Tag Archive: Netherlands


Gramping With Mamu

Filed under: Europe, Food Trip, Italy, Musings & Ramblings, Travel, travels — Leave a comment
September 5, 2024

Gramping. It’s becoming a trend where grandparents travel with grandchildren. It can be fun, but it can also be disastrous for some especially if there are no shared interests and food preferences. I have taken trips with the “apos” (grandchildren) before — once to Madrid to stay with a niece, and another time to Sydney to visit our relatives. But lately, we have taken trips together on our own, staying in hotels or apartments, charting a travel itinerary based on what the 3 of us wish to do and deciding each day on what and where to dine. Mostly, we ended up visiting museums and cultural attractions but we also managed to squeeze in a concert in each of the trips. The very first gramping was in 2023 starting in Amsterdam where we literally exhausted as many museums we can cover, checking out the bars and sleeping in most mornings. Our days started late unless we planned some day trips and we almost always managed to eat well. From Amsterdam, we took trains to move around and based ourselves in Brussels, Brugges, Nimes and Avignon before moving to Paris. Food porn all the way without minding the calories as we burned them just walking all around. It was a wonderful trip and we delighted on our food discoveries while tracing Van Gogh’s provençal life. Wrote many blogs about this gramping adventure but here’s the blog summary.

Just One More Croissant

It has been under a year since that gramping when we found ourselves haphazardly planning a 2nd gramping. This time to Italy. An invitation for my nieta to join a few other Filipino artists to exhibit their works in Venezia is simply too difficult to pass up. And so it went that I caught up with them on their last day in Venice, as I was coming off another trip. The plan was to train from Venice to Florence where we based ourselves and did day trips to many other Tuscan spots before settling in Rome where we flew back to our Manila nest. Just 2 weeks. Too many places we wish to visit but not enough time. As I came off another trip, the apos crafted our travel itinerary right down to where and what we’d eat as well as some time for a cafe crawl and bar hopping. Once more, we had a wonderful time. Never thought I’d pile up so many journals for this rather short trip but the memories just overflow and required some “order” for proper safekeeping!

The Big 3 of Italy ?

By this time, we 3 are pretty sure we travel well together. Apos are now quite adept crafting travel itineraries, hotel bookings, train reservations and dining options. The last item is important. With only 3 of us, it is nearly impossible to share meals if we don’t have similar food preferences. We also share the same passion for a good brew and gelato breaks are a given whenever we’re traveling. Happy hours are delightfully enjoyed and this is when we love chatting about our favourite spots and plan where else to go. We have also mastered the art of grocery shopping for some lazy dinners and breakfasts while doing our laundry.

And now, we’re off again. The full activity in UK beckons so watch this page for updates. Ciao for now.

Around London
And That’s It, UK ❤️
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Going Loco At The Moco

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May 20, 2023

The MOCO is one of 4 museums in Museumplein along with Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh and Stedeldijk Museums. Of these 4, we missed only the Rijks but didn’t skip on the Rembrandt Huis which was surprisingly entertaining and engaging. The interactive element of this museum visit wasn’t lost on us. But MOCO? It’s the tiniest of the 4 hardcore museums we visited but packed with the more popular mod art that includes collections of Banksy, Basquiat, Keith Haring, Warhol, Kaws, Icy & Sot, Yayoi Kusama and more. Well curated and very very entertaining, the MOCO won’t fail to engage a young crowd. Artworks on display bear statements on the artist and the philosophical messages, either perceived or articulated by the artists themselves. For sure, The MOCO has its own philosophy and that message rang throughout the tiny museum. Not imposing, neither conflicting, but quite tolerant and persuasive.

The MOCO

The younger generation seems to relate more with contemporary art and modern art. Perhaps because of the more relatable and provocative messages that their artworks convey. The pop culture is also very persuasive with rebellious advocacies and non-conformist and thought-inducing ideas. Banksy, Icy and Sot are geniuses more than vandals. Their street art have made them familiar with their local audiences across all ages and economic strata. And there’s that element of mystery and danger too as they ply their art under illegitimate circumstances and situations.

