Going Dutch

WINDING AND WINDMILLS:  After Dover, Dunkirk, and Bruges, the next big item on our 'to do' list was heading eastward, toward Germany. 

We drove through a bit of The Netherlands along the way. One can't help but think 'windmills' when thinking of The Netherlands. While we didn't see any traditional old windmills, we saw lots of these wind turbines!

A significant part of our entire trip involved driving from point to point, but we didn't just want to make the journey all about getting there, we wanted interesting stops along the way. That's where our stop at Labyrint Drielandenpunt came in. 

Back when we were plotting our map for our trip, I Googled interesting or odd places to visit in Europe. I wound up on the "Atlas Obscura" page, and on an article about Labyrint Drielandenpunt. Its name translates into three country labyrinth, and it's so named because on the grounds of the attraction, you can stand where Netherlands, Belgium and Germany meet.

Once we found the attraction, one of the hardest parts of the puzzle was figuring out where to park. With that hurdle out of the way, we made our way toward the hedgerow, Europe’s largest outdoor shrub maze. 

I have to say, I was not expecting to hear "Summer Nights" from the American musical "Grease" playing, loudly, over the PA as we approached the ticket booth. 

We paid our admission, and hoped we were up to the challenge. But before entering the maze, we couldn't pass up this photo opp. Nothing says The Netherlands like oversized wooden shoes!

Reviews I had read about the labyrinth said to expect to spend 1.5 to two hours to make your way through it, and that it was hard. Reviewers suggested asking other visitors for help. 

Well, we happened to be there late on a *** afternoon, and there were only two other small parties on site neither of which spoke English. That, and we didn't have phones with Internet access, nor do they give you maps at the entrance. 

We were on our own.  

The maze was definitely a challenge for four weary travelers. When it started to feel like maybe it was too tough, I reminded myself (and the family) that we had been in corn mazes that, geographically, were MUCH bigger than this here maze.

Fortunately, there were some uplifting distractions along the way, as well.

As we worked our way toward the center, we came to realize the way to the middle wasn't a straight line, and the route that got you closest to the center wasn't always the right route.

There were a couple of up-and-over bridges in the labyrinth. When we got to this one, we spied and tried to pick a path forward. 

Fortunately, our studying paid off, and we were soon to the gazebo in the center!

I went back to the bridge over and snapped a shot of the intrepid travelers in the middle!

Below, Annabelle shares some recollections from our brief visit to the labyrinth.

Labyrint Drielandenpunt is a large labyrinth technically located in Vaals, Netherlands. I say technically, because the labyrinth is actually located in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands all at once- when you stand in the middle (at the finish) you can run around and be in all three countries at once!

The labyrinth is actually fairly difficult and requires a bit of thought and planning. It includes multiple water obstacles that you must step through to progress (some are on a timer- others are not).

The Labyrint is obviously oriented towards kids, as there are drums, chimes, and smaller mazes on certain signs throughout. A cool fact about the labyrinth is that it is in the shape of a lion, a falcon, and a dragon, each representing one country.

The labyrinth took us about an hour to complete, which seems to be the average time. The Labyrint was fun but challenging, and I would strongly recommend it if you’re ever in Vaals!

A couple of other interesting factoids: The site is not only the most South-Easterly place in the Netherlands, but it's also the country's highest spot. 

All in all, it was a super fun stop that certainly broke up the monotony of the drive!

Next stop: Achen, Germany!