14-19 August 2018
Hoorn - this pretty coastal town is just a 30 minute train trip north of Amsterdam! it's packed with history, charm and a feel good factor that is hard to ignore!
Tuesday 14th Aug - 12:15 redjet then train to Southampton Airport. A quick hour before we fly to Schipol, Amsterdam. Then we train directly to Hoorn. Amazingly it’s only taken us 4 hours door to door! The weather in Hoorn is overcast, but pleasant. We are met by our host, Marleen and we are soon unpacking and feeling very much at home. The KERMIS is in full swing too. This annual 'fair' is crazy and swallows up the complete old town, the streets throb to euro-beats and the flashing lights of the many rides ensure energy levels never dip below 110%... We head out to get essentials then enjoy the eve (after I have finished off a piece of overhanging work)… We can now relax and celebrate Dave’s Birthday in style!
Wednesday 15th - its a pleasant day, Dave pops out to get breakfast things. Today is all about not doing much! We pop out to explore Hoorn and enjoy a couple of hours in the Westfries Museum. This gem is truly the Museum of the golden Age! Great paintings and historic artefacts form this regions fascinating history - well worth a visit! In the eve we have a beer on the harbour front then eat in at the apartment.
Thursday 16th - A little overcast and grey. Today we exploring a little further afield. First up a 20 min train trip south west too Aachen, a pretty, functional town with a beautiful Cathedral, we spend 30mins exploring. Back on the train for a 40 min trip further south to Haalem, a gorgeous City full of character and atmosphere. We walk around the streets before heading to the two venue Frans Hals Museum. Each site houses fantastic contemporary art created to support the paintings of the artist. The first site is set amongst two town houses, the second in an impressive complex of buildings… the contemporary art in both locations is of a truly excellent quality. after a good few hours exploring we head to a converted chapel to enjoy a couple of unique craft beers… The Jopenkerk Brewery, has brought a vibrant new crowd to the church, looking to worship something quite different - many of the features have been celebrated to enhance the experience while you sip away. Back on the train and we head home to Hoorn. We eat in and chill and recap tales of our adventures.
Friday 17th - A sunny morning, blue skies and a few fluffy white clouds as we breakfast early. Today we hire bikes and head to the windmills of Schermerhorn. 5 hours of wonderful landscapes, warm sunshine and effortless cycle tracks… this is the sort cycling you only usually dream of! The countryside south of Hoorn blows us away - such a spectacular day, and very memorable. But the adventures don’t stop there… Tonight in Hoorn we munch away on mussels and chips by the harbour before enjoying a beautiful firework display that is set off from barges on the water, just outside of the Town. set to pop music and classics, this fire display marks the end of a perfect day.
Saturday 18th - A little overcast as we breakfast and prep for a day in Amsterdam. We are only 30 mins north of this great city, we are soon exploring the beautiful canals and back streets. Getting away from the crowds of Dam Square is always a good idea too! Our first stop is the Begijnhof Chapel. This historic site is a sanctuary of calm amongst the madness of the busy streets. Next up the World famous Rijks Museum. This important cultural hot-spot is a fabulous place to explore, and soak up some historic gems. Paintings, Furniture, historic artifacts and more recent acquisitions are all here to enjoy! We see enjoy the simply epic 'Night Watch' by Rembrandt... Just how did he capture that light?... We also fall for the 'Milkmaid' by Johannes Vermeer. AND 'The threatened Swan' by Jan Asselijn stops us in our tracks! A couple of cool beers help us relax before we head back to Hoorn for snacks at our apartment - Another brilliant day!
Sunday 19th - its our final day in this beautiful part of the world. We breakfast, have a quick tidy and head out to enjoy the last few hours before our late afternoon flight home to Southampton. We have fallen in love with this part of the world, we will return!!
Did you know? - Cape Horn, the most southerly point of the Americas, was named after the town by Willem Schouten, who navigated the cape in 1616, as are The Hoorn Islands in the South Pacific!
10 out of 10
