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CONTACT: Stephanie Dillon, carous4659@aol.com, tel/fax (510) 527-5849, www.carousel-press.com
PERMISSION is granted to you by Carousel Press to reprint this article. Please include mention that it is excerpted from Camping Europe. THE NETHERLANDS (excerpted by permission from Camping Europe
; www.carousel-press.com) Picture a young woman, her bicycle basket overflowing with a riot of brilliant blooms, steadily pedaling along a leafy canal lined with perfectly
symmetrical gabled houses, and you are picturing quintessential Holland. Throughout the country, back roads and cycle paths fringe brilliant patchworks of flowers, apple-green meadows where sky larks sing, cross
canals over wooden bridges, and wind through cheerful towns, bending and curving as if time meant nothing. Bridges lift, holding back traffic while a small boat floats by. Carillon bells ring with favorite hymns,
folk songs, and waltzes from tall church steeples. Town halls take the place of palaces with pinnacles, finials, and lace-like arches. Cozy cafes are fragrant with fresh-brewed coffee and apple tarts and hum with
music and folks immersed in quiet conversations. Bicycles are dearly loved and revered. Even the queen mingles with her subjects by riding her bicycle to market. With seeming ease, pets,
flowers, groceries, and children are all happily carted on one bike. Public buildings, parking facilities, and public transportation are all designed to accommodate them, and most major roads include a large
separate bike lanes. Roadways are in excellent condition and well signposted. Except for Amsterdam, the cities are easy to drive into. Parking outside the city center is
encouraged with large parking garages and public transportation that is efficient, modern, and comfortable. Masters of innovation and experimentation, the Dutch have applied
their knowledge to social issues, agriculture, and industry. Experts in waterways, bridges, and hydraulic dams, they now export their knowledge of water technology. On the globe, the Netherlands is a speck, but in world
history the Dutch have played a part way out of proportion to their size. Leaders in banking, shipping, and trade since the 17th century, they established an empire on the other side of the world, set an
example of democratic social order at home, and opened a new world of art with an astonishing group of excellent painters. Camping is a popular recreational pursuit for the Dutch.
Campgrounds are modern and well maintained, with small stores and a staff fluent in English. Camping for two persons, a car, and tent will cost about $20 USA. Friendly, kind, polite, and helpful, the Dutch
love to talk about their country and will go out of their way to give directions and information. Amsterdam The great port of the north and the center
of banking for Europe, Amsterdam became the first center of bourgeois capitalism in Europe. Its location in the middle of Holland provided a protected harbor and access to both the Baltic and Rhine. Persecuted
merchants, driven out of other countries, found refuge here, giving the country the advantage of their centuries-old mercantile expertise. Today, drifting down Amsterdam's leafy canals lined
with dignified and harmonious houses, one can imagine how the markets, where the delectable smell of baking bread and smoking pork mingled with the aroma of fresh leather and exotic spices were swamped in color and
carnival. Dressed like birds of paradise, the wealthy members of the mercantile and craft guilds, highly conscious of their personal dignity and fine attire, strolled like peacocks. Stop at
the main tourist office, VVV, outside Central Station, on arrival. It overflows with glossy brochures and information about current events, museums, and galleries in Amsterdam and all of the Netherlands. During summer,
there is an impressive array of events. Many are free. Fit some into your visit. Amsterdam and the whole of the Netherlands have a staggering number of world-class museums. Buying a museum card
at the VVV when you arrive saves considerable money if you plan to see more than just a couple. The Metro and trams are efficient, convenient, and easy to use. Employees speak fluent
English. Buy a strippenkaart, voucher for ten rides, from the campground, metro station, magazine shop, or Central Station. Ask for the free transport map and English guide of the transport system. Each time
you travel, validate the ticket for the number of persons using it and the number of zones you are traveling. Take the circle tram first. In summer, one departs and returns to Central Station every few
minutes, making a wide loop that passes close to most of the major sights. The grassy wedge of parkland edged by Amsterdam's most famous museums is called Museumplein. Here you'll find the
Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh, and the Stedelijk. Fascinating books have been written about the most famous Dutch painters; reading some before your trip will make visits to these museums more meaningful. The
Rijksmuseum houses the Golden Age works. The collection is huge. Get a museum map and go directly to the galleries that interest you most. With a keen interest in human psychology, the best of the pictures are
thoughtful introspection of character with a powerful handling of light and shade. Rembrandts are mingled with Hals, Steens, and Vermeers, and there's a lovely garden at the back; open daily. The new Theo
Van Gogh Museum houses not only the riveting pictures by his brother Vincent, but a chronological collection the Post-Impressionists-Gauguin, Monet, Bernard, Pissarro, Signac, and Seurat-curated to help you understand
the artistic influences they had on one another. You're treated to the vibrant, radiant, and emotional colors they loved. Theo's son, V.W. Van Gogh, agreed to sell his enormous private collection if the new museum was
built. The Kroller-Muller Museum also added many of their important works to the new museum. The sensational Post-Impressionist collection that resulted is the most important in the world; open daily.
Afterwards, climb the former skateboard ramp in the adjoining park and enjoy a rest with other locals as you gaze down at the Concertgebouw, the colorful trams, and the gable work and facades of the neighborhood
buildings. The Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art houses permanent and temporary art exhibits extending into photography, ceramics, glass, and sculpture. It is world renowned and an exciting place to visit; open
daily. The Concertgebouw, known throughout the world for its wonderful acoustics and world class-performances, sells reasonably priced tickets for its performances from 10A.M. to 5P.M. daily and after 7P.M. for that
evening's performance. Vondel Park, just a few minutes walk west of Museumsplein, has leafy thickets, winding paths, and an extravagant rose garden. Here, children feed the ducks
that waddle around the ponds, workers and tired tourists take quick naps on its lawns, mothers admire babies in prams, and joggers keep in shape. A large collection of film memorabilia and screenings from its
outstanding achive can be viewed in the old Vondelpark Pavilion, now the Filmmuseum. The park also has an open-air theatre that presents free concerts. Don't miss this delightful way to enjoy the Dutch. You'll need to consult your guidebook to make selections from the over-flowing and imaginative cup of Amsterdam's offerings. ****Camping:
*Southeast of the city, off A9 exit Gaasperplas and follow signposting. Gaasper Camping, Loosdrechtdreef 7 (020-696-7326); close to the metro; best for the city; open May-December; $$$. In
Aalsmeer, east of the airport. Off A9 exit #6 for Aalsmeer. Continue south on N231, crossing the canal. Camping het Amsterdamse Bos, Kl. Noorddijk 1(020-641-6868); airport noise; bus to city;
open April-October; $$$. CAMPING EUROPE
by Carol Mickelsen
ISBN: 0-917120-18-3 • $19.95 • 348 pages • 250+ maps
2 charts/2 indexes • 8
1/2" x 5 1/2". |
