We took a free ferry from Amsterdam Centraal to the new Overhoeks district on the Noord side. With multiple ferries in constant motion, we didn’t have wait more than 5 minutes to travel in each direction.
Read the full post »Lunch in Overhoeks
Arrival in Amsterdam
We’ve arrived in Amsterdam, where we’ll be staying for about a week as we explore the city and some surrounding towns.
Our hotel is in the Amsterdam Zuid (South) area, a little ways out of the city core, and it feels much more sane than the overcrowded areas near Dam Square. The immediate surroundings are a mix of upscale residential and modern office parks.
Read the full post »Grand Harbour Walk
On our first full day in Valletta, we took a meandering walk along the southeastern shore of the Grand Harbour, starting around Fort St. Elmo and heading down to the Three Cities ferry docks.
Read the full post »Jardines del Real & Museu de Belles Arts
On our last Sunday in Valencia we took the subway to the neighbourhood of Benimaclet, then walked down through the Jardines del Real to the Museu de Belles Arts (Museum of Fine Arts).
Read the full post »City of Arts and Sciences
We wandered through some of the City of Arts and Sciences (Ciudad de las Artes
The complex sits within the Jardines del Turia, the park created from the former Turia riverbed. It includes an IMAX theater, a planetarium, an opera house, an aquarium, a sporting and events center, and an interactive science museum — among other things.
Read the full post »Sagunto
On Saturday we took a day trip to visit the town of Sagunto, located about 30 km north of Valencia. The town is known for its sprawling castle ruin, restored Roman theatre, and historic town centre.
Read the full post »Jardines del Turia
Valencia sat on the banks of the Rio Turia until 1957, when the city had the river diverted after a series of devastating floods. The former river bed was turned into the Jardines del Turia, a 9 km-long park that now curves across the top of the city centre.
Read the full post »Stockbridge
Stockbridge, much like nearby Dean Village, is a former suburb of Edinburgh that was long ago incorporated into the city. Though only a short walk from the city core, it maintains a distinctive vibe as an upscale neighbourhood filled with boutiques and cafes.
Scottish National Gallery
The Scottish National Gallery is located within the Princes Street Gardens. Opened in 1859 in an imposing neoclassical building, the gallery houses an excellent collection of paintings by “Old Masters,” including many that relate to Scottish history. Admission is free.
Climbing Arthur’s Seat
Right next to Holyrood Palace, in Holyrood Park, is a volcanic mountain formation known as Arthur’s Seat. The distinctive crags are visible from many places around Edinburgh, including from our apartment window.
The highest peak is 251m and it can be climbed in under an hour with a modest amount of exertion and proper footwear.
Highland Lochs
On our day tour of the Western Highlands, we stopped at several scenic lochs.
Rest and Be Thankful
Another stop on our Highland tour was the Rest and Be Thankful pass, which provides beautiful views of Glen Croe.
The adjoining road (now the A83) was built by the General George Wade in the 1700’s, after the subjugation of Scotland by the British. As his soldiers marched the many miles to Western Scotland, they would rest here.