Madurodam

It's been twenty years since we were here at Madurodam.  We joined the Andersons for a stroll down memory lane.  Jeff, Traci, and Cami will recognize some of these exhibits - though more have been added since our first visit.

It's a pretty fall day - a little chilly but any day without rain is welcome.

The park was created as a memorial to the son of the founders, who died from wounds suffered in World War II.  His picture is on the memorial plaque.

Everything in the park is an actual place in The Netherlands.  This is the beautiful St. John's cathedral in Den Bosch.  While at district meetings in Den Bosch we paid a visit to this very  lovely old church.

We liked to gtake people with the buildings to get a better idea of the scale of the exhibits. They are so true to life, they look like the real McCoy.

The people behind the church actually show the size of the church better than I the Andersons in front.  I'm not sure where this building is found in Holland.

We pass this interesting building on the highway between Leiden and Amsterdam.  It is a science building where exhibits on the heart and other body parts are on display.  Like I said, " Interesting".

The Andersons pose in front of a miniature of the ship "Rotterdam", which is now a floating museum in the Rotterdam harbor.

This bridge in Rotterdam is a very familiar sight.

We've eaten in the Euromast twice - once on my birthday and once when Traci was here.

I really like this castle.  We need to find it before we leave Holland.

The Hilversum recording studio where Elder Beckstrand and the Mormonse Vier sang on TV. 

An overview of Holland wouldn't be complete without showing the freeway system with all of the large trucks on the highway.  There are trucks lined up for miles in both directions.

All visitors who use air traffic to get to the Netherlands will recognize Schiphol Airport.

An arriving Delta airplane taxis to the hanger.

Holland has some VERY interesting architecture.  We are continually entertained by the buildings and the sculptures.

This country scene is typical - a farmhouse, cows, and a couple of windmills in the background.

The windmills always assure me 'its going to be a good day'.

While living in Dordrecht we became very familiar with this bridge that raised horizontally.

An old gate to the city - which city?  I don't know.

Elder Beckstrand gets a glimpse of the train station in Rotterdam.

This is the Muiden Castle - OUR castle.

A typical Dutch city neighborhood.  The apartment houses are packed together without any space between the buildings.

We visited the Alkmaar cheese factory a couple of times.  So fun!

Not sure where - but a pretty castle.

Elder Beckstrand is still smiling.  He should be good for another hour.

Amsterdam with the fall leaves in the foreground.  The tiny narrow buildings were built that way to escape higher property taxes.

A govenment building in The Hague.

The International Peace Palace.

The Binnenhof in The Hague where the Queen and Parliament conduct business of the government.

The Binnenhof from a different angle.

We need a short minute's rest - our feet start to scream at us after a while!

 A lovely old government building in the center of Gouda.

Doesn't this building have a pretty tower shaped like a royal crown?

The Rijks Museum in Amsterdam is world famous for its collection of artwork by Dutch painters of the "Golden Age".

Military barracks for the Dutch Royal Army in Breda.

It may just be a miniature, but that freeway congestion will be what we'll be facing on the drive home at rush hour.  We'd better get on our way.  It was fun to visit this 'little' overview of Holland.  We recognized almost all of the places from having visited them during the year we've spent here.  What a fun experience it has been to live in this beautiful country.