The Last Dutch Evening

After the Rijksmuseum, we did a little shopping and then ate supper at a cozy little place on one of the narrow streets in Amsterdam. Afterward, we enjoyed some of the sights at night. I have to add that I never enjoy being anywhere near the sad red light district. However, the lights reflected on the canals in the city were a beauty to behold:



The old historic buildings are lit up like ghosts at night.







I LOVE this picture of Mar & Paula doing Amsterdam hard core. It makes me laugh every time because I don't remember it really being like that at all.




But this is probably my favorite picture, maybe even of the whole trip. I think I had a dream like this a long time ago.



Soon, we got back on the train and headed for the hotel to rest for the big journey home. Our colorful trip was over.



So that concludes the story of our Netherlands 07 adventure. I noticed in my pictures there are still little things to tell, so I think I'll institute a new feature in the blog called "Netherlands Nuesday" which will run on Tuesdays. It was either that or "Holland Haturday".

Flash Back Friday 38

Gezelligheid in Gouda, 2003

Dam Square

We headed up the narrow Dam Straat toward Dam Square (That's pronounced "Dom" for the American readers) looking in some stores along the way.


Dam Square is always filled with people and pigeons and street performers, and a trolley runs right through it - it is a very exciting place to be. On one end stands the National Monument, which is in memory of those who died in WWII, and at the other end is a royal palace which you can see behind the orange street performer below.



In 2003 we stayed at the Krasnapolsky which is on the Square. This time, we ate at a restaurant next door and had a very festive time in there keeping dry and discovering what fun things we ordered.


When we left, the rain had stopped, so Paula burst into a musical on the steps of that restaurant on Dam Square.



We walked down to the Rijksmuseum after lunch which I blogged about a little before. I could have stayed there for days, but time only allowed us a couple of hours. We saw the Night Watch by Rembrandt and The Little Street, Woman Reading a Letter and The Love Letter by Vermeer. I think they said The Kitchen Maid was out on loan.

The Griswolds Do Amsterdam

We got up early on our last full day in the Netherlands to spend the day in Amsterdam. Though it was raining, our spirits were not dampened. Did you ever wonder how many Americans it takes to buy a Dutch train ticket?


Well, the 7 of us finally figured it out, so we were soon on our way to the big city.



Since it was raining, we decided to see the city first of all by a canal boat. You can take a canal cruise right from a place near Central Station.



You can see below, we got all gezelligheid aboard the 1-1/2 hour cruise - settling in with the waters they gave us. Our Captain & Tour Guide were both real characters.


This turned out to be a great way to see the city on a rainy day. Whenever I opened the window to take pictures though, the lady behind me reached behind her to shut my window. Oy. I didn't take as many as I wanted to, but below are a few. We saw many house boats along the canal.



And this is the part of the cruise where you supposedly can see 7 bridges - maybe on a clear day.


I didn't get many chances thus far in the week to take pictures of windmills - can you believe it? In desparation, I took this one of the biggest, and I think oldest, windmill in Amsterdam from behind the rain drop-smeared window.


The canal houses are such an interesting part of the architecture in Amsterdam. When they were built, they had to pay taxes based on how wide their houses were, so they learned to build up. To get their furniture in the house, most of the houses protrude out with a pulley at the top to pull their furniture in on a rope.


When our tour was over, we began walking the streets and Paula & Mar posed in their Bedum Boots. The picture below came out a bit blurry in the low light so I used a filter and entitled it Amsterdam on a Rainy Day.

Amsterdam on a Rainy Day, 2007

Getting Giddy

So, after spending 5 days in Bedum, we headed down toward Amsterdam via Germany so we could drive on the Autobahn. John got old Slingerland up to about 87 MPH and of course, the cars sailed past him in the left lane.


We made it safely back to Dutch soil and went to a sweet little restaurant next to a monastery.


We resumed the intense experience of ordering out of Dutch menus...


where you never know what you're going to end up with...


Dad, very calmly, always knew what was going on...


The signs, oh the signs, seemed to get even harder to read.


Yet, the sight of a Buckeye tree with Buckeyes on the ground gave my Buckeye travelling companions a renewed sense of vigor for the journey home.


After arriving at our hotel near Amsterdam, John & I went on to the city to scope out the trail for the day ahead. Stay tuned for our last exciting adventure which will take a few days to blog about...

