Photos of The Netherlands

Most of my time in Europe was spent in the tiny country of the Netherlands. As a tourist destination, the Netherlands (also commonly referred to as Holland) is actually a really great place to visit! The open countryside is very pretty, and the extensive biking trails and relatively flat landscape make walking, cycling, and other human-powered travel very easy to do.

The company that I worked for in Europe is called Kipp and Zonen. Their original business was in the chemistry/pharmaceutical industry, and in fact, their original building still stands (like many older buildings in Europe).

Kipp and Zonen is located in the city of Delft. Like most of Holland, Delft is a community of narrow streets and lots of dikes, canals, and waterways.

When I first arrived in Delft, the following weekend was Delft Day, which is an annual event celebrating Delft's diversity. Among the events was some WWII demonstrations and displays.

Kipp provided me with an apartment to stay in. Everything is very close together in Europe, so it took me no time at all to walk/bike to work, go shopping, visit people, be a tourist, etc.

Like any good European city, Delft has its share of churches, and they certainly are beautiful!

One distinctive trait of the Dutch people is their love of flowers. Greenhouses cover much of their countryside, and flower gardens are everywhere. If you know where to look, you can even find Japanese gardens! (The Dutch and the Japanese have a long-standing friendly relationship between their respective countries.)

The Dutch have a love/hate relationship with the sea, dating back to their very origins. Not surprisingly, they have some really great beaches and boating facilities!

Although Amsterdam is their capital, their parliament is actually in the Hague (Den Haag).

Street performers are commonplace in Holland (indeed, in Europe at large). Some of them are very good at what they do.

France

Norway

The Netherlands