Reset search
Satellite
Search this area

Netherlands Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

Discover travel destinations of travelers writing a travel journal on FindPenguins.
Travelers at this place
  • Europe 2025
    1
    242
    Day 8

    Keukenhof Gardens in Lisse

    May 4 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    From the flower auction to the real assault on my senses. WOW, does not even come close to how amazing this garden is, even when it's approaching the shoulder season. It's only open for 8wks, 7 million spring bulbs,100 flower bulb companies display their products & 600 growers present an enormous variety of cut flowers & pot plants. 26000 visitors/day. The bulbs are all hand planted to a different plan each year. New grass is sown when the planting is finished. Kasteel keukenhof was lovely, an outdoor area was set up for a wedding and guests were arriving ❤️. We also visited De Tulperij as we biked past,enjoying a coffee, photo shoot 😂 and watched a group of ladies' painting vases while enjoying High Tea. It was a beautiful day to be biking and enjoying world-famous sights with 2 pretty cute (sorry Nat) tour guides, even if father suggested over and over again that ride with GPS is a really good app. 😂Read more

  • TravelerEurope 2025
    2111
    Day 68–71

    Haarlem

    May 3 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F

    Sometimes you get a good feel for a place immediately. And we immediately loved Haarlem. It's much smaller than the Hague. The center of the city is surrounded by canals. We arrived on a sunny Saturday which is Market Day- lucky for us.

    We had some problems with our apartment through booking.com. Our original apartment was overbooked according to the owner and he wanted to move us to a new place. I was pretty suspicious and worried if it was a scam. It wasn't. And like he said, the new apartment was much better.

    The building was built in 1450! That's a new record for oldest building I've spent the night in. The owner lovingly remodeled it in 2010. It's an awkward setup with stairs from the bedroom up to the kitchen and bathroom and with his son living on the third floor and walking through a shared stairwell that divides the apartment. But that's a minor tradeoff for the beautiful apartment and amazing location in the heart of the city.

    When we arrived, all the cafes and restaurants in front of the building were full of people basking in the sun and enjoying the view facing the Spaarne River. It's a view that we get for three full days.

    The Grote Markt (big market) was in full swing when we arrived. It reminded me of Madison's Saturday farmers market. We opted for kibbeling for lunch which is small pieces of cod, battered and fried. You can take the boy out of Wisconsin......

    Most Dutch cities have a central plaza with the Oude Kirke (old church) in the center with the Grote Markt next to it. Haarlem's is especially beautiful. There's not much modern development in the old town and the old buildings are lovingly cared for. There are some art nouveau treasures hidden in the streets also.

    Only in the Netherlands can you get a drink at a bar, watch a movie, or get a University education in a former prison. The dome-shaped Koepelgevangenis was built in 1899 and served as a prison until the '70s. About 10 years ago, a non-profit bought it and has made it into public working space and all the things I mentioned above. Each prison cell had a window and a fair amount of room. I've paid more for rooms that were smaller than a prison cell here.

    The Netherlands is known for tulips and cheese. Well we've already toured Gouda, so that means we had to find some tulips. It's the end of the season but we did go out to a place called the Tulip Barn 20 minutes south of town on a train to see what's left. They were charging $9.50 to enter an area to see see a tulip garden but you can see it from outside the fence. It just so happened that a bottle of wine at their cafe cost the same as two tickets to enter. Which option do you think we chose? Haha.

    Lodging in Amsterdam is really expensive so we only booked two nights there. Less than 20 years ago I paid $25 for a dorm room there. Today you pay about $100 to stay in an 8 bed dorm or $250 minimum for a small hotel room.

    Haarlem is close enough that we decided to go for a half-day trip to Amsterdam before we check in there in a couple days. It took only 1 5 minutes on the train to get there. Haarlem is just small enough that we've seen most of it already between all the walking we've done and a 1-hour canal boat tour we just took. What a contrast! Amsterdam is crazy busy at all times of the year now.

    May 5th is Bevrijdingsdag, or Liberation Day in the Netherlands. It celebrates the end of Nazi occupation from that day in 1945. It's a huge party with festivals all over the country. We had no idea. We're fortunate that the festival grounds here are only a 15 minute walk. May 5th is also the 20th anniversary of our first date. Even I can remember 05/05/05!

    Unfortunately the festival here was over crowded. Last year they claimed 130,000 attended. The fenced-in park could only hold less than half of that. There were long lines to get in, lines for tickets, lines for drinks, food, etc. and you couldn't see a stage, so we left early. Our 575 year old apartment on a canal is more our style.

