i wanted to show you the countryside i've been traveling through on my way to edam, marken, zaanse shans, and today utrecht. 4 days of jaunts into the provinces of north holland and utrecht. by the way, in case you didn't know HOLLAND only refers to 2 of the 12 provinces of the netherlands. there is noord holland (north) and zuid holland (south).
amsterdam, haarlem, marken, edam, zaanse schans, and oud zaandijk are the cities/villages i've visited in noord holland. and today utrecht, which is in its own province by the same name. i didn't visit 10 other provinces so automatically that means i MUST return. because i'll tell you. i really love the netherlands. the people are friendly & helpful, the small villages are the most beautiful idyllic places i've seen on ANY daytrips in all of the countries i've traveled to. period. the country is small so there's the opportunity to really dig into the culture here and explore in depth. the food is tasty and there are lots of cats. what more can a person want? i'm already anticipating a return trip with my sister.
and then of course renting a boat and motoring down the canals was such a fabulous experience – particularly the lesson beforehand from the tall patient dutch grandfather who took time out from minding his grandbaby to give me extensive personal instruction. more about that later!
here was the scene yesterday while waiting at the busstop all aloney on my owney in the zaan region.
quite honestly, i'm in heaven when i'm off adventuring. in an upcoming post i'll dazzle you with photos of my favorite places outside of amsterdam. of course this will be a mere fraction of the possible places you can get off to when you come here for yourself. and i do hope you will. i really do. as for me i've concluded my jaunts outside of the city. the next 2 days will be spent visiting a couple of museums i've been dying to get to. i could easily tuck myself into this apartment for another month and watch autumn settle into the streets and over the gabled rooftops of amsterdam. the leaves are turning golden now and more and more are blowing off the trees and falling into the canals. so pretty.
Hi Mary Ann!
I just knew you would love Holland!! And it seems that you do. It is a lovely place that will make you feel calm inside by just looking around you. I can’t wait to see some of your sketches and drawings from this Grand Adventure!
When I was there in 2002, it was Christmas time and the flower markets were full of Christmas trees and other holiday plants. They had begun to decorate for the season and it was just enchanting. If you consider a return trip, I urge you to consider going close to Christmas.
I have been traveling myself for the past three weeks (New England, VA and NC)but have kept up with your adventures via my iPad. These wonderful devices we have these days can keep us connected to the things that matter to us. I am so glad your trip is turning out to be one you’ll remember and treasure forever.
Keep the posts coming and we’ll keep reading.
Marcia
Pensacola, FL
Saw this arty map of Amsterdam and thought of you….. 🙂
http://society6.com/product/Amsterdam-R8C_Print
Its so wonderful to see your photos and feel your joy. Its like a mini vacation for my mind’s eye – a chance to dream of my visiting Holland again someday. thank you!
Are you solo for the entire trip?? How brave!
So glad to see you are getting a chance to venture around the many different areas of The Netherlands. It has been more than 20 years since I’ve been, but it still looks like what I remember and loved. Thanks for sharing this amazing trip!
Oh yes, do come back! And when you do go north and visit my island (and me!). So happy you are having such a good time.
Wonderful post and pix! As always, thanks for sharing!
It looks like Heaven on earth!
I enjoyed the bus trips as well when I was in the Netherlands. Keep the photos and commentary coming I’m so enjoying this arm chair trip as well.
absolutely gorgeous pictures!! so beautiful……..makes me wanta go on vacation…..NOW!
Thanks, Mary Ann. My first trip abroad–nearly forty years ago–was to Holland. I loved every laid back, hiippie bit of it. And you’ve reminded me of why I must go back–soon.
And I just signed up for Remains of the day and am enjoying it, too.
Lynn Ellis
Enjoy your wanderings…I certainly am! 🙂
😀
sigh, such contentment you’ve captured here. I just want to settle into a very long visit, wander the streets and canals for as long as my feet are willing to go. The views just keep getting better and better if that is possible. I love your slow and relaxed amble across the countryside…my kind of journey so as not to miss anything…and since the trees are showing off their brilliant golds and reds with the turning of the seasons here in the midwest there is a sense of affinity with where you are as ‘autumn settles into the streets’love that so much. Wishing you could stay for another month. How much fun that would be!
A bus trip! I was there with you, seeing what you see but I think I got left behind at that table and chairs by the canal, I just couldn’t tear myself away!!!!
why oh why did i leave my beloved holland for france?
and i laughed out loud at ihann’s comment: come to that you’ll have plenty of bagage carriers 🙂
O yes – you just have to stay for another month! Then you can visit a great Book-Art/Artist Book Fair in the city of Leiden which takes place 2 and 3 november.
Just Google: Boekkunst Beurs Leiden 2013 for more info.
best, Annie
Really enjoy traveling with you through your blogging! It’s inspiring to see the world through your eyes, and I am adding every new town you visit through the years to my want-to-visit-list! Too bad you enjoy going on your own, or I would volunteer to carry your bag and go wherever you go! 🙂
Jaw-droppingly beautiful! Some of those landscapes look as though Van Gogh painted them. I have to tell you, though, the photo of the cows grazing in their fields looks EXACTLY like what I see from my bluff, facing west out toward Ferndale. Really! Now you’ll just have to come up to Humboldt to see for yourself!
Thanks for sharing scenes from a place I will probably not see for myself. Fabulous!!!!
You described Holland almost exactly how I feel about this magical country and people. Can’t wait to see more of your photos and be part of your stories.
next time- go there at spring. the fields are SO SO beautiful filled with tulips in all colors
I agree with you – the Netherslands is such a beautiful country to visit. I love those little towns too