Easter in Amsterdam

Bobet and I fly to Amsterdam to see the tulips, canals and museums.

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We begin our trip midday on Monday, flying from Heathrow to Schiphol airport where we have lunch. After we settle in at our hotel, we take a walk through nearby Vondel Park until dark, when we cross the road and eat dinner on the edge of the canal at the Hard Rock Cafe.

The first full day begins with a three hour Bike Ride Tour of the city, which helps us get our bearings and see many of the better and lesser known sights of Amsterdam. Following a recommendation, we have a traditional Dutch lunch of Hotchpotch at Haesje Claes. In the evening we have dinner at the floating Sea Palace restaurant near Central Station where we have honey roast duck carved at our table.

The following day is the main attraction, with a trip to Keukenhof to see the tulip gardens, with endless arrangements of endless varieties of tulips, making magnificent displays (we took so many pictures my camera battery nearly gave up). Back in the city in the evening, we take a tour around the Sex Museum containing art, 19th century photography, beginnings of the movie industry and a biography of the Dutch born Mata Hari. We then make use of our Holland Pass and have dinner at a restaurant near Dam square, where we eat candy-floss and win an elephant at the Fun Fair, before walking through the infamous Red Light District.

Thursday we take another tour to the countryside, visiting a clog factory at Marken before taking a boat ride to the fishing village of Volendam for lunch, finishing at a cheese factory at Zaanse Schans overlooking the windmills. We begin our last evening in the city with a guided tour of the Vodka Museum, before taking a Candle Light Cruise through Amsterdam's canals.

As we check out of our hotel, we catch the beginning of the Royal Wedding in the lobby. It's our last day so we stay close to the hotel and see both the Van Gough Museum (Sunflowers, Bedroom in Arles, Wheatfield with Crows etc.) followed by the Rijksmuseum (Masterpieces exhibiting Rembrandt, Vermeer and Steen, including the famous Night Watch).

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  1. Very interesting.