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The Netherlands Part One – Amsterdam

The city of bikes is an understatement. We’ve never seen so many in one space. Be careful when crossing the street, they may not stop. Be careful riding a bike, watch out for cars, especially when in a small side street. The cars may hit you with their mirror – thankfully Lindsay wasn’t knocked off her bike or injured. We found that Green Budget Bikes was the least expensive, only €9 for 24 hours. They have a few locations in central Amsterdam, so it’s really convenient. It truly is the only way to get around.

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After riding through the city, admiring the buildings, bridges, and canals, we stopped at the Hash, Marijuana, and Hemp Museum to learn about the history, different uses, science behind farming the plant. It’s an interesting process and definitely worth checking out since it’s such a part of Amsterdam’s culture. We live in Colorado so we totally get it.

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We landed next at Dam Square, a beautiful open area with some amazing architecture and shopping! Lots of street performers, but our favorite was the lady with the bubbles of course! Different than the London bubble man because she was making hundreds of bubbles at once instead of a couple big ones. We ran through the bubble walls like kids, giggling and snapping photos. We also stopped in a couple shops to feed Lindsay’s shopping addiction. Only bought one sweater – gotta fit in that backpack!

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We took off for the Museum Quarter, actually riding through a Museum. There was a tunnel for bikes! We found the IAmsterdam sign and took some staple Amsterdam photos. There are so many brilliant museums in this area like the Van Gogh and Stedelijk Art Museum and the architecture to match. From historical to modern. Great green space as well, with a park, ice skating, cafes, benches, and lovely landscaping.

We headed back toward our hotel through Vondelpark. Another really awesome 116 acre green space in the heart of the city. Pathways, ponds, wildlife, statues, parks, and more! We rode around the whole loop. By the way, Sara’s Boutique Hotel was so cute and lovely. Definitely recommend it!

It started raining, so we dropped off our bikes at the hotel and got ready for dinner. Amsterdam is a melting pot of culinary delights. You can find anything and everything within a short walk. So many options and when you’re hungry from biking all day it’s hard to decide. We ended up in Rancho and glad we did because this was amazing Argentinian food. A plethora of steak, lamb, ribs, salad, corn on the cob, and bread awaited us!

After dinner we walked around the Red Light District, because, well it’s Amsterdam. No comment.

Then next morning, we rode our bikes to the love lock bridge, but found no locks. We later read that they periodically cut them off to help save the integrity of the bridge. Those locks get heavy!

After returning our bikes we had some time to kill before our train to Rotterdam so we took the advice of our cab driver and hopped on a free ferry over the water to Amersterdam Noord. There are three ferries that depart from Central Station, one the goes left, one that goes right, and one that goes straight across. We recommend the one that goes straight across – less time and puts you right next to the A’Dam Lookout.

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We noticed movement up in the sky from the ferry and when we got closer it was a swing ride about 200 feet in the air at the top of the A’Dam Lookout. Of course we had to go check it out. It was €35 to the top with 2 beverages each and a souvenir photo. The elevator is quite the “experience” (as the staff calls it). They instruct you to look up as flashing lights and music hit your senses. We stepped out on the open air platform and were speechless. A beautiful 360 degree view of Amsterdam. There are telescopes you can look out, platforms to stand on to get a view above the fence, a horse statue you can sit on, and of course the swing ride we saw from the ground. For only €5 you can swing out over the edge.

Amsterdam we love you and we can’t wait to come back to visit! Stay tuned for Part Two of our Netherlands blog on Rotterdam! You can book your trip through our Book Travel tab at the top of the page or email us at EndlessTravel365@gmail.com!

Enjoy the Ride,

Justin and Lindsay

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Antwerpin’ in Belgium

We only had time for one stop in Belgium and most would think Brussels would top that list, but we heard so many good things about Antwerp and wanted to check that out instead. We were not disappointed. It’s called Antwerpen in Belgium so we made the joke we were Antwerpin’ the whole time we were there.

First off, the Central Train Station is literally one of the most amazing buildings we’ve ever seen. So much detail and it’s huge!

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At the end of the train stations noticed something called Comics Station, an indoor amusement park! We dropped our things at our hotel (which was in the diamond district – a whole other story), and headed back to the train station. We found out the amusement park closed at 5:30pm and it was already 4pm. The lady at the ticket office gave us entry for €12.50 each as there wasn’t much time left, but she also looked at us like we were a little loco because it is a “family” place. We said no worries since we are big kids and went right on in. Thankfully the place wasn’t that busy at all. We found Europe’s tallest slide inside which took 15 seconds from top to bottom. Lots of other fun rides and activities like a fun house, bumper cars, and a saloon where you can horse race. We were surprised to find a ride that drops you three stories inside a small door, but not for that reason. The ride came with a story on the inside where you are traveling up the three stories of a house as the ride raises. The second floor is a woman in the bathtub – hardly family friendly haha. We had a good laugh.