    More photos and videos are here.

    https://photos.app.goo.gl/8mH42wXv5bMuATbaA    Read more

  • Europe 2025
    2
    1141
    Day 5

    Aalsmeer flower Auction

    May 1 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Really enjoying a quiet city; in that there's less vehicular traffic and as everyone is on bikes it's much nicer. A few bike rides while enjoying the canal views and today a revisit ( for us) to Aalsmeer flower auction. It was just as good second time around, fascinating scale and complexity.
    A ride through a park with coffee at a goat farm in the park, on another warm sunny day.
    Also visited a massive squash/ tennis/Padel club, with 20plus squash courts and a couple of thousand members. Very extensive and impressive facilities.
    Nathan and Dana entertained themselves by giving me a game at their club last night. ( Got me while I'm still jet lagged i reckon) Only 13 courts there but also impressive. Apparently, I could make the top 200 if I played here...might have to move over.    Read more

  • TravelerTennis en tulpe
    Day 13

    Bollenstreek

    April 30 in the Netherlands ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

    Ontbyt is ingesluit by ons verblyf, so alhoewel ons nie gewoonlik ontbyt eet nie, gaan benut ons dit darem. Dit moet ons maar deursien tot so laat as moontlik.

    Ons het fietse bespreek om te huur by Lemon Bike Lisse. Dit is nie baie ver van Keukenhof af nie. Ons beplan om 'n 15 km roete rondom Keukenhof te ry, want ons sien nie kans vir die menigtes in die bekendste tulpetuin van die wêreld nie. Ons kry fietse wat lyk na gewone dikwielfietse soos waarmee ek grootgeword het, maar dit het 7 ratte om te help wanneer die wind bietjie van voor druk. Hulle ry seepglad en maklik. Mens moet net kophou met al die voetgangers en ander fietse en bromponies wat ook dieselfde paadjie gebruik. Ons het gelukkig net paar keer 'n pad gekruis waar daar motors ook gery het.

    Ons moes 'n paar kilometer ry voor ons regoor Keukenhof gekom het. Daar het rye en rye busse en motors gestaan. Ek dink nie daar was vir ons ook plek nie. Toe is dit kort-kort se stilhou om ons te verwonder aan die lande en plate tulpe en affodille. Ons vingers jeuk net om foto's te neem. Elke keer dink ek net hoe kan mens dit afneem sodat dit so mooi lyk soos wat dit in werklikheid is, maar dit is net nie moontlik nie!

    As gevolg van die ongewone warm weer is baie blomme al afgesny, vroeër as normaalweg. So daar is lande waar dit lyk asof die bolle al uitgehaal is, ander lande waar die plante nog staan sonder blomme, lande waar die langste blomme afgesny is, maar die kortes oorgebly het en dan natuurlik dié wat nog vol in die blom is.

    Iewers gaan ons van die fietsry pad af en ry tussen die lande op die boer se pad. Die eerste deel was nog lekker, want die grond was hard. Die laaste deel was egter dik sand en ek het momentum verloor en toe ook balans! So ek het so 'n stukkie Nederland by my eiendomsportefeulje gevoeg. Gelukkig het alles in "slow motion" op sagte sand gebeur, so geen skade aan my of die fiets nie. Moes net weer die handvatsel in lyn met die voorwiel draai. Truda het net voor dit afgeklim omdat sy meer insig gehad het van wat gaan gebeur! Ons stoot toe maar die fietse tot by die pad om 'n herhaling van my onnoselheid te voorkom.

    Daar is toe net mooi 'n restaurant en ons dink dit is 'n goeie geleentheid om 'n badkamer te gebruik en sommer 'n glasie koeldrank te geniet. Dit is eers na ons deur die klubhuis gestap het dat ons besef dit is eintlik 'n gholfbaan! Hulle het ons darem vriendelik bedien! (Daar het 3 ooms afgeslaan terwyl ons gekyk het en 2 van hulle moes hulle balle uit die water uitvis. Truda sê dit lyk asof daardie "visstok" die stok is wat hulle seker die meeste gebruik tydens 'n rondte!)

    Ons het iewers 'n verkeerde afdraai geneem, maar dit het nie gepla nie. Orals soos ons ry, sien ons net plate en plate tulpe van baie verskillende kleure. Soms is daar klomp kleure tulpe in een plaat, dan is dit tulpe bedoel vir pluk.

    Ons vind gelukkig weer maklik vir Lemon Bikes en ek besef net ek sal my bobene bietjie moet oefen. Ek is dankbaar Nederland is so plat!

    Weer verenig met ons SpaceStar, vra ons Google Maps om ons te lei na Hortus Botanicus in Leiden, of eerder na 'n parkeerarea naby aan die botaniese tuin. Ons kry een wat so 12 minute se stap weg is en ons val in die pad. Hierdie keer kry ons die parkeerplek maklik en sonder enige omleidings agv geslote strate.

