Amsterdam

All good things come to an end. Today was our last day. We were able to view the great paintings of the masters at the Rijksmuseum before enjoying a canal ride to see Amsterdam as it should be seen.

May 5 is a celebration of the end of World War II so this was a holiday and flowers were visible everywhere as they were placed to commemorate fallen soldiers. In addition to the Canal Trip we explored the small streets of Amsterdam and had the opportunity to see the colorful flower market. Finally we topped the day with french fries covered in curry ketchup and mayonnaise. A wonderful last memory of Amsterdam.

Keukenhof and Bulb Fields

Everyone has been talking about Keukenhof but until you have experienced the rich color and the variety of flowers it is hard to imagine. The Keukenhof National Flower exhibit has been held very spring since 1949. Here you have the opportunity to see thousands of flowering tulips as well as other flowers and water features with swans. From the Exhibition you can also look over the landscape where bulb fields take your breath away with their vibrant colors. It was a great day and certainly a highlight of any trip to the Netherlands.

The Real Netherlands

Today we are able to appreciate the difficulties experienced by the early settlers and fishermen of the Netherlands. We land in Enkhuizen to have an opportunity to visit the Zuiderzee Museum. The skies are grey, the seas are rolling and we are transported back in time to see how it was when herring was king. the Zuiderzee Museum has been recreated stone by stone or in some instances house by house to illustrate how the people of the Netherlands caught and dried fish as well as contended with the sea by building dikes. It is fascinating and made all the more impressive because the temperature is in the 40s and the winds are howling.

Upon leaving Enkhuizen to sail to Hoorn we experience one of the newest locks as we sail through the Houtribdijk Aqueduct. What makes this so unusual is that there is a road carrying heavy traffic that passes under the boat as we sail through.

This afternoon we had the delight to ride through the countryside and visit a family cheese farm. The cheese was terrific. I did not know that it takes 10 pounds of milk to make 1 pound of cheese. There was a calf that was only an hour old. After the cheese farm we visited a working
windmill. It is quite impressive how the country has been rescued from the sea by use of these windmills. Almost the entire country is below sea level. The airport in Amsterdam is 13 fett below sea level.

De Hoge Veluwe National Park & Kroller Muller Museum

When I think of the Netherlands, I do not think about National Parks. However, there is one that is over 13,000 acres and is called De Hoge Veluwe National Park. This is a serene oasis of Dutch Elm and other species of trees. It is home to dear, fox and wild boar. There are "white bikes" with many bike paths and the bikes are to be used for free and just returned to any parking lot with other "white bikes."

What is amazing about both the park and the Kroller Muller Museum is that the were provided to the government of the Netherlands by one family. Set in the park is the country home of the Muller Family. The Museum was created by Helene Kroller Muller who collected art during the early 1900s. Her favorite artist was Vincent van Gogh but she also loved Picasso, Seurat and many other fine artists of this period. She collected over 11,500 works of art. Some of these reflect the best works of the respective painters such as "Dying Sunflowers" by Van Gogh and "Le Chahut", one of the few large paintings by Seurat. The Museum is a real treasure.

Every afternoon there is a fun and informative lecture on board the boat. Today the subject was Dutch Treats so there was some great sampling as well as the cool information learned. This area of Europe is really well connected to sweet treats and cheese!

Nijmegen

Today we visited a town that I believe few people know about yet it is the second oldest city in the Netherlands. Maastricht is the oldest. Today we were at Nijmegen.

Nijmegen gained importance because it is the only town in the Netherlands built on several hills. Also its location on the Waal, the main branch of the Rhine, meant that sea trade encouraged growth.
However, in 1944 the town was bombarded by the Americans and most of the old city was destroyed. A few of the beautiful older buildings and the Catholic Church remain. There is also a new museum that showcases amazing Roman ruins found here.

At this point, I thiought it might be fun to share a picture of the beautiful M.S. Swiss Sapphire that Tauck is using for this great journey. This trip is a contrast of cities and countryside with an introduction t0 cities and areas less traveled. Also, I would love to feature the group I am escorting from the Exxon Mobil Retirees Group. These are 18 fabulous, well traveled and caring friends. It is a delight to be able to assist with their travel plans.

Queen's Day

Today we visited Maastricht. This is a walled medieval City made especially attractive today because it is Queen's Day. This day celebrates the birthday of the Queen of the Netherlands. To celebrate there are parade's and thousands of flee markets as young people sell their toys and other objects. The bagpipers led the parade. Maastricht located in the Netherlands is also on the border of Belgium. It is a University town and thrives along the Maas River.


After our walk in the city, we boarded buses to travel to the American Cemetery. It is such a moving remembrance to those who gave their lives in World War II. There are over 60,000 graves plus a wonderful chapel that completes the beautiful tribute.









After the somber visit to the cemetery, it was off to the Chateau Neercanne where the Treaty establishing the European Union was signed in 1992. It is a beautiful building set into a mountain. We were treated to a fantastic lunch and were able to see where the Heads of State that signed the Treaty also signed their names on the wall of the chateau.