Priority number one of this fall trip was getting to the Amsterdam Marathon. We flew in and did the expo and I ran the race on Sunday. It was a beautiful course, winding though the city streets before heading out along the Amstel River. We then hooked back in along the canals and past the Heineken brewery. The girls got to run their own races in the morning as well.
The next morning we were off to Bruges, our apartment nestled on the edge of a canal. Of first stop was to the Choco Story where we learned this history of the dish and, of course, ate a lot of it. Having been in Belgium several hours already, we had to head to a beer cafe. Bruges was great for getting around; it isn't very big. All of us could get on bicycles and we rode out about 7 miles to a windmill and into a town for lunch. The ride back was more difficult for the kids, but they made it. We also did a night walking tour and learned about the ghost stories of the village. We saw several of the locations from the movie "In Bruges." More beer. It was a great place to visit and we were sad to leave.
Our train took us back to Amsterdam. The next day was packed with a boat canal tour through the city followed by a trip to the Heineken brewery. While the boat tour is one of the gems of the city, the brewery tour left a lot to be desired. Still, beer fresh from the tap is always a little better. Our night ended with a dinner in a windmill-turned-brewery.
Weather had been great up till this point but then we hit a skid. As we walked to visit the Van Goh museum the next day, rain spat down on us. After checking out hundreds of paintings, we rolled on to the Anne Frank House. This is one of the coolest, if not saddest, exhibits in Europe. Such great information and her story documented here. It is a book everyone should read and a place everyone should visit. The girls really identified with Anne and her family as they walked through the Annex.
The next morning we were off to Bruges, our apartment nestled on the edge of a canal. Of first stop was to the Choco Story where we learned this history of the dish and, of course, ate a lot of it. Having been in Belgium several hours already, we had to head to a beer cafe. Bruges was great for getting around; it isn't very big. All of us could get on bicycles and we rode out about 7 miles to a windmill and into a town for lunch. The ride back was more difficult for the kids, but they made it. We also did a night walking tour and learned about the ghost stories of the village. We saw several of the locations from the movie "In Bruges." More beer. It was a great place to visit and we were sad to leave.
Our train took us back to Amsterdam. The next day was packed with a boat canal tour through the city followed by a trip to the Heineken brewery. While the boat tour is one of the gems of the city, the brewery tour left a lot to be desired. Still, beer fresh from the tap is always a little better. Our night ended with a dinner in a windmill-turned-brewery.
Weather had been great up till this point but then we hit a skid. As we walked to visit the Van Goh museum the next day, rain spat down on us. After checking out hundreds of paintings, we rolled on to the Anne Frank House. This is one of the coolest, if not saddest, exhibits in Europe. Such great information and her story documented here. It is a book everyone should read and a place everyone should visit. The girls really identified with Anne and her family as they walked through the Annex.
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