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Europe 2023

April - June 2023
A trip with friends and solo. Plans for Amsterdam, Geneva, wandering thru Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia and Slovakia. Read more
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  • TravelerEurope 2023
    Day 2

    San Francisco to Amsterdam Days 1 & 2

    April 26, 2023 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 48 °F

    Fast and easy overnight trip to Amsterdam. Left SFO a bit late but made up most of it during the night. Left SF around 4P and arrived Amsterdam around 11A their time. (9h ahead of CA time). A bit over 10 hour flight.

    Had reviewed the public transport in Amsterdam. Very robust with trains, trams,buses and ferries. Took a train from the airport to the Central Train Station into the heart of the City. Then a tram to the address to pick up the keys to my apartment and another tram to the address of the apartment.

    My place is about 1.5 miles from City Center, a 10-15 minute tram or bus ride. It’s in a residential area, lots of kids, strollers and dogs. 😀. When I rented the place I think I remember reading that it was on the 3rd floor. Totally forgot until I started to carry my 7 week suitcase and large back pack up the 60 stairs! 🤣. Yep, no elevator. However, always a silver lining - it’s on the top floor and has tons of windows and light.

    Spent the afternoon and early evening “nesting” i.e getting organized. Two lengthy walks around the neighborhood, one looking for lunch and the next for grocery stores. All necessary amenities nearby due to all the apartments and homes in the area. Canals all around, lots of people on the busy streets and the primary mode of transportation - the 🚴! They are everywhere!!!

    Working hard to stay awake to 9P tonight. The usual jet lag, will see how long it lasts. I slept about 5 hours on the airplane which is better than usual for me.

    Not much for pics today. Caught the little bit of sun there was today. Time to organize tomorrow.

    PS: Most expensive bottle of wine I could find at the grocery store was 6 Euros. ($6.62) US. Any port in a storm. 😂    Read more

  • TravelerEurope 2023
    11
    Day 3

    Amsterdam Keukenhof Gardens Day 3

    April 27, 2023 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 57 °F

    Woke up this AM to a day with bright sunshine! My primary reason for coming to Amsterdam was to visit Keukenhof Gardens at tulip time. I, purposely, did not make reservations from CA as I wanted to go on a sunny day. Rain and clouds expected the remainder of my stay so I got up, made on-line reservations, had breakfast, and off I went. A bus and ferry ride to the meeting place. The Gardens are about 35 minutes from Central Amsterdam, I bought a combo bus/entry ticket. Easy travel.

    Keukenhof Gardens are world renowned for their display of 🌷. They are only open 8 weeks a year; mid March to mid May. I had seen many pictures of lovely gardens but the reality is indescribably beautiful! Whatever superlatives I put in this blog, nothing will do the beauty justice. I spent 4 hours there!!! First of all it is huge, 7.5 acres. While this is a holiday weekend, beginning today in Holland, there were a lot of people there. (King Willem - Alexander’s Bday). The venue does an amazing job in being able to accommodate large crowds. Miles of meandering paths, water features abound, and unending amazing displays of flowers allow for spreading out the crowds. While tulips are are the predominant flower, many other Spring flowers; hyacinths, narcissus, bluebells, enhance the views around every corner.

    Restaurants of every cuisine, well-appointed gift stores and numerous indoor exhibits dot the landscape. No shortage of benches to relax and enjoy the views, in all it could not have been a better day. A “must see”for any flower-loving traveler. Retraced steps to return home. Got off the bus a stop early to check out the extended neighborhood. A stop at the grocery store for a frozen pizza and a beer for “dinner” .
    Note: the beer is better than the grocery store wine). 😂.    Read more

  • TravelerEurope 2023
    11
    Day 4

    Amsterdam Day 4

    April 28, 2023 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 52 °F

    A rainy, gray, chilly day in Amsterdam. And my mood for the day reflected the weather. 😟. Slept OK, still dealing with jet lag, lots of middle of the night tossing and turning. Had not done any planning for today, except for “a museum”. Amsterdam is replete with museums. The most well-known are the Van Gogh and the Rijksmuseums. However access to either of those is non-existent. Early Spring is a popular time to visit Amsterdam due to the world famous tulips and a general increase in European tourism after COVID. I had a hard time getting a place to stay here and should have paid more attention to that. The 2 popular museums ONLY take on-line reservations and are sold out for most of the next 2 weeks. 😫. There are NO reservations for the entire week I am here. OK on the Van Gogh as I saw that last time I was here. However, there is a very special Vermeer exhibition at the Rijksmuseum that I really wanted to see. No way is that going to happen, it sold out in 2 days after the announcement about 6 months ago! (For any of you out there that may be traveling to Europe this Spring or summer and there is something you really want to see, make your reservations ahead of time!).

