Clog Dancing Holland

Guest · 24 May 10, 06:48 PM

Well as it is only 6 days till we head off to Holland for a few days I thought I would start a trip report.

Participants

Me - Jane (50 something), loves travelling, anywhere that is exciting and new.

DH - Ian (also 50 something) - just goes with the flow.

DS - Jack (very nearly 16, going on 26!) musician extraordinaire, grumpy teenager.

Background

I began corresponding with a lady in Holland back when DS was just 10 months old and we had moved from London to Hampshire. I was feeling lonely and fed up. So I got her name from the back of a Mother and Baby magazine - she had a daughter the same age. She speaks and writes very good english - her husband and daughter are now reasonably good too! We wrote to each other, exchanged recipies, craft ideas and generally seemed to get on quite well. When Jack was 6 we decided to make a trip to Holland to visit them - we drove all the way and they lived right up in the north. We had a lovely week and stayed in a B&B, travelled to one of the islands and did a lot of cycling! They then came to visit us when the children were about 10 and camped near us - again we did all sorts of things and still got on well together. Then they came to the UK for 3 weeks last year and visited us on the way through for a meal before heading down to Lyme Regis for a week, camping at a site we recommended.

So we felt that it was time for us to visit them again - they have since moved house and now live in a different area - so the planning began.

We booked the Ferry back at Christmas - we are going from Dover to Dunkirk with Norfolk Lines for �39 rtn. Then we booked a "cottage" / duch barn in a site very near to where they live here : fredeshiem.nl/, staying in : fredeshiem.nl/index.php?p...n& real_id=14

So here is our itinerary:

Sunday 30th May: Leave home about 10pm and drive to Dover for a 2am departure!

Monday 31st May: Arrive into Dunkirk at 5am local time

. We are then going to drive along the French / Belgiam border to GODEWAERSVELDE BRITISH CEMETERY as one of my Great Uncles is buried there, having died in WW1 - so I would like to pay my respects. I am researching my family tree, so this is of interest to me.
From here we are then going to drive to Bruges and park the car by the staion and catch the bus into the centre. I am hoping we will be there by about 8.30 and in time for some breakfast. We are then going to wander around and do a boat trip and then make our way back to the car - maybe catching some lunch before we leave. Then we will start our journey to Steenwijk. Google says it should take about 3. hrs, Marijke says more like 5 because of the rush hour - but I am wondering when their rush hour starts as we will be driving in the middle of the day. We will drive to their house and have a coffee before they then take us over to the site. Then we will drive back to their house for supper.

Tuesday 1st June: We are doing a trip to an Orchid Nursery as well as Batavia Werf museum shipyard and outlet village. Lunch out and supper at their house. Marijke will come with us, Bjartur will be starting a new job that day, so he won't be able to join us and Ingeborg will in school.

Wednesday 2nd June - a day on our own! We are hoping to go and visit the Royal Palais Het Loo and then go to Zwolle and have a look around there. This is nearest city to them, but don' think it is very big.

Thursday 3rd June - Bjartur has been able to take the day off so we are going to go to Giethoorn, boating, stroll through picturesque village, visit to museum Evening: dinner at local Wok restaurant.

Friday 4th June - we will aim to leave around lunch time for our journey back to Dunkirk for an 8pm ferry back to UK.

So a bi of a busy week - but should be fun. Will do a trippie when we get back.

Karma · 24 May 10, 06:50 PM

Oooh I am looking forward to this trip report as I went to Amsterdam recently and would love to go back and see the fields of tulips

Guest · 24 May 10, 07:11 PM

Sounds good Jane - look forward to the trippie.

highland lass · 24 May 10, 07:18 PM

sounds great jane - look forward to reading your trippie

MrsGrumpy · 25 May 10, 04:36 PM

Hope you have a great time Jane, make sure you get plenty of siroopwafels! DS is in Leeuwarden, not too far north of where you're going.

Guest · 25 May 10, 05:21 PM

Originally Posted by MrsGrumpy

Hope you have a great time Jane, make sure you get plenty of siroopwafels! DS is in Leeuwarden, not too far north of where you're going.

We have been to Leeuwarden as that is where our friends used to live - a small world! Being a diabetic, the siroopwafels may be out of bounds!

