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Home , Nordhorn, Tour of the Netherlands

Bentheimers International Society Tour of The , , & 13 days from September 14 – 26, 2017

Organized by Friends of Bentheimers, Pathfinders Travel in Holland Michigan and Richters Reisen in Nordhorn Germany, as agents for the tour participants.

Day 1 (Sept. 14) Thursday: Depart from Michigan Depart from Grand Rapids airport in the afternoon and fly to Detroit Metro Airport. Connect in Detroit to an overnight flight to The Netherlands. Dinner will be served on the flight shortly after departure from Detroit. Overnight on the flight.

Day 2 (Sept. 15) Friday: Arrive in The Netherlands; visit Delft and Rotterdam Arrive at Schiphol Airport in the morning, clear customs and board your private touring bus from Richters Reisen, with Rolf Seel as your driver. Rolf has been the driver for the group on past trips and happily will be with us again for this tour. Travel about an hour south of Amsterdam and stop in Delft, famous around the world for their blue-and-white china. Take a tour of the Royal Delft factory, to see a demonstration of how they hand paint the china and displays of beautiful tiles and other works of art. Enjoy a break with & cake before some free time to visit in the town center. You could stroll and shop in the local stores, and visit the New with its tall bell tower and the impressive tomb of William the Silent. Continue a short distance to Rotterdam, where you will check in at the hotel. Free time for shopping on your own in central Rotterdam, or optionally choose to visit the War Resistance , which shows how local people lived and what they did during World War II. Dinner is included at the hotel this evening. Overnight at the hotel in Rotterdam.

Day 3 (Sept. 16) Saturday: Travel to , Belgium This morning travel across the Dutch border into Brussels, Belgium, the capital city and seat of the European Union. This afternoon meet a local guide for a sightseeing tour of the city, to see such sights as the Royal Palace, the Atomium, the Grand-Place and medieval City Hall, and St. Michael’s Cathedral. Part of the tour will be on the bus and part will be walking. There will also be time for sightseeing and shopping on your own – be sure to try some delicious Belgian chocolate! Settle in at the hotel in Brussels following the tour. An optional evening stroll will follow dinner. Overnight in Brussels.

Day 4 (Sept. 17) Sunday: Travel to the Normandy region in France Travel a short distance outside of Brussels this morning to Waterloo, to visit the site of the famous battle that defeated in 1815. A 130-foot mound was erected on the site and is topped with a statue of a lion, symbolizing the monarch’s victories. Visit the interactive museum inside the mound and the panoramic painting of the battle nearby. Many sons of Bentheim fought in this battle. Continue traveling to the Normandy region in northwestern France. Check in at the hotel in the historic city of Caen later in the day. After dinner, take a stroll through the central , and see the massive walls of William the Conqueror’s . Overnight at the hotel in Caen.

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Day 5 (Sept. 18) Monday: Visit the Normandy Coast and D-Day sites A local guide will join the group today for a tour of World War II sites associated with the German occupation and D-Day liberation of Normandy. We will visit the moving American Cemetery, which overlooks Omaha Beach; walk on the sands of Omaha Beach and visit Pointe du Hoc, which was taken by American soldiers, although with heavy casualties. See the remains of the artificial “Mulberry Harbor” at Arromanches, and German gun emplacements. Lunch will be included today during a break in the tour. Return to Caen later in the day, where there will be time to relax and have dinner on your own this evening. Overnight at the hotel in Caen.

Day 6 (Sept. 19) Tuesday: Travel to Paris, France This morning visit the Mémorial de Caen, a World War II museum and memorial on the outskirts of Caen. Travel from Caen to Paris this afternoon, stopping on the way to visit Claude Monet’s beautiful house and gardens in Giverny. The water lily pond and surrounding gardens were painted many times by this famous impressionist painter, and the house still looks much the same as when he lived there with his family in the late 19th century. On arrival in Paris later in the day, check in to the hotel and settle in for two nights in “The City of Light”. After dinner, enjoy a “bâteaux-mouches” boat tour on the Seine River through the heart of the city, seeing famous sights such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and Notre Dame Cathedral. Overnight at the hotel in Paris.