Viewing these artworks is like having a dialogue with these artists breaking out of some censorship and restrictions. Not quite the same as viewing the works of Renaissance masters. Both appeal to the senses, but in a different way. I’m rambling, but that’s my take on it. 😊

Take Kaws. This American ex-freelance artist used to do work for Disney as graphic illustrator and has successfully breached the gap between fine art and commerce. Imagine Mickey Mouse with X eyes. Familiarity with icons like the Mouse plus other brands made Brooklyn-based Kaws’ collectibles such a craze among art fans. A stroke of genius, really, where art crosses the line towards commerce.

Then there’s Basquiat. He and his powerful messages behind his art. Dead too soon such that the art world had to compete for the limited supply of his artworks. Potent expressions on the great divide between rich and poor, black and white, the powerful and the powerless. In his very short life, Basquiat’s not too subtle advocacies found such an effective expression in his art.

All told, MOCO is for everyone to enjoy. In fact, all 4 museums in Museumplein in Amsterdam deserves a visit, plus a separate trip to nearby Rembranthuis. In Amsterdam, that’s what you do!

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A Heineken Experience

Filed under: Europe, Travel, travels — 1 Comment
May 18, 2023

A Heineken Experience

How do you spend Mother’s Day with your 2 elves? We’ve booked a 2pm walking tour today and the sun promises to be out the entire day with temps high enough to keep us comfortably warm throughout the day. At the last minute, one of the elves booked a Heineken Experience — a beer museum to educate us on the origin and history of this Dutch beer. The ticket is actually more expensive than tickets to Van Gogh and other major museums but it comes with 3 beers! And NOT just your ordinary beer. This one’s just made and delivered 2 days prior so you can’t get it any fresher. 🍻

There were many fun things to do inside the original Heineken brewery. More fun as you say “Proost!” often enough while lifting your beer glasses. The crew here are all young and fun, like they’re all slightly tipsy and friendlier. What it may have lacked in “substance” (how much can you tell about beer, anyway?) , it made up for it in golden liquid experience. Proost!

By 2pm, the walking tour commenced. It grew warmer by now and the sun was beating on us. The history lessons were good but after Heineken, it was difficult to jam all that info in one’s head. Trivia running from the city’s architecture, trading/merchant history, drug issues, red light district, “unplanned” monarchy, gay movement, water/flood engineering, etc. — all these clouded my mind enough.

As we walked back to the Centraal Station for the trip back to our hotel, we decided we’d drop in on the Sex Museum. It’s there. No harm dropping in and costs only €9. Well, that’s money wasted though it drew laughs among us so the fun makes it worthwhile, I guess. Be warned though. No subtleties here. Kamasutra fanatics may welcome the gross installations but really, it’s money and time wasted.

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Day 1 Started With JORDAAN

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JORDAAN. It’s very bohemian here. Very trendy. My kind of neighborhood. And my elves love it too! A great starter for this trip, despite the first and hopefully the only boo-boo I made. Thought we’d arrive the next day but whoa, it was the same-day (of departure) late evening arrival for us in Amsterdam. Made last-minute booking and Day 1 went smoothly as we woke up bright and cheery in our hotel beside the train station just 2 stops from Schipol.

My 2 “elves” hitting this hip neighborhood.
Jordaan and its narrow canals and streets.

Brunch was in Joordan at Espressobar Tazzina after a visit of Noordermarkt. We didn’t want to miss this mercado because it’s open only on Saturdays and Mondays. Neither did we miss Bloemenmarkt to check out the “floating” flower market. The morning nourishment continues at Pancake Amsterdam near Anne Frank Huis. But we didn’t go there; instead we went to OUR HOUSE, a Museum of Electronic Dance Music. Really a techno music museum that’s a haven for DJ wannabes. Honestly didn’t think I’d find myself here but hey, I actually enjoyed it to a point where I may have embarrassed the young adults with me. 🤣 Amazing how technology has changed the music world and how the shift has focused towards world-famous DJs who rocked the club scene. Everything was completely relatable for people across generations — like how I came to reminisce over dance clubs where the tempo is dictated by the choice of danceable music mixed by creative deejays.

Noordermarkt where you’d find organic produce, along with antiques, vintage clothes and jewelry!
M playing like a real DJ!
Espressobar Tazzina where we preferred to sit by the window looking out onto the busy, vibrant street scene.

