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2020 travels in review
As for us all, 2020 was completely different than we expected. We had only one trip abroad to Austria. Other than that we stayed in The Netherlands. Luckily we made some beautiful trips in The Netherlands during the Summer. So here are our 2020 travels from month to month. January Just like in 2019 we started the New Year at friends in Almere. We played board games and watched the fireworks. Our first outing was Uden on Ice with my nieces during Christmas break. Later in the month I went shopping with a friend in Uden, while Paul and Yuri had the day for themselves. The last day of the…
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Street Art Utrecht: larger than life and small works
It’s so much fun and a great surprise when you turn a corner and there’s a beautiful or funny mural on a wall. Whether it’s a small cute one or a larger than life one. Lately, I’ve been exploring the street art of Utrecht, my hometown. A city in the middle of The Netherlands. There are more than I expected there to be. Let’s dive into street art Utrecht, area by area. Street Art Utrecht Northwest Books: On Amsterdamsestraatweg is this famous piece from JanIsDeMan. It’s 3 book shelfs with books that are favorites of the people in the neighbourhood. The mural went viral after being finished. Otter: A mural…
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Christmas market Valkenburg: caves and food
Valkenburg is a small town way down in the utmost Southern part of The Netherlands, next to big brother Maastricht. Maastricht is one of the top cities of The Netherlands. When eating your way around Maastricht, it’s easy to make a visit to Christmas market Valkenburg. Valkenburg during Christmas time is magical, with its Christmas markets in caves, a festive parade and culinary walking routes. Christmas market Valkenburg: caves Valkenburg has several marl caves, which can be visited. In November and December there’s a Christmas market in the caves of Valkenburg. Fluweelengrot The Fluweelengrot (Velvet cave) are the corridors under the castle ruin. Each year the biggest indoor Christmas event…
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A Luxurious stay at the Van der Valk hotel Ridderkerk
Macarons for breakfast, a comfy bed and friendly staff is what the Van der Valk hotel Ridderkerk offers. But these aren’t the only reasons to stay at the hotel, it’s also just 17 minutes away from the world famous windmills from Kinderdijk. We enjoyed a stay at this hotel on a road trip in 2018 and loved it. Note that not everything mentioned is now offered, due to the pandemic. This is not a sponsored post, we stayed here on our own expense. So all opinions are, as always, our own. The Room at Van der Valk hotel Ridderkerk Van der Valk hotel Rotterdam Ridderkerk has 7 types of rooms.…
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25 Dutch Traditional Foods you must try
Although we always say we don’t really have a national cuisine, The Netherlands does have distinct dishes that you simply have to try when visiting The Netherlands. I grew up with these 25 Dutch traditional foods I’ve listed below. From breakfast to dinner to snacks these dishes can be found all over The Netherlands. Dutch Traditional Foods 1. Kroket A kroket is a typical Dutch snack that’s one of my all time favorites. It’s a thick ragout which is braided in egg wash, flour and bread crumbs. This is then fried in oil and you have a delicious soft interior with a crunchy crust. Most krokets have a beef stuffing,…
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Going to the Little Monsters Ball Hardrock Cafe
Each year we try to do something special for Halloween, last year we attended the Little Monsters Ball Hardrock Cafe in Amsterdam. Halloween is on the rise in The Netherlands. Our son is still too young for haunted houses and fright nights, but luckily there are events suited for kids. Little Monsters Ball Hardrock Cafe The Hard Rock Café organizes a breakfast buffet on Sunday before or on Halloween. Every family had its own table and could get plates full of delicious food. You did have to wait in line before getting to the buffet. The staff was all dressed up for Halloween. The café was also decorated in Halloween…
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Fun at Ripley’s Believe It or Not Halloween
Halloween isn’t a holiday that’s originally celebrated in The Netherlands. But more and more events with an Halloween theme are popping up in The Netherlands. We love going to one of these events each year and a few years ago we celebrated Halloween at Ripley’s Believe It or Not in Amsterdam. We had a blast. Ripley’s Believe It or Not Halloween The whole Ripley’s Believe It or Not museum was decorated with cobwebs and other creepy things. This added extra to the Halloween sphere for us. Without the Halloween decorations the museum is already bizarre, but this made it extra special. We came dressed up for Halloween, all 3 of…
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De Hoge Veluwe National Park: beautiful nature and art
De Hoge Veluwe National Park is a park I used to go to with my parents during our vacations on the Veluwe. I have good memories of exploring this area. The beautiful nature of heathlands, sand drifts and forests. Later on I went to the Kröller-Müller museum with high school and admired the art collection. Recently Paul and I went with our son to the park. It was just as beautiful as I remembered. Where is De Hoge Veluwe National Park? Het National Park de Hoge Veluwe is in the province of Gelderland in The Netherlands. It’s between the cities Arnhem, Ede and Apeldoorn. So roughly in the middle (eastern)…
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25 Fun Things to do in Zeeland
Zeeland is one of the provinces in The Netherlands, which is perfect for a vacation. It consists of islands and peninsulas. There’s so much to see and do here, that we keep coming back. Whether for a weekend getaway or a vacation. Here’s our list of 25 things to do in Zeeland that we have compiled from all our visits over the years. 25 Things to do in Zeeland: Food 1. Eat Kibbeling or a Lekkerbekje. It’s braided fried cod, which is in big pieces (kibbeling) of still in fish form (lekkerbekje). You can eat both dishes all over The Netherlands, but so close to the sea you have the…
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10 Useful tips for traveling in 2020
We’ve traveled 3 times this year, once in February, when all the craziness was just starting (no lockdowns in Europe yet). And twice during the rest of the year. In May for a long weekend and this Summer for a road trip. All within The Netherlands. Here are 10 tips we can give you from our experience for traveling in 2020. Traveling in 2020: know the rules Before you take off on your road trip, know the rules specific to the country and/or region you’re visiting. Moreover, keep yourselves to these rules. Every country and in some cases regions have their own set of rules to fight the pandemic. You…
