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The Netherlands 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; $$$. In Aalsmeer, east of the airport. Off A9 exit #6 for Aalsmeer. Continue south on N231, crossing the canal. Camping het Amsterdamse Bos, Kl. Noorddijk
1(020-641-6868); airport noise; bus to city; open April-October; $$$. West Holland Haarlem Robust painter Frans Hals, admired by both Van Gogh and Manet for his
frank, full-bodied colors, and bold-moving strokes is remembered in the 17th
century almshouse where he lived out his final years. The collection illustrates his evolution as a painter. The gargantuan picture, "Banquet of the Officers of St. George" bursts with colorful figures wearing immense sashes and established his reputation; open daily. Directions: Off A9 or A208, follow signs for centrum. Use the dome of St. Bravo's to guide you. The museum is just south of it at Groot Heiligand 62.
At the Grote Markt, step into St. Bravo and examine the famous Baroque organ boasting 5,000 pipes. Just outside the church, look up at the elaborate and caprious stepped gables of the Meat
Market. Behind the church it's a short walk to the canal and the Teylers Museum, the oldest museum in the country, housing a fascinating collection of drawings and artifacts. Just west
of town, an elegant residential area gives way to Kennemerduinen National Park, an appealing dune and beach area. The route is popular for cycling. Directions: Off A208 exit onto 200 for Bloemendaal Aan-Zee.
If you are here in April or May when the tulips are blooming, don't miss seeing the Keukenhof Gardens, perhaps the most fabulous flower garden in the world; open daily.
Directions: South of Haarlem on 208 in Lisse. ****Camping: *In the dune area by the park. Off A9 exit onto 200 for Bloemendaal Aan Zee, and drive to the beach. Camping De Lakens,
Zeeweg 60 (023-251-902); close to the beach and parklands; open April-September; $$$. *Due west of the Keukenhof gardens in Noordwijk, take the road north along the dune to Noordwijkerhout.
Camping Jan de Wit, Kapelleboslaan 10 (0252-372-485); large; popular with families; open April through September; $$$. Le Hague The Mauritshuis, Le Hague's brightest jewel, houses a renowned collection of the Dutch master painters whose works exemplify a high degree of technical competence. Galleries are filled with evocative landscapes, where light makes the muted colors glow, as well as with scenes depicting lively music and raucous drinking. Directions: From A12/E30 drive west, exiting for Binnenhof and Den Haag CS train station. The museum is in the magnificent mansion on the east side of the Binnenhof; closed Mondays. For a complete change of pace, walk across the Binnenhof to the Gevengenpoort and take a tour of the prison and its Chamber of Horrors. Then board either tram 7 or 8 to the Peace Palace and Court of International Justice. Tours include viewing the valuable gifts given by countries around the globe. From here it's a short walk to Panorama Mesdag to see the gigantic picture of the fishing port in the late 1880's. ****Camping: *Drive southwest of the city center to Kijkduin and the beach. Vakantiecentr. Kijkduinpark (3170-448-2100); close to the beach; large; popular with families; open all year; $$$$. Delft A pleasant but touristy, leafy canal town, Delft's fame comes from the blue-and-white tiles she produced in the 17th century. Originally copied from the Ming dynasty in China, the tile workers became so skillful that they were able to sell them back to the Chinese! (The best collection is found in the Rijksmueum in Amsterdam.) ****Camping: *On the eastern edge of town, in the city recreational parkland Delfse Hout. Exit A13 for Pijnacker, and drive east following signposting. Delftse Hout Camping, Korftlaan 5 (3115-213-0040); pleasant location; convenient; open all year; $$. Rotterdam When many European ports became too small to accommodate the huge ships built after World War
II, the Dutch, ever determined and optimistic, dredged and built a deep-water port and called Europoort. Today it is one of Europe's largest ports. The best way to appreciate it is to take a waterway excursion trip. To
gaze up at the immense container ships and oil tankers from the water is humbling. Directions: Use the Spacetower at Euromast as a guide for parking. Then walk northeast towards Williamsplein and Spido
Cruises. For the best collections of Dutch windmills, go to Kinderdijk. Built in the mid-18th
century, a string of 18 windmills lines the main channel leading into polders, or reclaimed land. Inspecting them from inside and visiting the exhibition center rounds out the excursion. But enthusiasts come hear the eerie creaking made as the blades make their majestic turns when they put into operation on Saturday afternoons in July and August. Directions: Kinderdijk is at Albasserdam, southeast of Rotterdam and signposted off A16 just over the waterway.
****Camping: *On the Oude Maas river in Barendrecht, just south of Rotterdam. From A15 or A29, exit east to Barendrecht and follow signposting to Ijsselmonde, a recreational parkland and campground.
