Did I ever tell you about our TRIP TO NORTH HOLLAND?
I had never been to Amsterdam before and thought that would be a nice place to go in the spring. From the beginning it was all the Tulips they have in the Netherlands that I had in mind.
So I booked a trip for us to Amsterdam and Haarlem in the end of April 2005. Haarlem because of the annual flower parade they have there, which you can read about in the post below.
This was actually one of the trips when the weather was with us too. Or maybe before I had my bad weather curse… It was beautiful spring weather, a bit warmer than we have here in Sweden that time of the year, so oh, we really sucked in all the early spring sunlight!
Amsterdam is such an old beautiful city with all the water in the canals and interesting architecture. It certainly has a kind of special atmosphere.
I love all the bicycles in the city. With all the canals and the narrow streets, a bicycle is to prefer as transportation. There are a lot of bikes to rent too, together with maps of tours you can take.
I don’t know if it was the spring weather and the fact that it was a Friday afternoon we arrived – or if it’s always like that in Amsterdam – but we found the city to be a perfect city just to have some weekend fun in.
I guess we weren’t the only ones thinking that, because it was rather lively already at 6′ clock in the afternoon and we did see one man laying in his blood at the street outside a strip bar, so the ambulance came and picked him up. But we felt safe anyway, because they do have a lot of policemen over the whole city all the time.
This is a sign we saw on the door to a bar in Amsterdam. Where else can you see such a sign so openly displayed?
It’s seems to be accepted with drugs over there, you could even buy special “Lollypops” in special shops that were supposed to make you “happy”.
Though we didn’t try it, since we’re already happy, high and addicted of our own drug – LOVE 
I doubt that you really get happy from using drugs… Getting temporarily high yes, but not happy. Certainly not happy in the long run, we could see a lot of really worned down drug addicts around Amsterdam’s inner core. It was quite sad actually.
Of course we did visit the Red Light district in the evening too, can’t have been to Amsterdam and not have seen it hah? It’s a strange feeling to walk there though, being a woman I mean and see all those half naked women offer their services in these windows with the lights. Made you think about how their lifes really are…
I tell you, it was quite a long lemming line with people walking these streets up and down peeping into the windows. (Sorry, no nude pictures from there There actually were one man that didn’t look were he was going, because he was looking up at some women at second floor, so he walked right into a street light – ouch! That put a lot of smiles on peoples faces…
I did found the people in Amsterdam very relaxed though, don’t know if it was because the liberal view of things or simply their life styles.
I saw more of the relaxed, “funny” fashion style there. Sometimes people were dressed a bit like in the hippie times in the sixties, the flower power.
Swedes are tall people, but the dutch’s are taller. It was the first time I haven’t feel like looking down at people when we’re abroad. So, I had to buy two pair of pants, because they were long enough!
From Amsterdam we took the train to Haarlem, a smaller, but very nice town with a lot of stores and restaurants too. There were a lot of people waiting for the flower parade, but still a little more quiet than Amsterdam.
Except that we had our room at the square where they had the tivoli. Luckily, we’re not easy disturbed. We had this arm right outside our window, swinging screaming people in the air – through the whole night!
I didn’t get to see the famous Tulip fields, but some Tulips and a lot of other flowers in the flower market. And we didn’t see any of their wellknown windmills, wooden shoes or cheese either, so I count on going there some more time to see more of what the Netherlands has to offer.
WHY hasn’t the day more hours and the week more days – so I can have the time to go around exploring the world more…?
♥ Lifecruisers photos from North Holland 2005 ♥
Lifecruiser ♥ Holland
I really have travel envy when I read all the wonderful places you visit. My only trip outside the U.S. has been a cruise to the Bahamas. Of course living where you do makes it much easier to visit other countries. One of these days when the children (read “dogs”) are grown and we retire (again)we’ll travel the world. (maybe)
Lifecruiser: Well, I’ll wanna go to Bahamas….. *lol* It’s really something I recommend, to travel I mean. You get to see so much new things, to learn so much about everything. It’s so interesting to travel, it’s opens up a whole new world to your brain. So you have to, later when “the girls” not are teenagers any more! You are gonna regret it otherwise, I’m sure.
I ask myself this last quoestion all the time!!! Why? Oh why?
