The contortionist
Did you call me ??
Linking to AWWW MONDAYS
*****
We have a very nice Bus company here in Waterloo, which does day trips for very reasonable prices. Myriam, Chantal and I had booked for Saturday a trip to Dinant. It is a beautiful little town in Belgium near the French border.
We took the Bus in Waterloo and were driven to Dinant directly to the Citadel of Dinant overlooking whole Dinant and the river Meuse.
High on the rocks sits the citadel (with the flag) and just underneath are these beautiful houses which are mostly bars or restaurants today. The view from there is just beautiful.
After visiting the Citadelle we went down by cable car which was very funny as some women screamed because it shook a bit !
From there we walked along the river Meuse to catch our boat to make a cruise on the Meuse with a wonderful dinner !
First we got a glass of Kir, and with the meal was served red and white wine and at the end a coffee.
The starter (above right) was "Foie Gras" (duck liver paté) the main course stuffed turkey breast, vegetables and a special kind of a potato ball. We ate and looked at the landscape outside.
After the dinner we went on the upper deck and sat in the sunshine looking at the beautiful houses with boats anchored in front of them on the water. We crossed other boats and everybody was waving. Then they put music on and the ambiance became even more cheerful !
3 hours later we arrived again in Dinant, took the cable car up to the Citadel where the bus waited for us to take us down. It had been a wonderful day and we were very lucky, it had rained in the morning but it had stopped while we were visiting the Citadel and even sunny when we were on the boat.
Sunday was a lazy day, I couldn't go out of the bed it was so cold and then I thought of all things I had to do. Honestly it wasn't much, I had to write this post and another one for my Cat blog.
But the worst was to fill in a new Passport formula for the German Embassy who wanted to know everything about me online no way to get a human being on the phone for some information.
I had to go to the city hall to get a residence certificate, a copy of my birth certificate (as if I would need a passport when I am dead) the marriage certificate two photos where you look like the worst serial killer because you are not allowed to smile and I hope this is all. Of course all in double and the photocopies are for you. Next time I will commit a terrorist attack, and in not 2 minutes they will find all these papers, especially that I am born ! Lazy people they must have a file for each resident !
So I spent my afternoon swearing and filling out this pdf thing and then I had to print it out. My appointment for which I had asked in June was now in mid September and then I have to wait 8 weeks (!!) to get the new passport. The passports for German residents living abroad have to be made in Berlin !
I can travel by bus or car through whole Europe, except with the Eurostar to England because there they ask for a passport especially now with their in and out Brexit circus.
Oh that day trip sounds wonderful! Dinner on the boat, perfect! How great to have that bus service in your town. .
ReplyDeleteThere were several forms I had to fill out before applying for my Dutch passport when living in Norway, but once I had those, the whole thing was done in about half an hour. And then it was sent to me. Mind you, I had to travel to Oslo as they wouldn't do it online!
ReplyDeleteThese things, like renewing a passport, take time. I wanted to renew my romanian passport several months before it expires in October.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I had to apply online for an appointment and sent copies of documents. I got the appointment for 3- months later. I went to the consulate with my original documents; they took my photo and amprents, and now I have to wait 45 days(!) to get my new passport which is issued in Bucharest. That'll be... end of October.
Well, never mind. Main thing is to feel well.
What a nice day out. I am envious. I've heard a bit about French and German bureaucracy of late. Sounds like a nightmare.
ReplyDeleteOh your bus trip sounds wonderful. I so wish we had things like this locally.
ReplyDeletePassports are crazy. We have a new ID form here called a Real ID Drivers License. I needed 7 documents to prove who I was and that I was not some bigamist! Marriage Certificates, Divorce Decrees, Birth Certificates! I thought I would go mad! But now I have one and I am ok for a while!
That's seriously contorted!
ReplyDelete