Holland Trip in a couple of week

[paul_chance]

<p>I am headed to Amsterdam the end of the month for a conference and will have 2 free days (not consectutive) for sighting / photography.</p>

<p>I have decided to leave my big stuff at home and just use my G11 and Gitzo Traveler tripod.</p>

<p>Looking for suggestions for day trips out of the city - I have done the city tours before. If the weather is bad, I will opt for the Van Gough exhibit.</p>

<p>Thankts.</p>

[brad_bell]

<p>If you've never been to Keukenhof, it's a must see. About an hour or so outside of Amsterdam. They have the greatest flower (mostly Tulip) gardens on the planet! It is only open from March 18-May 16, so take advantage. You won't be disappointed.</p>

 

[paul_chance]

<p>Sounds Great! I will look into that!</p>

<p>The better the photo opportunity, the more I'm sure I'll wish I had my bigger lenses with me.</p>

[swenson]

<p>Haarlem, Utrech, Zanse Schans.</p>

[charles_stobbs3]

You can rent a bicycle at several locations and take it on the small ferry behind the main railroad station and pedal along the road following the water out towards the North Sea. You come to several small scenic villages. Or if you get tired of the canal boat tours in Amsterdam you can take a similar tour in Delft.

[Wouter Willemse]

<p>Paul,<br>

Since the Netherlands is very small, pretty much everything is reachable, but do take into account that the Netherlands can have enormous traffic jams. So do plan ahead, especially the Amsterdam/The Hague region is stuffed during the commuting hours.</p>

<p>The Keukenhof is very nice, if you like flowers, but it's very seasonal. However, the region around it (the Bollenstreek) is just as nice, as you'll see the farming of the tulips, and less touristy. The Keukenhof can be extremely busy.</p>

<p>Delft is very pretty, Utrecht is very nice and pretty, and I love Haarlem (every bit as beautiful as Amsterdam, without the crowd - also good museums there). But admittedly, it is still a bit like Amsterdam in terms of architecture. The south of the Netherlands has a slightly different flair, so it could be a nice alternative.<br>

So, a bit further away is Maastricht. It's a 3 hour drive from A'dam; its roots are older than the more northern places so it's sufficiently different in architecture. You will also find that the food is better there, and the pace of life a bit more relaxed than hush-hush-Amsterdam :-) A bit less travelling and smaller are either 's Hertogenbosch (or Den Bosch), or Breda and Bergen op Zoom. Still all cities, though - none of them needs big gear...<br>

If you'd want to see nature combined with some art, the Kröller-Müller museum near Arnhem is worth a visit. Nature reserve 'De Hoge Veluwe' is gorgeous and quite specific nature (and with foxes, deer and swines, long-lenses appreciated!) and it hosts a "yachting house" designed by Berlage. Also a museum there, with van Gogh and contemporaries.<br>

The region around is also interesting for the history buffs, because of Operation Market Garden (WW II). Naturewise a very pretty region (but I lived near and in Nijmegen for many years, so I am biassed).</p>

[bob_smith76]

<p>Delft is beautiful and quaint, highly recommended! The photos of it on the net do not do it justice</p>

[leonard_van_der_zwan]

<p>Paul ,<br>

The places mentionned are all nice. i would like to add The Hague (Binnenhof,=goverment buildings), and next door museum Mauritshuis), Rotterdam( if your into modern architecture, some museums), Leiden (has several museums and is nice old city).<br>

To avoid traffic jams, but risk some delay trains are quite good to get to the cities in The Netherlands for planning public transport (<a href="http://journeyplanner.9292.nl/">http://journeyplanner.9292.nl/</a>) </p>

<p>If you want to go to Van Gogh, it has sometimes evening openings that are less crowded (<a href="http://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/vgm/index.jsp">http://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/vgm/index.jsp</a>)</p>

<p>Have a good trip,</p>

<p>Leonard</p>

[paul_chance]

<p>Thanks so much for everyone's tips. I think i will head to Kinderdijk for a day, although I have no idea if the trains go there :)</p>

<p>Question, as i am going very light with just the G11 with the lensmate adaptor and polorizer :). Will I find myself wishing for the 1.4 teleconvertor? </p>

<p>I am sure I will say to myself, "I should've brought my big bodies and lenses" but I am committed to trying the light route on this trip.</p>

[david_henderson]

<p>For me, if i hadn't been to the area before , I'd do a circuit- which you can do by public transport - starting at Marken a community of mostly green painted ex fishing huts on the end of a peninsula into the Markermeer, a bus-ride out of Amsterdam; then take a boat across to Volendam, and then a bus to Edam. To my mind you'll get more variety and learn a bit more about Holland than going to a park and photographing tulips all day. </p>

<p>For another day, there are two "living museums" that are each worth at least half a day and give a flavour of an older Holland . The best, and furthest though its on a railway like is at Enkhuizen, and its called the Zuyderzee museum and in that sense its location is not a surprise. Its pretty good . As is Zaanse Schans, only 10m NW of Amsterdam , accessible by train and bus easily enough though it also has a carpark. </p>

<p>My final suggestions would require you to hire a car. Near Dordrecht, in the delta area, there's an area of windmills called Kinderdijk and a whole series of rural canals that can be very photogenic in spring. Harder to get to than the others I mention, though in Holland distances are short , and the photography is good. </p>

<p>Equally you should look up the work of Jaap Hart here on photo.net Much of his stuff is made in a rural area north of Amsterdam called I think Beemster- pretty much between Alkmaar, Purmerend and Hoorn. Again a car necessary.</p>

[paul_chance]

<p>i kind of like your suggestion of the circuit - Marken then Volendam then Edam... do the trains go to Kinderdijk?</p>

<p>Is Kinderdijk better in the morning or afternoon?</p>

[david_henderson]

<p>I don't think a train would be much use for Kinderdijk. Not only from the point of view of getting there, but also for getting around it- its not a tiny area. I have little doubt that you could get a train to Dordrecht or Rotterdam, and a taxi to Kinderdijk, but it is important IMO to have a car whilst there. I've been there a couple of times in late afternoon and enjoyed it.</p>

[paul_chance]

<p>any of you local in Amsterdam? I am arriving on Sunday morning and will have Sunday afternoon and all day mon to shoot stuff :)</p>

<p>If you would like to act as a "guide" I am willing to compensate you for you time and gas :)</p>

<p>Please PM if interested... Also I will be free on the next Friday.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

[paul_chance]

<p>a few pics from last Monday with my little g11</p>

<p><a href="http://www.achanceencounter.com/p705740711">http://www.achanceencounter.com/p705740711</a></p>

<p>comments and critiques welcome -</p>

<p>hoping to get to kinderdijk tomorrow will be done with meetings today :)</p>