By mid afternoon, we found ourselves in Rembrandt House. This interactive museum showed us how the Dutch Master lived, painted, prospered, taught and welcomed friends in his lovely home. The house sits at a corner near the canal and each of the rooms — from the reception area to the large studio and meeting/negotiation room paints a dimension of Rembrandt as a painter, art trader, loving husband and friend. In particular, we loved the room where one is invited to sit and do sketches. A wonderful and meaningful way to spend at least a quarter to half hour in this house. Of course, one can take home his own sketches.

Into Visual Art and Audio Art
Rembrandt House

By the time we returned to our hotel, we were dead tired. Joordan, OUR HOUSE, Noordermkt, Bloemenmarkt, Rembrandt House — all compose a fine Day 1 spent in Amsterdam.

Traveling With These Two
Bloemenmarkt
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Sometimes, You Get Lemons

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May 31, 2019

We’ve been lucky with our walking tours and day trips in ALL my travels. Out of Amsterdam, we booked trips to Delft and The Hague. Because they’re near each other, we thought we’d book a combination day tour. Typical of me to prep and read up on the city or town attractions, dripping with excitement over the sites to see. Unfortunately, we had the worst tour guide ever. Lazy, inattentive and with absolutely no regard for making the tour worthwhile for the client visitors. We breezed through many of the sites riding the tourist coach, getting off only 3x in places where we were given an hour or so to roam — unguided — on our own. 🙄 Had we known, we could have just hopped on a train, skipped a few sites and DIY’d it. We could have covered more, lingered longer AND saved ourselves the frustrations.

The Royal Delft Factory and Museum was our first stop. A young lady from Royal Delft welcomed and escorted us through the factory and museum. The highlight was watching this lady artist do her stuff in this earthenware factory that’s been around since the 17th century. It was a good and educational tour, but no thanks to our Tour Guide. By the time we were done, this tour guide who must not be named was waiting, a tad dazed and reeking of alcohol. We were seated up front and I could smell him. His spiel by this time is slurred, and we had to strain to understand what he was saying. Still, we were excited that we are now headed for the city square of Delft — the birthplace of Jan Vermeer and the former royal seat of the House of Orange. Much to see right within this square. There is the 13th century City Hall, rebuilt in the 17th century in the Renaissance style. Then there’s the gothic New Church right across the square from the City Hall which is by no means “new”, dating back to the 15th century. Now the royal mausoleum of the family of William I of Orange, the Church has a tower one can climb up to for a panoramic view of the entire Delft. Between these 2 historical landmarks are quaint shops and cafes. Perfect for people watching if one has the time.

I must say this Tour Guide Who must not be named should have taken the time to guide us around this Square. But no, he simply instructed us to go explore on our own and to meet him back in the parking area where the bus would be waiting in an hour. He could at least have guided us the first 15 minutes before leaving us to explore more on our own. After all, he stayed right within the square, claiming a table and drinking more beer. Oh well. From the square, we rounded up a corner and chanced upon a lively Saturday Market which could have interested the others in our group. But no, this mister is far too busy downing bottles of beer. 🍺🍻🍺

If you think that’s bad enough, let me tell you about the last segment of the tour. We hardly saw The Hague except for an hour we were forced to waste in Madurodam, a miniature theme park which featured scale models of famous landmarks in The Netherlands. I’m sorry but this hardly excited me. I am willing to concede it’s a matter of personal preference but seriously, I would have preferred more time spent in The Hague’s more interesting and historical spots. Instead, we had a 5-minute stop at the Peace Palace and a “drive through” the many embassies in this city. Yes, a drive through of the embassies. I was hoping to see the iconic Protestant Church, International Court of Justice, the Maurithuis which houses Jan Vermeer’s “The Girl With the Pearl Earrings”, and other celebrated works of Rembrandt and other notable Dutch masters. Zilch.

Did I even manage to take photos of The Hague? Just one. And this was taken from a moving bus. So frustrated. But I’d stop ranting at this point. We’ve been lucky with our other plans. Can’t win them all.

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The Fishing Villages of Volendam & Marken

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May 27, 2019

Back in 1986, I visited a couple of fishing villages near Amsterdam. I thought then how sooo Dutch these fishing villages were. Cheese, herring, clogs, and more cheese. It was an unforgettable experience especially for someone traveling solo. No digital camera. No credit card. No ATM or debit card. And just one jacket. I came to Holland for the tulips and windmills. I found them but my fondest memories were those spent in Volendam and Marken, eating herring and cheese. 😜

Fishing Villages Near Amsterdam

Heaven!

