http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Europe , Netherlands en-us Sat, 25 May 2013 17:06:52 +0000 Sat, 25 May 2013 17:06:52 +0000 We are going to a family wedding in Ireland We will be away for two weeks visiting Karen Clive in Ambleside UK then travelling to Ireland for the wedding. Sitting at Schiphol airport waiting for our connecting flight in a few hours. We are flying with KLM to Manchester via Amsterdam. Applying for visas was quite a mission with them wanting every bit of information about your past your pres http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/blog-787733.html My first place to rest was Oud Aalden small village situated in the Noord Holland. Its about 2 uur drive from Amsterdam Schipol. It is a small village with a population of 3000. It is a place where old farms houses which are now turned to be house of people been renovated.The roof of the building are straws.The environment is very silent and not enough people you can see them outside. The enviro http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/North-Holland/blog-787726.html Our last full day we started it off wih a pannenkoeken breakfast at De Caroussel after which we walked through the streets and did some shopping.We tried to see De Nieuwe Kerk this time there was an exhibition about the April 30th coronation but when we went to the counter for tickets they were asking 15. This was more than the Louvre so we looked at each other and said NO and we noticed a f http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/North-Holland/Amsterdam/blog-787696.html Keurkenhoff Annual Tulip Show 20 May 2013While we were in Amsterdam we also learned that we were able to catch the last 2 days of the big annual tulip festival at Keurkenhof which was a display covering 38 hectares. There were 10minutely busses going out these each day. It was beautiful.but I wont bore you with too many photos However I will let the photos talk for themselves http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/North-Holland/Kortenhoef/blog-787668.html Amsterdam 17 to 20 May 2013 We caught the train from Utrecht to Amsterdam which took 20 minutes another fast smooth quiet train. Wow what a fantastic city Amsterdam is. We loved it But as we told Adam we didnt buy any marijuana this trip It was certainly in good supply. Its a very liberal city which has a lot of respect for race religion homosexuality and prostitution. They http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/North-Holland/Amsterdam/blog-787665.html Utrecht The Netherlands 15 to 17 and to20 to 22 May 2013On arriving at the busy Utrecht train station we caught a taxi to the Apollo Hotel took 5 minutes which is right in the centre of the CBD. Utrecht which was founded by the Romans in AD 47 is full of bike tracks and malls. There are more bicycles in the Netherlands than there are people. Everyone rides a bike in sunshine and rain. We http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/Province-of-Utrecht/Utrecht/blog-787662.html Me Uhm are you sure you dont want to see other girls nakedHim NoMe Are you sureHim Yeah of course And. why are we even discussing it I thought its obvious already.I was kind of taken aback by my husbands response.Was that the real truth Or the kind of truth that a husband thinks his wife would want to hear. Well hes definitely not gay. Or is he Probably the que http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/North-Holland/Amsterdam/blog-787549.html On our final morning we got up early and packed and had breakfast before taking a walk to have another look at the flower market. We would have loved to have purchased some bulbs but Australia has such strict rules we knew we would never have been able to bring them into the country which was a shame. It was a lovely sunny morning so we had a look at the Majere Brug and finally went into one of http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/North-Holland/Amsterdam/blog-787467.html After yet another amazing breakfast we were picked up for our private day tour by Ray from Private Holland Tours. Ray was a wonderful guide who showed us quite a few interesting towns. We started out in Monnickendam and Ray walked with us explaining what we were seeing. After that we drove to Marken and had another wander around before stopping for some delicious apple pie and coffee. Next we http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/North-Holland/Monnickendam/blog-787465.html We got up and had another fantastic breakfast before making our way to the station for the train to Den Haag. A train arrived just as we did so we quickly hopped on and found two empty seats in a remarkably empty comfortable carriage. We were almost into Den Haag and no one else was in the carriage when along came a ticket inspector. That was no problem as we had our tickets. Apparently we were s http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/South-Holland/Delft/blog-787463.html We got up reasonably early and had our complementary breakfast at Banks Mansion. Wonderful included breakfast with a large range of cold cheeses meat and breads as well as an egg chef cooking eggs pancakes bacon and sausages etc. to order. Delicious. We then caught a taxi for our prebooked visit to the Anne Frank house. This was such a moving experience to be in the very place where Anne l http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/North-Holland/Amsterdam/blog-787462.html My wedding sucked. Not my marriage. Im referring to my wedding party. I think mine is one of the worst ever. My dress wasnt pretty. I didnt even know what my hand bouquet looks like until the morning of the wedding. The dcor was very plain. The venue management didnt allow any music to be played its complicated but basically no music at all. The 500 guests are mostly our pa http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/South-Holland/Keukenhof/blog-787083.html When I arrived at the Schipol I was amazed due to physical appearance of the environment. I have heard a something about Schipol but what my eyes saw was more than what I heard from people then I said this has marked the success of my duties here. Very beautiful insight well organized everything in order accordingly. I waited for a while for my baggage.When I arrived at the arrival hall I did not http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/North-Holland/Amsterdam/Amsterdam-Zuidoost/blog-787060.html Tues 7thIt was time to return to the central city to go check out a house that some girl by then name of Anne Frank lived in.I studied the map and off I went. Soon to realise that sometimes you need to keep checking in on that map to make sure you are heading in the right direction. Not me I dont do that. So after almost 4050 mins of walking I finally decided to check well glad I finally did http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/North-Holland/Amsterdam/Amsterdam-Zuidoost/blog-786847.html Time for a little culture so I jumped onto the old folks bus and headed to what seemed like a retirement village that is Keukenhof.There I wandered around and had a perve at some really amazing looking tulip fields colours as far as the eye can see. Im not one to go all goo goo over flowers so they must be pretty cool if even I think they are worth looking at.After a few hours I had to get away http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/North-Holland/Amsterdam/blog-786787.html After a day of walking around Amsterdam city it was time to spend half a day walking around the whole country. So off we went and drove to Maduradam a large model park of Holland... that has been shrunken down in size.The detail on the models was pretty amazing and quite funny to see after you have actually been in the full size real versions of it. We acted like kids all day wandering around H http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/North-Holland/Amsterdam/Amsterdam-Zuidoost/blog-786784.html After a long flight over... well two long flights over one with 7 hours of no entertainment system I Finally made it to Amsterdam. Was great to see a familiar face on the other side of the arrivals terminal which was just as great to not have to find my way to into town and look for a hostel at 6am.Given the long flight it was natural that I should have a snooze so it was said we would sleep f http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/North-Holland/Amsterdam/Amsterdam-Zuidoost/blog-786778.html The road to European glory is seldom smooth. Chelsea39s defence of their Champions League trophy came well and truly off the rails somewhere in the Group phase leaving only the Europa League to aim for. Roman was less than impressed and wielded his customary axe. If only he knew how some of us used to dream of just seeing the club play a game in Europe let alone win anything. Too young by a m http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/North-Holland/Amsterdam/blog-786505.html Another day with a great buffet breakfast and we were off to the nearest little town to finish shopping because our time here in The Netherlands is coming to an end. Checked out some bookstores and got some magazines in Dutch found a great little bracelet for my little granddaughter Solara i would add a picture but the salesman wrapped it up already.Steve took a great photo of an elderly Lady ri http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/Overijssel/Giethoorn/blog-786372.html It rained again off and on so we decided today would be the day that we visit the places where I was born and lived. I had previously contacted my old friend Jet Henriette and she agreed she would meet up with us. We drove to De Krim in Overijssel and tried to find my old school and the place where one of my uncles and aunts had lived couldn39t find either although some of the neighbourhoods http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/Overijssel/Giethoorn/blog-786190.html