    So time for Plan B. Decided in the Stedelijk - the Modern and Contemporary Art Museum. Since it was a dreary day but not raining, I decided to walk the 2+ miles to check out the scenery between here and “downtown” Amsterdam. Pictures from today are mostly from that walk. Tried to show the architecture and environment- canals, public transportation and, old course, the bicycles. 😂. A good walk but started to rain about 15 minutes shy of the museum.

    Museum was interesting. None of the real crazy contemporary art like we have in SF anf the Tate in London. But classic artists - Picasso, Mondrian, and Andy Warhol were all exhibited. A great lunch there as well.

    Tired so wended my way back home for a nap and some downtime. Out for a neighborhood walk and stop at the local grocery store before a late dinner. Still overcast tonight but tomorrow looking good. Sunset at 9:01P tonight. We forget how far North this is. Love the long days.

    On the pics: Charging stations along the streets all over, this in my neighborhood. Cover pic today is the entrance to my apartment - after you climb 60 steps. 😅. The last picture, though not a good representation, was a large exhibit in the museum, done by an African artist with folded bottle caps !!1    Read more

  • TravelerEurope 2023
    1
    Day 5

    Amsterdam Day 5

    April 29, 2023 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 61 °F

    A sunny and plans for a guided walking tour of central Amsterdam. I like to do walking tours in cities, a good way to get history, the tourist high points and usually some good recommendations for food and things to do. Met the guide, a Spaniard, at 10A close to the central train station, the hub for the city. Only 8 (2 from Chicago, 3 from Ireland, 2 from London via South Africa and me) in the group so a nice size and eclectic backgrounds.

    We walked and listened for >3 hours and >than 3 miles. Lots of new information, the history of Amsterdam and the Netherlands. (the Dutch East and West India companies influence and the Jewish quarter and their WWII history). interesting sites and fun facts. Fun fact: Population of Amsterdam is ~1Mil. There are more than 1Mil bicycles in Amsterdam! I saw one gal with 3 dogs in the front “cab” and one more in a cage on the back!

    First stop was the famous red light district. Prostitution was legalized in the Netherlands in 2,000. I remember when I was here ~25years ago, ladies in every window marketing” their wares. Today, only 1. The guide says that the city is slowing trying to close the area to phase out the prostitution, primarily because of all the crime (primarily trafficking) that comes with it. They are paying for housing for young adults - mostly artists and musicians - with the hope that they will soon take over the neighborhood. Interesting approach.

    Other sights os interest; the huge flow market; mostly tulips -what a surprise. Canals, bridges, home for down and our women, shopping malls, Dutch stock exchange, and many more. A really good guide and a “well worth it” tour. Would highly recommend.

    Following the tour, I was ready for lunch and wanted to check out the Jordaan area, advertised in tourist literature as a newer upscale section of Amsterdam with lots of canals, boutique shops and, and trendy eating places. Wandered in that direction, past the Anne Frank House (saw that last time) and found the much quieter area just as advertised. Sat on a bench and looked for a good restaurant and settled on Cafe Sonneberg. It was terrific and I had a window table looking out to the canal. A “don’t’ miss” if you are in Amsterdam. (See pick of my warm goat cheese sandwich)

    Wandered back home, a stop at the local grocery store and home to put my feet up! Some tourism planning, light dinner of left over pasta, a little TV and to bed. Long day tour tomorrow.    Read more

  • TravelerEurope 2023
    Day 6

    Amsterdam Day Trip Day 6

    April 30, 2023 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

    In looking at the weather,I had one more forecasted sunny day. (It rains an average of 134 days/year here). I decided a couple days ago to look for a day trip tour to see some of the local countryside. Chose the Geithoorn, (picturesque)Volendam, (fishing village) and Zaanse Schans. (Windmills). The tour was 10 hours, a bit longer than I wanted but you can always sleep on the bus.

    As it is Sunday, it was a large tour group, about 35. Interesting ethnic mix - 75% on the group either Asian, Middle Eastern or Indian. We set off from Central Amsterdam around 9AM. A short 25 minute ride to Zaanse Schans, a village featuring windmills. Holland, of course, is known for its windmills, however, in actuality, the wind turbines have replaced most of the windmills. Windmills are now primarily for the tourists. ZS was a picturesque, albeit very touristy, village with lots of walking paths, shops,places to eat and a demonstration on how the traditional wooden shoes are made. Lots of waterfowl in the canals that are everywhere throughout the Netherlands. One third of the country is below sea level. A complex system on dams and levies are essential for the country’s survival. Netherlanders are very proud of their forward thinking use of solar, electric water craft, and hydroponic agriculture.

