Betje Wolff-blog Jan & Mieke: Dick and Valerie in the Netherlands

We met Dick and Valerie in 2014 during our cruise with the Marco Polo to the Amazon. They were our table-companions and together we have been through a lot. I mention the hurricane (force 12), the Norovirus and the fall of Valerie and her hospital visits.

After this cruise we visited them in 2015 in Tilbury, when we sailed back from Canada.
In the years between we followed each other on Facebook and with Messenger.

Now it was our turn, Dick and Valerie visited the Amsterdam cruise terminal during their cruise 'Medieval Cities & River Seine' (Tilbury, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Rouen, Honfleur, Tilbury).

We liked to show them the highlights of our municipality the 'Gooise Meren', near Amsterdam. This municipality consists of the towns Muiden, Naarden and Bussum (where we live).

We picked them up around 10 o'clock and first we drove to Muiden. Muiden is founded in 953 and had city rights since 1122. We parked the car near the case-mates and we did a little walk in the old town. We drank coffee in a pub with a lot of maritime items such as little ships, a compass and other things. Dick and Jan both loved it very much. After our coffee we walked to Muiden Castle (1280).

Muiden

The pub 'Graaf Floris V' , Herengracht 7, Muiden

Nice chatting in the pub

View on the castle from the Herengracht

Muiderslot - Muiden Castle

After Muiden we visited another old town named Naarden. Naarden is an example of a star fort and granted with city rights in 1300. We parked near the Great Church or the St. Vitus church, where on Good Friday there is a performance of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion. We entered the church and admired the beautiful painted ceiling.

Star fort Naarden

Oud Stadhuis Naarden - Old Town Hall Naarden

Ceiling of the Great Church - St. Vitus Church

Great Church - St. Vitus Church

After all the sightseeing we were a little hungry and drove to our home town Bussum to enjoy the lunch in the 'Brasserie Bel Ami'.

Brasserie 'Bel Ami'

In the afternoon we went to our home, drunk a cup of tea and we had plenty of time to chat about all kinds of subjects. Around 16 o'clock it was time to go back to the cruise terminal and we had to say goodbye. We hope to meet Dick and Valerie again in the near future and of course we hope that they have had a lovely cruise with the Magellan.