Holland ~ Switzerland
Our Holland to Switzerland land tour (April 23 ~ May 6, 2006) encompassed the Netherlands (Holland), Belgium, Luxembourg, Alsace region of France, the Black Forest of Germany, and Lucerne, Switzerland. We began in Amsterdam. Our journey included seeing the spectacular tulips and spring flowers of Holland. In Belgium, we enjoyed the medieval town of Bruges and the famous Belgium waffles. Noted for its wine and history, we absorbed the ambiance of Alsace. Then we crossed the Rhine River to the charming Black Forest. Our journey ended in the beautiful city of Lucerne.
Overlooking two of the city's most picturesque canals, Prinsengracht and Keizersgracht, our hotel--the Hotel Pulitzer--was ideally located in the middle of the old city center of Amsterdam. This unique hotel is comprised of 25 restored 17th and 18th century canal houses. We were told that Amsterdam has only 26 days of sunshine and most days are cloudy or rainy. Luckily we had sunny days during our visit.
In the afternoon of our arrival, we enjoyed a canal boat cruise through some of Amsterdam's charming waterways. Lunch was served aboard.
Amsterdam has 1281 bridges.
We cruised by Amsterdam's NEMO, a green building shaped like a ship, which is the largest science center in the Netherlands.
The Western Church was one-half block from our hotel. This reform protestant church was completed in 1631. The ever present bicycles are parked throughout the old city.
In the Netherlands there are more than 1,000 coffee shops. In this country and especially Amsterdam, the term “coffee shop” means a place where a menu selection of hashish and marijuana is served.
In Amsterdam, it is said that there are one million bicycles and only some 750,000 people--more bikes than people! And, we observed this fact. The Dutch use bicycles as a mode of transportation. We saw mothers carrying both their children and groceries at fast speeds. Some men were dressed in their business suits peddling aggressively as they seemed to be late for a meeting. As a pedestrian we were warned to stay out of the bicyclists’ way or risk being hit. The cute "cha-CHING" sound from their handlebar little bell serves a friendly warning that you are about to die!
Aalsmeer is where growers auction 20 million cut flowers and 2 million plants to buyers every day. The processing floor is as large as 25 football fields. About 85% of the flowers and plants are exported the same day to mainly European countries. A small portion goes to the U.S.
The five auction rooms with auction clocks are the throbbing heart of this operation. The price is determined by the Dutch auction system: the first buyer to press the button not only determines the price, but buys the batch at the same time.
In Aalsmeer there are no fewer than 13,000 varieties of flowers and plants for sale daily.
Flowers are a year-round industry in the Netherlands. We booked this trip for a late April visit of the famous 70-acre showcase of Dutch flowers. Although spring was late, we were however fortunate to enjoy the flowers in full bloom. Of course, we came to admire the famous tulip. Actually the tulip originated from Turkey.
This was a special planted display of flowers at Keukenhof that characterize the bust of Rembrandt. This year commemorates the 400th anniversary of the birth of Rembrandt, Amsterdam's most famous historical resident. Keukenhof had a spectacular display of tulips and other beautiful flowers.
The Rijksmuseum opened its much-awaited Rembrandt-Caravaggio exhibition in February. This exhibit is only a taste of the described Rembrandt madness to be found in Amsterdam.
One of Rembrant's best-known paintings in the museum is the wall-size "Night Watch".
Marken is a picturesque Dutch fishing village. In one of the churches one can see model ships hanging from the ceiling.
The classic windmills are now remnants of the past. In the past, they were used to mill grain and pump water from reclaimed land to the sea.
In addition to Frank's goal to see the tulips in the Netherlands, his other mission was to eat waffles made in Belgium. He did and wasn't disappointed! Because Frank liked them so much here, he asked for the recipe at a restaurant in Antwerp. The restaurant proprietor, Michel Liekens, was so kind to share his recipe. Frank will be testing this new recipe on family and friends.
Bruges (or Brugge to the Flemish-speaking locals) has a long tradition of international port activity. The oldest trade settlement and the early medieval port of Bruges were accessible from the sea until around 1050. A storm flood in 1134 reshaped the Flemish coastal plain which changed its connection to the sea via a canal. Today, Bruges employs satellite ports for sea trade. More than fifty bridges (from which the name of the town is derived) span the various canals. Rows of gabled houses are mirrored in calm water giving many charming perspectives. Bruges' beautiful buildings have preserved their medieval aspect. However, on closer inspection some of the picturesque buildings prove to be modern copies of past styles.
Lacemaking has been an industry in Belgium since the Renaissance. We witnessed a lady performing a Bobbin Lace technique, which is a specialty of Bruges.