Day 7 (Sept. 20) Wednesday: Paris, France Spend the day in Paris. A local guide will join the group in the morning for a panoramic tour of the city, to introduce you to the sights that have made the city so famous. Drive up the Avenue des Champs-Elysées; circle the Arch of Triumph; stop to take pictures of the Eiffel Tower; admire the gilded dome of the Invalides and enjoy the beauty of this elegant city. The afternoon will be free in Paris to pursue your own interests. You might like to shop at the large department stores and boutiques near the Opera Garnier, visit one of the world-class , such as the Louvre or the Orsay, marvel at the stained-glass windows in Notre Dame Cathedral, or simply find a sidewalk café and watch the world go by. This evening dine at a restaurant on the first level of the Eiffel Tower, with sweeping views of the Seine river and the Champ de Mars park. Overnight at the hotel in Paris.

Day 8 (Sept. 21) Thursday. Travel from Paris via Reims to Bastogne, Belgium. Travel out of Paris this morning and stop in the French city of Reims, home to a soaring Gothic Cathedral and central to the Champagne wine region. Join a local guide for a sightseeing tour of the city, to include a visit to the Cathedral, which was the coronation church for the Kings of France. You will also stop at a local winery, where you will tour the cellars and enjoy a taste of champagne. Continue traveling over the border into the Ardennes region of eastern Belgium, and check in at the hotel in Bastogne. Bastogne was at the center of the Battle of the Bulge, a turning point during WWII, and there are still many references to the battle in the town. This evening take a stroll to McAuliffe Square in the center of town to examine a Sherman tank and statue of General McAuliffe. Dinner and overnight in Bastogne.

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Day 9 (Sept. 22) Friday: Travel from Bastogne to the , Germany Spend the morning in Bastogne to visit the star-shaped Mardasson Memorial and the Bastogne War Museum. The museum exhibits trace the origins of World War II leading up to the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944. The memorial is a moving tribute to the American troops that were killed or wounded during the month-long battle. In the afternoon travel to Nordhorn, Germany, in the County of Bentheim. Stop for dinner at Niermann Gasthaus in Gildehaus, and then check in at the Hotel am Stadtring in Nordhorn, your comfortable home for the next three nights.

Day 10 (Sept. 23) Saturday: Visit the County of Bentheim Today you will visit the County of Bentheim, with possible activities to include the weekly market in Nordhorn, where stands the 500-year-old Reformed Church, the baptismal church for some 70 families who emigrated to West Michigan; drive through the area to see Bentheimer family farmsteads and/or local churches; or a visit to Burg Bentheim, the largest hilltop castle in this part of Germany. Dinner for the group will be in the village of at Gaststätte Heilemann. This evening there will be a Joint Meeting of the Bentheimers International Society, with the opportunity to talk with German members from the area. Return to Nordhorn after the meeting; overnight at the Hotel am Stadtring.

Day 11 (Sept. 24) Sunday: in Nordhorn The day will be free to spend with families and friends in the County of Bentheim. If you do not know or have relatives in the area, the German members of BIS will pair you up with a local family, so you will have the unique opportunity to experience local life and to connect in community and friendship. Overnight at the Hotel am Stadtring in Nordhorn (an organized group dinner is not included this evening).

Day 12 (Sept. 25) Monday: leave Nordhorn and travel into The Netherlands. This morning say goodbye to old and new friends in Nordhorn and return to The Netherlands. Make a stop in Overloon to visit the Oorlogsmuseum Overloon, a museum exhibiting a large collection of military vehicles and highlighting the history of WWII, leading to the liberation of the area following the intense Battle of Overloon, fought mainly with German Panzer tanks and American Sherman tanks. Continue traveling to either Utrecht or The Hague and check in at the hotel. There will be free time on your own in the town center for shopping and sightseeing. Dinner and overnight in either Utrecht or The Hague.

Day 13 (Sept. 26) Tuesday: Fly from Amsterdam back to Grand Rapids After breakfast at the hotel, travel a short distance to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and check in for the flight home. Fly from Amsterdam via Detroit to Grand Rapids, arriving in the late afternoon or evening.

Please note:

Luggage handling is not included in the tour arrangements. You must be able to carry your luggage from the bus into the hotel and back, plus you must be able to keep up with the group on walking tours.

There will be a pre-departure meeting for all tour members in August 2017, to coincide with the annual BIS picnic.

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ESTIMATED Tour Price, including airfare: $3,620.00 per person. This is the per person cost, based on two persons sharing a room at the hotels and a minimum of 40 persons in the group. If there are fewer than 40 persons in the group, the price will increase.

