Al Clem

Calling all Netherlanders! We have been invited to spend time visiting friends who live mid-way between Amsterdam and the Belgian border. We have been to the Netherlands a few times, but have hardly been outside Amsterdam and Keukenhof Gardens. What are some of the off-the-beaten track places we can explore on our own? What's in the far northern provinces -- Friesland and Groningen?

Wes Fowler

Al, <BR>Consider Kinderdijk. Not far from Rotterdam, a dike road leads to Kinderdijk where there are 19 windmills of various types, all in a row. While they are no longer working mills, they do create a stunning sight. One is open for touring and gives the tourist some interesting insights into mill homelife. Consider, too, the Kroller-Muller museum and Beeldenpark, the sculpture park adjacent to it. Both are in De Hoge Veluwe National Park, a nature peserve near Arnhem. The museum houses a large number of Van Goghs, a number of Impressionists' paintings and those earlier paintings of the Golden Age of the Netherlands. Finally, consider Haarlem with St. Bavo's immense church in the large town square and the Franz Hals museum. The church is intriguing for its magnificent organ (Handel and Mozart have played on it) and for the medieval houses that are clustered around its exterior walls. The Hals museum has sufficient numbers of his paintings to give insights into his growth as an artist. Less known is the Teylers Museum which has an odd assortment of physics and chemistry instruments mixed with fossils and minerals, but also has a huge collection of drawings by Rembrandt and Michelangelo amongst others. Sorry I can't help with Friesland and Groningen, but I'm sure you'll hear from true Netherlanders.

Kevin D

Visit in Friesland: <BR> <BR>Friesian Island where an island atmosphere and traditional dutch architecture meet. Dokkum with its pepermint factory and old buildings. Hindelopen and it's beautiful painted wood objects. Makkum and its exquisite porcelain. Leeuwaarden and the Fries Museum. Gronigen and its Martinikerk! The little towns of Staphorst and Rouveen for their immaculate houses and their decorations. And so much more! We will be staying at a Friesian farm home--you can find many to choose from at this website: <BR> <BR>www.dutch-farmholidays.com <BR> <BR>I am looking forward to it very much. <BR>Holland is endless. Been there 8x and going again in August. Spending one week just in Friesland! <BR>Go to Zeeland and see the town of Middelburg. City of Gouda and the St. janskerk and its windows. Other towns worth some time: Edam, marken, Volendam, Zwolle, Haarlem (church organ), Giethoorn (canals!), Delft, and so much more! ENJOY--

Wes Fowler

Al, <BR>If you're an early bird, look into the flower auction in Aalsmeer a town about 5 miles for Schiphol airport. It's an extraordinary experience to take the free tour. An immense warehouse is laden with literally billions of cut flowers arranged on two tiers on rolling carts. Carts are taken to the auction rooms which look like surgical amphitheatres. A huge clock dominates the wall above the stage where flowers are carted. The clock starts, counting down and bidders seated at desks in the round can stop the clock when it reaches what they perceive to be a favorable price. Flower lots are immediately taken to loading docks for shipment to Schiphol and then all over the world. The tour encompasses a stroll on a walkway high above all the activity. Truly astounding and the aroma unbelievable.

Deena

I spent a week in Holland last September. We spent several days in Delft and found it charming. Edam was another destination we found quite enjoyable.