In April 2013 we explored The Netherlands
This was quite a different cycling tour for us. We wanted to learn more about The Netherlands, as well as experience traveling around the country on a bicycle. We were lucky enough to discover Tulip Cycling. Peter Vos, the owner, is a land surveyor, as well as avid cyclist. He listened to our desires and put together a trip which filled all of our requests.
We would never have found the numerous paths on our own that Peter picked for us, and the GPS was wonderful in guiding us. We went for hours without seeing many, if any, cars and mostly seeing swans, ducks, geese and other water fowl in the small canals that lined our route. We enjoyed the towns we visited and the selection of B&Bs/hotels. All was designed to our specifications and we were happy with the tour.
We especially enjoyed walking in the flower gardens of Keukenof, riding in the numerous fields of flowers, cycling in the National Parks and sand dunes along the North Sea, exploring the old windmills, talking to the locals, and experiencing the culture.
And the most fun of all was watching the coronation of the new King, Willem Alexander, and taking part in the celebration and partying afterward!
Select a picture below to see our photos
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ABOVE - We cycled clockwise from Zwolle to Kampen, The Netherlands
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ABOVE - 4/13 - We arrived in Amsterdam and looked around the city.
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ABOVE - 4/14 - We explored more of Amsterdam and its canals.
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ABOVE - 4/15 - We rode the train to Zwolle and walked around the old town.
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ABOVE - 4/16 - Cycling day 1 (CD1) - We biked from Zwolle to the hamlet of Harderwijk
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ABOVE - 4/17 - CD2 - We biked from Harderwijk to Amersfoort, the former "tobacco" city.
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ABOVE - 4/18 - CD3 - We biked from Amersfoort to the university town of Utrecht
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ABOVE - 4/19 - CD4 - We biked from Utrecht to the "silver city" of Schoonhoven.
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ABOVE - 4/20 - CD5 - We biked from Schoonhoven to the "cheese" city of Gouda.
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ABOVE - 4/21 - CD6 - We biked from Gouda to Delft, famous for its "blue pottery".
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ABOVE - 4/22 - CD7 - We biked from Delft to Leiden, a university city since 1575.
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ABOVE - 4/23 - CD8 - We biked from Leiden to Noordwijkerhout, in the bulb growing region
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ABOVE - 4/24 - CD9 - We biked across the sand dunes from Noordwijkerhout to Haarlem
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ABOVE - 4/25 - CD10 - We biked from Haarlem to Alkmaar for its traditional cheese market.
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ABOVE - 4/26 - CD11 - We biked from Alkmaar to Enkhuizen, home of the Zuiderzee.
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ABOVE - 4/27 - CD12 - We biked and ferried from Enkhuizen to the town of Lemmer.
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ABOVE - 4/28 - CD13 - We biked from Lemmer to the "carfree" town of Giethoorn.
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ABOVE - 4/29 - CD14 - We biked from Giethoorn to Kampen and its preserved old town.
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ABOVE - 4/30 - Queen's Day celebration in Amsterdam!
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ABOVE - A collection of some of the thousands of bikes that we saw in Holland
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ABOVE - A collection of some of our favotite "thatched roof" houses
