We were really looking forward to seeing the country outside of Amsterdam, imagining it would be pretty picturesque. We sailed through the night aboard our Viking River Cruise ship and arrived at Hoorn early the next morning. This little harbor city is so charming!
We started out with a walking tour and were able to take in many of its charming sights, its lovely architecture, and an open air market that was going on that day.
We were also excited to learn that Viking had arranged for us to visit with a local family in their home and enjoy some traditional Netherlands style apple pie and tea. It was fun to visit with this mom, her daughter, and son and learn about life in Hoorn.
Afterwards, Colin and I did some exploring on our own, a bit of shopping, and visited a local cafe for a snack and some fresh peppermint tea. I just couldn’t get enough of the incredible cobblestone and brick-lined streets everywhere. Everything looks so storybookesque. (Is that a word?)
The next day we enjoyed a drive through the countryside and visiting Arnhem, a lovely little town that was nearly destroyed in World War II and took a tour provided by Vikingto learn about a wartime operation known as Operation Market Garden. We learned so much and gained perspective on the Allied Forces and what they were facing at the time. It’s so impactful to be physically present in such an historically significant location.
Soon I’ll be sharing more about our visit to the Netherlands, including the windmills in the hamlet of Kinderdijk and our visit to a Dutch Cheese farm. *Sigh*, yes, it was as dreamy as it sounds…
Notes:
- Our cruise was sponsored by Viking. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and everything I’ve written was done so by me with no input from Viking whatsoever.
- Today is the third post on our Tulips and Windmills Viking River Cruiseon my blog. You can find the first two posts on my blog as well: First post here. Second post here.
- I’ve also written extensively about the Viking River Cruise ships and cruises after my first river cruisewhich was on the Danube River. You can find the posts here.
- My sweater seen at the top of this post is by Woolovers. You can find it here.
IT'S ME, SERENA!
I bounced through the first years of my life in a hippie gypsy wagon, hand-built by my father, wandering the back roads of the U.S., Canada and Mexico. My family eventually settled into a tiny cabin in the woods on property that was once inhabited by Native American Indians.
I spent my childhood days searching for arrowheads, teaching myself to sew on a treadle sewing machine and to bake in a wood-burning stove, with no running water, refrigeration, or electricity in our home. My family lived frugally and early on, inspired by my parent’s thriftiness and style, I gained a knack for thrifty creativity and turning ordinary objects into something useful. And I dreamed of the home I would create for my own family someday.
Now I’m married to my husband, Colin, and our children are all grown. After 24 years of producing The Farm Chicks Vintage & Handmade Fair, I'm spending time visiting other markets around the world. You can watch episodes of Serena Goes to Market here.
I share more about my life story from time to time, here on my blog. You can also find me on Instagram, and Facebook.
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THE FARM CHICKS
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COPYRIGHT 2026
THE FARM CHICKS
P.O. BOX 9866
SPOKANE, WA 99209