Favorite memories / experiences in the Netherlands?
Nov 9th, 2018, 09:17 AM
#1
Favorite memories / experiences in the Netherlands?
I've asked the same questions about Paris and Italy and loved incorporating some of those vivid experiences and favorites on my trip. One of the most memorable was goddesstogo sharing about their trip in a water taxi through the fog, and our first night we had a similar experience that was magical too.
I'm headed over for about 5 days and would love Fodorites to share some of their memories. At least two days in Amsterdam and the rest traveling around. Not sure where and what order. Anything is possible.
Many thanks in advance!
I'm headed over for about 5 days and would love Fodorites to share some of their memories. At least two days in Amsterdam and the rest traveling around. Not sure where and what order. Anything is possible.
Many thanks in advance!
Nov 9th, 2018, 02:23 PM
#6
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The Mauritshaus in The Hague was one of my favourite museums ever. And on very first visit to Amsterdam we did a day trip to the Kroller Mueller Museum that was a lot of fun.
But my most memorable experience was seeing the Jan Sixt collection. It’s a private house filled with incredible works of art and you have to make a reservation. Baron Von Six himself opened the door, introduced himself and shook my hand. One other person was to be on our tour but didn’t show up so we had a private tour of a gorgeous, art-filled canal house. Absolutely fantastic.
But my most memorable experience was seeing the Jan Sixt collection. It’s a private house filled with incredible works of art and you have to make a reservation. Baron Von Six himself opened the door, introduced himself and shook my hand. One other person was to be on our tour but didn’t show up so we had a private tour of a gorgeous, art-filled canal house. Absolutely fantastic.
Nov 9th, 2018, 02:29 PM
#7
Keukenhof with Tulip fields in bloom! Mauritshaus, Kinderdijk with it’s 19 windmills, walk or bike along canals, , walking around Amsterdam’ Central Canal District, Rijksmuseum, boat ride in Leiden, Delft’s Old Church and New Church.
Nov 10th, 2018, 08:48 PM
#14
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April 27th, his birthday. On whichever day of the week that may be. Annually, there are tourists who read forums like this, who are photographed, dressed in all the orange gear, but who have believed something about April 30 or "last saturday in April" and who are all dressed up with nowhere to go, because they turned up on the wrong day.
Nov 11th, 2018, 06:19 AM
#15
Unless it's a Sunday, and then it is celebrated on the preceding day/ Saturday.
It's on my last day of vacation. I've rearranged the order of cities so I can be back in AMS and close to the airport.
We were in Victoria, BC on Victoria Day one year. My mom asked what everyone was celebrating. My answer = our arrival.
It's on my last day of vacation. I've rearranged the order of cities so I can be back in AMS and close to the airport.
We were in Victoria, BC on Victoria Day one year. My mom asked what everyone was celebrating. My answer = our arrival.
Nov 11th, 2018, 06:43 AM
#16
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I have 2 particular memories I’d like to share on this Remembrance Day in Canada.
Two years ago I spent a wonderful week in Amsterdam on my way to Turkey. In the cab back to the airport I mentioned to the driver how moved I was in watching the Dutch children placing flowers on the Holten Cemetary graves of Canadian soldiers at Christmas time. He told me that when his wife was a child she had taken part in this ceremony and that this she was one of the teachers that would be leading a class that year for the same but at Groesbeek.
In 1970 I was one many teenagers hitchhiking in Europe. We had sown Canadian flags on our backpacks and hit the roads in France, Belgium, Germany and Holland. One day we were standing on the side of a country road outside Rotterdam trying to figure out where we were exactly. A car stopped and a young girl and her mother asked if they could help. They had seen our flags. They offered to take us to their farm for lunch during which the mother described her experiences during the war and the appreciation the Dutch had for the Canadian soldiers. We ended up spending the night after hot showers, a hot dinner and a few cold beers. The next morning they drove us to the main road and we contuned on our way.
Two years ago I spent a wonderful week in Amsterdam on my way to Turkey. In the cab back to the airport I mentioned to the driver how moved I was in watching the Dutch children placing flowers on the Holten Cemetary graves of Canadian soldiers at Christmas time. He told me that when his wife was a child she had taken part in this ceremony and that this she was one of the teachers that would be leading a class that year for the same but at Groesbeek.
In 1970 I was one many teenagers hitchhiking in Europe. We had sown Canadian flags on our backpacks and hit the roads in France, Belgium, Germany and Holland. One day we were standing on the side of a country road outside Rotterdam trying to figure out where we were exactly. A car stopped and a young girl and her mother asked if they could help. They had seen our flags. They offered to take us to their farm for lunch during which the mother described her experiences during the war and the appreciation the Dutch had for the Canadian soldiers. We ended up spending the night after hot showers, a hot dinner and a few cold beers. The next morning they drove us to the main road and we contuned on our way.
Nov 11th, 2018, 10:30 AM
#18
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King's Day is celebrated of course everywhere and Delft may see more subdued - Amsterdam becomes so thronged on that day that trains stop running into Centraal Station sometimes and trams too ae affected. Best maybe to get a hotel around the airport - several of them such as www.accorhotels.com for budget modern hotels.
Nov 20th, 2018, 05:27 AM
#19
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In Amsterdam, I loved the hidden church "museum" and taking a WW2 walking tour. Outside of Amsterdam, Delft is a lovely smaller-town experience. If you want to stick with cities we liked Rotterdam (very Dutch!) even more than Amsterdam (more international). We stayed in Hotel New York, which was an experience in itself. (I did a trip report on our three weeks of driving around The Netherlands, as well as a separate trip report on visiting the beautiful island of Texel. I wish people would spend more time outside of Amsterdam!)
Nov 20th, 2018, 11:24 AM
#20
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Yeah locals and folks in the know say Amsterdam is perpetually mobbed in the tourist center - so yes also stay somewhere outside of Amsterdam if time allows - so many options - I often stayed in Haarlem, a nice regional town just a few minute train ride from Amsterdam and a whole different atmosphere - much more sedate and not that many tourists - hotels can be cheaper too - the reason I stayed there. There is a direct express bus to Schiphol Airport not going thru Amsterdam and train connections everywhere.
