Whistle-stop Tour (2)

Unfortunately during my dad's visit to The Netherlands my husband wasn't able to get any time off work (but hey, that's what happens when you're GM).  He was kind enough to let us borrow his SUV as often as possible though.  On one of these days I was sure to take my dad & his partner to one of my favorite places in The Netherlands, Valkenburg.  Like Den Bosch, a lot of the older buildings survived the war and it has an added bonus, caves!  Since we were going to be gone for most of the day we had no choice but to bring our dog, so we all piled into the SUV.  Valkenburg caters to tourists, so there are tons of places to eat & shop.  During the summer there are also fun outside activities like a cable lift and castle ruins.  And during the winter its known for the multiple Christmas markets.  Throughout the year you can visit the caves, and during the winter holiday they are decorated for Christmas.  I am yet to see the Christmas market inside the caves, I was finally there at the right time of year and someone had to wait outside with the dog, oh well.  I have toured the caves during other trips and they are adorned with incredible artwork, the caves housed many families during WWII, and the guides have a great knowledge of their history.  We happened to arrive in Valkenburg right at lunch, so we quickly found a place to eat.  The Dutch don't mind you bringing dogs to restaurants as long as they stay outside, and luckily a lot of restaurants provide covered (and heated) terraces to eat on.  Long live the smokers and people-watchers who have made this possible.  We happened upon a great restaurant named meat@Valkenhof, the portions were huge, the food was excellent, and the service was friendly, jackpot!  After lunch we were off to explore the town, my dad pushing the stroller, Ron controlling the dog, and me rotating between cameras.  Overall it was a successful day, and worth the hour+ trip down there.  Hopefully next time my parents can visit longer from The States, but no matter what it was great seeing them.  I'm sure after a week with a talkative toddler and energetic puppy they were happy to get back to their tidy house.  It was hard to see them go, and even harder to hold the tears back in order not to upset my daughter.