Wonderful Weekend in Den Haag

Scheveningense bosje

Den Haag

A return to blogging...I was reading through my Croatia posts and started to think about how much I miss this blog. As I reread the posts, I realized there is so much from that trip I forgot about. It got me thinking about how much I miss documenting our lives and adventures. There is so much missing from this blog and I'm sad that I can't go back and read about it again. So enough of that. Back to the blog and Adventures with Jaap.

Binnenhof

Now that we are traveling with little Flora, our family weekend getaways and vacations are slightly less exotic, but just as fun. I knew that once we started a family we would be spending more time exploring The Netherlands and that's what we have been doing a lot this year. We went to Den Haag for the long Pinksteren wekend. I was once briefly in Den Haag for my immigration paperwork, but I have never spent a good amount of time here. This city is great. Very international, full of greenery, and a 20 minute bus ride to the beach. What's not to love?

Fun at the Escher Museum

We had lots of fun at the Escher Museum. (Thanks for the tip, Mom). Here's Flora having some fun with modern art. 

Saturday was our beach day and we went to Kijkduin for the morning. Flora got to touch/feel and explore sand for the first time and we got to stick our feet in the freezing cold water. I love watching her face when she experiences something for the first time...the silent pause and questioning look. Of course she then proceeded to try and eat the sand.

Peace Palace

My favorite part of Den Haag is all the nature. The city is full of parks, "forests", and tiny squares with greenery. It's truly unique and refreshing for city life. We had some beautiful walks with Flora through the Scheveningse Forest and the Clingendael.

A delicious dinner at ZOT!

The Japanese Garden in the Clingendael was a nice treat. It's only open a few weeks every year, so we were lucky to catch the last weekend. 

Our happy little traveler

Traveling is a little different now with a baby. Dinner at 5:00 (!) and some early wake up calls, but these little smiles are worth it. I could just eat these chubby cheeks. 

Mom in Amsterdam

Museumkwartier

Part of Mom's visit to meet Flora included a two night trip to Amsterdam. Mom's trip was full of sunshine, blue skies, and warm weather. I told her this was very "un-Dutch".

Per Mom's request, we visited the Van Gogh Museum. I was happy to see it since it's renovation. Afterwards we enjoyed a sunny walk through the Museumkwartier.

We had lots of time to kill before our visit to the Amsterdam Expo, so we had a very leisurely stroll and rest in the Vondel Park. 

Van Gogh Museum

Flora's first visit to a museum. She was unimpressed.

It was a beautiful, crisp fall day. Perfect for some exercise in the park. After the walk I was craving a nice cup of coffee. As we turn a corner, there it was. My favorite little coffee place, Douwe Egberts. Perfect timing!

Jaap wanted to check out the Pixar exhibit at the Amsterdam Expo. My husband is really just a big kid at heart. I realized this very early in our relationship, since our second date was to a Pixar movie. Here he is with some friends.

On Sunday we went to the Anne Frank Huis (something new for me) and walked around the Negen Straatjes and admired all the beautiful canals. What's not to love about Amsterdam? I love this city.

Flora's favorite hold

Home Sweet Home: Visiting Olana

Our day at Olana with my nephew was by far the best day of this vacation. Every time we travel to visit my family, Jaap and I like to explore something that we haven't seen together in the Hudson Valley. Having grown up in the Hudson Valley, many of the sites, parks, and places we visit are not new to me, but new for the two of us to explore together. I've developed a greater appreciation and admiration for the beautiful region that I grew up in. Jaap proposed to me two summers ago across the river. We could see Olana in the background up on the mountain. It's something we've wanted to go back and visit ever since.

Having grown up just across river from this site, I have many memories of Olana as a very young child. I was nervous about taking my nephew there because I wondered how much a 9 year old boy would really enjoy touring a historic site. I was impressed by how much he enjoyed it; asking questions to the tour guide and seeming to be genuinely interested in the life of Fredrich Church and the house itself. We were off to a good start!

Olana is a large, Persian inspired mansion built in the 1800s by Fredrich Church, one of the famous Hudson River School painters. We followed an indoor tour of the home and learned about the Church family's world travels and what inspired them to build Olana. 

