WELCOME TO THE NETHERLANDS
We
invite you to come home with hostess Ineke Brinkman to experience history
yourself as we participate in the celebrations commemorating the
60th anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands
April 30 – May 9, 2005
Day
1, Saturday April 30, 2005
Toronto – Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Overnight flight to Amsterdam.
Day
2, Sunday May 1
Amsterdam
Welcome to Amsterdam! Upon arrival we transfer to the Grand Hotel
Krasnapolsky in the heart of Amsterdam close to many attractions. After we
have settled into our rooms and rested for a little while, we will enjoy
lunch before visiting the Anne Frank house for a private tour. It was here
that Anne Frank's father, a German Jew, hid seven members of his family
and friends in July 1942. They were betrayed, arrested and sent to
Auschwitz in August 1944. Tonight we will taste a traditional Dutch
Rijsttafel dinner.
Day
3, Monday May 2
Amsterdam (optional tour to Aalsmeer –
Delft – The Hague – Scheveningen)
Today you may wish to get up early and join the Brinkman Travel group for
a visit to the world's biggest flower auction in Aalsmeer. Then we go on
to Delft, where we walk through the historic area with one of the most
beautiful squares of Holland, with the town hall (1618) on one side and
the "New Church" (dating back to 1381) waiting to be admired. In
the New Church all members of the Royal family are buried. Delft is also
the city famous for Delft Blue Porcelain. Enjoy a visit to the popular
Delft Blue Pottery factory for an exhibition and tour. We will return to
our hotel driving through The Hague, also called 's Gravenhage. We pass
the Houses of Parliament; the Inner court of Queen Beatrix' working
palace; Queen Beatrix' house and Carnegie's Peace Palace. When the weather
is good, we will stop in Scheveningen, dip our toes in the North Sea and
taste some herring! Alternatively you may choose to stay in Amsterdam as
the Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky is close to many attractions.
Day
4, Tuesday May 3
Amsterdam – Groesbeek – Nijmegen –
Ugchelen/Apeldoorn
This morning we put our suitcases outside of our hotel room, have
breakfast and board the bus that takes us to Groesbeek. In Groesbeek we
will pay respect to our fallen comrades from the Second World War at the
War Cemetery. We will then visit the Liberation Museum for a guided tour.
The museum was founded as a token of gratitude to the men and women from
overseas who participated in the massive Allied Operations, which took
place in this area. The museum tells the story of Holland's struggle for
freedom starting in 1918, but mainly focuses on the 1944-45 period of
German occupation and its liberation by the Allies. You will find scale
models, dioramas and various displays to give insight into what happened
here. Via Nijmegen we drive to Hotel de Cantharel in Ugchelen near
Apeldoorn, our home for the next six nights. At 7:00 p.m. we will be
welcomed to the table for a fine dinner. This day in history is only the
beginning of your participation of six days of commemoration and
festivities of the 60th anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands.
Day
5, Wednesday May 4
Ugchelen/Apeldoorn – Otterlo/
De Hoge Veluwe
As we are settling into our hotel located amidst a beautiful piece of
nature, unparalleled in the Netherlands, we venture out to the nearby
Kroller Moller Museum by entering the National Park De Hoge Veluwe. The
museum centers on the extensive collection of works by Vincent van Gogh,
has a magnificent sculpture garden and, what I always enjoy, the
interactive Museonder, an underground museum about everything that lives
and has lived below the surface of the earth. The Visitors Centre with
changing exhibitions, films and information about nature, the landscape,
wildlife, culture and history is where you may obtain tickets for a guided
tour of the
St. Hubertus Hunting Lodge. On the grounds you will find a cafeteria and
restaurant to enjoy lunch at leisure. Mid afternoon we return to our hotel
for a little rest and to prepare for dinner. At 8:00 p.m. the entire
country will observe Dodenherdenking and have a few moments of silence to
remember those who have fallen in war.
Day
6, Thursday May 5
Apeldoorn – Liberation Day
Please allow us to surprise you today as we will be participating in
festivities in Apeldoorn and Wageningen
or perhaps Holten or Nijverdal and other areas that welcome their Canadian
friends in a very special way. This will be a highlight of your entire
trip!
