Welcome to the Netherlands

We visited the Netherlands for two weeks in October, 2011, and by all means, it pleasantly surprised us. Perhaps we hadn’t given enough thought to the tiny country before going, or really imagined anything outside of Amsterdam. But we made several stops throughout the country, and each time, the Netherlands upped it’s game. We really enjoyed our time there and will take any opportunity to go back.

Posts on the Netherlands…

• If there’s one thing recognizable about the Netherlands, it’s their huge culture of cycling. Or, bicyculture, as some (us) call it.
• Our first stop was at the Hoge Veluwe National Park – an expansive piece of land with many diverse landscapes, with a museum full of Van Goghs smack dab in the middle.
• Maastricht might be the most romantic city we’ve ever been to!
• We spent a few days in Haarlem and can describe it as a mini-Amsterdam, with a lot less tourists to boot. It’s a beautiful city, especially on a fall day.
• Beaches? In the Netherlands? You betcha! And they are quite pleasant, even in October.
• Amsterdam is a city full of scenic stops and surprises – around the clock!
• Our highest recommendation of what to do in Amsterdam: visit the Anne Frank House.
• We celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary while we were there, and headed north to a little B&B big on luxury in Bergen.