Netherlands: Amsterdam and beyond . . .

Did you know that Holland and the Netherlands is the same place? Or that one quarter of the Netherlands is actually below Sea Level?

Did you know that Holland still has around 1,000 working windmills?  Or that it has the highest concentration of museums in the world, with 42 in Amsterdam alone? I'll be visiting two of their most well known. 

Did you know that Amsterdam has 1,281 bridges and that Holland has more than 4,400 km of navigable rivers, canals and lakes and 15,000 km of cycle paths?

And finally did you know that the Dutch are considered to be the tallest people in Europe?  Now at 5’2” I’m going to stick out like a sore thumb.  :)

I've been reading my guidebooks and various websites chronicling the history of the Netherlands (Wikipedia) through the years which is all very interesting, but I am also finding these additional tidbits of information about the Netherlands very unique and interesting as well.  Pre-Trip blogging is a wonderful trip planning technique I learned from fellow blogger, Sandrac, to help me focus on what I want to see and do on my trips and it has definitely helped me a lot for the past two trips to Spain and Scotland. I'm leaving in 35 days (eek!) and in the next few weeks, I hope to write a few blog entries about some of the highlights of what I hope to see and experience on my 2010 Vibrant Europe Trip. 

Many thanks and appreciation to all of my blogging friends (AnnieNC, Marta, Menehune, Barb, Nancy, Maya, Jane, Sandra, Girasoli, Shannon and Anne) who have been so supportive and helpful in providing some very helpful tips on food, art, museums, weather, shops, history and transportation.  Upon hearing about my trip to Amsterdam, fellow Slow Traveler and blogging friend, Marta, wrote two very cool entries on her Postcards from the Trail Blog, Amsterdam and Window Shopping in Amsterdam. Marta spent several months living and working in the Netherlands and posted some of her beautiful photos and wrote about her experiences there which I really enjoyed reading a lot.  I am especially excited about seeing as Marta put it, the “whimsical” side of Amsterdam in addition to their amazing museums, shops, flower market, canals and architecture. 

I have two weeks in Amsterdam with a two night day trip to Bruges in Belgium, before I head to Berlin, Germany. I'm staying in an apartment near a beautiful canal called Prinsengracht (Wikipedia) and from there I will be able to explore and venture around the city by using their very efficient trams or doing as the locals do by renting a typical dutch bike to ride along on some of those 15 km of bike paths (Amsterdam Bicycles).   Did I mention the beautiful canal?  :D

People keep referring to Amsterdam as the "Venice of the North" but I would be hard pressed to compare it to Venice.  I think Venice is simply in a league all to herself.   But from what I have seen in Marta's photos and in my research, I do believe that Amsterdam with it's many canals, bridges and quaint Dutch architecture is without a doubt a very beautiful city too. 

I will have Wi-Fi in my apartment and will be able to post while there so for those of you who have already been, I hope to stir up some fond memories and for those of you who have not been I hope to be able to let you see Amsterdam through my eyes.

Next up the food, the museums, the canals, the architecture, the interesting shops and more . . . .