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A family vacation close to home during the pandemic: Texel
When the intelligent lockdown was declared all our vacation and getaway weekend planning was put on hold. When they say stay home and only go out for necessary stuff, I’m not making plans for outings let alone a vacation. After a few months restrictions were slightly loosened, so we booked a long weekend getaway for Acension weekend, a vacation close to home. We opted for Texel, an island in the northwest of The Netherlands. The reasons for choosing Texel are that it has beautiful nature, we’ve been here before, social distancing seemed achievable, biking is great on Texel and there are plenty of beaches. All in all perfect for a…
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Kingsday: My favorite Dutch National day
Each year we celebrate Kingsday or ‘Koningsdag’ in The Netherlands on April 27th. It’s a Dutch national day which I love and look forward to each year. Everybody is cheerful and there’s so much to do and see all day. History of Kingsday Since 2014 we celebrate Kingsday. Queen Beatrix abdicated in 2014 and her son became the King. King Willem-Alexander changed the date from April 30th to April 27th. His Birthday and he changed the name from Queensday to Kingsday. April 30th had been the date since 1949, which was the Birthday of Queen Juliana. Queen Beatrix didn’t change the date when she rose to the throne. Out of…
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Hertog Jan Brewery in Arcen: well worth visiting
As a beer lover, a visit to Hertog Jan Brewery in Arcen had been on my bucket list for years. In the summer of 2018, I bought a package from SurpriseFactory for the three of us, containing a guided tour of the brewery and a Brewer’s Lunch. The Burgundian ambiance, for which the southern provinces of The Netherlands are famous, eventually made us stay for dinner too! Hertog Jan Brewery is almost as well-known as the Castle Gardens of Arcen.. and for good reason. For the love of beer The visual experience starts upon arrival; a pipeline transports Hertog Jan pilsner beer directly from the brewery to the pub across…
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Best cities for shopping in The Netherlands
3 to 4 times a year I go shopping with a friend, we pick a city somewhere in The Netherlands and arrive there by train. We started this in 2013. My son was saying to me “When are you not here?”, not because he had enough of me, but because he thought that on a day with just his dad he could have screen time all day long (luckily that didn’t come true). My friend and I have one city we go to each year, Maastricht, and then a number of cities that rotate. Next to these I have added some cities where I used to go shopping with friends…
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Where to eat in Utrecht
My hometown, Utrecht. A beautiful city I love and lived in for the last 21 years. We’ve been out for dinner so many times here, that a list of places to eat in Utrecht isn’t difficult to make. Just don’t expect it to be short! Options to eat in Utrecht Utrecht being a city with a university, science park and several colleges makes for a lively restaurant scene, with inexpensive options to eat. The restaurants on this list vary from cheap eats to more expensive. I’ve divided them up in sections of Utrecht. Lunetten The neighbourhood I’m calling home since 2004. It feels like living in a village, while still…
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Where to eat in Maastricht
Maastricht is one of my favorite cities in The Netherlands. My friend and I go shopping here almost every year. We’ve planned our outing to Maastricht for this year already, lets hope we don’t have to postpone. Here’s all the places to eat in Maastricht. Options to eat in Maastricht There are so many restaurants to pick from in Maastricht. My friend and I have already tried out a lot of them, but there are many more. A few we’ve been to several times. Buvette ’t Piepenhoes is our standard stop every time. Down below I will list our favorite restaurants to eat in Maastricht divided into neighbourhoods. Wyck This…
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Where to eat in Scheveningen
Scheveningen is one of the popular beach towns in The Netherlands. The beach is lined with beachclubs in the Spring and Summer, next to that the boulevard has lots of permanent restaurants. So plenty of choice to eat in Scheveningen. In this blog we highlight our favorites, from kiosk’s to sit down restaurants. Eat on the beach in Scheveningen I love the beach and sea. Being there is heaven. Furthermore I love sitting inside or on a terrace while looking out at the sea. Scheveningen has lots of places where you can sit down and eat or drink and have that perfect view. Not all the places mentioned are open…
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Where to eat in Den Bosch
A city I found boring as a teenager, I rather went to Eindhoven. Now I don’t understand anymore why I found it boring. It’s such a fun city to shop and stroll around in! Here are a few good places to eat in Den Bosch. Options to eat in Den Bosch Den Bosch has so many options to have a good meal. Furthermore the famous pastry “Bossche bol” originated here. With so many options in one city, where best to go? Well, with a friend I have tried out all the places in the blog over the years. Yoghurt Barn It’s a chain in The Netherlands and I love them.…
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Where to eat in Eindhoven
Eindhoven is one of the cities I first went to with friends when we had the age to go shopping on our own. I’ve been here so many times and loved it every time. Here’s a list of good experiences to eat in Eindhoven. Options to eat in Eindhoven Eindhoven is home to Philips, the world leader originated here and there’s also a museum here from and about Philips. There’s an vibrant industrial scene. Eindhoven also has a university which means lots of cheaper restaurants. The city is placed in the south and has an burgundian ambiance, which is common for the south. All this combined makes sure there are…
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Where to eat in The Hague
The Hague is where the government of the Netherlands resides. There’s lots to see and do for a day out and enough shops to have a fun shopping day. With a day out comes places for lunch and dinner. Here’s a list with places to eat in The Hague. Why eat in The Hague Why would you go out to dinner in The Hague? Well they have lots of good options. Whether it’s because you go shopping, on a city trip or going to the theatre in The Hague or Scheveningen, there’s always a reason to eat in The Hague. Eet-idee Koot A shop with fresh produce and home cooked…
