We started with a very full 3 days and two nights in Amsterdam. Though not city people at heart, we enjoyed this one. We walked everywhere and felt very comfortable although cold at times. One of our best decisions was to get the Museumjaarkaart, (MJK) museum pass. We paid less than $60 for both of us and used over $120 worth of admissions. It will still be good on our next trip since it is valid for a year! We felt comfortable checking out a museum for a short time rather than feeling we needed to stay longer to get our money's worth.

The highlights of the trip were certainly not food related though we had three incredible meals: 1 Italian, 1 Chinese, and 1 Greek and enjoyed a lot of pancakes, cheese, and hot chocolate with whipped cream that had to be sinful. We liked the two open air museums - the Zuiderzee and Openlucht in Arnhem. They are very large and there is a lot to see. The museums in general were fabulous and the little clock museum in Zaanse Schans was a gem. Paul's favorite stop was the Batavia Wharf where they recreated a 1600s sailing ship using original methods and machinery. It is connected also to the Marine Archeology Institute and we had our own personal guide who explained everything.

I heartily recommend the Netherlands as a destination. I am really glad we did not try to visit Belgium. We did not have enough time for what we planned. Maybe we will fit it in next year.

Take care, Janet Riverview, FL