We had a wonderful time. Here are just a few of the highlights.
Tulips from the Bloemenmarkt in Amsterdam.
Many canals.
Splashy glass sculptures by Giampaolo Amoruso.
Nemo science museum.
Knopenwinkel button shop a highlight for mummy. I bought a handful of special carved, wooden buttons. Sadly my photos from inside the shop didn't work but the outside is special too.
Cycling everywhere we went.
More photos on Flickr if if you like.
And now for the blog birthday contest winner.
Thank you to everyone for entering, I really enjoyed reading your thoughtful comments and hearing how you all get your best ideas. It seems most of us are inspired when our brains are focused on the mundane or at rest.
As today is a busy back to school day for me I used the Random.org to choose a winner. The lucky number was 46 which makes Elissa from Birch Swinging the winner. Elissa, email me your postal address and I'll ship off all of your prizes.
These were the items I picked up in Holland to add to the prize package. A bracelet from Knopenwinkel, the button shop, toadstool trim from a pretty outdoor market in a seaside town and a notebook from a museum shop in Amsterdam.
I hope you all had a great week too!
Your holiday sounds fun - especially the button shop! And I love the cycling photo! Congratulations to Elissa.
Lucy x
Posted by: Lucy Locket-Pocket | June 01, 2009 at 05:47 PM
Oh I have always wanted to go to Holland! I even had a pen pal there!! I claim all Dutch in my mixed heritage!! LOL
Thanks for sharing the pictures I will head to Flickr!!
Posted by: Miss Paula | June 01, 2009 at 06:25 PM
Lovely photos. And congrats to the winner of the giveaway of course, although I would have loved the goodies for myself!
Posted by: Nicole | June 01, 2009 at 09:28 PM
Congrats to Elissa from Birch Swinging!!!
We are all jealous of you!<3
And Nini I am jealous of your visit to
that sweet little button shop!
It looks like your holiday was fun filled!
Hope you move smoothly in to your daily life.
Loads of love to you and your beautiful
family!
Rane and kids
~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Posted by: Rane | June 02, 2009 at 01:09 AM
EEEK, eek, eek! busy day yesterday and i totally forgot to check. oh MY! you have just made my ENTIRE day, no MONTH likely.... yes, yes, i will email right now! thank you so much!
Posted by: Elissa | June 02, 2009 at 12:42 PM
Great photos, I especially love the idea of a whole shop dedicated to buttons! My husband's family is from Holland, maybe we will visit there one day too :)
Posted by: Louise | June 03, 2009 at 11:02 AM
Brings back such wonderful memories. Thanks so much for sharing your holiday clips with us.
Posted by: margie oomen | June 03, 2009 at 11:39 AM
I have enjoyed "my trip to Holland" very, very much! Thank you for sharing your adventures with all of us! I too claim Dutch ancestry ( along with about 6 others!)
Loved the gorgeous color of the tulips in the Bloemenmarkt - My most favorite shade of pink.
Loved seeing the button shop - any chance we could see the buttons - after you give them to your mom of course!
Posted by: Pam | June 04, 2009 at 04:30 AM
Such a nice trip alltogether to the tulip wonderland ! Cycling, visiting, shopping ...! I'm very curious too about that amazing buttons shop ! I hope you could stay there as long as you wanted ... it's not easy with it's family ! Thank you for sharing this great change of scene (I know that it takes so much time, while there is so much to do when we come back home). I'll be pleased to discover more of your photos on Flickr ...
Thank you also for having made us dream with your gorgeous giveaway ! You're so generous and all your gifts were so attractive ... Congrats to lucky Elissa who will enjoy them so much, I'm sure !
Posted by: nanou | June 04, 2009 at 06:47 AM
Welcome back, welcome back. It looks like you had a wondeful time :)
Estelle x
Posted by: Estelle | June 04, 2009 at 05:04 PM
Congrats to Elissa!
It looks like a lovely trip - I'm especially envious of the button shop!
Posted by: dottycookie | June 05, 2009 at 09:49 PM