On to the Netherlands!

Sunday morning we were up, packed and out of our hotel to meet our dear friends in Holland.  We stopped by McDonalds and waited for them to open then began our drive north out of Belgium.  Renting a car and doing a little road trip was good for these Texans who NEVER drive more than 15 miles away from home in Doha.  Finally we arrived at the Dutch Open Air Heritage Museum where we were meeting the Chapmans.  It was an awesome place full of fascinating info in regards to the Dutch lifestyle and how it appeared many years ago.  Turned out to be very chilly that day but no rain.  Fortunately wearing my Toms worked out and we were prepared with some extra accessories.

 

After reuniting and hugging our sweet friends the Chapmans we were ready to eat, of course! 

Uh the pancake house will do! 

This is the ham and cheese!

Kiddos who had an absolute blast together the whole week! 

The Chapman Crew!  They are expatriots living in London.  We are friends from college and Houston.  We conjured up this spring break trip over Christmas when we stopped for a London visit with them on our way home for the holidays. 

  

First stop after lunch was a look into the business and making of the well known dutch wooden clogs. 

 

 

We bought a pair in Georgia's size as a little Holland treasure. 

Up next?  Cheese!!  My kids were running around outside but Taylor and I were tasting and buying the most amazing cheese I've ever put in my mouth!!  

We also got to see an old spice mill. This one was grinding our family favorite, cinnamon.   

 

Georgia bundled up.

 

After an afternoon full of walking and being outside we were ready to eat again :)  So we headed to Haarlem. Home town and now museum for Corrie Tin Boom and the house/"hiding place" where she hid Jews safely from the Nazis. We were sad the museum was closed. 

We landed at a Rick Steves recommendation for dinner that was awesome of course. 

Venezia! 

That night was the first and the last time we got separated from the Chapmans when going to the restaurant. We moved forward from there by sticking together, parking together and walking together.  Having a car was great but parking in europe is NO FUN!  God bless the incredible Italian food we had for dinner.