Members of the Let’s Travel club enjoyed a Collette Holland & Belgium Springtime River Cruise. The timing of this tour was just about perfect to enjoy tulips blooming and sun shining with comfortable temperatures every day.
Before boarding the ship Amadeus Brilliant, the travelers enjoyed three special events. The first was a visit to the Anne Frank Museum. This was such a humbling experience as the visitors climbed the stairs into the tiny room where the family hid from the Germans. There were memorabilia to view on the way to the top room.
The next two events took place in the Albert Cuyp Market. In addition to having time to tour the market and enjoy lunch, some of the travelers spent time in a local bakery at the market and learned to make stroopwafels. While shoppers can actually purchase these snacks in the U. S. in local grocery stores, they just seemed more special when you bake your own in a bakery in Amsterdam.
Before leaving Amsterdam, everyone enjoyed a canal cruise through several of the 60 canals in the city. The travelers learned the depth of each canal is about three meters. The guide jokingly shared that means one meter dirt, one-meter bicycles, one meter water. The report was there are about 900,000 people in Amsterdam and 2,000,000 bicycles. The bikes definitely have the right of way. Pedestrians must be careful to not walk in the bike lanes.
The last activity in Amsterdam was to spend a few hours in the Keukenhof Gardens. Here there are about 123 acres of tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, and other beautiful flowers. The Gardens are only open mid-March until mid-May. The rest of the year is spent preparing for the next year’s opening. Of course, there were many pictures taken of the beautiful gardens outside and the cut flowers in the pavilion.
Each day on the ship began with a full buffet breakfast, back to the ship in time for lunch, then back to the ship for dinner where the travelers were pampered each evening with culinary delights.
The ports visited during the river cruise were Rhenen, Arnhem, Middleburg in the Netherlands. Then, on to Belgium to enjoy Ghent (the travelers first opportunity to enjoy Belgium chocolate), Bruges, Antwerp. While the travelers were still in Belgium waters, they had the opportunity to enjoy a presentation and tasting of Applestrudel by the ship’s pastry chef.
The ship left Belgium and sailed back to the Netherlands. The ports of Kinderdijk and Rotterdam were visited. In Kinderdijk, the visitors toured one of the 19 beautifully preserved windmills dating back to the 18th century. The ship then sailed through the night and arrived in Amsterdam for the travelers to disembark following breakfast.
As the ports were visited along the river, the visitors were able to view many structures built centuries ago. Travelers walked past a church built in the 11th Century. Shopping was interesting as each place visited used Euros as their currency. Each traveler had the opportunity to visit museums, learn of the Delta Works which keep the areas from flooding, enjoy the beauty of each city visited and then be treated to special foods and special service while on the ship.
Those from this area participating in the river cruise were: Rose White from Groesbeck, Amy Kent from Oakwood, Karen Smith from The Woodlands, Donna Gipson from Rice, Sally Wilkerson from Thornton, Carolyn Hancock from Mexia, Judy Wardle from Streetman, Jerri McBay from Fairfield.
Let’s Travel has several more opportunities to travel in 2025. July will find several members enjoying a Collette tour Discover the Pacific Northwest. This tour begins in Seattle, Washington, and travels down to San Francisco. Then, in September there will be Premier tour to Sedona, Arizona. This tour will have participants staying 5 nights in one hotel. This will be a special treat to the travelers. Often times several hotels are used as the group moves through the country. This time each night is spent in the resort in Sedona. One included excursion will be a train ride through the countryside to the Grand Canyon. Another day will be a second train ride to a second canyon. The travelers will have the opportunity to spend time in the artist-centered area of Sedona plus enjoy the beautiful rock formations of the area.
In December travelers have the choice of two Christmas Market tours. December 1-9 will be a Premier tour to Montreal and Quebec City. The Collette Christmas Market tour is December 2-10 and will visit France, Germany, and Switzerland.
Please contact Jerri McBay at 903-388-2243 if interested in learning more about any of the remainder tours in 2025.
(at top): HAVING JUST ENJOYED a delicious dinner aboard the Amadeus Brilliant during a river cruise are (seated) Karen Smith and Jerri McBay. Standing (l-r) are Carolyn Hancock, Rose White, Sally Wilkerson, Donna Gipson, Amy Kent, Judy Wardle. (Submitted Photo)