    On to Volendam, a harbor on the North Sea, (North Atlantic) and another village with shops, numerous restaurants and street food. Local food here is fish - go figure - herring, cod, eel, and many others. I took a walk along the harbor and waterfront before enjoying a smoked salmon sandwich for lunch along the waterfront. From the vessels that I saw in the harbor, this is a VERY upscale fishing village. (Mostly yachts). 😂. This tour does a good job with free time. No touring with the bus folk, all on your own, so need to wait for 35 people to order and eat lunch. 👍

    Last stop was Geithoorn, a small town about 1.5 hours east of Amsterdam. A beautiful drive through the Dutch countryside! So much to see - abundant colorful flower fields of every color imaginable, mainly tulips - all in bloom. Every mile of the way there would be acres of multi colored flowers. The village of Geithoorn was founded in the 13C by people from Southern Europe looking for a relief from religious persecution where they could practice their religion freely. In the 16thC, the Mennonites also settled here for the same reason. There are no streets for cars in the village. All transportation is by boat. (To a central point outside of town, where people keep their cars). We did an hour boat tour through the town out into a large lake and back. We had a “professional” driver, but many others had rented boats and were not as skilled in maneuvering, it was quite the comical scene.

    Back on the bus and headed back to Amsterdam. Arrived a bit after 7:30P. It just does not seem that later since the sun is still shining brightly! Love the long days. Sunset tonight at 9:05P.    Read more

  • TravelerEurope 2023
    1
    Day 7

    Amsterdam Day 7

    May 1, 2023 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F

    A gray, cool start to the day. I was able to find a source for tickets to the Rijksmuseum a few days ago through a 3rd party ticket agency. Happy about that. No luck on the Van Gogh. 😫. A leisurely morning, ticket was for 11AM. A walk and short tram tide to the museum on Museum Square where there are 3 other museums and a huge open green space that is always busy with sports and folk enjoying the outdoors.

    The Rijksmuseum is the National museum of the Netherlands dedicated to Dutch art and history. The building dates from 1885 and underwent a $373mil renovation completed in 2013. The inside of the building look very modern compared to the classical Dutch exterior. This is the museum that has the world famous Vermeer exhibit but that sold out in 2 days after the ticketing began 6 months ago. I tried everything that I knew to get in, no luck. Tried again today but you cannot get close to the entrance without someone checking your ticket. Signs all over saying Sold Out.
    I enjoyed the art of the museum, the works that I saw. Spent 2 1/2 hours and did not make a dent in the very large collection. Their audio information is great and all done via their App. The premier piece is Rembrandt’s Night Watch, a large work but lots of people around, hard to enjoy.
    After I finished, I walked the beautiful Rijksmuseum gardens - in the rain. Poked around the area for awhile but got tired of ducking raindrops and went home. Started planning for Geneva, my next stop. Leaving here Wednesday.

    Sun came out around 5P and I went out for an early dinner as I only had a blueberry muffin for lunch. Found a very good Thai restaurant nearby. My first dinner out in Amsterdam. After dinner, I walked to a park nearby across a canal. Lots of mom’s with strollers, kids and dogs, all enjoying the first sunshine of the day. An evening of more planning and the last episode of The Diplomat. Enjoyed the series.    Read more

  • TravelerEurope 2023
    3
    Day 8

    Amsterdam Day 8

    May 2, 2023 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F

    Last day in Amsterdam and a couple things on the to do list. Off mid morning for the Fabrique des Lumieres. I had seen this advertised on my tram/bus route to home from downtown and checked out out on line to see what it was. And it was what I thought, one of those “Immersion” experiences where you are in a huge room/think warehouse and there are 3D moving pictures that appear on all surfaces of the rooms. The most popular around the US have been Van Gogh and Picasso. I have seen several in Europe before this one. This show was Gaudi, the famous Catalan architect and Salvadoran Dali, the Catalan artist. I love Gaudi’s architecture in Barcelona and Dali is always entertaining with the weird stuff. And it was great! The venue was huge - the largest I have ever been in, lots of different rooms and structures, even images on the floor. There is so much going on, I stayed thru the Gaudi show twice to make sure I did not miss anything. If you have never been to one of these, they are fun and worth the effort to travel to.

    Went back to Cafe Sonneveld for another terrific lunch. I wish that restaurant was in Bodega Bay! Smoked beef carpaccio this time. Outstanding!

    A friend had recommended the Dutch Resistance Museum to me. (Thanks Roy). Spent an hour or so wandering around this small museum. All the information was done via audio stations and movies. Very interesting, I learned a lot about the Dutch issues and participation in WWII. Most interesting to me: The Netherlands was occupied early in the war, 1940. Most of the country aligned with the Allies however a good number aligned with the Nazis because they hated Stalin and wanted to help fight communism. There is still a Jewish Quarter in Amsterdam, like many other European cities.