Camping de Oude Maas (3178-677-2445); pleasant setting; convenient; open all year; $$. The Delta Project and Expo In response to the 1953 devastation caused by high
tides and flooding in Zeeland (a cluster of islands and peninsulas south of Rotterdam), the Dutch embarked on a project that spanned 30 years and resulted in the most complex engineering project the world has ever
seen. True to their heritage of group decisions, the Storm Surge Barrier was a compromise between environmentalists, fishermen, and farmers. The Expo, a hands-on experience with water, cleverly appeals to
both young and old and should not to be missed; open daily. Directions: For the coastal route, use 57; otherwise take A58 to Middleburg, and then go north on 57.
The Wacheren peninsula, located southwest of the Storm Surge Barrier, is a low-key and popular vacation area for the Dutch. Stunningly fields of brilliantly colored flowers,
picturesque villages with inviting sidewalk cafes, softly shaped sand dunes, and sunny beaches make it hard not to want to stay awhile. There's a terrific paved cycling/walking path on the sand dunes and also one that
fringes the flower fields and then goes through the villages. ****Camping: On the north side of the Storm Surge Barrier in Burgh-Haamstede. Camping Groenewoudt (3111-165-1410); pool; open April-September;
$$$. On the south side of the Barrier in Vrouwenpolder. Camping Ornjezon
(3111-859-1549); large; pool; small cafe; close to the dunes and beach; open May-October; $$$$. Close to Domburg on the Walcheren pennisula. Drive south off the Barrier on 57 for nine kilometers in the direction of Middleburg. Exit for Domburg and drive another nine kilometers, following signposting for Aagtekerke.
Zeeland Camping Westhove (0118-58-1809); close to the flower fields; villages; and beach; open April-October; $$$. Hoge Veluwe National Park Only an hour from Amsterdam, this park is a precious spot of pine-scented tranquilly and beauty, providing a perfect setting for the Kroller-Muller Museum's famous collection of 19th and 20th century art. Noted for it's large Van Gogh collection, it also boasts works by Seurat, Picasso, and Modrian. A large sculpture garden includes pieces by Rodin, Moore, and Hepworth, along with many others; closed Mondays. Hundreds of bicycles are available free to visitors for use on the lacework of cycle/walking paths. The highlight at the Visitor Centre is the Museonder Museum, the first underground museum in the world. Its mystical and fascinating exhibits are geared to both young and old; open daily. If you want to see the impressive art-deco hunting lodge, St. Hubertus, stop at visitor center on the day of your visit to the lodge, because reservations are only made here and for the day of the visit; open daily. Directions: From Amsterdam drive east on A1 for about 60km. Pass the exit for A30 and Ede, and drive 15km further on A1, exiting for N310 and Stroe. Drive south on N310, following signposting for eleven kilometers farther for Otterlo and Hoge Veluwe. ****Camping: *Close to the Otterlo entrance to the park. Follow the directions to the park and Otterlo. Continue south through the village on N310. It's signposted. Camping Beek en Hei (0318-591-483); lovely location; close to the main park sights; open all year; $$$. At the Arnhem park entrance in Schaarsbergen. North of Arnhem exit A12/A50 onto N310. Then drive east on N311 to the park entrance. Camping de Hooge Veluwe (0312-6443-2272); large; convenient; open April-September; $$$. Waterland Gabled houses here are decorated like wedding cakes with arched doorways rich in fanciful designs. Tiny gardens overflow with marigolds and hollyhocks, and narrow cobblestone streets wind like pieces of a medieval jigsaw puzzle through the little towns of Waterland. In the Rococo interiors of the Town Halls it's easy to picture the Burgomaster in his enormous wig staring intently at the prisoner, humiliated in baggy pants and clumsy shoes, as the "bigwigs," extravagant in ruffs of rich starched lace and plumed high black hats, look on. Canoeing, biking, and wind surfing are popular sports and rentals are available in Monnickendam and at the Het Twiske nature reserve in Landsmeer. Directions: Cross over the waterway on the north side of Amsterdam on A10, and drive north on scenic 247. ****Camping: *In Edam. Exit 247 on the north side of town, and drive towards the harbor. Camping Strandbad (0299-371-994); on the water; popular with wind surfers; small; reserve ahead; open April-September; $$$. Groningen In a dramatic decision to cut down traffic congestion, Groningen voted to remove a large downtown roadway and allocated a considerable amount of money for cycling paths. It's a joy to pedal here along with the friendly locals who fill the streets. Carillon bells ring out sweet melodies, flower stalls spill out glorious color, and you wish your hometown had voted likewise. Whimiscal and colorful, the Groninger Museum hangs over the canal inviting you to smile and enter. Start upstairs with the Dutch silver masters and entrancing Chinese ceramic collection. The museum is noted for avant-garde acquisitions and temporary shows; closed Mondays. Directions: Follow the canal south; the museum is across from the train station. The train station has been restored to some of its 1890 art nouveau grandeur and it's definitely worth the short walk from the art museum. Much of Holland's wealth has, and still does, come from shipping. Imaginatively presented exhibits in the Noordelijk Scheepvaart Museum make it easy to understand the lure the sea; closed Mondays. Directions: North of the train station along the canal. ****Camping: 13km east of Groningen on A7/E22 in the direction of Winschoten exit for Foxhol, and drive south to Kropswolde. Then follow signposting through the Zuidlaardermeer parkland. Camping Meerwijck (3159-832-3659); beautiful lake-side setting in a large parkland; children's indoor pool; open April-October; $$$. Friesland and the Island of Ameland The emerald-green
