Amsterdam: June 2013
Stayokay Youth Hostel in Vondelpark.
Just like my college dorm room but with a bathroom.
Other bunk beds
Bunk beds in the family room.
Bathroom sink area opposite the toliet.
Aidan didn’t like that the shower room smelled of mildew. At least, he’s not sharing a shower room with the floor!
Breakfast at the hostel.
Aidan gives Dutch Hotchpotch a thumbs up.
Aidan can’t quite finish all those mashed potatoes.
Westerkerk Church near Anne Frank House
Yes, we should have gotten to the Anne Frank House earlier!
Boys read about the Anne Frank House while we wait in the one-hour long line.
Canal house across from the Anne Frank House.
Love the canal house of the left with the large circle window.
Hard to see, but there’s a black lab in the back of this carrier. Can you imagine us biking Nilla around town?!
Our Indonesian lunch. It was quite tasty!
Aidan chowing Indonesian lunch.
After museums, Aidan reaps an ice cream reward.
I AMSTERDAM with famous Rijksmuseum in background.
Rare sighting caught on camera: brother helping brother!
Aidan, Nathan, and Shellie at I AMSTERDAM.
Aidan and Nathan at I AMSTERDAM.
While I was taking a photo of Nathan, look what Aidan decided to do atop the letter “d.” Yikes!
Yes, I had him get down immediately after taking this photo!
The largest collection of Van Gogh’s work – more than 200 paintings, 437 drawings and 31 prints – can be found in the Van Gogh Museum.
Self-portrait in Front of Easel
Van Gogh’s actual paints.
Aidan works to complete his Kids’ Treasure Hunt.
Irises.
The Potato Eaters.
The Langlois Bridge.
Fishing Boats on the Beach at Saintes-Maries.
Wheat field with Reaper.
Van Gogh had a sense of humor. While doing this painting of a skeleton at the Academy, he added a cigarette to get a rise out of his teachers.
Nathan and Aidan in front of Sunflowers.
Sunflowers from the other side.
Van Gogh’s signature on Sunflowers.
One of the Sunflowers series.
There is a second Sunflowers here, but you can to photograph it.
Van Gogh painting Sunflowers by Paul Gaugin.
Nathan admires Yellow House.
Aidan works on completing the kids’ program.
The Boy with the Blue Cap.
Look at the color detail in the eyes.
Self-portrait with Straw Hat.
Aidan gets postcard reward for completing kids’ program. It’s a copy of his favorite Van Gogh painting, Yellow House.
The self-timer on the camera works! Yey!
Nathan with his Superman pose.
“A” is for Aidan.
“S” is for Shellie.
Aidan can’t get enough of freaking me out with his daredevil moves!
Bulbs for sale at floating flower market.
Cool wooden bicycle.
Tun Fun is underground. Above is a traffic circle.
Aidan easily joins Dutch boys playing soccer. They speak the same language… football!
The blur is Nathan coming out of the inflatable tunnel.
This slide was so steep… too steep for Shellie.
Yikes!
Aidan zooming down very steep slide.
Draw bridge along the Amstel Canal.
Amstel Canal on a Saturday afternoon.
Even Costco doesn’t have Nutella like this!
Dutch pancakes are always a winner with this family!
I couldn’t convince the boys to try herring on the street. It did smell a bit. It’s a very Dutch snack. My grandpa loved creamed herring!
Flag of the Netherlands
Shellie at Starbucks across from the Floating Flower Market. We spent more than an hour there using the free Wi-Fi.
Central Train Station in Amsterdam
Waiting for yet another train
Groningen & surrounding area
Central train station in Groningen
The train stations – even in smaller towns – are really ornate in Europe.
Notice how the bunk beds don’t have safety bars.
Inside cabin at Stadspark Campground
Biking together at campground
Sighting of brotherly cooperation
Waiting for our train to Delfzijl
Aidan and Nathan along the Waddenzee
Just left the sheep…
Yes, I can ride and take photos at the same time!
Biking through the wheat fields
You can’t see it in this photo, but there’s a nifty tire channel on the bridge to help get your bike over.
Nathan riding along in the polders
Cemetery in Bierum
Biking through the Dutch countryside
Cemetery in Godlinze
Windmill in Zeerijp
Some of our ancestors are from this town, ‘t Zandt.
Cemetery in ‘t Zandt
Tired and eating droop, a Dutch candy
Cemetery in Appingedam
Around the World in 72 Days 