The Netherlands 2026

I recently made a trip back to The Netherlands, where I lived as an expat 20 years ago.  I enjoyed showing friends places that were surprisingly still familiar in and around The Hague. Wandering my old neighborhood brought back so many memories and comfort in finding that the trams still ran the same routes I remembered, taking us to Scheveningen and Delft. I also enjoyed revisiting some of my favorite museums, The Escher, Mauritshuis and the mesmerizing  Panorama Mesdag.  We met friends in Amsterdam and of course took a Canal tour, choosing a smaller more intimate one, avoiding the overcrowded tourist filled floating buses.  We also made our way to the old Heineken brewery that I first visited as a college student in 1980, discovering during those days that the beers served during the tour greatly offset the small admission price.  This country of so many memories continues to hold a special place in my heart.