dairy fields of Friesland, carefully reclaimed from the sea by hard-working peasants and farmers, stretch out like a prairie. Flocks of geese waddle around the great farmsteads where house and farm buildings are
under one roof. Well-fed black-and-white cows contentedly chew and magnificent black horses swish their manes and tails. This pastoral country of cream and butter was a land apart until the causeway over the great
dyke was built. Dreams of exotic faraway lands inspired the extraordinary development of fantastic designs in headdress, fabric, furniture, silver, and tile work. An extensive collection is displayed in the
Fries Museum in Leeuwarden; closed Monday. Directions: Follow signs to centre and large carpark. Using the steeple of the Grote Kerk as a guide, continue east. The museum is east of Grote Kerk, on the
east side of a narrow canal on Turfmarkt. The island of Ameland is popular with cyclists, bird watchers, and mud-flat walkers. It's a tranquil place even in season.
Plenty of bicycles stand ready to be rented at the island's ferry landing. Mud-flat walking is a very strenuous and very unique activity that requires a guide and needs pre-booking with the tourist office in
Leeuwarden or Dokkum. Fishing and whaling were prosperous industries in these islands, and the sailors and shippilots that learned to navigate the perilously shallow waters were sought after by the shipping industry
through-out Europe. Ferries leave twice each morning and afternoon. Directions: Drive 13km west of Dokkum or 26km northeast of Leeuwarden to Holwerd, and then four kilometers farther to the ferry dock and
large parking area. Once an important port supplying Londoners with huge quanities of butter and cheese, Harlingen is a pleasant place to enjoy some fresh fish and small town ambiance. Hindeloopen, a tiny village
tied to the sea rather than farming, devised elaborate fanciful designs for their clothing and furniture during the 17th
century. Today it makes a colorful village stop. On the weekends, the Ijsselmeer looks like a swarm of butterflies as sails from hundreds of boats and wind surfers color its surface. Directions: Off A7/E22 exit 21km from the north side of the great dyke at Bolsward onto N359. Drive 14km south. Exit for Hindeloopen.
*****Camping: *In Leeuwarden. Exit N355, five kilometers east of the city for the parkland Kleine Wielen and follow signposting. Camping De Kleine Wielen
(0511-431-660); large family camp with separate lake-side setting for tents and RV's; convenient; open April-September; $$. *On Ameland. North of the village of Nes follow signposting for Strand Duinoord.
Camping Duinoord (0519-542-070); can be windy; open April-September; $$. *In Harlingen. South of town, on N31 follow signposting. Camping de Zeehoeve
(0517-413-465); nice location on the water; open April-September; $$. *In Hindeloopen. Camping Hindeloopen (0514-521-452); close to the water; tennis; wind-surfing school; open April-September; $$.
Southeastern Holland Tucked in between Belgium and Germany, the rolling hills, river valleys, and pleasant villages east of Maastricht are popular with cyclists and walkers. The American War Memorial in Margarten is a peaceful resting place for over 8,000 soldiers who died here during World War II. Directions: Drive 13km east of Maastricht on N278 to Margraten. Maastricht, a leafy, low-key city, hosted the European treaty signing in 1992. Every Wednesday and Friday, an excellent morning market is held at the Stadhuis. Directions: Off N278 follow signs for centre and parking. Use the steeple of St. Servaaskerk to guide you. Stadhuis is on the west side of the river, north of the cathedral and main square. For a vivid impression of war and its machinery, stop at the National War and Resistance Museum in Overloon; open daily. Directions: Exit A67/S34 four kilometers west of Venlo and the German-Netherland border, for Venray. Drive north 18km to Venray on A73. Pass through the village, and drive seven kilometers north of town to the village of Overloon. ****Camping: East of Maastricht. Off N278 exit 20km west of Aachen for Viljlen. Drive southwest following signposting. Camping Cottesserhoeve (043-455-1352); lovely location in the hills; open April-September; $$. North of Maastricht 30km. Exit A2/E25 three kilometers south of Echt, at the village of Dieteren, and follow signposting to Susteren. Camping Hommelheide (046-449-2900); nice location on the river; open all year; $$$. |
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