Amsterdam and Volendam

May 2025 has been a "Whirlwind" and I'm still spinning!

First two weeks were busy with concerts, luncheons,

coffee dates, 1st of the season lawn mowings,

Doctor appointments, 80th birthday party,

Spring flowers, packing and repacking for the upcoming trip!

The day came when the Airporter arrived and whisked

part of our group off to Toronto's Pearson International Airport for our

14 day adventure to Europe, commemorating 500 years of Anabaptism,

themed THE COURAGE TO LOVE!

31 "Friends of Grebel European Tour" group began the tour

in Amsterdam, led by 2 of Grebel's very capable Professors,

Troy Osborne, Dean, Associate Professor of History and

 David Y. Neufeld, Assistant Professor of History

Here we go ... Day 1 and we are off to Amsterdam.

 

Jen Konkle, my fun roommate, former colleague and fellow traveller takes the best selfies.

She was the official photographer for our group and is the college's 

Marketing and Communications Director.

That's me way in the back waving.

After more than 20 thousand steps (a marathon of sorts)

we walked the city of canals, stood in the city square where many Anabaptists

were murdered, visited the hidden Singel church, tasted some pickled herring,

toured the Rijksmuseum, and had a relaxing Canal Cruise.

We heard the Westerkerk church bells, near Ann Frank's Hiding Place, which

she wrote about in her diary!

The highlight of the day for me was the Rijksmuseum!

Here we saw some of the famous paintings like Vermeer's "The Milkmaid"

and Rembrant's "The Night Watch", but for me it was so interesting to see paintings of

and by Mennonites!

Rembrandt's "Syndics of the Drapers' Guild"

Apparently this guy below was a Mennonite ...

Also, this beautiful portrait of an affluent Mennonite Family!

 Our bus transferred our tired feet and boggled minds to our

overnight rest stop in Volendam, North of Amsterdam.

Spaander Art Hotel - a cozy hotel by the sea where artists would

come to be inspired and pay their room fee with art!

After a delicious dinner a few of us walked the charming streets of

this peaceful fishing village along the banks/dikes of Markermeer Lake.

Volendam harbour

And then ... ZZZZZZZ (jet lag is real)

More posts to come from this marvelous adventure ... thanks for letting me share!

Till next time ... more Europe days ahead