Belgium and Amsterdam

BELGIUM
On Thursday, April 24 we flew from Indianapolis to Brussels.  Arriving on Friday morning we were taken to Lier, Belgium by Peter, one of the directors of the basketball clinic.  On Saturday Don presented at the clinic.

Don at our hotel
It was a prison long ago!

World famous clock at the end of the square

Quaint buildings

By the canal going through the town

Friday night eating out group
Rick & Cindy from Atanta, the two Belgium couples and us

On Saturday Don presented at the basketball clinic and Rita picked me up for a day in Antwerp.

A traditional Belgium meal
chicken and meat balls with a biscuit in gravy

Sunday morning brunch at Walter and Rita's house.  Then Walter took us to the train station for our trip to Amsterdam.

Walter and Rita

AMSTERDAM
We arrived late afternoon and found the Renaissance Hotel just a few blocks from the train station.  We took an evening canal cruise to get acquainted with Amsterdam.

Train trip to Amsterdam!

Amsterdam Central Station

Evening canal cruise

You can see seven canal bridges at once.

Many houseboats along the wider canals.

Old defense tower

Monday was a sight seeing day mostly through the "New Side" of Amsterdam.

Inside the NIEUWE KERK (new church)
Built in 1400s, adjacent to the Royal Palace

New Church

Dam Square with the Palace and New Church
was filled with carnival rides.
Dam Square was created in 13th century

Delft blue store

flowers at the floating flower market

The back side of the floating flower market.

cheese shop

and some sausages

Along a canal

The map is out!  Where are we?

Day Trip to Keukenhof
Tuesday:  Day trip to Keukenhof, the largest bulb-flower park in the world!  There are 4.5 million hand planted tulips in 100 varieties and it makes the largest sculpture park in the Netherlands.

Looking down from the windmill on a boat that we took
around the tulip fields.

Snack time - waffle and strawberries

Thursday
We found the Old Church and went inside.

Oude Kerk - the Old Church
monumental church dominates the Red Light District

the main organ

wooden curved ceiling

"Coffee" shops in Amsterdam
legal marijuana

Countryside Tour
We went on a 5.5 hour tour to Volendam, Marken and Windmills.  We enjoyed the lovely Dutch countryside.  We went to Zaanse Schans, the picturesque windmill village with its typical green timbered house.  We visited a working windmill that was a saw mill and we saw them cutting the wood via wind power.  Then we went to the cute fishing village of Volendam where we visited a cheese factory and had supper in a nice fish restaurant.  A boat trip to the former island of Marken where we visited a local traditional clog maker who demonstrated how a simple block of wood can be transformed into a wooden shoe in minutes.

A working windmill - a sawmill

Volendam - a lovely fishing village

Cheese making demonstration in Volendam

Ate supper at a nice fish restaurant.
We had kibbeling, a light cod fish

Boat trip from Volendam to Marken

Houses in Marken

Clog making demonstration

The clogs were not very comfortable.

Back to Belgium
We took the high speed train from Amsterdam to Brussels on Thursday.  Just two hours and we were there!  After checking into the Marriott near the Groote Market (Grand Place)  we had lunch and headed out for a bus tour of Brussels.

Buildings around Groote Market

Beautiful church

Day trip to Brugge
Friday we took the train to Antwerpen and met with Walter and Rita who took us to Brugge for the day.  LOVELY Belgium town.

Rita with the dog

Lunch time at a brewery - Flemish Stew

Lunch with Walter and Rita

Chocolate mousse for dessert

Belgium waffles for afternoon snack.

This last night in Belgium we had dinner out with Arnold (coaching friend), Bridget, daughter, Arnold's mom & friend near Antwerpen.  Arnold took us back to Brussels later.

Saturday morning we took a taxi to the Brussels airport.  After a 9 hour flight to Chicago we flew to Indianapolis to help Cade and Brent celebrate their birthday.  Great trip!