Helen Page

Antwerp – A City of Diamonds, Rubens and Fashion

August 28, 2014 By Helen Page

ANTWERP HAS MUCH TO OFFER VISITORS - IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE NOT TO ALLOW TIME HERE: Antwerp is a city that's famous for its brilliant diamonds, Rubens, medieval and maritime history. But as far as tourism is concerned, Belgium's second largest city seems to be overshadowed by Brussels and … [Read more...]

See A Different Bruges From Water Level

August 24, 2014 By Helen Page

CRUISE BRUGES' CANALS FOR A UNIQUE POINT OF VIEW: Bruges is sometimes referred to as the "Venice of the North". Why? The city is circled by canals and some of the most picturesque images of Bruges are set against its waterways. Touristy it may be, but one of the must-do things in this city is to go … [Read more...]

Wollestraat – A Yummy Street in Bruges

August 23, 2014 By Helen Page

WOLLESTRAAT IN BRUGES HAS AMAZING CHOCOLATE AND BEER SHOPS, CAFES AND MORE: Wollestraat is a main street in Bruges which runs from the Grote Markt to the Dijver canal where it crosses Bruges' famous Rozenhoedkaai. Our local Bruges guide calls it Yummy Street because she regularly stops at a few … [Read more...]

Beautiful Buildings and Holy Blood in Bruges’ Burg Square

August 18, 2014 By Helen Page

THE BURG SQUARE IN BRUGES WAS AN IMPORTANT POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS CENTRE: The Burg, the other main square in Bruges is just off the east side of the Grote Markt. From the Markt, we took an easy stroll along Breidelstraat (next to the post office) to arrive at the Burg (fortress). Although there … [Read more...]

The Markt – Bruges Medieval Market Square

August 17, 2014 By Helen Page

BRUGES MARKET SQUARE IS LINED WITH INTERESTING HISTORICAL BUILDINGS: The Markt, one of the two main squares in Bruges, has many attractions that visitors like us come to see. This open space is lined with attractive gabled houses, restaurants and the imposing Provinciaal Hof (Provincial … [Read more...]

Van der Valk Hotel Middleburg

August 4, 2014 By Helen Page

HOTEL REVIEW: GREAT "LIVE COOKING" BUFFET DINNER AT THE VAN DER VALK HOTEL: On route from Luxembourg to Rotterdam, we stopped at the Van der Valk Hotel Middleburg for one night. This 4-star modern Middleburg hotel is a part of the well-established Van der Valk Hotel group which is the largest … [Read more...]

A Unique Visit to FloraHolland Aalsmeer

August 1, 2014 By Helen Page

AALSMEER IS SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS "THE FLOWER CAPITAL OF THE WORLD": On a recent trip to Amsterdam we visited the FloraHolland Auction Centre in Aalsmeer (Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer). FloraHolland is the largest flower auction centre in the world and they handle about 60% of the international … [Read more...]

Volendam – A Quaint Village in North Holland

July 31, 2014 By Helen Page

VOLENDAM - A CHARMING AND PICTURESQUE FISHERMEN'S VILLAGE: Volendam is a quaint village in North Holland that is well known for its old fishing boats, bustling waterfront and the traditional Dutch costumes that a handful of residents still wear. This charming and picturesque town was once an … [Read more...]

Ghent – Famous for its Mystic Lamb

July 28, 2014 By Helen Page

GHENT RIVALS BRUGES FOR ITS RICH TREASURY OF MEDIEVAL HERITAGE: With it’s quaint and medieval town centre made up of narrow canals, cobbled traffic-free streets and a fine castle and cathedral, Ghent (Gent in Dutch) is a very alluring place to visit, especially when it’s just a half hour train … [Read more...]

Cuberdon – A Taste of the Ghent Nose

July 26, 2014 By Helen Page

CUBERDONS OR GENTSE NEUS (GHENT NOSE) ARE A VERY POPULAR GHENT SWEET: On our recent trip to Ghent, we were introduced to the Cuberdon a very popular Belgian sweet. Cuberdon is also known as neuzeke (little nose) or Gentse neus (Ghent nose) because it is shaped like a nose. Little did we know … [Read more...]