We left Brussels with Mary and Jorge to travel to Maastricht, the closest city to the Margraten American Cemetery. We missed our connection in Liege Belgium when elevators and escalators were out of service, but that allowed time for a coffee before catching the next train an hour later.
There is no ReLive video for the day. The weather is beautifully sunny but warm.
Getting ready to leave the train at Maastricht, we met Ruben who had been cycling and now was returning by train to his hometown. He works in the technology industry and had recently been in Waco, Texas. He shared that in his opinion, Maastricht was one of the most beautiful cities in the Netherlands.
We’ve arrived with Mary and Jorge at the train station. There is stained glass welcoming us even here!
The hotel is only a few blocks from the station, but after dragging luggage over the cobblestone sidewalks, we were happy to take some refreshment upon check-in.
The Maas River separates us from the downtown area. We had arranged to meet our adopted family for dinner in one of the restaurants in Vrijthof Square, a large open area in Maastricht.
We ate inside because of our large group. (L-R) John, Richard, Jan, Rina, Annie, Jef, Fred, Mary, Jorge, and Saskia. John, Jef, and Fred are Hodiamont brothers. Rina and Annie are sisters (married to Hodiamont brothers) and are the adopters of my uncle’s grave. Saskia and John have also adopted an American soldier’s grave.
Saturday night is a busy evening. Tables line the street outside every restaurant. For us, it’s time to return for rest before a big Memorial Day celebration tomorrow.