The Bonus

The trip to Europe was an extension to the South America trip. It was a bonus of sort. (For an additional RM 57.00 – for the airport tax – I had the opportunity to stop over and ‘see’ Europe, well, at least a small part of it. Note: expenditure in Europe excluded!) I extended for only six days. I could have stayed longer but thought that a total of 32 days (including travelling time) was more than enough. It gave me the opportunity to visit my niece, Bee, and her family in Belgium.

I had always wanted the experience of ‘solo travelling’, but so far had not put my mind and soul into it. The 2-day/1-night trip to Paris gave me the experience which I had wanted. I enjoyed the ‘freedom’ of being able to see the ‘world’ alone (albeit a very short one). It ‘broke away’ from the standard ‘ritual’ of ‘tomorrow wake up call at 6:30, breakfast at 7:00 and we will leave the hotel at 7:30 for…’ and ‘we will stop here for 1-1/2 hours and please be back here by…’

Had the weather been much better – it was extremely cold, windy and was raining on and off, on and off – I would have enjoyed my sojourn in Europe much more. Arh, never mind, after all it was a bonus, remember?

The Summary

Summary of the trip

(Click on the photo for larger version)

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

These photos were taken during transit to Lima, Peru.

City of Amsterdam

Having just arrived from South America where things are relatively cheap, it was kind of ‘currency’ (not culture) shock. We needed to get used to using EURO.

Amsterdam Central Station

First dinner in Amsterdam
(Eight of us extended our trip to Amsterdam)

Streets of Amsterdam (above and below)

Hotel Beursstraat – where we stayed

Where our hotel is located – Red Light District!

Two of the many canals in Amsterdam (above & below)

Food (and everything else) is expensive in Amsterdam,
so we were happy to find this rather ‘economical’ restaurant

serving take-away Indonesian food.

The Fishing Villages

We bought a EURO 9.00 unlimited day-ticket and travelled to Marken, Volendam and Edam. These are famous quaint little fishing villages. Edam is also famous for its cheese. We visited a cheese and clog factory where we met a Malaysian Chinese lady who is married to a Dutch.

Look alike?

The Cheese factory

With one of the staff at the cheese factory.
She is a Malaysian married to a Dutch.

The clog factory

The Canal Cruise

Enjoying the cruise along the canals.

It started to rain before the end of the cruise. Weather had

been unexpectedly cold and it was raining intermittently.

The floating Chinese restaurant