I tried to relive that 1986 episode by revisiting these 2 villages. Those cheese wheels still leave me salivating and I was in heaven tasting all kinds of Dutch cheeses in this shop where the staff offers cubes and cubes and slices of aged cheese. By the time I was lined up to pay for my purchases, I’ve had a good sampling of them cheeses. Dipped in mustard, honey or herbed oil, this tasting left us buying more. Someone is happy 💕

Volendam Cheese Shop

Fishing Village of Volendam

There is also the excitement over the prospect of an herring lunch in Volendam. Kibbeling fish and chips plus a bottle of the local beer completes the deal. My love affair with pickled herring began in 1986 and still burns strong this 2019. I craved for it daily since this day trip to Volendam. I heard that snacking on one herring sandwich a day won’t hurt and is actually good for one’s health. Naaaah…… I made that up. 😂

(But we need our omega -3, right?)

Herring and Robust Beer for Lunch

A Cheese Shop in Volendam

Marken is just a 30-minute ferry ride away from Volendam. Separated from the mainland after a storm in the 13th century, then reconnected in 1957, it managed to preserve its many local traditions. Like Volendam, seafood delicacies abound and you’re never short on choices. A clog making workshop still exists and draws in many tourists. It’s not a chore to circle the “island” if one has the time. The stilt houses may look more modern than traditional now, but I still find these colourful wooden houses quite charming. Lovely day trip and it’s so near from the capital!

Fishing Villages Near Amsterdam

Fishing Villages Near Amsterdam

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The Water Village of Giethorn

Filed under: Europe, Travel, travels — 2 Comments
May 26, 2019

Say that again….. Giethorn or Giethoorn. Either way, you pronounce the “o” or “oo” like a single “o” as in horn. But roll your “r” and have an imaginary “e” between r and n. Got it? Oh, never mind. North of Amsterdam is this water village popularly called “Venice of the North”. Don’t ask me why but I do think Giethoorn’s beauty is so different from Venice and it won’t be fair to compare the two. With its centuries-old thatched-roof houses lining the canals, its charm can be appreciated from a boat or by walking its many footpaths and bicycle paths. It is worth the 2-hour trip from the capital, for sure.

Village of Giethoorn

Village of Giethoorn

There is a Museum and art galleries and curio shops abound. Plus you’d love the quaint coffee shops, aromatic cheese shops and dining areas where we partook of a delectable steak and some fish with chips and garden salad. Fortified with a good meal, we had the energy to walk around the village, crossing many tiny bridges and even checking out the gelato bars. All that time, the waterways were filled with boats, some manned/rowed by tourists who likely held an oar for the first time in their lives. I have to give credit to the professional boat men who never lost their cool while watching them amateurs navigate the canals, bumping left side, right side and rowing in a circle!

The Village Of Giethoorn

I’m told the waterways aren’t that deep. Was actually thinking how many bikes (and bikers) may have lost their balance and dropped/slid to the waters. I’m also curious how the residents can put up with a village teeming with boatfuls of visitors, some too curious nosy to actually step on a private garden just for one damn instagram shot. We went on a weekday and can just imagine the crowds and the noise on weekends in this car-Free village lying in the northeastern Dutch province of Overijssel. I can’t even imagine how crowded those tiny, narrow 170 bridges could be while punters carrying nosy and noisy tourists pass under.

Village of Giethoorn

Village of Giethoorn

Most tourists who rode the boats took time to walk around the water village, the church, cheese shops and ice cream bars. The narrow bridges make for “friendly encounters” especially when you cross paths many times. I’ve also met many dogs 🐕 who seem to enjoy seeing the colourful boats plying the canals. By the 3rd time you cross paths with someone, you’ve grown “close” . 😂 If I were to head back here, I’d likely go much earlier in the morning or much later in the afternoon when the crowds have gone or haven’t arrived. It must be quite an idyllic experience to take one of those small boats called punters or to simply walk around crossing as many of the 170 wooden bridges connecting the tiny islands. Yes, that’s what I’d do. Nonetheless, it is still a wonderful experience. Let me just say I can do with less noise.

Village of Giethoorn

Village of Giethoorn

Village of Giethoorn

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