Giethoorn was my next stop after the island of Vlieland. It was really crowded with tourists, especially from China (the bus stop information is even in Mandarin), but I found some quiet spots to satisfy my introvert self...
Read MoreNetherlands: Oost-Vlieland
The rugged and small island of Vlieland ended up being one of my favorite stops of my Europe trip. I arrived on the ferry on the eastern part of the island around 7pm on a balmy day, and woke up the next day to cold rain pattering on my hotel room window and a clucking chicken...
Read MoreNetherlands: Utrecht
Don't go to Utrecht. It's not cooler or more relaxed than Amsterdam, there aren't lovely bakeries and lunch spots along the canal, and there definitely aren't any bicycles to rent. ;) Some Dutchies prefer to keep Utrecht a secret from hordes of tourists, so I promised I wouldn't sing Utrecht's praises!
Read MoreNetherlands: Amsterdam
During my extended stay in Rotterdam doing HelpX, I took a quick overnight trip to Amsterdam, a very convenient train ride away. I got a behind-the-scenes tour at the Van Gogh museum with a relative (no photos allowed), and took a canal tour which was very touristy but still worth it...
Read MoreNetherlands: Keukenhof
Tulips for days at the Keukenhof Tulip Gardens. I woke up really early to get to the gardens by 9am, located 90 minutes away from Rotterdam...
Read MoreNetherlands: Deventer
By the time I got to Deventer I was feeling camera fatigue. So, I didn't take a lot of photos, even being in a formerly walled city with historical architecture. Instead I focused on getting to know my extended family (like, really extended - related through my great-grandfather)...
Read MoreNetherlands: Rotterdam
I spent three weeks in Rotterdam, city that my great-grandfather left in 1912. Land of my Dutch last name: Schoenmaker (literally shoe-maker...the kids from middle school were right, for once).
Read MorePortugal: Lisbon, Part 2
From Lisbon central - Cais do Sodré - I took the train a few kilometers along the coast to see some famous landmarks including the Tower of Belém and LX Factory...
Read MorePortugal: Lisbon, Part 1
After two days in Sintra I trained to Lisbon, capital of Portugal. It is a different rhythm from Sintra: larger city, faster pace, even taller hills, and access to the water.
Read MorePortugal: Sintra
Sintra was an unexpected stopover between Luxembourg and the Netherlands. I decided I wanted to go somewhere warm, saw a decently priced flight for the next day, and that was that. Very happy I took the plunge and spent 4 days in Portugal, starting with the mid-sized town of Sintra...
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