I like zoos and every now and then I enjoy visiting one of them. But I also have mixed feelings and doubts about animals in captivity. In Dutch zoos, the animals are well cared for, have ample living space, and live in an environment that closely resembles their natural habitat.…
Author: Joop
Joop
Hello, my name is Joop and I am the creator/designer of this blog. Always looking for new adventures. I travelled the World and would like to travel some more. Well, that's who I am in a nutshell. Together with some friends and family we like to show the Netherlands to the World. I hope you will enjoy our blog and persuade you to visit our lovely country. Love to see you soon in Holland.
Overwhelming flower arrangements are made with craftsmanship and love in beautiful color combinations during the yearly flower parade in April. In Sassenheim near the Keukenhof. Just 20 minutes by train from Amsterdam. But: where to see the flower amongst the flock of flower floats in parades in Holland? I will…
You find Duurstede Castle on the banks of the river Rhine. Once Romans and Vikings ruled here now Blues musicians control the city. But Castle Duurstede remains a playground for fairies and knights. But the best thing is that romance comes to a climax when love is codified in Dorestad…
The Afsluitdijk, a 32 km long dike, plays a key role in the Dutch struggle against the sea. Like a wall, it stands between the North Sea and the former Southern Sea transforming this sea into a lake: the IJsselmeer. Visiting the countryside in the Netherlands you could be walking…
The “Windotter” is the largest working corn mill in in the Netherlands processing thousand kilos of corn a day. Just a daytrip away form Amsterdam. Windotter in IJsselstein: here you can see the working of a windmill “The mills of God grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly fine”, they…
In the Netherlands, there are more than 1000 festivals and events and I like to share as much information as possible with you about events, festivals, programs, and other activities. Besides the well-known tourist attractions there is a lot to do in Holland, you know. It might not be a…
The small town of Nieuwpoort is completely surrounded by water. A fortified city on the banks of the river Lek. Going by ferry across the river you will find the Dutch silver museum in Schoonhoven . In the former town hall, a stunning monument, you will find documentation on the…
Stroll along the turning windmills on a sunny summer afternoon. Enter the home of a Dutch miller. At the Kinderdijk you walk five feet below sea level. The 19 windmills you see at Kinderdijk were built between 1722 and 1761. But the struggle against the sea in this area goes…
Do you want to rummage, for fabrics, daily or organic products? Go to the Jordaan in West Amsterdam. Here you find the best markets in the Capital of Holland. In the Jordaan, you can go bargain hunting at three markets: Noorder Market, Linden Market, and Westerstraat Market. The markets are located on historical squares and streets. I…
Dordrecht is the oldest city in the Netherlands. Famous for its architecture and nature. The waters of three great rivers flow together here. In the year 1572, the Independent Republic of the United Netherlands was founded in Dordrecht. Until the 16th century, Dordrecht was an important harbor. All goods transported…
The port of Den Helder is the base of the Dutch Navy. Moreover it is a fishing port. South of Den Helder you find a vast area with Dutch bulb fields. The strategic position of Den Helder along the seaside; its natural port and its position at the gate to…
Dutch speculaas is a fine cookie filled with almond paste. It is a delicious winter treat. Bake this pastry and your house will smell fantastic. When wintertime is coming and days are getting cold speculaas is the cookie that’s being served by coffee, tea or hot chocolate. You can make…
Do you like cold water? On the first day of the year you can, together with thousands of Dutch people, take a New Year’s Dive into the North Sea. Everywhere in Holland, there are New Year’s Dives organized. Most of them are on the beaches of the North Sea and…
Caves under the Pietersberg in Maastricht The 127 meters high Pietersberg was our favorite Dutch mountain. But nowadays a stone quarry and a pit with pools of water bear witness of a mountain in decay. With a guide you can visit the 150 km long tunnels underneath the stone quarry.…
Shop until you drop: Greatest Outlet Mall in the Netherlands Beside cheap Dutch quality products you find the largest international collection of outlet stores in the Netherlands in Bataviastad. This Outlet Mall is well known all over Holland because of the huge discounts: up to 70%. This Outlet Mall is…
Castle De Haar in the village Haarzuilens is close to Utrecht De Haar Castle is the biggest and most luxurious castle of the Netherlands. A beautiful castle with its towers, turrets, moats, gates and suspension bridges, it resembles a true medieval castle. This castle is in the little village of…
Getting around the Netherlands using public transport in combination with a bike is is a environmentally friendly travel option to consider seriously. The Netherlands is one of the smallest countries in the world with a high population density. I can say that we have an excellent public transport system. At…
GLOW: a yearly Light, Art and Architecture festival in Eindhoven This free and spectacular light festival is in November, don’t miss it, its definitely amazing. Eindhoven is the hometown of Philips, the world-famous light bulbs producer. Therefore Eindhoven is also called the light city. Eindhoven lies in the south-east of…
In Holland as well as in Belgium you easily fall in love with steam locomotives. We visited a Steam Festival in Maldegem, in Belgium. It was a show memorizing the end of WW2. In this blog I show you photo’s of this festival; pay attention to the function of the railways in WW2; tell you…
These are the most important national holidays in the Netherlands and an overview of Dutch school holidays. It can be interesting to connect your trip with feast days or events. Cities like Utrecht can be very quiet during school holidays as there are living 35.000 students in Utrecht that leave on…