Tip Toe-ing Through the Hortensia

We were obviously not in The Nether-world in May this time to see the tulips, but I was very excited to see that Hydrangeas were prolific throughout this country during this time of year. It reminded me of the East coast. In The Netherlands, they mostly call them Hortensia.





I saw this Martian flower in the garden at Het Loo - it's hard to believe it's real! I have no idea what it is. Any tips?

We Have Found the Three Billy Goats Gruff and They Live in Bedum

Bedum, The Netherlands, September 2007

Flash Back Friday 37

Biking in Bedum, 1940, Dad & Oma


Still Biking in Bedum, 2007, Unknown

Aaf & Gerhard, Stamppot & Vla

Dad & Aaf

When we were in Bedum, we spent a few evenings with Aaf & Gerhard whom we consider shirt-tail relation. One evening, they had us over for a very authentic Dutch supper of stamppot, which means stamped, or mashed, pot. (Mom made this for us when we were growing up and my kids sometimes request it.) Aaf made a wonderful mustard gravy to go with it. We bought some of the seasoning to make it at the grocery store before we left, so now I am looking forward to making it again when our weather cools off. These are the types she made for us:

Boerenkoolstamppot, kale mixed with potatoes, served with gravy, mustard and rookworst

Zuurkoolstamppot, sauerkraut mashed with potatoes. Served with fried bacon or a sausage. Sometimes curry powder, raisins or slices of pineapple are used to give a stamppot an exotic touch

We had something interesting also for dessert called Vla which is a thick milk pudding. Our wonderful hostess let us choose from chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla out of the carton! Such excitement!

Gerhard works in the Gemeentehuis for the city of Bedum. He gave Dad, John & Will a tour of their beautiful offices before we left. We also had a good time talking with their son, Geertjan who is studying international business and Josine, their daughter who is studying to be a doctor. I loved her accent!


"Hear ye, Hear Ye, Beda-Bodda-Bedum"


A lot of Blonde - Mar, Paula, Jewels & Josine

The Land of Bikes

Bike riding truly is a way of life in the Netherlands. Everywhere you look - bikes, bike paths, people on bikes - and you better look, or you'll get run over.


Most of the bikes are very basic: maybe a few speeds, regular seats & handlebars.


I love to see the older people and ladies in skirts riding along like there's nothing to it.



Out of the window of our hotel room in Bedum, I saw hundreds of kids riding their bikes to school in the morning. Parents would bike alongside the younger children or have 1 or 2 bike seats on their own bike. Some even had a windshield for the kid up front.


The train stations had huge parking garages for bikes. Above is in Amsterdam, below is in Groningen.



Marianna & Paula could not resist! They needed to experience biking in Bedum, so they borrowed bikes from our cousins Siegard and Sandra. They loved it! They advised against me going because it would probably ruin my camera. I only rode around the parking lot of the flower shop, and yes, my camera flopped all around like a big dog.

Whenever We Go to the Rijksmuseum

"What a good day we spent in Amsterdam." - Vincent Van Gogh

I haven't told all there is to tell of our trip so far, but I'm going to skip ahead for this little thing that happened in Amsterdam toward the end of our time in the Netherlands.

So under Rembrandt skies, we were standing in line outside the Rijksmuseum, waiting to see the Night Watch , the Vermeers and other great Dutch paintings. John was passing out these chewy-fruity-yogurty Dutch mints like we had never tasted before, and he said, "Whenever I go to the Rijksmuseum, I have these." This just struck my funny bone. John often does that.


John being funny in Amsterdam

Another True Marian

Not realizing this would be a thick yogurty drink - very good, just not what she had in mind

This was Marianna's first trip to the Netherlands and she enjoyed every minute of it. Typically a homebody, she had a couple of moments where she wished she was home, but she sure was good at making our travelling van, known affectionately as "Slingerland" a home away from home. She was so good at passing out treats she had gotten from the grocery store and bakery! I'll never forget the leaf-shaped coffee flavoured chocolates or the salt and pepper crackers. I think the combination of being in a different time zone, the strong coffee, and driving wreaked havoc on my stomach and I so appreciated these things which I never seem to have the forethought to bring.

Marianna was named "Marianna Zijl" after her grandma and she comes by the name honestly in many ways. Cousin Henry called her "Marian" in the coolest accent.


Packing up to leave Bedum as cousin Reinder stops by