After 10 days abroad, I am back! We traveled and saw so much that I am going to do a 3-part blog post- one for each country we visited.

I am going to start with The Netherlands where we spent 5 days. We flew into Amsterdam which I admit was not on my bucket list of places to go but it was a direct flight over and with so much history, I am glad we opted to tour this charming city. Amsterdam stands apart from other European cities with its narrow streets, unique canals and charming architecture.

We stayed in Amsterdam Noord that is a quick 5 minute (free) ferry ride across the IJ canal and a 10-15 minute walk through a quaint little neighbourhood to the hotel. The NH Amsterdam Noord Hotel also had a free shuttle to and from the hotel to Amsterdam Centraal Station that was super convenient. The Centraal station was also pretty efficient and effortless to navigate on and off the trains that we rode several times throughout our time in Europe.

Anne Frank House

We did the Anne Frank House tour which is a must when your in Amsterdam although you have to book tickets well in advance and they only take online bookings. I opted for the 30-minute intro that took us through the history of WWII and Anne’s life before we walked through the house where Anne Frank and her family hid for 2 years during World War II. It was amazing how small the space was in real life and there are some rather steep staircases that must be climbed to get to the Annex. The original bookcase is still there although no furniture remains in the space, which is how, Otto Frank, Anne’s father and the only survivor of the 8 people hiding in the house wanted it left. The Nazi’s removed everything once they discovered the Frank family and the others in hiding.

Fun fact: It was interesting to see that the Annex didn’t face the front of the building how I always pictured it.

The Stroopwafel

This caramel waffle is so delicious! We were often served a mini stroopwafel with our coffee or hot chocolate and I had to buy the biggest box of stroopwafels that I could find to bring home with us. Basically its two things, circular waffles with a sweet caramel syrup in the middle holding them together. If you don’t try anything else in Amsterdam, the stroopwafel is a must!

Windmill tour, clog workshop and cheese factory

To get a completely Dutch experience, I booked a half-day tour to Zaanse Schans a quick 20-minute ride from Amsterdam Centraal where we toured this tiny picturesque village with its 17^th century homes with canals running through.

We toured a cheese factory where I tried lavender goat cheese among various types of smoked cheeses. Next we went to a clog factory and watched how the Dutch make their famous clogs- and yes Dutch still wear clogs today! We also toured one of the oldest working windmills called De Kat. De Kat was built in 1664 and even now it produces paints and pigments of high quality. These are supplied to artists and restorers across the world. Apart from paint, the mill also produces chalk, pigments and oils.

Fun Fact: Van Gogh used to get his paint from this mill!!

Camp Vught

Next we headed about 1.5 hours south of Amsterdam to Vught. Here is a concentration camp that served as a holding camp for 18 months during WWII.

The museum is spread out over several buildings and outdoor areas. The watchtowers, the barracks, rebuilt at half their original size, show how the prisoners lived. The Children’s Memorial lists the names and ages of the 1,269 Jewish children who were deported in June 1943. There is also a crematorium with the original ovens, where the bodies of prisoners who died or were executed at the camp were burned. The camp was opened in 1943 and held 31,000 prisoners, 749 people died in the camp from starvation or disease, and others were transferred to other camps shortly before Allied Forces liberated the camp in 1944.

Dutch Resistance Museum

We visited the Dutch Resistance Museum one afternoon and it was an experience to see the atmosphere of World War II in the Netherlands before, during and just after the war ended. Helping people in hiding, the illegal press and forging papers for a small minority of the Dutch population was a part of daily life and the museum is filled with personal stories of the choices and difficulties during that time. The Junior part of the museum was great for my son to see how children lived during that time as it had an interactive exhibit that followed the lives of four children during the war. I would recommend the museum if you have children aged 9-14 with you and they are interested in War History.

Haarlem- the highlight of The Netherlands

Haarlem is a small city that neighbours Amsterdam and is a short 15-minute train ride. With its cobblestoned streets, Gothic cathedrals and a gorgeous main square, Haarlem was a great way to spend an afternoon. There is a different vibe here than in Amsterdam and of the 5 of us that went, we all agreed we loved this laid back, relaxed version of Amsterdam, without all the crowds, tourists and bicycles zooming by. Enjoying a coffee (and a pastry) in a little café overlooking the cobblestone streets with their quaint little shops was probably my favourite thing to do.

Every time we passed a pastry shop or saw a flower market, I was in awe. Gorgeous bouquets of fresh flowers on the street in February??- Unheard of in Saskatchewan.

Amsterdam is equal parts charming and quiet, yet busy. For culture, history and food, Amsterdam is worth a visit.

Cheers (or "proost" in Dutch),

DK