After spending half the day sightseeing in the Netherlands’ National Gardens, The Keukenhof, it was time to head south to Belgium. I I’d been to Brussels four other times. I’d liked Brussels, but after discovering Belgian beers a few years early, a revisit to Brussels had become a must. In my pre-trip planning, I had been shocked at […]

As I stated in my Day Seven post- We weren’t able to see very many tulips outside on our visit to the Keukenhof. The long winter in Northern Europe meant they were not yet in bloom. Fortunately, we were able to see many of the different varieties in the Willem-Alexander Pavilion, conveniently located in the […]

Amsterdam is such a unique city- and I shot most of these after shaking my head and saying “That is So Amsterdam”.

Renting a bike in Amsterdam is, in my opinion, one of the most essential experiences for visitors to the city. The most important hing to remember is that it isn’t nearly as intimidating as it looks. For those who aren’t ready to try and navigate the web of streets and canals, there are many guided […]

One of my favorite spots in Amsterdam is the massive, open-air Albert Cuypmarkt. It runs for multiple blocks in the De Pijp, one of the city’s hippest neighborhoods, and contains almost every type of commodity imaginable. Europe 2013 Posts- Europe by the Numbers Eurail Pass- A Great Deal Iceland- Day One- Golden Circle & a […]

The gorgeous flowers of the massive Aalsmeer Flower Market in Amsterdam’s Southern suburbs.

The Netherlands’ are known worldwide for flower production. There is no better place to see the scale of the country’s flower business than at the Aalsmeer Flower Auction. The auction is run by FloraHolland, the company responsible for the majority of flower exports from Holland. According to their website, the Aalmseer location is large enough […]

Being so familiar with Amsterdam, and having so many things there I loved to do, I knew, with only one full day on this trip, I’d have to be selective in what I was going to do with that day. I whittled down a large list to four of my favorite activities. So it was […]

The best place to get fries in Amsterdam.

On the fifth day of my 2013 Europe trip, I returned to Amsterdam, one of my favorite cities, but also one I honestly never thought I would see again.