Flohmarkts=Fleamarkets=Treasures!

 What a fun weekend I've had.  Sorry to say but Mike and Travis were totally left out of all the fun, but they probably preferred it that way!


On Friday I went to the ROB Bazaar.  ROB is one of the many military facilities around here.  It's over by K-town.  Bazaars are a big thing here.  This is the start of the Bazaar season and it will go through the fall.  The biggest and best of course is the Ramstein Officers Spouses Club Bazaar in September.  I am a volunteer worker for that one and we have already started planning.  The ROB one had about 100 vendors selling everything from antiques, soaps, rugs, chocolate, cheese, clothes, jewelry, italian leather goods to much, much more.   It was awesome!!   My purchases for the day here were a shopping bad made by a company from Norway or Sweden and a box of the BEST chocolates I have ever had!  I was so tempted to buy more, but knew I was going to huge flea market in Holland the next day, so I contained myself :)

Ater the Bazaar, Karma, Missy and I all headed over to a little village south of Kaiserslautern called Hohenecken for the Phanning Bazaar.  This was really just a huge indoor garage sale and I didn't find anything to buy, but Missy found some candlesticks and a small springform pan.
But the village was adorable.  It had a very pretty church on a hill and a castle on the big hill above it.    We decided to walk up to the church to see if we could get in, but it was locked.  The path up the hill was old cobblestones and we wondered if the poor church goers had to walk up this hill every Sunday in all kinds of weather??? 

I noticed above one set of doors the date 1715!   Things are just so beautifully old over here!

This is the view of the village from up at the church.   The village also had this cute hotel gasthof.  It will really be pretty when all the flowers are blooming in all the pots and window boxes!

It was a gorgeous day with blue skies and sunshine.  I could just feel spring coming.....until I woke up the next day...


On Saturday I woke up at 4:00 a.m. for my eagerly awaited trip to Holland for the big flea market.  I was going with the three other ladies that make up the stake Relief Society presidency and we just wanted to go do something fun together and this flea market is one of Susan's best kept secrets...shhhh!  Don't tell anyone!   I am not even going to mention the name of the town out of total respect for her willingness to let me in on her secret :)
Anyway, as I open the door to leave my house, I am smacked in the face with huge white fluffly SNOW flakes!!!   Aaarghh!  When is winter going to get out of here!?!?    There was about three inches on the ground and of course not plowed.  But Susan is a trooper and a little snow isn't going to stop a shopping trip, so off we went to Holland in a wicked snowstorm.  She is just fearless!   We passed several accidents but after about two hours it let up a bit and finally the snow quit and by the time we reached the Netherlands the roads were fine and it was blue skies and sunshine but COLD!

We arrived around 10 a.m.  and the parking lot was packed!  I can't describe how massive this place is.  It had five indoor halls that were stuffed with vendors!  You could find anything there!  There were vendors selling clocks, mirrors, antiques, clothes, bikes, batteries, furniture, paintings.  It was so fun!   My big purchase was an antique wooden sled for 10 euro.
 I also got a new scarf and some yummy apple pastries to take home for Mike and Travis.  We shopped all day with a lunchbreak in big food hall with a live band playing some great music. 

Here's a picture of Candice, Becky and Susan having lunch.  

 

We took Susan's van and she had borrowed a car top carrier.  We had it pretty loaded with two sleds, a table, three chairs, an ottoman, a lamp, an antique bread bowl and a few other knick knacks!   I couldn't believe it all fit!

I had such a ball on my first visit to the Netherlands and I plan to go back when the tulips are blooming.  It's a very flat but beautiful country.  I even saw a windmill!

Isn't it cute?  It even had curtains in the windows!   I think someone lives in it.

That is it for my exciting week.  

Mike is busy doing taxes, Travis is busy with school and friends.

  He has been so helpful to the new next door neighbors and is so impressed that Nicholas, their nine year old speaks fluent portuguese AND english.  Travis says we need to get a tramp now not just for him but for the May's kids too!  They left their trampoline in the states as well.  We are just so happy about having this fun little family living next door!

Hope you have all had a good week and that Spring is on your doorstep!

Love and miss you all!

-corri