Aventura World – Dave and Kay's Travel Adventures

Friday, November 8 and Saturday, November 9, 2019

Our last day in Amsterdam and it was a full free day. A group of us took the tram to the Rijksmuseum.

We got there not long after the museum opened. Our first stop was the
“Night Watch” by Rembrandt. It was painted in 1642. It was fascinating how they are using computers/technology to scan the painting and work on the restoration process which I believe will take a year!

The workers doing the scanning of the Night Watch

The Night Watch by Rembrandt

Do you see the eye in the background of Rembrandt?

Below is a copy of the Night Watch. They feel it depicts the original size and it will be studied to gain information.

The copy of the Night Watch.

We spent several hours exploring the rest of the museum.

Unique dolls’ houses

Department of Navy set up a model room.

The Rijksmuseum Research Library

Collection of Delft Blue Pottery

The Battle of Waterloo by Jan Pieneman

It was fun watching the school groups explore and learn about the museum.

The Hard Rock Cafe is close by so we went in and got a pin!

As we were heading to the floating flower market on this cloudless day. What a difference a day makes in the weather from yesterday!

One of the places we visited was the floating flower garden (since 1862) which is known locally as the Bloemenmarkt and had lunch across from it. You can purchase all kinds of tulip bulbs, fresh flowers, Dutch souvenirs, and Christmas decorations. It was fun visiting all of the shops!

Part of our group hadn’t been to the Red Light District so we walked through the area. In Amsterdam there are bicycles everywhere. As a pedestrian you really have to pay attention to the bicyclists so you don’t get run over!

We stopped in and saw the inside of the Basilica of Saint Nicholas.

Another landmark is the Central Train Station in the heart of the city that opened in 1889.

We still had our tram passes so we took it until the line ended and then back.

In doing this we got out of the city center and saw other parts of Amsterdam.

Our view from our hotel on our last evening in Amsterdam!

Our wake up call Saturday morning was very early so we could board our bus for the ride to the airport! We flew Air France from Amsterdam in the morning and arrived in the United States in Atlanta and then had a flight on Delta Airlines home.

Both flights were close to on time and we were home by 5:00 PM on Saturday. Our Hilliard Chamber of Commerce group was so fun to travel with and Aventura World made sure everything went smoothly. We made new friends, new memories and explored new cities! We can’t wait for 2020’s adventures!

Friday, November 1, 2019

We started our day with a bus and then walking tour of Strasbourg, France, the capital of Alsace. The weather was in the 50s and the rain was more of a drizzle. We didn’t see the sun at all today!

We drove by the Place de la République Kaiserplatz which is one of the main squares of the city in Strasbourg.

Place de la République Kaiserplatz

On our walking tour of Strasbourg we passed by the Janus Fountain which has also been called the Tomi Ungerer (its creator) fountain. It was built for the 2000th anniversary of Strasbourg in 1988. This fountain has a face on both sides which represents the city’s double identity with France and Germany.

Strasbourg is the formal seat of the European Parliament and is located close to the German border. Today is All Saints Day so many stores were closed and kids didn’t have school.

The streets were not busy because of All Saints Day.

Almost empty street.

Strasbourg Town Hall

War monument for Maréchal Leclerc at the Square Place Broglie.

the Opera House in the square.

Trimmed Sycamore trees

In the center of Strasbourg, we walked along the pedestrian street, Rue Des Orfévres.

We saw the outside of the Gothic Cathedral of Strasbourg. Because it was All Saints Day, mass was being held so we weren’t allowed inside. The church tells stories on the outside and is filled with many statues on the front! It was a beautiful church.

A model of the cathedral.

We enjoyed exploring this city where you experienced German and a French influence.

We boarded a boat for a ride on the Ill River. We saw medieval bridges and 16th century half-timbered houses.

Seat of the European Parliament

Another view of the European Parliament Building.

The town is beginning to put up its Christmas decorations to get ready for the Christmas Markets.

On our way to the ship we saw this beautiful flower market and country distance signs! They were fun to see how far we were from these other cities.

After our boat excursion we arrived back to the ship for lunch and then we headed back out to catch our bus for our afternoon trip. We drove through the Alsace countryside and some quaint villages. We caught the name of two of the villages; one was Roshime and the other was Boersch as we traveled to Obernai. We parked in the bus parking lot and then walked to the city center. In the town square is the St. Odile Fountain.

The Belfry on the left and St. Odilie Fountain is on the right.

We then had free time to explore some of the city.

Visiting Obernai.

part of Obernai’s medieval walls.

Half timbered houses

Corn Exchange Market

One of the many stork nests we saw in France.

This is called the Six Buckets Well from 1579.

How often do you see a cat sleeping in a store?

Bride and groom walking down the street!

Our last stop today was wine tasting at the Fritz- Schmitt Winery in the town of Ottrott. We tasted Crémont d’ Alsace Brut, Muscat, and Rouge d’ Ottrott Reserve. This area mainly produces white wines.