21 Adventerous Days in Europe on a
Rick Steves Tour
Europe Bound!
Today I woke up so excited to see what it was like to explore Europe with the group. Mike and I enjoyed our time together before the tour started but we struggled to decide what to do and struggled to get around. Time for a whole new part of the adventure to begin!
Walking through the Anne Frank museum and their hiding place. Witnessing their living quarters, trying to take it all in.
Visiting the Rijks museum and learning about Dutch art. There is something really special about seeing the connection between culture, values, and history all in one art piece.
Netherlands
Amsterdam
May 6, 2013
Tour Day 2
Wow Moment
Food
Mike and I enjoyed lunch in Amsterdam at cafe/store/restraurant called La Place. It reminds me a little of Whole Foods in the states. They had lots of options to pick from. I had a piece of pizza and a big bowl of mangos. It was delicious!
For dinner we ate at a restaurant in Haarlem. Mike had lamb pesto and I had lamb stew over fries. AND of course some gelato!
Travel Tip
Whether you are on Rick Steves' tour or not get some sort of guide to take you through museums and major monuments- it makes all the difference.
Today was our first full day together on our tour, and boy it was a whirlwind of a day. We packed it in with lots of sightseeing. Reid would leave these schedules every evening so we would know exactly what we were doing and when we were doing it.
Disclaimer about photography...
As you will see throughout this whole website I have pictures of almost everywhere we went. I was not always technically, in principle, theoretically . . . allowed to take pictures but the shutterbug and Europe loving side of me sometimes could not resist- don’t judge me…or get me in trouble. Sincerely, Suzette.
We started the day early with a train ride to Amsterdam. Our first stop was the Anne Frank House. When we first arrived there was a line wrapping around the whole courtyard. That is one huge perk of being on a tour- you get in right away. So we bypassed the line and entered the museum. The museum is in the actual hiding place of the Franks. When you first start the tour you are on ground level where their offices were, then you go past the bookcase that hid their hiding place and ascend the narrow stairs. As you progress through the museum you continue to ascend. As you go up, up, up you get further into the history and therefore further into the emotion. It was a powerful and moving experience.
After the museum we enjoyed a walking tour of Amsterdam lead by our fearless leader Reid. As we walked, Reid discussed the history of Amsterdam and how their tolerant culture came about. Additionally, Reid taught us about the innovative ways they have learned to live being surrounded by water and living in narrow, multiple-story buildings.
Guides Make All the Difference
You cannot determine whether you are a museum goer until you have had a guide. This is hands down one of the main reasons why I recommend going on a Rick Steves tour. Have you ever walked through a museum and not understood anything besides that the paintings and statues were pleasant to look at? Well up until this tour my experience with museums was sub-par. It is night and day difference to have a guide. Our guide Reid (who has a masters in history and has traveled extensively) gave us a personal tour of the Rijks museum. In one hour I got more out of the tour than I would have in 5 hours on my own. Having a guide makes things come to life because you understand the artist, the context, and the history far greater than you ever could on your own. This is something I had reaffirmed dozens of times on the tour. Whether on a tour or not get a personal guide!
After lunch we went to the Rijks Museum. The Rijks museum was an enriching experience because it felt like a comprehensive collection of Dutch history, art, and culture. It is a massive museum that has something for everyone. We enjoyed masterpieces by Rembrandt, Van Gogh, and Vermeer.
After the Rijks museum we went on a canal cruise which was good because our little feeties were tired! The canal cruise was peaceful. We drifted along noticing people enjoy the sun. It was fascinating to see Dutch life from a river view. After the canal cruise we walked through the red light district. It was a strange experience and not one I would seek out on my own. Despite that I am open to learning about other people’s culture and approaches to difficult issues.
After our very long day in Amsterdam we headed back to Haarlem. Mike and I enjoyed a lovely dinner at a Belgian restaurant. We sat on the second floor at a window that overlooked a quaint alley. Afterward we enjoyed some gelato as we took our last walk around Haarlem.
Thoughts & Observations of my Dutch Experience
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Almost all buildings are tall and thin. Because of how they are charged for land they built around that. This is different than I’m used to- restaurants, museums, stores, etc. all have at least two stories.
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Dutch people are tolerant. Reid explained how a lot of the Dutch peoples’ history (war, location, etc.) have created a need and desire to be tolerant. Also Jody explained that marijuana and prostitution are not legal nor illegal but are tolerated.
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Dutch people are innovative, pragmatic, and hard working. It was so cool to see all the different things they use to live and exist- bridges, windmills, bikes, canals, etc.
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Dutch people seem happy. So often when we were in the Netherlands we would see people relaxing and enjoying themselves. Whether they were at a café or eating a treat on the street, they just seem to enjoy life.
