The Netherlands

Our second stop on our vacation inside a vacation was in The Netherlands where I planned to catch up with my Dutch friends, Tugba, Bart and Sebastian, whilst getting my fix of cheese, windmills and clogs.  This was also Marc's first time in the land of the Dutch so I was able to expose him to the loveliness that is cheese, windmills and clogs.

We were meant to land in Amsterdam around 10pm where Tugba was to meet us at the airport and take us back to her house for the night.  Unfortunately our flight was delayed (airline will remain unnamed but yes they are a British oneworld member) so by the time we landed it was around midnight.  We thought it would be too cruel to ask Tugba to wait around till then so we checked into a hotel in the city with the plan to sight see a little during the day before meeting up with Tugba in the afternoon.

For our first day of Dutch sightseeing we thought, what's more Dutch than Madam Tussaud's.  Really it was just super cold and it was the closest indoor activity that vaguely promised some form of amusement.  It was actually a lot of fun, although there were a lot of "famous" Dutch people there who weren't so easily recognisable to Marc or myself.  Post wax museum we wandered the streets and checked out the canals before meeting up with Tugba and promptly being taken to a nearby Turkish restaurant.

Dam Square

Waiting in line to see the wax museum

Marc pulling off the peg leg look.

Lenin

Marc made me do this.  That woman on the right is the Queen (of The Netherlands).

So dreamy

Her look says it all.

We love Oprah

Tiesto

Marc setting things straight 

Getting my nerd on.

Dali

Marc is Spiderman

Made with real unicorn?!  Then it must be good!

Yay TUGBA!!!!!!!

The next day Tugba kindly took off work to show us around the city.  The first stop was at de Bakkerswinkel, a super cute bakery selling home made scones and jam.  Sufficiently full of carbs and sugar we then moved on to Albert Cuypmarkt (a large street market in Amsterdam) with a quick detour through Begijnhof (a small community of nuns who get to live in amazing gated community right in the centre of the city).  We wandered through the market but the real reason for going there was to have a quick snack at Bazaar, a delightful middle eastern restaurant.

Post scone euphoria

The Begijnhof

Inside Bazaar

On the way home we stopped in the visit Bart and Sebastian.  When we arrived at their place we found a giant 1,000 piece puzzle taking up pride of place on their dining room table.  Apparently to new cool thing to do in Holland is to puzzle (puzzle: verb; to put pieces of an image back together in silence whilst sitting around the dining room table at a friend's house) with friends over a glass of wine or a beer.  Means you have to talk a lot less.  I think its great and am hoping to encourage such practises with friends at home.  Marc and I are also looking into purchasing our first puzzle together.  It's a big step.

Marc and I puzzling.

Bart had enough of puzzling so made us go to a bar.

Bart was not impressed when he realised you have to have a conversation at a bar.

Marc found something for us to do so we could stop all the silly chatter.

This is what puzzling drives us to.

Day three in The Netherlands was filled with all things Dutch.  Marc and I ventured out of Amsterdam to Zaanse Schans where there is a little village of windmills, a clog making museum and a cheese factory.  It is possibly my most favourite place in the whole world.  Marc also liked it.  After the excitement of Zaanse Schans we headed back in to Amsterdam to meet up with Tugba and Bart for dinner.  We also found Kaasland (cheese land in Dutch) - another trip highlight.

First windmill sighting

MIFFY!!!!!!!

Day four was yet another day that we dragged Tugba away from her PhD.  We had plans to go to her sister's place for dinner that night so we thought we would go via The Hague for some Peace Palace action.  Unfortunately we had not booked a tour so had to satisfy ourselves with the visitors centre.  We then wandered around the city before heading to Ayse's house for an amazing home cooked authentic Turkish meal.  Marc had a nap.

Outside the Peace Palace

Inside the Dutch Parliament grounds

Everyone helping out in the kitchen...

While Marc has a little nap.

We ended up staying the night in Ayse and her husband's beautiful house where we were again fed huge amounts of food for breakfast!  That afternoon we planned to watch the Dutch play Denmark in the European Cup.  As the outcome was not favourable towards the Dutch there are no pictures of this as it will not be mentioned again.

For our last full day in Holland, Marc and I took a canal cruise around Amsterdam.  It was so touristy but so lovely.  After our cruise we headed to Bart and Sebastian's for lunch where again, we continued to puzzle.  Sadly Tugba was not there so could not celebrate in the completion of the puzzle.  Sorry Tugba but I promise when you come to Australia we will have a puzzle waiting for you!

Sebastian, Leigh, Bart and the Puzzle

Completed puzzle in all it's glory.

Thank you to all the Dutch who made it such a lovely week.  Special thanks to Tugba and her family for putting us up and letting us stay in their home with them.  Extra special thanks to the puzzle - without you, we may have actually had to speak to Bart and Sebastian.