Our beach front rental did indeed have a beach in front of it! And happily, with very few people there.
Today's post is mainly just pretty pictures, as you can tell.
We did also get out and do things, but we also spent a lot of time doing this. And, as you can see, we were joined by my brother.
After breakfast at our hotel in Charlotte, we took off eastwards. No, wait, we first drove south about 3 minutes to Walmart, where we stocked up on necessities. Almost always our first stop! But then we headed southeastwards!
We stopped for lumch at Burger King somewhere along the way way. Managed to bypass most of Wilmington and the "big city" traffic. Over a number of bridges, and there we were! Our house was on a peninsula headed northwards.
We were, of course, far too early to check in, so we decided first to locate the house and then find something else to do. Easier said than down! The house was very difficult to find and even when I searched for the right street number 🙄 it wasn't easy. So we ended up driving all the way up to the northern tip, where there is a park and beach access -- amd paid parking only, via your phone only, etc. We said the heck with it and returned southwwards. We then stopped at the pier, with th same parking situation, and this time paid and walked around a little. Then it was approaching check in time,so we hiat a grocery store and went to the house.
It is a large house directly on the beach. Here it is from the front:
Downstairs are two one-brdroom apartments. The top floor is the owner's apartment. We had the middle floor, with an astonishing four bedrooms. Yes, much more space thn we needed, but the photos showed it o be nice and with a balcony and iview that would knock you out.
Here it is from the back (beachside):
Here are some views of the inside: 4 bedrooms, two full baths, washer-dryer, large living area, etc etc.
The balcony had acturally three sitting areas. One was a table, where we spent most of our time, a few charis in the center, and then some more on the other end.
Oh, and the view? Absolutley heavenly.
The crowning touch was, of course, the price. This being the deepest part of the beach off season, it was exceptionally reasonably priced.
We didn't have a spring or summer vacation this year, so we decided on an autumn getaway. The beach is always great, so how about trying a new one? And how about making a long (for us!) round trip road trip? And see some new places? And visit with family? All those things are great!
On Monday, Nov. 6, we flew from Düsseldorf to Munich to Charlotte. First, our usual breakfast at the D-dorf airport.
Then it was on to Munich. Probably for the last time, as it just seems silly to us to fly in the wrong direction like that. And also it makes for a damned long flight to the US.
Arrived all safe and sound in Charlotte. However, the immigration lines were very long and slow -- we arrive at the same time as a charter holiday flight returning from the Caribbean -- and I had to stand there shuffling along for 45 minutes. My knees and back were in agony by the time I met Norbert at the luggage pickup. He had gone through the non-US line much faster.
As we walked, or hobbled, along towards the rental cars, I said, "Next time I will get a wheelchair!" and 10 seconds later, I heard, "A wheelchair? Just wait right here, I'll get you one!" It was the woman in charge of some matters, and she had overheard me. I was embarassed, but gladly accepted the wheelchair. Then rolled all the way to the rental car counter!
The flight gets in late enough in the afternoon that we once again spent the night in the area. The hotel we were at the previous time had been impossible to find, and nowhere around to get a bite to eat or anything to drink.
This time I took a Marriott Fairfield, which was very easy to find and very near stores, etc. As a member of whatever their club is, they gave me a free upgrade to a "junior business suite. Always nice to have a bit of extra space to stretch out, especially when you have just spent endless hours on an airplane.
The weather did not cooperate with us at all. The whole week was gray, overcast, moist, and foggy. I had made a list of things we could see and do, but we saw and did none of them. We only left the the park twice, both times to the same shopping center in nearby Almere. We did visit different stores each time, though.
Every day we did take a walk around the park. Each park has a gathering area with a large swimming pool, various shops, registration, several restaurants (unbelievably expensive), and a cafe. We stopped at the cafe one morning for a coffee. It was more elegant that homey, so not really our style. Please not that the photo here does not show up, click on the area and it should appear.
A swan boat!
All in all, not our best vacation. We did get a lot of resting and reading done, so all was not lost. But it would have been nice to have been able to do more. We were also disappointed in the park, it all seemed so dreary and didn't offer anything we were interested in. Our third time there, and the last time.
We decided we needed to get away for a few days, so we booked five days at Center Parcs De Emhoff in mid-November. We have been there twice before, once with Norbert's sister and her husband, and found it to be a quiet, nature-filled park. However, that was a number of years ago....
The week before we were due to go, I came down with the Sinus Condition from Hell. Norbert pointed out that it was pointless to go away, so with a heavy heart, we cancelled. Only to be told that they would be happy to let us come anytime within the next month, with only a relatively small cancellation fee and no other extra charges. It was obvious that the park was mostly empty during this depth of the very off-season. So of course we said yes, picked out our bungalo location of choice, and booked it.
It's about a two-and-a-half hour drive northwards, The park is in the province of Flevoland, the newest province, being added only in 1986. It is all "polderland", recovered from the water. Earlier this was part of the Zuiderzee.
The bedroom was smallish but at least there was enough room to comfortably walk around the bed.