MrsGrumpy · 25 May 10, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by JaneSi

We have been to Leeuwarden as that is where our friends used to live - a small world! Being a diabetic, the siroopwafels may be out of bounds!

What a small world indeed! Out of bounds for me too (no wheat) but DH loves them. DS works in Paddy O'Ryans Irish Bar.

sue.o · 26 May 10, 09:34 AM

Sounds like a great trip! I love Holland so looking forward to reading more and seeing lots of photos too!

DIBBadmin · 26 May 10, 09:34 AM

This thread has been automatically closed as it has not been posted on in 365 days.

24 May 10, 06:48 PM	#1
	24 May 10, 06:48 PM Guest Guest
Guest Guest	Clog Dancing Holland Well as it is only 6 days till we head off to Holland for a few days I thought I would start a trip report. Participants Me - Jane (50 something), loves travelling, anywhere that is exciting and new. DH - Ian (also 50 something) - just goes with the flow. DS - Jack (very nearly 16, going on 26!) musician extraordinaire, grumpy teenager. Background I began corresponding with a lady in Holland back when DS was just 10 months old and we had moved from London to Hampshire. I was feeling lonely and fed up. So I got her name from the back of a Mother and Baby magazine - she had a daughter the same age. She speaks and writes very good english - her husband and daughter are now reasonably good too! We wrote to each other, exchanged recipies, craft ideas and generally seemed to get on quite well. When Jack was 6 we decided to make a trip to Holland to visit them - we drove all the way and they lived right up in the north. We had a lovely week and stayed in a B&B, travelled to one of the islands and did a lot of cycling! They then came to visit us when the children were about 10 and camped near us - again we did all sorts of things and still got on well together. Then they came to the UK for 3 weeks last year and visited us on the way through for a meal before heading down to Lyme Regis for a week, camping at a site we recommended. So we felt that it was time for us to visit them again - they have since moved house and now live in a different area - so the planning began. We booked the Ferry back at Christmas - we are going from Dover to Dunkirk with Norfolk Lines for �39 rtn. Then we booked a "cottage" / duch barn in a site very near to where they live here : fredeshiem.nl/, staying in : fredeshiem.nl/index.php?p...n& real_id=14 So here is our itinerary: Sunday 30th May: Leave home about 10pm and drive to Dover for a 2am departure! Monday 31st May: Arrive into Dunkirk at 5am local time . We are then going to drive along the French / Belgiam border to GODEWAERSVELDE BRITISH CEMETERY as one of my Great Uncles is buried there, having died in WW1 - so I would like to pay my respects. I am researching my family tree, so this is of interest to me. From here we are then going to drive to Bruges and park the car by the staion and catch the bus into the centre. I am hoping we will be there by about 8.30 and in time for some breakfast. We are then going to wander around and do a boat trip and then make our way back to the car - maybe catching some lunch before we leave. Then we will start our journey to Steenwijk. Google says it should take about 3. hrs, Marijke says more like 5 because of the rush hour - but I am wondering when their rush hour starts as we will be driving in the middle of the day. We will drive to their house and have a coffee before they then take us over to the site. Then we will drive back to their house for supper. Tuesday 1st June: We are doing a trip to an Orchid Nursery as well as Batavia Werf museum shipyard and outlet village. Lunch out and supper at their house. Marijke will come with us, Bjartur will be starting a new job that day, so he won't be able to join us and Ingeborg will in school. Wednesday 2nd June - a day on our own! We are hoping to go and visit the Royal Palais Het Loo and then go to Zwolle and have a look around there. This is nearest city to them, but don' think it is very big. Thursday 3rd June - Bjartur has been able to take the day off so we are going to go to Giethoorn, boating, stroll through picturesque village, visit to museum Evening: dinner at local Wok restaurant. Friday 4th June - we will aim to leave around lunch time for our journey back to Dunkirk for an 8pm ferry back to UK. So a bi of a busy week - but should be fun. Will do a trippie when we get back.

24 May 10, 07:11 PM	#3
	24 May 10, 07:11 PM Guest Guest
Guest Guest	Sounds good Jane - look forward to the trippie.

26 May 10, 09:34 AM	#9
	26 May 10, 09:34 AM DIBBadmin Imagineer
DIBBadmin Imagineer Join Date: Mar 02	This thread has been automatically closed as it has not been posted on in 365 days.