7 more sleeps ...

This time next week, we will be in Toronto preparing to head to the airport.   On Thursday night, we leave for Amsterdam.  We are spending several days in Amsterdam, and then we are moving on to a driving holiday in Switzerland and Austria.  From Geneva, we are heading to Interlaken for a few days.  From there, we will head to Salzburg and then Vienna, which will be our furthest point east.  After Vienna, we start our journey back west, stopping in Innsbruck and then finally to Montreux on Lake Geneva.  We have several days in each location, so we will have time to explore.

In Amsterdam, we are staying at Hotel Estherea (http://www.estherea.nl/).  We stayed here a few years ago when we were in Amsterdam, and really enjoyed the hotel.  It is a small-ish family-run hotel in the old city centre.  It is a collection of five 17th century canal row houses that have been "merged" into the hotel.   The staff was great, and made us feel very welcome.  It is a good spot to spend a few days to settle in after our trans-Atlantic flight.

Hotel Estherea at night

Hotel Estherea at dusk

Our 'room with a view' (last visit)

We are in Amsterdam for "Queen's Day", or “Koninginnedag”  - a National holiday that celebrates the Dutch Monarch.   Queen's Day was first celebrated in 1885 on August 31st after the birth of Queen Wilhelmina in 1880.  Beginning in 1948, after Queen Juliana's ascension to the throne, Queen's Day has been officially celebrated on her birthday - April 30th.   Queen Beatrix, after succeeding her mother in 1980, continues to call April 30th Queen's Day in commemoration of her mother.

Queen's Day has been called one of the world's largest street parties, and it is said that festivities in Amsterdam rival those of Mardi Gras in New Orleans and New Year's in in Time Square.  The city is bathed in orange as people hit the streets and canals dressed in the National colour.

Queen's Days Past ...

This is going to be fun !!!