The Tour Price includes all of the following services:

 Round-trip economy air transportation from Grand Rapids, Michigan to Amsterdam, The Netherlands via scheduled air carrier. Inquire for departure from other cities. Please note that the airfare is estimated at this time; definite airfare will be available in November 2016.  All current taxes, government fees and fuel surcharges associated with international air travel (taxes are subject to change until the tickets have been purchased).  Transportation in Europe as outlined in the itinerary by chartered, First-Class motor-coach with WC/washroom and reclining seats. The motor-coach will be provided by Richters Reisen, a company located in Nordhorn, Germany.  Accommodations for eleven (11) nights in excellent mid-range hotels, based on double room occupancy (two persons sharing one room); all rooms will have private bath facilities. Single room occupancy is available for an additional cost of $478.00 per person.  Eleven (11) Continental breakfasts at the hotels  Nine (9) Dinners either at the group’s hotel or in local restaurants, as outlined in the itinerary. Dinner will be a 3-course set menu (appetizer, main course and dessert) including water. Other beverages are available for individual purchase.  One (1) lunch included in Normandy on September 18  All tax and service for included hotels and meal arrangements.  Joint Meeting of the Bentheimers International Society in Grafschaft Bentheim  Sightseeing as outlined in the itinerary, including entrance fees where needed:  Royal Delft factory tour, including coffee break with cake  Guided half-day sightseeing tour of Brussels, Belgium  Entrance fee for the Waterloo monument, panoramic painting and museum  Full-day guided tour of World War II sites in Normandy, France  Entrance fee to the Memorial de Caen museum  Entrance fee to Monet’s house and garden in Giverny, France  Ticket for a “bâteaux-mouches” boat tour on the Seine River in Paris  Guided half-day panoramic tour of Paris, France  Access to the First Level of the Eiffel Tower for dinner on September 20 in Paris  Guided half-day sightseeing tour of Reims, France  Champagne cellar tour and tasting in Reims, France  Entrance to the Bastogne War Museum in Belgium  Excursion in the County of Bentheim for one day  Entrance to the War Museum Overloon in The Netherlands  Pre-tour planning information  Printed travel itineraries and two luggage tags for each tour participant  A representative of Pathfinders Travel will escort the group throughout the tour, from departure from Grand Rapids to return to Grand Rapids.

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The tour price does not include: General exclusions to the tour prices include, but are not limited to, expenses for a passport and/or entry visa (no special entry visa is required of U.S. citizens); all baggage handling; gratuity for the Coach Driver (recommended amount for this tour is about $30.00 per person); optional travel insurance; beverages, wines or liquors; any meals not specifically included in the tour package; additional food not included as part of a set meal for the group; laundry; telephone calls; any other expense of a personal nature and any item not specifically mentioned under the inclusions above.

PLEASE NOTE 1. You must have a valid passport to travel to Europe and your passport must be valid for a minimum of 6 months beyond the duration of this tour. A photocopy of your passport’s information page will be needed by Pathfinders Travel by March 2017. 2. Baggage per person is limited to one (1) suitcase and one (1) carry-on bag. The checked bag must weigh 50 lbs or less; the maximum size is 62 inches (measure the length, width and height of the suitcase and add these three numbers together. The total cannot exceed 62 inches). Any charges levied by the airline for excess, oversize or overweight baggage will be the responsibility of the individual tour participants. 3. Any changes to the travel itinerary may incur additional charges. 4. Any deviation from the air transportation arrangements as scheduled for the group will incur an additional charge. 5. The price of the tour is based on the international exchange rate between the Euro and the U.S. Dollar at €1.00 = $1.13. The price of the tour may increase or decrease, if the exchange rate between these two currencies changes more than 3% between now and the final payment date.

SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS  Deposit: $500.00 per person to secure your place on the tour, along with a completed registration form (see page 7). Enrollment is on a first-come, first-served basis!  Second Payment: $500.00 per person is due by February 1, 2017  Third Payment: $1,000.00 per person is due by May 1, 2017 to finalize air tickets  Final Payment is due no later than August 3, 2017

Please make checks payable to: Pathfinders Travel Payment may be made by check or money order, or you may bring cash to Pathfinders Travel. However, please note that credit cards cannot be accepted as payment for this tour.

