Looking back at 2012

So we are back in Belgium! Our visit to the region of Metz has been a very good one, except for two bad experiences. I don’t like to write negative reviews or posts, but in one winery and one museum we were treated so badly that I don’t have another choice. But more about that later.

Let’s look back at 2012, which has been a year of many changes! We started with very big dreams about conquering the Balkans during the months of July and August. In the meantime we discovered that there was more than beautiful landscapes and museums to keep us busy. In the month of February,  for example, when we were back in Denmark we rediscovered our inner child in Randers Rainforest. A month later we saw Ostend from the point of view of Marvin Gaye. In the Easter vacation we had a blast of a time in the Czech Republic and in June I had an unforgettable encounter with the Wild Horses of Langeland and I was able to participate in the festivities of Sankt Hans Aften. These were our highlights of the first half of 2012:

• The Viking’s top 10
• The Kitten’s top 10

But things were changing. Due to a couple of unforeseen financial problems and the wrongdoings of a man we nickname The Shadow, we were forced to cancel our whole summer trip… We were sad and frustrated, but we soon realized that these negative feelings were not helping us. In less than a month we came up with ideas for a completely new trip and I also found solutions for the financial problems. This led to a slightly different way of traveling: less planning, more improvisation. And … we had such a blast! We also invested in an electric cool box, allowing us to travel even more cheaply, since we could do more self-catering.

Fall and winter have been exciting as well, with the introduction of Creepy Travels. We also saw Brussels through the eyes of Victor Hugo and discovered unknown parts of Belgium. At the end of the year we managed to squeeze in two short trips to Germany and France. So what are our highlights of the second part of 2012?

Let’s start with my top 10:

10. Brantôme with its beautiful abbey

9. Cathedral of Brussels

8. Fjällbacka

7. Autumn at Thurø

6. Wallenborn

5. Rheinfall

4. German War Cemetery

3. Yvoire

2. Grenen

1. Lysefjord

And this is what The Viking liked:

10. German War Cemetery

9. Cathedral of Metz (to be published later)

8. The Golden Courtyard Museums (to be published later)

7. Bruttig Fankel (to be published later)

6. Lysefjord

5. Kungälv

4. Totenmaar (or Weinfelder Maar)

3. Grenen

2. Vidå Sluse

1. Driving on the German – Danish border

If we bring everything together, we have our top 10 of 2012! So what impressed us the most?

My top 10 of 2012:

10. Marvin Gaye Walk

9. Kaliste

8. Randers Rainforest

7. Wallenborn

6. Bonfires in Kerteminde

5. Yvoire

4. Grenen

3. German War Cemetery

2. Lysefjord

1. Wild horses of Langeland

And last but not least, The Viking’s top 10 of 2012:

10. Bruttig Fankel (to be published later)

9. German War Cemetery

8. Kafka’s Castle

7. Vidå Sluse

6. Grenen

5. Cathedral of Metz (to be published later)

4. Wild horses of Langeland

3. Ediger Eller

2.  Lysefjord

1. Driving on the German – Danish border