Brugge

Here are the pics from Brugge where we were last weekend.

Brugge was fantastic. One of the cities that seemed to be the exact same as it was three hundred years ago. We rented bikes for a day, walked through a Saturday morning market, watched the US Italy game in an old square and did a lot of shopping.

Only a four hour drive away and definitely due for a return.




 

 

 

MMmmmmm


Madonna and Child by Michelangelo 

Damn Yankees

My god, did we play like crap the entire World Cup.

I'm glad we're gone so I don't have to answer questions about how bad we were playing to every non-American over here.

Actually, I am pretty surprised now that I can even recognize when a soccer (football) team is playing bad. Previously, my soccer knowledge revolved around my playing days for the Roseville Cheetahs in the early 80s. Nobody chased that ball all over the entire field with 21 other kids (including the goalies I think) in one big pile of flying 5 year old legs like me!

Kelli's 30th Bday tomorrow!

Dad

Luckily, he came at a pretty good time when Kelli and I had two long weekends to spend. We saw some great things that are detailed below, Normandy, Paris, London, Baden-Baden etc., but I think the best and most fun days were the days that Dad had nothing on the agenda and I was upstairs working.

It just felt good to have him here, drinking all of our coffee, putting a dent in our Splenda stash and just being Dad.

He spent a lot of time relaxing but every day took a walk into the city, armed with nothing but a little cheat sheet of the numbers from one to ten, "Hello", and "How Much" translated into phonetic German. His walks took him further and further from the house every day. He even went to a restaurant and didn't know what he ordered until it came. (He did not like it)

They way he attacked the city no holds barred with his "If I am myself, I have nothing to worry about" attitude allowed me to learn where I got my version of it from. The balls to move here with nothing but my wife I got from you Dad.

Dad was amazed at all of the American things that could be found here, even though he is convinced that the Starbucks tasted differently here (I disagree). Not one Burger King, McDonald's or KFC made it past us without Dad pointing it out and saying how unexpected that was. His marveling at the fact that we have 5 different types of Heinz ketchups to choose from at Wal-Mart was nothing but smiles for me.

Watching Dad get up and dance to an oompah band at the festival with Uli his new best friend displayed one of my Dad's best features; unparalleled kindness and the willingness to just smile, lay himself out there and have a great time regardless of the fact that the only communicating you did with the person you are dancing with was spoken into a wadded up piece of paper in German.

We miss you very much Dad. It was great to reconnect and learn a little more about myself. You make it so easy for me to feel better about myself with your eternal pride, justified or not, it is always unconditional.

You will always be the best teacher I have ever had on the subject of how to be a man.

Happy Father's Day

Wilhelmstrassefest

This is Uli, you can't stop him, you can only hope to contain him.

We had a blast at the Fest this year with Tim, Dad and our cousins and a couple of their friends partaking this year. Many beers were had by all and it definitely deserves a full write up but for now, I have to run. Kelli and I are off to Belgium for teh long weekend.

Enjoy the pics, and leave some comments 

Thirsty Tim?
the crew
Mmmmmmm pretzel
In the park watching the Germany Game 

D&K
Tony pointing out Dad's hat
Bob and a Beer
Tony doin some reps 

Friday Night

Dad and his dancing partner Uli
Tony muscling up
Kelli, Tim and Uli 

Clearys!!

Ken looks thirsty















Watching the England game 

Myself and the Cleary Crew

Big Beers! 

The Tim face

You know Tim, if you keep making that face, it's gonna freeze like that. 

Tim and Uli!

Uli was a classic. We will never look at a rolled up piece of paper the same way again 

Tim doin some damage

 

Amy & Brian are parents!

Amy and Brian had their son, Nolan Robert, on Thursday, June 8 around noon EST. Very exciting news and we are very happy for them! Mom and baby are doing well from what I have heard and I am trying to get a hold of them today. We'll post a pic on the blog once we get our hands on one...

Holy crap this place is CRAZY right now,

Myself, Dad and TIm are five beers in right now at 2:45. Tim is down one hundo at the casino, Bob is up 45, I am down ONE FRICKIN EURO. I played roulette for 27892357890 years and hit a number right before I left.

Americans, Brazilians and strangely, Argentinians everywhere. We saw some Costa RIcans as well.

Still on the hunt for the Cleary cousins. TIm is napping for one hour then it's back to the grind.

Prediction:

Germany 3 Costa Rica 1 (IF Germany lost this game, the country would implode)

Euro - Bob

We have had a busy week travelling around. We just picked Tim up at the airport and are now getting ready for a big day in Wiesbaden. Today is the first World Cup game and the big fest starts in the city. Lots of beer will meet it's demise at the hands of the Rankin clan today I am sure.

We got Dad to Normandy to see the WWII beaches and had time top stop in Paris for a night on the way back. This week, I took Dad down to Baden - Baden and Offenbach to see the ancestral home of my Grandma's family. Lots of Gensheimers in Offenbach.

Just a short note for now but expect a big Dad re-cap next week after he departs on Monday.

Utah Beach