The Netherlands

Catspotting: A crazy cat lover’s guide to cats in Amsterdam

October 17, 2018 by Karen Turner 21 Comments

I love cats. This is a detailed guide to my beloved Amsterdam with the best places to meet cats in Amsterdam, officially and unofficially, with my favorite cats. If you’re a fan of Catspotting, you’re going to love this guide to Amsterdam. I’m a crazy cat lady and meeting cats when traveling is one of my favorite hobbies.

While living in Amsterdam, my husband and I hunted down the locations of cats in Amsterdam because we are that cat crazy. We found cats living at one of the cat cafes in Amsterdam, roaming the halls of a historic canal house/cat museum filled with cat art, cozying up to potential owners on de Poezenboot (the Catboat), sleeping in various shops, or even breaking into museum gardens.

This also includes coffeeshops with cats…. That said, I was not successful in petting them all. Keep reading for our favorite cat locations in Amsterdam with a map.

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Where to eat in Delft by a local for breakfast, lunch, and dinner

June 1, 2023 by Karen Turner 8 Comments

Jacob’s work means that both of us find ourselves in Delft quite often. Luckily, there are some great restaurants in Delft, far beyond the typical tourist fare. I hope that this guide to the best food in Delft helps you find a good and reasonable meal in Delft! I indicate vegan-friendly spots in Delft with a * next to their names to make it easier for those with dietary restrictions!

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Ein Tag in Haarlem: ein perfekter Reiseplan mit Aktivitäten in Haarlem

December 1, 2018 by Karen Turner 7 Comments

Wenn du die Niederlande besuchst, musst du von Amsterdam nach Haarlem fahren, einer typisch “niederländischen” Stadt. Haarlem ist ein sehr einfacher Tagesausflug von Amsterdam aus, nur fünfzehn Minuten mit dem Zug. Diese ikonische niederländische Stadt mit hübschen Kanälen, weniger Touristen, entspannter Atmosphäre und beeindruckender Architektur ist ein Muss für Menschen, die nur wenig Zeit in den Niederlanden haben. Lies weiter, um herauszufinden, was du in Haarlem unternehmen kannst, inklusive einem kompletten Tagesprogramm in Haarlem (mit Karte). Am Ende findest du eine ausführlichere Liste von Aktivitäten in Haarlem.

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Where to find the best vegan food in Amsterdam by locals

October 25, 2018 by Karen Turner 1 Comment

As someone who has to skip Dutch cheese due to my IBS, I eat vegan quite often, however I’ve somehow never written about my favorite vegan places to eat in Amsterdam. I was recently in touch with Desmond and Karim, two Amsterdammers passionate about vegan food, and we’ve put together a helpful guide to the best vegan restaurants in Amsterdam.

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Hotel Not Hotel Review: A quirky and affordable hotel in Amsterdam

February 12, 2019 by Karen Turner 1 Comment

I love a quirky hotel. On my last night living in Amsterdam, I stayed at Hotel Not Hotel. This review of the hotel is not sponsored and I paid for my stay myself. I hope this review helps you judge if Hotel not Hotel is for you…or not.

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The Rietveld Schröderhuis: the iconic building of De Stijl

October 30, 2018 by Karen Turner 1 Comment

As someone with a keen interest in architecture who has traveled to some of the most famous architectural masterpieces in the world, I was excited to visit the Rietveld Schröderhuis, one of the iconic buildings of de Stijl.

What is striking about architecture is that it’s not just a work of art to be admired, but also one to be used. Although some architecture is built to fulfill the architect’s whimsies, the Rietveld Schröderhuis was built specifically to suit the needs of its owner.

Beyond the history behind this iconic house, the interior of the Schroder house is extremely striking yet functional. This post will discuss the history as well as the architecture behind the home. (There are many photos of the interior as well as the exterior of the Rietveld Schröderhuis!)

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Celebrating Carnival in the Netherlands: What to know about celebrating Carnaval

April 25, 2018 by Karen Turner 2 Comments

I have to admit: I have a weakness for celebrations, especially ones with a fascinating history. Ever since moving to the Netherlands, I’ve been curious about carnival. These are my tips for attending carnival in the Netherlands for the first time.

I headed down to Breda (known as Kielegat during carnaval) to celebrate carnival in Brabant! This post will be about the history of Dutch carnival, Dutch carnival traditions, and what to know before celebrating Carnaval in Nederland. …

How to buy cheap train tickets in the Netherlands

July 15, 2018 by Karen Turner Leave a Comment

After living in the Netherlands for three, I’ve become frugal as I find the Dutch trains expensive. I’m here to dish my insider tips for how to buy cheap train tickets in the Netherlands.

I’ve divided this post on how to save money on the Dutch trains into two sections: tips for tourists to save money on the Dutch trains and one more suited to residents of the Netherlands who are looking to save on the Dutch trains.

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Your day trip guide to Hoorn, the Netherlands with the best things to do in Hoorn

April 20, 2019 by Karen Turner 12 Comments

Considering visiting Hoorn, the Netherlands? Hoorn is a beautiful Dutch city that is an easy day trip from Amsterdam that is widely considered one of the cutest cities in Holland. The train between Amsterdam and Hoorn takes only thirty minutes. This guide to Hoorn will focus on historical aspects of Hoorn and things to do in Hoorn.

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Off the beaten path things to do in Utrecht with insider tips

August 17, 2018 by Karen Turner 3 Comments

Two weeks ago, I headed to Utrecht for the ultimate insider tour of Utrecht. I was lucky enough to be shown around by Utrecht by Suzanne, a proud resident of Utrecht, that I met using a website called 2 glimpse. We had a lovely time doing the off the beaten path things to do in Utrecht that many tourists miss.

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