    By die tuin is die lekkerste, koelste drinkwater beskikbaar by 'n kraan net buite die ingang. Ons maak volle gebruik hiervan, want dit is 'n warm dag. Ons is bly om in te gaan by die tropiese glashuis, want dit uit die direkte son uit, maar na 'n tydjie is dit ook maar warm en bedompig. Mens besef dit veral met die uitstap aan die ander kant. Daar is 'n paar besonderse blomme van verskillende wêrelddele in die gladhuis. Hulle het ook meer as 6 000 verskillende orgideë in 'n paar verskillende vertrekke bymekaar.

    Ons bly redelik in die koeler gedeeltes van die tuin en verkyk ons aan al die soorte plante wat ons nie ken nie. Truda herken darem so klompie, maar ek is "clueless" as dit by plante kom. Ons gaan .aak ook 'n draai by die groentetuin. Daar is ook sommige goed wat ons nie ken nie, maar selfs ek herken darem 'n klompie groente!

    Ons loop ook vir Linnaeus raak, in elk geval sy borsbeeld. Truda ken hom al van lankal af! Hy is die een wat begin het met die metode van wetenskaplike naamgewing vir plante wat nou nog universeel gebruik word.

    Ons het nie middagete gehad nie en gaan soek roomys vir 'n bederfie. Die kafeteria het glad nie roomys nie, maar darem bosbessie kaaskoek. Baie lekker!

    Ek is lekker lam na die fietsry en rondloop in die son en ons moet nog die km of so terugstap motor toe. Ons vleg tussen die studente en toeriste deur en kom darem in een stuk by die parkeerarea. Om een of ander onverklaarbare rede wil die masjien glad nie enige een van 3 verskillende bankkaarte van my 'lees' nie. Gelukkig is daar 'n plek waar ons kontant kan betaal - die enigste parkeerplek waar ons nog 'n persoon teëgekom het. Al die ander het net onbemande masjiene!

    By die hotel, is die eerste beskikbare parkeerplek omtrent 'n rugbyveld en 'n half van die voordeur af, maar nou ja! Ons gaan sommer aandete by die kroeg in die hotel eet, toast broodjie met ham en kaas en rooibostee. Hulle koffiemasjien word skoongemaak op daardie tydstip en ons kan nie ons eerste keuse kry nie. Gelukkig weet die outjie by die toonbank van rooibostee. Ons kry dit sonder melk, maar met heuning. Terwyl ons wag vir die toastbroodjies, speel ons 'n potjie Rummikub. Dis egter baie meer omslagtig as mens net 2 is in vergelyking met wanneer 4 mense speel.

    Vandag was 'n absolute hoogtepunt. Geen foto kan reg laat geskied aan die mooiheid en weelde van die plate tulpe nie!

    (App laat net 20 foto's per dag toe. Ek het nóg baie!)    Read more

    See translation
  • TravelerRuta Madrid - Paises bajos
    1
    112
    Day 9

    Joordan y Leidseplein - Amsterdam

    April 30 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    En Jordaan, los canales se estrechan entre boutiques, flores y poesía callejera. Leidseplein, en cambio, vibra con teatros, terrazas y ritmo nocturno, donde la ciudad muestra su cara más viva y despreocupada.Read more

    See translation
  • TravelerEuropean Vacation 2025
    3
    31211211
    Day 16

    Amsterdam then night train to Austria

    April 29 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    We woke early to have breakfast with Ewan, Bonnie, Andy & Susie before they left for their next adventures. We stored our bags then walked to the ferry and walked to Dam Square and the Jordaan District over 10km. We stopped for pannekeoken recommended from our self guided food tour. We had some time to sit & relax at the hotel before heading to Central Train Station for our night train to Budapest. We have a cabin for 4 on the train. We had to store some of our bigger bags up on the top bunk. Space was tight! We had some cheese and crackers and snacks before getting ready to sleep. Through the night it was really cold. At 2;30am Tom was attempting to shut the window and accidentally hit the emergency brake but it doesn't activate until the train stops then attempts to start again. I was helping get the window shut from my side and blinds down when we felt the train start then stop suddenly and the next thing we know there's a knock at the door and 6 train employees are lined up wondering if we are all okay and why we pulled the brake🤭 We had a good laugh ( after they left!). On to the next adventures!!Read more

