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Via Emsflower back to home


Home -> Europe -> Germany -> Travelogue Germany -> 02 May 2008

Friday 02 May, via Emsflower back to home

Today is the first time we are awakened by the alarm clock. Esmée wakes up from our rumble at a quarter past 8, otherwise she would probably have slept longer. After breakfast I send her and Teije outside to pack the car while I clean the house a bit.
Goodbye to our holiday cottageAnd those two are enjoying themselves out there. The stuff is quickly packed and also the cleaning does not take much time. It is mostly sand that needs to be wiped out again. We say goodbye to the cottage with a little melancholy; it was a very nice place to be for a week, it would have been nicer if it had been slightly warmer as it will be the next week.
Anyway, first we will do some fun before we really drive back home. We would first go to the medieval festival on the grounds of castle Bad Bentheim, but last night we found out that today it starts at 5 o'clock this afternoon. Our mistake, we did not look very well ... And we had promised Esmée that she could go in full of princesses' noose, with dress and all her jewelry. So it took quite some explaining and negotiating before she was satisfied with the new plan.
Dancing in Emsflower Smelling the flowersAnd the new plan takes us to Emsflower in Emsbüren, close to the motorway, which we still have to drive to the north. It is a nursery with a tropical garden, a cactus garden and of course an extensive play corner. With the current interest that Esmée has for flowers, that must be a success and indeed, she dances through the tropical garden and wants to smell every flower.
Cactus garden, Emsflower The plantation of EmsflowerThe cactus garden is also a great success; interested she examines the many spines and of course tries to feel them. Then we walk through the nursery where plants, flowers are grown in all kinds of colors, but also tomatoes and peppers. And finally we walk through a beautifully landscaped wilderness including banana trees and lots of ponds with fish in it.
Bird in EmsflowerIn an aviary we spend a long time to watch the brightly colored birds and Esmée starts to whisper so not to scare the animals. She has forgotten all about the castle and the princesses. And with € 5 entrance this place is definitely worth a visit. With our ticket we also get another € 3 discount on a very beautiful bouquet of orchids that will cost us only € 6.95.
Playing in the sand, Emsflower Playing in the sand, EmsflowerEsmée then plays a long time in the sand while we drink a cup of coffee outside in the sun (which is very weak). We eat since the meals are fine here and because we are not in a hurry to go home. Then Esmée can also choose a plant with pot for herself, especially for her new home. She chooses a fuchsia with purple flowers, her favorite color.
And then it is another hour and a half drive before we get home. So close and yet we spent the whole week in an almost mountainous landscape. Right across the border it starts raining for a while and we think, well, the Netherlands, we are back home, but then it gets sunny again. The weather could have been a bit warmer, but we can't complain, it was a wonderful week with lots of rest and also nice things we saw.
Traveling with a child is totally different than when we are on the road by ourselves: we do other things, have a different view of the environment and make very different photographs. On one side this is more strenuous because you have to pay attention to someone all the time, on the other side it is much more relaxed because we set fewer goals. Seeing something less and yet enjoying just as much is the motto this holiday and that worked out fine! In August we go out with Esmée again, then probably a bit further away. Esmée herself has a travelogue on her website (written by Teije), but we had to take it offline because some of her website was hacked and we did not have time to restore the pages. (notefrom 2017: we turned it into a puzzle website now)
Until the next trip!

 


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