We brought our car from the U.S. but have found bicycling and public transportation to be easier and cheaper for lots of reasons. We use our car when traveling to remote areas that would require multiple public transportation connections. Luckily, a lot of our travel has been city-to-city so we have been able to get […]
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One rainy Sunday we boarded the pancake boat for a cruise departing out of Rotterdam. This is a perfect activity for a family to enjoy together. The boat leaves from the dock just beside the Euromast tower. There is plenty of metered street parking and a paid parking lot attached to the docks. We boarded […]
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(Otherwise known as the time we took our toddlers to a WWII deportation camp.) One of the challenges of family travel is balancing kid and adult interests. Typically, we do a great job of hitting highlights for Jeff and me while keeping the kids engaged. This is not one of those trips. I take some responsibility. […]
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The fall here has been amazing. We have been trying to milk every last good weather day while we can. One Saturday, with blue skies overhead we boarded the train from Delft through Rotterdam to Antwerp. In Rotterdam you can change to the Thalys, a more expensive but faster option to get to Antwerp. You […]
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This morning we biked the kids down to the market square to see Sinterklaas arrive. I’ve been working on how to approach this whole Sinterklaas experience. It is a huge part of living here in the Netherlands. It also makes me feel icky. You see, Sinterklaas’s helpers, all named Pete, are in blackface. I just can’t […]
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This month I have two delightful photos that show exactly what it is like to travel with a one and a three-year old. Although they are generally well behaved on our trips, getting a family photo has been impossible. The three-year old has taken to hiding his face. The poor person we’ve asked to take […]
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You’ve probably never heard of the adorable Dutch town of Muiden. I certainly had not before my husband suggested a quick day-trip to this city outside of Amsterdam. Muiden has played an integral part in the defense of Amsterdam for centuries and is now a perfect day-trip that affords you small-town charm, a stunning castle […]
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I’ve been dreading Thanksgiving since we moved Holidays always seem to mark the passing of time for me. We celebrated our last Fourth of July in the states, got lost in the details of the move and before I knew it Halloween came and went. (Here is a refresher on how we celebrated.) Thanksgiving has […]
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Cafe du Midi is our absolute favorite find here in Delft. This unassuming little cafe lies on the outskirts of Delft. You have to pass through Delftse Hout (the woods) to reach it. We discovered Cafe du Midi at the fall farm festival. Jeff and H stopped by to grab a snack while I biked up […]
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The Dutch are experts in water management. Over 55% of the Netherlands sits below sea level. Exacting measurements are made in Amsterdam where the normal sea level is called Normaal Amsterdams Peil. Most of the land that sits under sea level was created by the Dutch. They drained water through a system of polders, canals and windmill-driven […]
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