Day 7, Friday May 6
Apeldoorn – Twello – Deventer
At ten o'clock in the morning Ineke's family has coffee and cake ready and
welcomes you to the Brinkman Equestrian Centre in nearby Twello. Before
lunch, family members and their friends will demonstrate dressage and
jumping for the Canadian/North American guests, while my sisters (in law)
are busy preparing us a hearty lunch. After lunch we drive to Deventer, a
hanseatic pearl located on the IJssel River and full of history. Deventer
also played an important religious role, as Geert Groote, the innovator of
the Modern Devotion Movement, was born here in 1340. We will meet a local
guide at the Brink, the main square, who will show us the Gothic weigh
house built in 1528, the medieval Bergkwartier with restored old houses,
the Church and Town Hall. We will also visit the famous Bussink shop,
where the Deventer Bussink's gingerbread is still sold. Of course we can't
go home without visiting Mom. So upon our return from Deventer we will
stop in at the senior residents' home where Mom is waiting to greet us. We
return to the Cantharel for overnight and dinner.
Day
8, Saturday, May 7
Apeldoorn
The Royal Family owns one of the most beautiful gardens in the
Netherlands. We invite you to join me today at the Royal Palace of Het Loo.
We will walk in its original late 17th century style gardens, which have
been lovingly restored. For the third year we have asked our expert guide
and friend Mr. Peter Borst to lead us through the palace and show us its
interior decorations, providing a stunning example of 17th century Dutch
art under King William III.
Day
9, Sunday, May 8
Apeldoorn
After an optional church service in the city, we will have lunch in Hotel
Bloemink, the traditional place of hospitality and home of the Liberation
Parade that will march by. We will view and salute the survivors and their
families marching by in the 60th Anniversary Celebration from our first
class seats in the bleachers. This experience will move you for the rest
of your lives. When all is over and we have said our farewells to our
newfound friends, we enjoy a last dinner at the Cantharel Hotel and pack
our suitcases to prepare for our journey home.
Day
10, Monday May 9
Apeldoorn – Amsterdam – Toronto
All must come to an end. A coach will be waiting to transfer us to the
Amsterdam's Schiphol airport and we will check in for our trans-Atlantic
flight to arrive in Toronto the same day.
I thank you for participating in this truly once in a lifetime journey and for allowing me to show you my home and country then and now!
Sincerely,
Ineke Brinkman, CTC, Owner
More information on activities and historical events relating to the war and the liberation of Holland can be found at http://www.warhistoryholland.com.
Tour cost for your April 30 –
May 9, 2005 vacation: $ 3075 based on double
occupancy
Single supplement:
$ 650
Prices
are in Canadian dollars.
Personal cheques and money orders are accepted. If payment by credit card
is preferred, a 3% surcharge applies.
Included in Your Brinkman Travel Tour
-
Roundtrip airfare Toronto – Amsterdam (other gateways on request)
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Eight nights accommodation in first class hotels with private facilities (Amsterdam 2 nights, Ugchelen 6 nights)
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Breakfast and dinner daily, including an Indonesian Rijsttafel dinner
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Sunday lunch at Hotel Bloemink in Apeldoorn
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All sightseeing, including entrance fees where applicable, as per program
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Services of local guides in Groesbeek, Apeldoorn (Het Loo), Deventer
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All transportation including airport transfers in Amsterdam
-
Airport taxes
-
All gratuities to hotel staff
You
will also receive at no charge
-
Roundtrip airport services with Niagara Airbus from and to the Brinkman Travel Centre on group departure dates only
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Services of your hostess and Holland Trave
The warm hospitality of the Dutch people is priceless!
Not included
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Cancellation/interruption and/or medical insurance. Premium pending upon needs and age
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Important to know
-
Brinkman Travel also offers a seven-night pre tour riverboat cruise aboard the MS Amadeus Symphony. If interested, please contacted Ineke for full details.
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Itineraries are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances and are at the sole discretion of the tour director
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Space is limited, we therefore recommend you register today!
Please contact Ineke Brinkman, Holland Travel Professional and Owner of Brinkman Travel Inc to reserve your seat for this unforgettable journey, which you would not want to miss! First come, first served!
Brinkman Travel Inc, 15 Lyman
Street, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada L2R 5M8
Phone: 905.988.9100 Fax: 905.988.9400 Email: mail@brinkmantravel.com
Website: brinkmantravel.com
IATA: 67-51021-4
© 2005 Brinkman Travel Inc.
All rights reserved.