Netherlands

Our journey began in “quintessentially Dutch” Haarlem, which was a quick train ride from our hotel in “modern Dutch” Zaandam— where we spent our last night as solo travelers.

Amsterdam has a busy feel to it. The city center buzzes with bicycles that crisscross paths with pedestrians who walk along in sync like a perfectly orchestrated piece of music.

We experienced a taste of this excitement the day before our tour began and were pleased to find a relatively calmer charm in Haarlem waiting for us.

After checking into the Hotel Lion d’Or, we met our wonderful guide, Tim, who introduced us to our fellow travelers and gave us a general idea of what we were about to embark upon. The ice was broken quickly as we got to know each other a little bit better in the hotel lounge.

Afterward, we headed out for our first walking tour with a local who described the unique Dutch lifestyle and the rich history of Haarlem itself. Later that evening, we ate an authentic rijsttafel dinner together with our new friends.

The second day started bright and early with us taking the train into Amsterdam and visiting the Rijksmuseum, followed by a boat tour of the historic canals, and an afternoon on our own.

Pro Tip: Identify any additional sites you may be interested in visiting on your free time in advance and book tickets well before your trip starts (they sell out quickly!). We were able to visit the Van Gogh Museum a day before the tour began after taking the Eurostar in from London!

Grote Kerk, also known as St.-Bavokerk, located in Haarlem's central market square

Wider view of Grote Kerk and Haarlem's central market square

De Hallen Haarlem, a contemporary art museum

Outside of the Corrie ten Boom House. The Ten Boom family provided shelter for Jews and other refugees in their home during the Nazi occupation of Haarlem. In this alleyway, a small triangular sign was placed to signal that it was safe for those seeking refuge to come inside.

Haarlem's Tweede Hollandsche Maatschappij van Levensverzekering (Second Holland Society of Life Insurance)

Of course we managed to find a cat in Haarlem's Wijngaardtuin!

Hofje van Noblet, built in 1761 with 20 houses total - 10 for the women of Haarlem and 10 for the women of Amsterdam. The requirements to reside there were that you must be over 50, single your entire life, and a member of the Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk, also known as the Dutch Reformed Church. It still functions as a residency to this day.

A winding road in the Amsterdam's Binnenstad neighborhood

Homomonument - Opened on September 5, 1987 in the center of Amsterdam, this is the first monument in the world to commemorate all gays and lesbians who were persecuted due to their sexual orientation by the Nazis.

A duck spotted on the streets of Amsterdam

The Fault in Our Stars (2014) filming location in Amsterdam

Haarlem's Grote Kerk and central market square at night

Head of a Skeleton with a Burning Cigarette, Vincent Van Gogh, January-February 1886

The Bedroom, Vincent van Gogh, October 1888

Sunflowers, Vincent van Gogh, January 1889

Off to Keukenhof, the tulip festival!

Jacob getting lost in the greenery.
Corners like this were everywhere with beautiful centerpieces.
We were visiting during the tail end of the festival, and many garden tenders were done for the season. Although this garden may have seen better days, it was still very beautiful to us and was filled with much cheer!
This was our meeting place at the end of the day, a landmark that was very hard to miss!
A Dutch delicacy— frites with ketchup and mayonnaise.

Netherlands

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