August 17, 2010

Getting Ready for Our European Honeymoon

By Mike Donovan | 6 comments

It has been five months of planning, but it is just a few short days until Keri and I embark on our trip to Amsterdam. We are hoping to pack a lifetime’s worth of adventure into our week in Europe, so having non-stop direct flights into Amsterdam is a life-saver.

Amsterdam's famous floating market, Bloemenmarkt boasts hundreds of colorful flowers.

After arriving in Amsterdam, there are definitely certain places Keri and I are going to visit. From Bloemenmarkt – the floating flower market on the Singel Canal – to Vondelpark, we are hoping to immerse ourselves into the Dutch culture.

As bikes and boats are common means of transportation in Amsterdam, we thought it would be fun to fuse the best of both worlds and tour the city by paddleboat. It will be nice to go at our own pace and experience a unique perspective of the local architecture and neighborhoods.

Inside the VanGogh Museum

With the array of museums that Amsterdam offers, it will be difficult to see all of them, but we definitely think we will visit the Van Gogh Museum, which is home to works by not just Van Gogh but also Paul Gauguin, Edouard Manet, and Claude Monet.

Start the morning off right with stroopwafels, the famous Dutch pancake

The one other thing Keri and I are looking the most forward to is the food and drink. We have heard a lot about Dutch pancakes and cannot wait to try them. Apparently, they are similar to a French crepe, but are slightly thicker and are filled with an array of fresh ingredients. Combine that with the locally made and world-renowned beer, Heineken, and you have the perfect Honeymoon breakfast.

The gardens of Versailles

After Amsterdam, we will be making our way to Paris by high-speed train. Getting to Europe in one flight from PDX makes traveling to other European cities, like Paris, much easier. In Paris, we plan on exploring Versailles for a day and relax at authentic Parisian cafes.

We can’t wait for our trip, and we are excited to share our experience with you.

See Mike’s winning haiku here.

Photo credits: Amsterdam canal, Lyn Gateley; Bloemenmarkt, Jim Derda; Van Gogh Museum, Jan Tito; stroopwafels, Or Hiltch; Versailles gardens, Panoramas