! The guys will pick up their cards on Friday. The card is almost more important than their passports.

We took a one-hour drive to explore the shopping area of Maastricht. A shoutout to Sylvia for this recommendation! As we approached the border, we were all searching for a sign that would welcome us to Holland or maybe notice a shift in the language on the road signs. Not really. Once we crossed the border, interestingly, the road signs stopped being red and white, but the landscape and architecture seemed unchanged. It was only when we took the Maastricht exit that things started to look noticeably different, especially with the multitude of bikes all around. Maastricht is a town resembling a mini Amsterdam. Shopping in Maastricht was fun. There is a blend of boutiques, vintage shops, chain stores, and a bustling street market. The city's cobbled streets and picturesque squares was more fun to see than the shops. Nonetheless, we shopped! Charlie was thrilled that English was widely spoken.

Lunch happened at this spot called "I Love Burrito" – our attempt to satisfy our Mexican food craving was a success. Their spicy sauce rating system was on point. Overconfident, we went for the habanero-spiced option, thinking it wouldn't be that hot. Big mistake. We were sweating, struggling to finish our chicken burrito bowl. We even had to ask for a side of sour cream! Lesson learned. We spent the day shopping.

I was thrilled to discover a few boutiques offering products from Holland, France, or Belgium. It's pretty surprising how even this shopping zone is dominated by big corporate retailers, pushing out unique little stores. If I wanted to shop at H&M or Zara, I might as well head back to California.

Back in Malmedy: After our trip to Maastricht, we met up with Gabe's friend, Dominic Plom, at the Scotch Inn. They hadn't crossed paths in over three decades! Dominic brought along a nature book Gabe gifted him when they were kids, which his son now treasures, but with a gentle reminder to keep it safe. Such a nice reunion!

This photo: One of the best cookies I have ever had. The cookies are freshly baked all day long. My cookie was a pistachio cookie with white chocolate.