While there are many interesting sites in Bruges, the Belfry (bell tower) is one of the more striking. Partly because of the way it stands out over the rest of the city. Partly because of the way it flares out at the corners, and partly because the thing is leaning to one side. It is 260 feet tall and leans a full three feet to one side. Part of the reason might be the 27-ton carillon at the top. Originally, the Belfry was where the town's important documents were stored. Later it became a textile warehouse. Today it is a museum, and people are free to climb the 366 stairs to the top (we didn't). The Belfry faces a square which was once an open-air market. This market was held every weekend for 998 years from 985 until 1983. Also noticed are two cast-stone lions guarding the Provincial Court Building facing the square.
Our hotel was the charming Hotel De Tuilerieen.
The Atomium, an Iron molecule magnified 165 billion times, was built for the Brussels World's Fair in 1958.
The Grand Palace faces a colorful square with baroque architecture and lots of people.
The World War II Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial is located south of Luxembourg in the northeast corner of France. The 113.5-acre cemetery contains 10,489 American dead, the largest number in our World War II military cemeteries in Europe.
The memorial contains ceramic operations maps with narratives and service flags. High on its exterior wall is the figure of St. Nabor, a martyred Roman soldier, who overlooks from above. On each side of the memorial, and parallel to its front, stretch the Tablets of the Missing on which are inscribed the names of 444 Americans who gave their lives in the service of their country but whose remains were not recovered or identified.
Located in the northeastern France, Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region.
Completed in 1439, the Cathedral of Our Lady is known for its sandstone Gothic design. The Cathedral of Our Lady contains an ornately decorated musical organ. The astronomical clock of the Cathedral of Our Lady is a mid-19th century version of the 14th century original. This clock is a good example of the collaboration between artists, mathematicians and technicians.
The rose window of the Cathedral of Our Lady emits a kaleidoscope of colors.
We toured old Strasbourg by tram. Also visited was the Barrage Vauban, part of the old city fortifications.
A stork was seen in its nest atop of a building. In 1983 there were only three breeding couples of storks left in Alsace. Most storks were killed during the annual migration. Today storks are born and kept in captivity for three years, which eliminates the stork's instinct to migrate. Therefore, the storks stay in this area during the winter. Storks typically build their nests on top of foundations that are constructed of wheels and are attached horizontally to the top of buildings by the local people. In Alsace the stork is the symbol of purity and fidelity.
Freiburg, the gateway to the Black Forest, is located in the southwest corner of Germany. Freiburg was founded in the 12th century and is strategically located on trade routes between the Mediterranean and North Sea, and the Rhine and Danube rivers.
The Freiburg cathedral was completed in the Middle Ages (1330) and reportedly has the only Gothic church tower in Germany. Miraculously it survived bombing raids of World War II.
Gargoyles are commonly found perched on the rooftops and eaves of Gothic buildings and cathedrals throughout Europe. Originally these sculptures were designed as elaborate waterspouts directing the rains away from the fragile architecture to avoid damage to the masonry. Superstition held that the gargoyle frightened away evil spirits by appearing more hideous and foreboding than any creature that would dare attempt to enter the building. This is why they were often incorporated as architectural elements on great churches and cathedrals. After the introduction of the lead drain pipe in the 16th century, gargoyles served primarily as a decorative function. Surprisingly, one of the gargoyles on the church was a mooning gargoyle perhaps indicative of the sculptor’s twisted sense of humor.
In Triberg, we visited a woodcarver, Samuel Kammerer, at his home and shop.
Early German music boxes (as some of us know as organ grinders or street organs) were demonstrated at the Schwarzwald Museum, Triberg.
The name Black Forest (Schwarzwald in German) in southwest Germany comes from the general dark color of the coniferous trees (spruce and firs). Also some say the name comes from the fact that little light is emitted through the tree-top canopy to the forest floor because the trees grow straight and tall near each other. Past farming has opened the ancient forest to meadows. Also seen in the distance were the Granite Mountains with highest peak at 4,900 feet. The Rhine flows for almost 100 miles past the western edge of the forest. The Danube River begins here.
Lucerne (or Luzern known by the Swiss), a population of 60,274, grew from a small fishing village of ancient origins on the shores of Lake Lucerne. Modern Lucerne is characterized by the contemporary convention and meeting hall. The Swiss Alps Mountains can be seen in the distance.
Since the city straddles the Reuss River where it drains the lake, it has a number of bridges. The most famous is the Chapel Bridge, a 670-ft. long wooden bridge originally built in 1333, although much of it had to be replaced after a 1993 fire. The octagonal Water Tower is a fortification from the 13th century. The bridge with its tower is the city's most famous landmark.
Inside the bridge are a series of paintings from the 17th century depicting events from Lucern's history.
The Jesuit church was built in 1663 and is considered one of Switzerland's most important Baroque structures. The magnificent high altar was built in 1681 and the ceiling fresco was painted in 1750.
We took a boat ride across Lake Lucerne to the Tauck World Discovery's farewell dinner at Hotel Baumgarten.
Upon return from our farewell dinner, we were greeted by our hotel's light show.
| Name |
Comment |
Date |
| JoNan Collins |
So nice to revisit this journey! Thank You |
Sep 8, 2007 |