Beyond Amsterdam
Experiencing
the tulip gardens, and specifically the Keukenhof, in Lisse, Holland had been
something I wanted to do for several years. Although our family had been on
a military assignment in Germany for three years, we still had not made the
trip. While my husband was serving on a one-year deployment, I realized that
if we didn't do it while he was gone, we wouldn't get to do it all because
we would be moving back to the States shortly after he returned.
The first challenge was to figure out transportation. Because we lived in
Europe, we had our car and were quite comfortable driving. However, since
my trip companions were my six-year-old daughter and my newly turned four-year-old
son, I was short a reliable navigator. Therefore, we took the train. What
many people don't realize is that in several European countries, children
ride the rails for free when travelling with a parent or grandparent. It was
a great way to travel because we could all relax and move around between the
dining car and our seating area. The only downside is that we had to limit
how much we could take. When we drive we throw in whatever we think we might
possibly need. On this trip, each kid was in charge of their own day pack
and we fit all of our clothes into one small rolling suitcase.
We
had three full days in the Netherlands (five including travel days). I had
been to Amsterdam before and enjoyed it very much. However, I don't think
the city offers a lot of things that are of interest to young children. Additionally,
it's a big city which is always more of a challenge to navigate with small
children. Therefore, we stayed in the lovely, small city of Haarlem. It is
a 15 minute commuter train ride away for downtown Amsterdam. Therefore, if
we decided to do a day in Amsterdam, it would be an easy commute. But we had
plenty of other activities planned.
That being said, because I was travelling as a single parent with two small
kids, I decided to do just one major activity per day. Figuring out rail and
bus schedules is a challenge enough when travelling with another adult but
figuring out schedules and activities while trying to keep two squirmy kids
from running off to something that was more interesting, is a real test of
patience.
We stayed at the Canal House Bed and Breakfast. I found it on line and made
reservations by phone. There is one family room which sleeps four. [FT NOTE:
When we looked this up, we noticed the Canal House no longer accepts children.
But according to this Reportster, there are many other B&Bs in Haarlem
that do! Just be sure to ask.] The full, but small, bathroom is next to the
family room. We shared it with two double rooms on the floor, but never found
it to be a problem. Each morning we enjoyed a large breakfast delivered to
our room with rolls, many cheeses and very friendly and was happy to share
information on bus and rail schedules, and so forth. One word of warning,
the stairs were very narrow and steep. If you have any disabilities walking,
this is not the place for you. Also, a large suitcase would be extremely difficult
to get up and down the stairs.
From
the bed and breakfast, we walked around the corner and got on a city bus which
took us to the train station. Our first adventure was to Zaanse
Schans. It is a wonderful place for children as it is something of an
outdoor folk museum with working windmills, a wooden shoe "factory" and cheese
"factory." There are farm animals, small canals to cross, and a lot of room
for children to run!
Day two we took a series of local buses to the Keukenhof.
In addition to the rows and rows of tulips, there is a small animal petting
area, wonderful gardens, and a large playground. It was a day to relax and
enjoy the beautiful scenery.
Day three we were back on the train as we went to Madurodam.
The miniature city is one of Holland's most famous tourist attractions and
absolutely fascinating for children. Scenes from around the Netherlands are
replicated in minute detail on a 1:25 scale. Windmills turn, ships sail, and
modern trains traverse the city. There are replicas of the airport, a cheese
market, and the Rijksmuseum. Once we returned back to Haarlem, we took the
city bus to the local indoor pool and enjoyed a couple hours of swimming.
We all thoroughly enjoyed our trip to the Netherlands. Because I was by myself
with the kids, I really adhered to my general travel rules of: Don't try to
do too much; ask for directions and help so you don't take the wrong bus or
train in the wrong direction (it's one thing to go out of your way by an hour
or two when it's just adults, the same thing can ruin a trip when travelling
with kids); don't rush the kids...it's okay to spend some time in a gift shop
or at a local playground you pass if you have adhered to rule #1 (don't plan/do
too much); and finally, when you have had enough, stop for the day. I would
rather not see something at all than to try and push for one more thing and find everyone
cranky and miserable!