View of the Hudson

Now, on to the fun stuff. After our cute little picnic lunch in the grass (complete with Jaap teaching Joey how to burn ants alive with a magnifying glass), I watched on as Jaap and Joey flew the kite we purhcased in Mystic, CT through the fields of Olana. Beautiful sunshine and the perfect amount of wind.

It was a day full of art, history, exercise, and nature, followed by a stop at Friendly's for some ice cream. (This was my favorite part). We finished our day together with an art project back home. Fun times.

Living in the Netherlands and being so far away from family make me appreciate these moments together much more. From beginning to end this day was perfect. And what better way to end the day with a free haircut from your 2 year old niece back at the house.

A Brussels Babymoon

Grand Place

As Jaap and I wait around for this baby to arrive, my mind is becoming more and more restless. I've only been on maternity leave for three weeks and yet it feels like three months! I told Jaap and I needed something to do this weekend to keep my mind occupied, so we planned a last minute trip to Brussels. I have never had a proper chance to explore the city and what better time to do it than now before our household goes from "just the two of us" to a family of three. 

We arrived in Brussels and started exploring...first stop...Manneken Pis. An interesting choice for a city's mascot. 

Europe's "greatest square", The Grand Place. Saturday was full of a lot of walking and I was happy that my very pregnant self was able to keep up with it. 

Here's a view of Galeries Roayles St. Hubert...Europe's oldest shopping mall. :)

And finally a quick peak at St. Michael's Cathedral before it was time for me to rest my swollen feet at an art nouveau era cafe near The Bourse.

Break time

Afterwards we had a delicious little lunch at Le Perroquet in the Sablon neighborhood, after a recommendation from a friend (thanks Faye). We walked up to Place du Petit Sablon a nice, little, beautifully landscaped oasis. 

Notre Dame du Sablon Church

The large statues throughout the garden are great Belgian thinkers that once called Brussels home.

And now for one of the best parts of our trip, the hotel. I gotta give props to my amazing-deal-finding husband who found this 5-star hotel at a very affordable price. Who knew Brussels would be so much cheaper in the summertime? Apparently when all the diplomats are out of town on summer holiday, you can get a great bargain. Nice find Jaap!

Stanhope Hotel

One bus ride away from a romantic evening

Drinks on the square

Our dinner reservations weren't until 8:30, so we killed some time having drinks on the Grand Place and enjoyed some decent people watching with nice cool weather. Jaap enjoyed his Kwak beer and I sipped a decaf coffee looking on with envy. I was saving myself for my one glass of wine at dinner. :)

Dinner was at a simple seafood restaurant in the Sainte Catherine-Fish Market neighborhood. I highly recommend La Maree on a visit to Brussels. This place rocks. Even though I debated getting some other type of seafood from the menu, I knew I would order "mussels from Brussels". I'm glad I did though...they were delicious!

Mussels "from the House"

What does Jaap order at a seafood restaurant? The filet. :)

Our romantic evening was perfect. Excellent service, simple and delicious food, and a friendly atmosphere. Just when I thought the meal couldn't get any better, the chef comes out, walks around, and asks all the guests how their meal was. I told Jaap to pinch me because you never get great service AND good tasting food like this in Maastricht. And as much as I love little Maastricht, it's still the most expensive place to eat in Europe.

I was definitely "living in the moment" trying to take in all our remaining couple time we have left before our little baby arrives. The best part of the evening wasn't the delicious food, but the great company with my loving husband. :)

Secret family recipe from Chef--we have no idea what it was...but it was delicious!

The Stanhope Hotel did not disappoint with their breakfast. Jaap and I both agree that it has taken over the number spot of best hotel breakfasts ever. Lekker!

Good-bye King Albert

Sunday was a quick sightseeing day for us, shortened by my fatigue from this horribly hot weather sweeping through Northern Europe. We just happened to be in Brussels the same weekend that Belgium inaugrates King Philippe to the throne and staying literally around the corner from the inauguration. We had a quick stroll around Parc de Bruxelles to enjoy the festivities before heading back to Maastricht.

Thanks Jaap for a great babymoon weekend!