It has the aura of old towns, old times. The ghosts of the past seem to be wandering and hanging out as well as all the alive creatures. I think Prague has the same spirit.
Anyway Amsterdam is one of my favourite cities. I spent there only one day.
Lifecruiser: Yes, Prague is on our wishlist to visit too. It’s getting long that list… *lol*
Wonderful memories! And you do have some really good ones! My hubby has been to Amsterdam and told me all about the Red Light District and the dope smoking! He says it is interesting but he found other things much better! He viewed wth windmills and the flowers! Sounds like you and Mr. L sure do have fun and love where ever you go! Mine is up. Have a great Monday!
Lifecruiser: Yes, we totally agree with him and we really anjoy experiencing other countries, where ever we go, it’s interesting to get to know the locals and their habits – and food
Oh wow, now I want to go eat some Gouda Cheese and stomp around in wooden shoes. Great memories as always. Did you get to see the Anne Frank house? So many things to see….so little time. I would love to see the tulip fields and windmills too.
Lifecruiser: Yes, too little time, no Anne Frank house either, so we HAVE to go there again! *lol*
I have been to Amsterdam as a kid on a lay over for 2 days and what I remember it was beautiful in the summer.
I have friends who live there to and maybe someday I will get the oppertunity to return.
I have the travel bug now and I sometimes wish I live in europe so I could travel around more.
You are lucky to live close to so many beautiful countries.
Lifecruiser: Yes, we really are
But I suspect that both Canada and U.S have a lot of beautiful places too and we have to travel far to reach them, so I guess it’s fair in that matter. We’d love to travel around a bit over there. Maybe some day again.
Wow, I wish I could visit a foreign country some day. I’d like to go to Japan and France. Then I’d like to visit Tahiti. That’s one place I’ve always wanted to go.
Sounds like a wonderful trip you had. Thank you for stopping by my MM.
Lifecruiser: It’s kinda strange, but I have no wish to go to either Japan nor China, as everybody else want. I don’t really know why, I just feel like that. Maybe I would change if I really did go there… *lol*
Isn’t that funny I spent 3 days in Amsterdam visiting my son ! He lives there and I have been there many times. My daugther in law to be is dutch and from Amsterdam. So I took pictures and published the story of Amsterdam with the pictures in my travel blog. So you can read about drugs, red zone etc. Would like to hear what you think ! Cheers
Lifecruiser: Aha, great, we’ll pop over to you later and have a look too
It sounds like a wonderful city–architecturally. Some of the lifestyles–well, no– empty. Your travels just amaze me, Mrs. LifeCruiser.
Lifecruiser: Yes, I agree with you. There is many places we visit, that is truly wonderful as a tourist, but we’d never want to actually live there. But it’s really interesting, fun and educating to travel there. We just LOVE to travel and explore. And take photos. *lol*
Really you have a good life! And you tell so well your experiences that everybody who read them wants to go there! Now I can’t travel but in my near futur I will! Sure!
Claudie
Lifecruiser: Yes, haven’t we….? *lol* And I’m well aware that I tempt people a bit by my writing about our travel life – that’s the purpose. I want people to go out and explore the world! It’s too short to just stay at home. I hope you get to travel a lot later
Wow! You’re blessed to be able to travel like that! I would love to go there. I collect dolls from different countries and a friend brought me a doll from Holland. Shes’ so cute!
Thanks for sharing your memories! I played too!
Lifecruiser: Oh, dolls you say? You should see the ones we saw in Greece!!!! I think I must go looking for that pic and send you the link…..
I love seeing your travel pictures and reading all the details! It’s almost as good as going myself
I would love to ride that swinging thing, but I don’t think I would have enjoyed having it outside my window!
Lifecruiser: Yes, I like to travel by others photos myself! The second best.
With you travelling so much I have no need to leave my home. I can just come here and read about the places..
Lifecruiser: Yes, just send us your money and we’ll travel instead of you – all over the world
I live in Holland as you know, but I haven’t yet been to Amsterdam for any length of time.. we usually pass thru it or we go to the station to pick family up. I don’t know if I’d like the drug side of it, or the red light district but I just have to go there.. even if it IS just once.
Mandy :=)
Lifecruiser: Yes, I remembered that you live there. It’s a nice country. That’s how I was thinking too, you must visit it at least once, even though you don’t like that kind of things