it’s been a while since i really travelled.
i mean it has always been spending aimlessly, doing shopping favors for people or simply wasting my time away at AEON.
this time. i got to tour Amsterdam 
- – -
Upon arrival at Amsterdam Schipol International Airport, the set of crew board the bus towards Hotel Okura.
On the way to our hotel:
It was a wonderful day, most of the people rode bicycles there (very environmental friendly, even had to purchase my own plastic bag while at the supermarket) and houses were mostly built in front of lakes/rivers so people could ‘park’ their boats in front of their houses. HOWLOVELY!
FINALLY! Arrived at hotel okura..
We CHIONG-ed out for some groceries shopping @ the nearby supermarket before heading for salad, pizza and spaghetti at this traditional Italian restaurant, PIZZA TAXI
The boss of PIZZA TAXI is incredibily cute and outgoing. He sings his italian songs at the top of his voice and literally swirls in the restaurant while serving people…very typical italian
Back in the hotel:
MY ROOM (extremely messy):
The bathroom (very interesting, with two basins i wonder for what?)
The gorgeous view outside my room:
DAY TWO:
We decided to take the tram down to the DAM to make enquiries on day tours.
The tram conductor:
At the DAM, we realised that most of the shops were not open for biz yet, so we hung around the area and took some photos:
River across the tour agency:
The tram and me, haha!
We decided to take up a full day tour to a windmill village with lots of windmills (of cos!) and learn how to make wooden clogs from a wooden shoemaker, visit a fishing village, Volendam and Marken where we will take a boat ride and stop at a cheese farm for cheese tasting! After that we will also be visiting the Delft Blue Pottery factory and Madurodam, known as ‘Holland in a nutshell’ or in our language, the Xiao Ren Guo.
THE TOUR BEGINS:
1) WINDMILL VILLAGE + WOODEN SHOEMAKER
Our tourguide for the day, can’t believe that i actually forgot her name! But i know she’s dutch and can speak English, Italian and Spanish..notice her extraordinary umbrella with tulips? that’s how she leads the tour group..
The different varieties of wooden clogs they have now, wooden clogs with straps, pointed ones, high-heeled, with wooden carvings(heard that the dutchmen have to handcarve them and present it to the women they wish to marry in order for the lady to agree), white ones with lace (for women to wear on their wedding day).
This extremely cute guy was the shoemaker of the day.
He taught us how they make wooden clogs in Holland:
We decided to try on the thousands of wooden shoes, i chose the red one with polka dots. VERY MODERN HOR…
The many usages of the wooden shoe in these days:
CAN BE WORN:
CAN BE DISPLAYED:
CAN BE USED AS A ‘POT’ FOR PLANTS:
VIVIEN AND I WITH THE WINDMILLS AND THE COWS IN THE BACKGROUND:
Next, we board the bus again towards the Cheese Farm in Voldendam, where cheese is still made the traditional way.
LOTS AND LOTS OF CHEESE:
A pretty dutch lady explaning to us about how they make cheese the traditional way:
FINALLY! cheese tasting:
Traditional house of a Dutch:
Their beds (i wonder how they sleep, seriously, i’ll die of stuffiness)
Windmill in the souvenir shop:
Real milk cans used for milking cows:
Another milk can, but used as a trash can:
NEXT we made our way to the fishing village, MARKEN.
Their houses, very neatly built, though small but looks extremely cosy.
(the guy in pink quite cute hor, in my tour group also)
Another house:
On the bridge to cross over to the fishing village:
LOVELY! Seemed like everyone owns at least a boat, a yatch or a freaking ship in Holland.
We had lunch at this restaurant facing the sea?river?
Very delicious fish & chips and ke kou ke le:
Next we took a boat ride back to the city which marks the end of the first part of our tour.
PART TWO OF TOUR: DELFT + MADURODAM
We arrived at the Delft Blue Pottery Factory where they taught us how the make the blue pottery plates, souvenirs and also taught us how to differentiate the imitations of Delft’s Blue Pottery. All the images on the pottery actually handpainted on by the only artist in Delft, see guy in the picture.
Some of the very nice finished products for sale:
Next, we proceeded for MADURODAM, or rather XIAO REN GUO!
On the way to Madurodam, we passed by some really nice windmills:
Arrived at Madurodam!
At the entrance, the hero who used his finger to stop a flood from happening in his village:
Lots and lots of miniature historical buildings in Holland:
TRY SPOTTING VAN NISTELROOY:
Airport and air traffic control tower:
Me with the minature windmill:
Damn cute this outdoor theme park:
Got flying aeroplanes, bumper cars, roller coaster:
alright, i guess that marks the end of the tour of The Netherlands (miniature).
Bought something on impulse during this trip:
i’m planning to let it go at a reasonable price…email me if anyone is interested ongsheena@gmail.com
thanks!!
