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  • A foggy New York skyline. As seen from the Staten Island ferry. Part of the Manhattan skyline. Large buildings, water in front and fog behind and on top. The start of the road trip from New York to Orlando.
    roadtrip,  USA

    21-day Road Trip from New York to Orlando

    September 11, 2020 / 20 Comments

    The USA is one of our favorite countries to road trip in, the endless roads and the sense of freedom you get with it. We’ve done several road trips through the USA and in 2015 we made a road trip from New York to Orlando. We took 21 days, with days in NYC in the beginning and days at the end for exploring Orlando. The New York to Orlando driving time non-stop would be 18-20 hours. But only stopping for gas and food would mean that you miss all the beautiful nature and attractions along the way. And there are so many stops worth your time. There are several options…

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    Cosette

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    A view on the Shenandoah Valley from one of the lookouts. Shenandoah National Park

    Shenandoah National Park: bears and endless views

    June 14, 2020
    Weissensee in Austria, with a perfect reflection of the houses and mountains in the lake. Some snow on the mountain.

    2020 travels in review

    January 14, 2021
    Parc National du Bic, Cosette standing lower looking at the river

    22-Day Toronto to Halifax Road Trip

    October 4, 2021
  • Yuri with some actors on the photo who where having fun at Dickens Festival.
    Christmas,  Cultural Experiences,  Netherlands

    Dickens Festival: the perfect Christmas outing

    August 9, 2020 / 29 Comments

    Updated: December 11th 2021. The Dickens Festival (called Dickens festijn in Dutch) in Deventer, The Netherlands was on my radar to visit for years already. We finally got to visit it in 2018 and loved it. It’s truly a unique experience and something for everyone looking for something spectacular around Christmas time.  Dickens Festival Deventer For 2 days Deventer turns into an 19th century English town from the stories of Charles Dickens. Want to meet Scrooge, Oliver Twist or Mr. Pickwick? It’s possible at the Dickens Christmas festival. Listen to Christmas carol singers or watch orphans moan about their lives. See a living statue or watch Queen Victoria having a…

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    Cosette

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    Vienna Christmas Market by Le Long Weekend, in front of a palace is a Christmas market, lighted up and people walking around

    Best Places to Celebrate Christmas Around the World

    November 11, 2021
    Nativity scene inside the cave

    Christmas market Valkenburg: caves and food

    November 25, 2020
    Prague Christmas markets by Andoreia, in the dark. An large illuminated Christmas tree to the left and a large lit up building to the left with a Christmas market in front of it

    30 of the Best Places to have a Magical Christmas in Europe

    November 18, 2021
  • The natural arch
    Blue Ridge Parkway,  Natural Bridge,  USA

    Natural Bridge State Park: butterflies and hiking

    June 26, 2020 / 14 Comments

    In 2015 we drove the Blue Ridge Parkway and made a small detour to Natural Bridge. We loved exploring Natural Bridge, it was one of the many cool things we did on our 6 week road trip through the USA, and a perfect stop on road trips. Where is Natural Bridge State Park? Natural Bridge State Park is only 24 kilometers (15 miles) from the Blue Ridge Parkway. An approximately 30 minute detour. Natural Bridge is located in Rockbridge County in the state of Virginia. Some facts about Natural Bridge State Park The natural bridge is a geological formation carved out in the surrounding limestone gorge by the Cedar Creek.…

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    Sunset on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The sun goes down with a red and blue sky above the mountains.

    Blue Ridge Parkway: fireflies and endless mountains

    August 19, 2020
    View from the bridge

    Grandfather Mountain: climbing rocks and a swinging bridge

    June 3, 2020
  • Beach houses
    family time,  Kids,  Netherlands,  Texel

    A family vacation close to home during the pandemic: Texel

    June 22, 2020 / 24 Comments

    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. One of our first 2020 travels. 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.…

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    Cosette

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    Sleeping Beauty castle at Disneyland Paris

    Fun times at Disneyland Paris: with and without kids

    June 7, 2020
    The sign at the beginning of the restaurant

    Going to the Little Monsters Ball Hardrock Cafe

    October 12, 2020
    To show how the swimming pool looks, this the part with two slides and part of the swimming pool.

    Best Family Friendly Campgrounds in Europe

    September 24, 2020
  • A view on the Shenandoah Valley from one of the lookouts. Shenandoah National Park
    Mountains,  roadtrip,  Shenandoah National Park,  USA

    Shenandoah National Park: bears and endless views

    June 14, 2020 / 34 Comments

    Back in 2015 we did a road trip through the USA, we drove from New York to San Francisco in 6 weeks. On that road trip we stopped at Shenandoah National Park. It was our first acquaintance with the Blue Ridge Mountains. They’re so beautiful! Where is Shenandoah National Park? Shenandoah National Park is in the Northwestern Part of the state of Virginia. Its located on a mountain ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The park starts in the Northeast at the town of Front Royal and runs all the way to Waynesboro in the Southwest. Some facts about Shenandoah National Park Shenandoah National Park covers over 200.000 acres and…

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    Cosette

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    To show a picture from a thing on our tour through Jordan. The shadows of 2 camels with people on them. Red sand and some grass.

    Tour through Jordan

    February 18, 2020
    View from the bridge

    Grandfather Mountain: climbing rocks and a swinging bridge

    June 3, 2020
    The town of Gotzens, Austria, with a grass filed in front and behind snowcapped mountains and clear blue sky. A view visible on the winter walks in Götzens.