CANCELLATION POLICY  All notice of cancellation must be received in writing by Pathfinders Travel.  If cancellation is received prior to February 1, 2017, $200.00 per person is nonrefundable.  If cancellation is received between February 1, 2017 and May 1, 2017, $400.00 per person is nonrefundable.  If cancellation is received between May 2 and August 2, 2017, $1,500.00 per person is nonrefundable.  If cancellation is received on or after August 3, 2017, the land portion of the tour is nonrefundable. The airline tickets are nonrefundable they have been issued.

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RESPONSIBILITY The responsibility of the Friends of Bentheimers; Pathfinders Travel, Inc., 25 West 9th Street, Holland, Michigan 49423 USA and its suppliers is limited. Pathfinders Travel, Inc. acts only as agent for the participants in regard to travel, whether by railroad, motor-coach, private car, boat, aircraft or any other conveyance, and assumes no liability for injury, damage, loss, accident, delay or irregularity which may be occasioned either by reason of any defect in any vehicle or conveyance or through the acts of default of any company of persons engaged in conveying the participants or in carrying out the arrangements of the tour. Pathfinders Travel, Inc. assumes no responsibility for loss or additional expenses due to any delay or changes in schedules. Pathfinders Travel, Inc. reserves the right to decline to accept or retain any person as participant in the tour and to make substitutions or change or withdraw the tour in the interest of the participants, as circumstances may demand.

TRAVEL INSURANCE Information for travel insurance, to include coverage for trip cancellation, medical expenses and more will be provided to each person who registers for the tour. The purchase of insurance is optional, but recommended to protect your investment in this trip and for possible medical emergency while traveling.

FOREIGN CURRENCY The Euro is the official currency in all of the European countries visited on this tour. Pathfinders Travel will be able to help with orders for cash in Euros prior to the tour.

REGISTRATION FOR THIS TOUR IS ON A FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED BASIS! To sign up for the tour, please complete the registration form on the following page and return it to Susan Hunter at Pathfinders Travel with your check for the deposit payment.

Please note: you are encouraged to have current membership in BIS to participate in this trip. Membership is currently $15.00 per year. If you do not have a membership, we will help you with these arrangements.

For more information Travel arrangements and payments will be managed by Pathfinders Travel. Please contact Susan Hunter with questions. Susan’s email is [email protected] or you may also reach her by telephone at (616) 396-1983 or toll-free at (800) 250-2210.

Mailing address: Pathfinders Travel 25 West 9th Street Holland, MI 49423

You may also contact Ken Rabbers at telephone (616) 396-6460 (or call (941) 483-9077 from October 2016 through April 2017) or via email at: [email protected]

Information prepared on 8/1/2016

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Registration for Friends of Bentheimers’ 2017 European Tour September 14-26, 2017

Please print clearly, and return this registration form with your deposit to Pathfinders Travel.

NAME(S) -- Full Name (first, middle, last) as it appears in your passport Gender If you already have a valid passport, please send a copy of the photo/info page with this form

1. ______M F

2. ______M F

ADDRESS: ______

CITY: ______STATE: ______ZIP: ______

TELEPHONE: Home: (______)______Cell: (_____)______

EMAIL(S): ______

BIRTH DATE(S) (Month, Day, Year): 1. ______2. ______

ROOMING PREFERENCE (please choose one):  I will share a hotel room with: ______ I do not have a roommate, but would like to be paired up with another group member of the same gender, so we can share a hotel room.  I prefer a single room (and understand there is an additional charge)

Do you have relatives or friends in County of Bentheim? YES NO If yes, please indicate their name: ______

What is your preferred departure airport near your home? ______Do you plan to extend your stay and fly back to Michigan at a later date? YES NO If YES, please let us know the date you would like to return from Amsterdam to Grand Rapids: ______Would you like assistance with train travel, car rental, hotels, etc. after the tour? YES NO

A deposit payment of $500.00 per person is needed to confirm your place on the tour. I have read, understand and agree to the terms of tour participation. The agreement will be effective when my deposit is received by Pathfinders Travel, Inc. and shall be governed by the laws of the State of Michigan.

Please make your check payable to Pathfinders Travel and send it with this form to the attention of Susan Hunter at Pathfinders Travel, 25 West 9th Street, Holland, Michigan 49423

Signature of Tour Participant(s): ______

Date: ______

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