  • Europe 2025
    132
    Day 3

    Amsterdam

    April 29 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    The long-haul flight doesn't get any easier, but other than spilling a full glass of red wine into my lap 2 hours in, it was a pretty uneventful if somewhat damp trip. One bike box came completely open, but everything was still inside somehow. I will need to improve my taping.
    Nathan helped us train and tram our two 28-kg bike boxes back to his and Dana's 3rd floor apartment. I'm pretty happy it wasn't too much carrying, and he was there to help!
    Street assembly by unanimous decision after a quick look at the staircase. An unguided bike ride today; the locals go pretty quick, and the bike lanes are narrow in places. With riding on rhs, it requires a lot of concentration and courtesy all round.
    Found our way to the Straat street art Gallery after visiting a market this morning.    Read more

  • Traveleralways beautiful
    1
    Day 4–7

    Stylisches Wohnen

    April 28 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Bei strahlendem Sonnenschein in Zandvoort angekommen, folgen wir haargenau dem Anreiseplan der Vermieterin, um an den Schlüssel für unsere gebuchte Wohnung im 17. Stock zu kommen.
    Die Begeisterung über den äußeren Eindruck des Hochhaushotels hält ich in Grenzen .
    Der Weitblick vom ersten Balkon über die Stadt und die Aussicht von dem zweiten Balkon über das Meer ist kaum zu übertreffen und lässt allen Zweifel verschwinden.

    Die Wohnung ist stylich renoviert und bis ins kleinste Detail aufgepimpt .
    Der Tisch ist für zwei Personen eingedeckt und eine Flasche Champagner steht im Kühler bereit.
    Wir müssen den Unterschied zum guten Ferienhaus erst mal positiv annehmen lernen.
    Klappt auf den verstellbaren Relexsesseln mit Blick aufs Abendrot am Meereshorizont unglaublich gut    Read more

    See translation
  • TravelerEuropean Vacation 2025
    11131111
    Day 15

    Amsterdam full second day

    April 28 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    We met our group for breakfast in the hotel. We enjoyed their yogurt, fruit and pastries. We booked a boat tour then started out for the free ferry to the Central Station side to walk to the Albert Cuyp ( 17th Century Painter) Market in the De Pijp neighborhood. It is a very culturally diverse area. The streets are named after Dutch painters such as Vincent van Gogh. It is the largest daytime market in Europe with products aimed at residents from Turkish, Moroccan and Antillean backgrounds. We ate at a Lebanese stand. The food was delicious. We took the metro back and met everyone for a canal boat tour. It was a fun tour on an open boat. We saw some new areas such as the Dancing houses at Damrak which are crooked historic houses that lean in different directions. Then the wealthy area with wider Canal houses that you can rent for approx. 30,000 euros per night including a personal chef, concierge and butler. Most of the houses are narrow in Amsterdam because they were taxed on the width of the house. Amsterdam originated in 1275. This year will be the 750 year celebration. It was known for Herring and spices from Indonesia, India and Spain. Now it is known for tourism, companies such as booking.com, and real estate used as head offices for various firms. Following our tour we walked back to the hotel, grabbed a quick bite at the Food Center next door. We sat and visited all together at the hotel. Brad & Annalisa fly home tomorrow. It has been so nice to spend time with Andy & Susie.
    A fun day today.    Read more

  • TravelerEuropean Vacation 2025
    1
    113111
    Day 14

    Amsterdam, disembarkment from Fluvius

    April 27 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    We had our final breakfast on the Fluvius and said our goodbyes to new friends and fellow passengers. As everyone said, you bond with people, extend sincere invites to come visit in Canada and really hope they take us up on it because they were really wonderful people. I had a tearful goodbye with Joanne & Andrew too as they head for their next few days of adventures. We took an uber to our hotel, dropped off our luggage and headed out to walk around Amsterdam with Shaun & Tom. We took the free ferry across the Harbour to Amsterdam Central Station and found a cafe for coffee. Tom went to watch the Dutch Ajax football game while Shaun, Anthony & I explored the canals and Nine streets district. Along our strolling we met Julia and we stopped to chat and see if we could help her carry her soil i to her home. She ended up inviting us in to see her beautiful home on the canal dating back to the 1600's. She was so kind and toured us through and showed us their artwork, gardens and lovely spaces. A similar experience happened the last time we were in Amsterdam with Jacob.
    We walked and ferried back to our hotel area, checked in and met back with Bonnie, Ewan, Andy & Susie ( friends from Scotland). We had appies all together, including Hoge & Paula, Brad & Annalisa. We said goodbyes to Hoge & Paula who leave for Italy early am and headed for dinner at a restaurant called the Hangar booked by Bon. It was an incredible meal and such a unique space made to look like an airplane hangar. We were all tired and headed to our rooms. A great first day in Amsterdam.    Read more

Join us:

FindPenguins for iOSFindPenguins for Android

  • 2025© FindPenguins
  • Home
  • About us
  • Group Tracking
  • Press
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy & Cookies
  • Help Center
  • Legal notice