    4 Winter walks in Götzens

    February 4, 2020
  • Sleeping Beauty castle at Disneyland Paris
    Amusement parks,  Disneyland,  family time,  France,  Kids

    Fun times at Disneyland Paris: with and without kids

    June 7, 2020 / 16 Comments

    We’ve been to Disneyland Paris three times: once before Yuri was born, in 1999. Back then it was still called EuroDisney. Twice with Yuri in 2014 and 2019. In 1999 we went in the Summer and spent one day at EuroDisney. In 2014 it was a winter visit with an almost 4 year old boy, a road trip with a toddler, and last time was 20 years after our first visit to Disneyland Paris, again in the Summer. Both visits were 3 days, 2 nights. We’ve enjoyed ourselves every single time. In this blog I will highlight things to do in Disneyland Paris and how our experience was. At the…

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    Cosette

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    Cinderella castle at the end of main street usa

    Disney World Orlando Florida: Basic Guide for First-time Visitors

    February 1, 2021
    Us in front of Disneyland, Paul on the left, Yuri on the right, me in the middle. All with a facemask on. Behind us part of the entrance to Disneyland

    Disney during Covid: Our Experience at Disneyland Paris

    March 7, 2022
  • View from the bridge
    Blue Ridge Parkway,  Kids,  Mountains,  USA

    Grandfather Mountain: climbing rocks and a swinging bridge

    June 3, 2020 / 11 Comments

    Back in 2015 we drove the Blue Ridge Parkway, which was simply beautiful. During our drive we stopped at several attractions just off the parkway. Grandfather Mountain was one of them, and was well worth our time. Yuri loved climbing the rocks and we enjoyed the grand views on the Blue Ridge Mountains. Where is Grandfather Mountain? Grandfather Mountain is located close to the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. It’s in the vicinity of the town of Linville. The detour is about 3.3 mile or 5.3 kilometers, which is approximately an 18 minute drive from the parkway. Some facts about Grandfather Mountain The elevation of Grandfather is 5946 feet,…

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    Cosette

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    The natural arch

    Natural Bridge State Park: butterflies and hiking

    June 26, 2020
    Sunset on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The sun goes down with a red and blue sky above the mountains.

    Blue Ridge Parkway: fireflies and endless mountains

    August 19, 2020
  • Gulfoss. Finding peace
    Kids,  roadtrip,  USA

    Finding peace as a family

    May 24, 2020 / 4 Comments

    My husband was driving on highway 1, we had to be on time at San Francisco airport to catch our flight home. Home being Utrecht in The Netherlands. Far away from the beach and rolling waves I was seeing out of our car window. Yuri was asking why we had to go home, why couldn’t we keep on driving, he didn’t want to go home. Paul said shall we drive on? We all wanted to go further North on highway 1, was going through my mind. Half a half year before driving on highway 1 Paul, my husband, was unhappy in his job. That Monday in February, I was still…

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    Cosette

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    To show a picture from one our 2019 travels. In the back the Eiffle tower. Trees in front of it. Then the river Seine. Cosette and Yuri standing on a bridge with a lot of locks attached to it.

    2019 travels in review

    February 19, 2020
    Who's first? Paul and Yuri seen from the back. Running upstairs on the Rocky steps. Paul is faster than Yuri.

    23 Tips for Surviving a Road Trip with a Kid Ideas

    June 7, 2021
    A dark picture with in the middle a setting sun. The sky around the sun is different shades of red. Below the earth is black, with a bit of blue sea. One of the campsites in Croatia

    Campsites in Croatia with kids

    February 6, 2020
  • To show another view from the Krimmler wasserfalle with a rainbow. Week in Austria
    Austria,  Carinthia,  Kids,  Mountains,  roadtrip,  Salzburg,  summer,  Tirol,  walking

    A week in Austria: roadtrip itinerary

    April 16, 2020 / 24 Comments

    In the Summer of 2016 we spent a week in Austria, during a 6 week European road trip. We had such a fun time, before this week we had only been to Austria in the snow, which is magical on its own. Below I give an itinerary for one week in Austria. Austria is a perfect country for road trips. Where to start a week in Austria We started our week in Austria in Breitenwang. It’s close to the German border and to Füssen, Germany. Füssen is home to the famous Neuschwanstein castle and the Hohenschwangau castle. Both are beautiful and both are among the fairytale castles in Europe. After…

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    Cosette

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    Weissensee in Austria, with a perfect reflection of the houses and mountains in the lake. Some snow on the mountain.

    2020 travels in review

    January 14, 2021
    The town of Gotzens, Austria, with a grass filed in front and behind snowcapped mountains and clear blue sky. A view visible on the winter walks in Götzens.

    4 Winter walks in Götzens

    February 4, 2020
  • To show us playing a board game
    City,  family time,  Kids

    What to do during lockdown

    March 26, 2020 / 0 Comments

    Like a lot of families around the world right now, we’re in a lockdown. In The Netherlands there’s a soft lockdown. We still can go outside for groceries, a short walk, a motorbike ride, to help someone who can’t go outside or to work if you have an essential job. Group formation is forbidden, more than 2 people together is forbidden except when you form a household. Luckily we can still go outside in moderation. Sadly I have a cold and Yuri the flu, so we have to stay inside. Here’s what to do during the lockdown. What we’re doing during the lockdown Although things we can do and where…

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    Cosette

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    Picture of Cosette drinking a strawberry daiquiri. To visualise About us

    Where to eat in Scheveningen

    March 23, 2020
    To show the Strawberry and Gooseberry cake

    Where to eat in Maastricht

    April 1, 2020
    To show an overview of Amsterdam. Best cities for shopping

    Best cities for shopping in The Netherlands

    April 23, 2020
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