Day 7

Spent the day in Leiden today, site of the oldest university in the Netherlands (Universiteit Leiden, founded in 1575 by William Prince of Orange) and known as the birthplace of Dutch masters, Vermeer, Rembrandt and van Goyen. In the 17th century, the first settlers of New Amsterdam (now New York) lived in Leiden before they left by ship to the 'New World.'

Ended up visiting a traditional Dutch windwill (De Valk, built in 1743), Horticus Botanicus (one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world, founded 1590) and Museum Volkenkunde (ethnology museum).

Day 6

Woke up to a traditional Dutch breakfast, buns with chocolate sprinkles ('hagelslag'), cheese and coldcuts. Spent the day at Noordwijk, enjoying the dunes and beach life on the North Sea.

The view from the dunes is the entire Dutch coastline from Scheveningen, the beach town near Den Haag to Zandvoort, near Amsterdam. Dunes are common along the Dutch coast, a natural protection of the land from flooding.

Day 5

Went to Bergijnhof in Amsterdam today, an historic collection of traditional Dutch houses dating from the 15th century.

In Sassenheim and Noordwijk now, on Holland's Bloemen Route. Noordwijk is a typical Dutch beach resort on the North Sea. The Bloemen Route stretches from Leiden to Haarlem, about 25km, consisting primarily of tulips, hyacinths and daffodils.

Day 4

Off to Dugerdam, a traditional 'dijkdorp' (dike village) about an hour by bike. This village used to be on the Zuiderzee (South Sea) but in the 1920s, the 'Afsluitdijk' was built the water is now a freshwater lake. Enjoyed a lovely view at De Oude Taveerne and sample Dutch delicacies, such as kroketten, bitterballen, bamiballen, frikandel, and Gouda cheese.

Ended up back at Cafe de Jaren, with terrace on the Amstel river watching Dutch sloepen (boats).

Day 3

What else do you really want to do in Holland? Ride a bike, a 'fiets', so that's what we did. Followed the crazy Dutchman race around the city heading to De Pijp, the student, bohemian part of Amsterdam.

My favourite street today was Haarlemmer Straat where they have cool shops, bookshops and cafes. We visited the West Indisch Huis on Haarlemmerstraat where in 1625, the West Indian Company decided to set up New Amsterdam, now known as New York. Interestingly, Harlem in NYC is the same distance from downtown NY as the city of Haarlem in Holland is to Amsterdam. That's why they called it Harlem. At the end of Haarlemmerstraat is a big gate called HaarlemmerPoort that marks the road west to Haarlem.

Day 2

Arrived in Amsterdam and headed to Silodam, a former wheat storage facility overlooking 't IJ, the river. When the storage facility was no longer in use, squatters moved in and during the 70s developed it into an artist community and cultural hub. These same people saved it from demolition and it was converted to a luxury condo development just before the turn of the millenium.

Headed to the College Hotel, a former school built in 1894 that is now a luxury hotel run as a training school for those in the hospitality industry, and then checked out the nightlife at hip Reguliersdwarsstraat behind Amsterdam's famous Flower Market.

Day 1

At airport, on my way to Holland, how much Dutch will I remember from class? I suspect very little, a shame since it was 2 nights a week for a month. Lazy me.

Hoe gaat het met jou (how are you?), Kom is ever hier lekker ding (come over here good looking), Neuken en de keuken (don't ask!). I suspect ordering a meal is going to be a challenge. A drink I got- Heineken alstublieft!

If you get a chance, check out my presentation from Dutch class, proof I did learn something. Ik ben Gerrit, mijn Canadese naam is Gary. It's all coming back.

I've posted this pic of Ruud van Nilsterooy, famous Dutch voetballer, just because. If you're wondering, no, he didn't play in the recent 2010 FIFA World Cup (knee injury). Tot ziens vrienden and lekker wijf!