The Hague: Madurodam Miniature City

Strings of orange banners festooned the streets of Madurodam Miniature City in The Hague. Flags fluttered in a gentle breeze. The sun shone out of a cornflower blue sky as Madurodam prepared for the World Cup. People lounged in their gardens. One family gathered in front of a wide-screen television put out on the patio. When I passed Madurodam stadium, the match had not started yet. Players and fans were singing the national anthem.

Amsterdam Stopover Mini Guide

Whether you have the luxury of a layover to visit Amsterdam or are just in for a stopover the Amsterdam Stopover Mini Guide, Kindle edition provides all information need to know about Schiphol Airport and Amsterdam.

Amsterdam Schiphol is a popular transport hub. Amsterdam city center is close enough to turn your stopover into a sightseeing trip. If it is shorter, you are trapped at the airport, but this is not a bad thing at all. This huge, vibrant airport is the ideal place to stretch your legs in between flights. You may need as much as forty minutes to walk from one side of the airport to the other, so put on your walking shoes.

The Hague: Panorama Mesdag, an Optical Illusion

The Hague has a plethora of museums. You will need several days to visit them all. If your time is limited, be sure to visit Panorama Mesdag. This circular painting gives the impression that you are inside the painting. Panorama paintings were popular in the nineteenth century, but many were lost. The Raclawice Panorama in Wroclaw, Poland is one of the panoramas that survived, it is a monumental painting measuring 15 × 120 metre, showing the Battle of Raclawice. Panorama Mesdag is unique because it is the only panorama painting in Europe depicting an everyday scene instead of a battlefield.

Save Money in Amsterdam

Buy a museum pass and save money when you are in Amsterdam. The museumjaarkaart, Museum Year Pass, allows free entrance to more than 400 museums all over the Netherlands for one year. It is not promoted for tourists but if you intend to visit four museums or more, the museum card saves you money.

Where to Eat the Best Steak in Amsterdam

Cafe Loetje is the best place in Amsterdam to eat steak so tender that you can cut it with a fork. This is a traditional Bruin Cafe meaning a spot where neighbours come to chat or watch the world go by from the outside terrace in summer. If you are not a steak eater, try Wiener Schnitzel followed by vanilla ice-cream smothered in hot chocolate sauce.

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Amsterdam Winter Tips

Winter is the perfect time time to visit Amsterdam. This time of year you have the city almost for yourself as the bunch of tourists hasn't arrived yet. An Amsterdam winter break also means that you can save money because airfares and hotel rates are at their lowest. The queues at popular museums like Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank House are at their shortest.

Read on Amsterdam in Winter

Eat Dutch Pea Soup and Swim in the North Sea

The Dutch like to make a fresh start for the New Year. That's nothing new because who doesn't make New Year resolutions? The only difference is that the Dutch take it literally. They plunge into the icy waters of the North Sea for their New Year's Dive or Nieuwjaarsduik in Dutch and eat Dutch pea soup afterwards.

November in Amsterdam: Somber Weather and Indoor Events

November is a good month to visit Amsterdam. The cold weather is the perfect excuse to attend one of the many indoor events. They include the arrival of Sinterklaas, the Dutch Santa, High Times Cannabis Cup and International Documentary Festival.

Photo Friday: Amsterdam Bridges

Amsterdam is the city of water. There was a time that water was more important than land. Water kept the enemy at bay and it allowed easy transport of goods. Since the seventeenth century, a maze of canals has divided Amsterdam into ninety islands all interconnected with bridges.

Where to Eat Vegetarian Soup in Amsterdam

I love soup. It is always a dilemma which soup to order when I am having lunch at Soup en Zo.  Shall I try velvety peanut or spicy lentil today? It is a difficult choice because all fifteen home-made soups are equally delicious.