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On Tour 2019 : The Netherlands
20 April 2019
In the words of Mark Twain:
20 years from now you
will be more disappointed by
the things that you didn’t
do than those you did. So
throw off the bowlines, sail
away from the harbour catch
the trade winds in your
sails. Explore. Dream.
Discover!
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How apt as a group of Northampton Bach Choir members embarked on
their latest adventure, although a P&O ferry does not quite
encapsulate the romance of a sailing ship!
Predictably it took many hours to get from Northampton until being
welcomed at our first hotel in Bruges. It was our misfortune to find
ourselves on a ferry filled with excited and boisterous
schoolchildren, but by a stroke of luck a few of us enjoyed the
hospitality of the Lounge which was a most welcome escape for the
duration of the voyage.
The Ibis Bruges Centrum was, as its name suggests, close to the
centre of this beautiful city. We were able to take advantage of
this by being able to get out and about before the crowds arrived.
From the grandeur of the Church of Our Lady to the astonishing
Belfry and Carillon, we were not disappointed with the sights and
sounds of Bruges. A city traversed by canals and narrow streets
serviced by immaculate horse and carriages, there is a bustling
market square with numerous cafes, and shops selling everything from
chocolate to interesting items of clothing that can only be
described as “uninhibited”.
Bruges market
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The Carillion, Bruges
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Sadly, our time in Bruges was quickly over and we continued on to
Alkmaar and The Golden Tulip hotel. During the short breaks on route
we were advised to partake of various exercises including lunges to
help the circulation. Needless to say we diligently carried these
out at the roadside - much to the consternation of passers- by! The
journey took us across the flat landscape that is so typical of the
region and from the number of wind turbines it was clear that this
was one of the modern methods of electricity production.
The old city of Alkmaar has many Medieval buildings and places of
interest (including a Beatles Museum) but with our busy schedule, it
was not possible to do much exploring. The hotel was close to the
AFAS Stadium where AZ Alkmaar play in the top Dutch League (we are
reliably informed!).
The next day we travelled to Amsterdam and enjoyed an extremely
informative boat trip along the canals before being able to spend a
couple of hours sightseeing. We were blessed with glorious sunshine
and indeed this weather continued for the remainder of the trip. The
smell of Cannabis was overpowering at times but the main danger was
from the cyclists who sped along in all directions with no obvious
concern for anyone else, with neither helmet nor bicycle bell!
Amsterdam - Canal View
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Amsterdam bridge at night
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Our next stop was at an extremely commercial enterprise at Alida
Hoeve for a spot of cheese and clog appreciation (as you do in
Holland!). We did, however, enjoy the free samples and a few
purchases were made before continuing on a rather circuitous route
to Volendam.
Volendam is on the shores of a large inland lake and although
originally a traditional fishing village, has now been developed
into a holiday destination. Although the harbour area was busy with
a karaoke in full swing, it was still possible to escape the crowds
and sit on the shore with a takeaway watching the yachts scudding
about on the horizon.
Our first concert of the tour followed that evening at Monickendam,
in the St Nicholas RC Kerk, where we were made to feel welcome by a
small but appreciative audience. The programme included the music of
Parry, his teachers and his pupils. The walk to and from the church
gave us an opportunity to have a brief look at the 14th Century town
which historically, owing to its coastal location, developed a
thriving shipping industry. However, the cobbles and large deep
drainage gullies at the edge of the road presented a challenge to us
in the dark!
The English Church, Begijnhof
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 Keukenhof Gardens
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It was back to Amsterdam the following morning for a lunchtime
concert, with a similar programme at the English Church in the
Begijnhof. Having overcome the challenge of finding the venue, we
were rewarded both by the setting of the church, within a sanctuary
of elegant houses around a green, and another successful concert to
a select audience.
The rest of the day was for us to enjoy independently. The more
organised among us visited some of the museums and galleries, whilst
others wandered by the canals, took in the many sights and sounds
and absorbed the atmosphere of this splendid city. For most of the
group this was a very long day but some of us decided to sample
public transport and took a train back to Alkmaar, and had a
leisurely evening at the hotel.
Our last day found us at the Keukenhof Gardens, at the peak of the
Tulip season which really was a spectacle to behold. Despite the
vast numbers of visitors, there was an unusual calmness about the
place, and no sense of urgency. Needless to say there were lots of
photographs taken!
Our last stop was close by Leiden, another interesting historic city
with numerous museums and landmarks, and particularly well known for
being the birthplace of Rembrandt. Leiden also boasts the oldest
university in the Netherlands, founded in 1575, and was at one time
the stop-off for the Pilgrim Fathers on their travels to the New
World. Sadly, time and energy was short and we barely scratched the
surface of Leiden’s gems before returning to our hotel. Spirits were
later revived with an excellent communal meal at the De Buren
restaurant in Alkmaar – a nice opportunity to relax with all our
friends and reminisce about our adventures!
After a very long journey back through Holland, Belgium and France,
it was wonderful to see the white cliffs of Dover, and the green of
the beautiful Kent countryside! It was truly a weary band of
travellers arriving back in Northampton, but a good time was had by
all and many thanks to David for organising us!
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