    Home to pack and get ready to fly to Geneva tomorrow for the second week of travel.    Read more

  • TravelerEurope 2023
    2
    Day 9

    Amsterdam to Geneva Day 9

    May 3, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    A travel day so not much in the way of pictures. Uneventful trip to Amsterdam airport and flight to Geneva. Great views of the Alps, my favorite mountains, on descent to Geneva. A bit of a problem finding the right tram to take to my new abode for the next week. Finally found my way from downtown Geneva and my new place is lovely! Beautifully decorated and every modern convince. Tram stop right across the street, about a 15 minute ride to downtown Geneva. And its warmer! In the mid 60’s with sun. A real difference from Amsterdam, no “breeze” from the North Sea. Low 70’s expected for the next few days.

    Got settled, and then out to find groceries. This, too, is a residential area, large condo/apartment buildings line the busy street. A 15 minute walk to a market for the essentials. Took the tram back as my grocery bag was breaking. 😂.

    Will spend the rest of the evening relaxing and planning for tomorrow. Pics are of the different architecture here and a park in downtown where I was waiting for the tram.    Read more

  • TravelerEurope 2023
    Day 10

    Geneva Day 10

    May 4, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    A beautiful sunny day in Geneva. High of 74 today, Kay’s idea of perfect weather. A major change from Amsterdam! Decided to spend the day on the Old Town of Geneva. It is the area at the foot (South end) of Lake Geneva with the iconic symbol - Le Jet d’eau. Even with my rudimentary understanding of French - Jet of Water. And the English Garden with the Flower clock is at the entrance. And a Ferris wheel for a higher view of all. A very pretty area and not near as many tourists as in Amsterdam; a welcome break. Lake Geneva is 45 miles long and up to 8-9 miles wide, the largest lake in the Alps. The lake is amazingly clear, you can see to the bottom all along the shore. Lots of waterfowl, swans and ducks, all with their new babies. The Lake also spreads across 2 countries, is divided down the middle between Switzerland and France. I also found out tonight that I am ally 4 tram stops away from France! Lots of people here do their grocery shopping in France as it is less expensive than Switzerland.
    I wandered from the lake front to the heart of the old town, up and down cobblestone streets lined with lots of upscale shops and outdoor cafe eateries all over. All open and busy today with the warm, sunny weather. I headed for St. Peter’s church, the oldest church in Geneva dates back to. Church on this site in the 1100s. St. Peter’s is know as the Church of the Reformation as John Calvin was the preacher there for 25 years, after fleeing persecution in France. As was the style of Calvinist churches, there are has no adornments on the walls (art work or symbols) with the exception of the stained glass windows. Needless to say the interior is very dark.
    Next door to the church is a relatively new small museum dedicated to the history of the Reformation. The museum was very well done with interesting audio and covered Protests up to the current day.
    A wonderful late lunch on one of the Cafes watching the people strolling by. Tired today so quit “touristing” early and, after a quick grocery stop, home for the evening.    Read more

  • TravelerEurope 2023
    1
    Day 11

    Geneva Day 11

    May 5, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ ☁️ 73 °F

    Up and out today, good night’s sleep and feel much better! Chose 2 spots on the other side of the lake (the newer side) as they were both on my To Do list and close together. First stop: The United Nations Geneva. Geneva is the headquarters for the EU United Nations. (Like NYC is for North America). This was also the site of the “original United Nations” - the League of Nations founded after WWI. I had tried to get tour tickets when in Amsterdam but they were booked into July! Their tours are limited right now due to renovation inside the building. So saw what I could from the outside. Impressive buildings and huge plaza for big events. The Broken Chair sculpture (see pic below) symbolizes both fragility and strength, imbalance and stability, violence, and dignity. More specifically, it symbolizes opposition to land mines and cluster bombs as a reminder to the politicians and diplomats visiting Geneva UN. The sculpture is 39 feet tall and was commissioned by Humanity and Inclusion (previously known as Handicap International). It shows that even wounded victims of war are still standing tall, with dignity.

    Just a short walk away, was the entrance to the Botanical Gardens of Geneva. Any garden in Europe in May is a treat. A wonderful, peaceful several hours roaming the grounds and greenhouses. A beautiful place. Will let the pics do the explaining. Late lunch at the Cafe in the gardens with wonderful views in all directions.

    Wended my way back home, with several “detours”. The Geneva App for public transport is not nearly as good as Amsterdam! Feet up, as I am going out tonight!

    Classical music in Europe always seems special. I look for some anywhere I travel and usually not too hard to find. The Venus in Geneva is Victoria Hall, one of those beautiful old neoclassical style concert halls. (See last pic below). The concert was great and featured Michael Barenboim, violinist, the son of Daniel Barenboim, the well-known conductor. A very enjoyable evening.    Read more

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