Europe

  • Europe

    Tilburg, Netherlands

    What a sweet little place! We arrived by train and immediately Sam commented on the changes to the train station and the area around the station!  This stop was for a walk down memory lane for Sam as he lived there for 18 months in 2008/9. Tilburg now has a population of 217000 but when Sam lived there the population was less than half the population!  One of Sam’s other favourite things to do was to go watch the Tilburg Trappers, the local team in the Dutch hockey league! Tilburg also often hosts many festivals throughout the year!   The Nedtrain facility is now “Loc Hall”, the new public library and…

  • Europe

    European Train Travel Adventures

    Right off the start, I’m going to highly recommend that you download the train apps for the countries you are visiting at home to ensure you get the English options. I had not done this for one app and found myself muddling through the Dutch app and hoping for the best! You can buy a train pass and your tickets ahead of time but we never do. It’s the way we travel I guess. On our own timeline! I will also say, don’t be afraid of using the metro (subways) either!  They are quick, come often and are totally safe. Always watch for pickpockets, keep your purse zipped shut and…

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    Zaandam, Zaanse Schans – Netherlands

    We took the train north to see the Windmills in Zaandam Zaanse Schans. It is an easy train ride, direct and took about 20 mins to arrive in this cute small town. The walk to the tourist site took us about 15 mins leisurely walking from the train station and an underpass that takes you to the other side of the highway.  I did notice that what looked like a bike rental company when you come out of the underpass if you wanted to rent a bike and tour the whole town. The homes are cute and there are several shops along the way. We crossed a large bridge that…

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  • Europe

    Amsterdam, Netherlands

    Sam and I travelled to Europe this November and Amsterdam was our first stop. I had never been, but since Sam lived in Tilburg for 18 months he had been once or twice!! While we stayed in Amsterdam we choose to rent a room on one of the main canals. We were about a 10 min walk from the train station and close to many attractions!  We walked all day, using google maps to help us maneuver the canal bridges and the circular pattern of Old Amsterdam. Our room had a nice large bed, Netflix (which we barely used) a roomy ensuite with a good sized shower. The room was…

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