Seein' Zealand

This weekend was a long weekend in Belgium so with four days off we headed to the Dutch coast. The original plan was to see some of the cities, including Gouda and Delft, but the weather was so beautiful that we changed plans. 

We stayed in a hostel that was a castle from the 1600s.

 

The castle was a short walk to the beach - where we spent most of our time.

 

 

We took one day to visit Kinderdijk, a site where they have preserved windmills and explain the canal system. 

 

 

On the last day we met up with friends for dinner on the beach and some fun in the sand. 

 

Royal flowers

For a just a few weeks each year, the royal family of Belgium open their private greenhouses to the public. Built by Leopold II, many of the plants are still from that time. 

 

Lines were crazy long but we made it in. 

 

The greenhouses are called the City of Glass. Stunning Art Nouveau design, fragrant flowers, beautiful blooms... 

 

   

The ninth art

The comic strip is called the ninth art. Today we visited the Comic Stip Centre. The centre is a beautiful

Art Nouveau building filled with art and history. 

The kids had fun exploring the illustrations and finding familiar characters.