After our fun in the amusement park we found Antwerp’s oldest bar, Quinten Matsijs, est. 1565. Amazing food and it’s Belgium so the beer is some of the best! On our walk back to the diamond district we stopped in Bier Central for a night cap. They have over 300 types of beers and you need their encyclopedia to decipher all the options.

The next day was Sunday and Antwerp was somewhat deserted. But we walked around the city center, stumbling on a old church founded in 1614. We made our way down to the water where they were setting up a Christmas market complete with a giant Ferris wheel. From the Ferris wheel you could see the Cathedral of our Lady that Antwerp is famous for. Made for some great photos. We wandered up and down the water, dreaming of owning an apartment there. Great views and location. We also came up to Het Steen which is a medieval fortress in the old city center. Bonus, you can walk through for free! We heard the mussels were the best so we had some (and beer of course) for dinner. And of course had to grab some chocolate for dessert at the store next to the restaurant. Only €7 for a small box with a mixture of chocolates! Delicious!

The next day we stopped at the smallest waffle shop in the world for breakfast. Literally 25 sq ft maybe smaller on the side of the main shopping street in Antwerp. We went to the big cathedral and took a bunch of photos. It was brilliant to look from every angle. Wandering the cobblestone streets is magical and there’s so much to do and see. Lots of old architecture and statues as well.

We headed back toward our hotel only to find the zoo behind the train station was all lit up with their China Lights display. Really bright colors and shapes that were so fun to look at. They also had nice fire pits outside the gate to keep warm.

Loved hanging in Antwerp for a few days!

Enjoy the Ride,

Lindsay and Justin

P.S. Next adventure is Italy so stay tuned! Put your email in below to subscribe!

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Piccadilly and a Palace

London is like the NYC of Europe. A city that never sleeps and there’s more to do than our mere day and a half allotted for. We always take to the streets and do as much walking around the city as possible.

Our first stop was Buckingham Palace with hopes to see the new princess to be. No such luck as they were out of town. The Palace, however, is beautiful. Giant golden gates, details down to the inch, guards with the tall furry hats, and plenty of photo opportunities. The Queen Victoria statue sits out front of the Palace and is quite the site as well. Lovely stone statue with a gold angel on top.

We took a stroll through St. James Park admiring the wildlife and the people walking through, ending up around the Parliament where Big Ben awaited us. Unfortunately, the clock tower was covered in scaffolding due to restoration efforts, but still a bucket list item to see. We, of course, had to take a photo with our terrible towel and shout out the Steelers on IG, which they ended up reposting! So cool!

Across the bridge was the Eye. A giant Ferris wheel overlooking all of London. We didn’t take a ride, but plan to next time. We walked past the eye and found a gentleman making bubbles as tall as Lindsay! Fun to watch. Just past our bubble making friend was a quaint Christmas market. We saw a sign for a Cider Lounge and headed right in. We grabbed a few pints of cider and relaxed on a couch. We noticed some food stands outside on the way into the lounge and decide to give Mac to the Future a try. Best decision ever because Mac n cheese is life and a Back to the Future theme is even better. We had the Great Scott and it was DELISH!

We made our way back through town to Piccadilly Square which is equivalent to Times Square. Huge tv screens with advertisements playing, street performers, and all the shopping a shopaholic should never be around. Had to take the obligatory red phone booth photo too!

Our friend Kristen recommended Gordon’s wine bar so we gave it a go. The entrance is on a side street and you go downstairs to a cave like underground experience. Delicious cheese selections and oh my goodness the wine! You know it’s a good place when the sign says “don’t ask for beer or spirits, this is a wine bar”. We sat at a small table in the corner of the cave enjoying and relaxing. On our walk back to the hotel, we walked through Apple Market admiring the booths and the Christmas tree!

The next morning we spent in a lovely Italian cafe (amazing pasta) working on some things for our travel agency and blogs. We wish we had more time in London, but that just means we will have to return soon!

Enjoy the Ride,

Justin and Lindsay

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Penarth, Our Way to Cardiff.

We decided to take a short detour to Cardiff for a bucket list item. We found out the Wales rugby team was playing the New Zealand All Blacks! When we were in New Zealand a couple years ago, it wasn’t rugby season so we weren’t able to catch a match, unfortunately. So we jumped on the chance to see the famous Haka!

This diversion wasn’t part of the original plan, but thanks to our amazing travel business we were able to find affordable flights from Dublin to Cardiff and a lovely bedroom in a 3 story townhouse in Penarth, just a 10 minute train ride from Principality Stadium for the rugby match. The tickets were sold out, but we were able to find some (not so affordable) on a resale website. Totally worth it though!

When we arrived in Penarth, we were greeted by our gracious hosts who walked us through the town to the train station, but not without stopping for a pint first.

Penarth is an amazing suburb of Cardiff. Lovely shops, pubs, and restaurants. It’s a small area where everyone knows everyone. Our host was saying “hello neighbor” and “where are you going to watch the rugby match?” To practically everyone we passed on our walk.

After our pint, we hopped the train to the stadium. You wouldn’t believe the amount of people – over 70,000 attending the rugby match and countless others watching in nearby pubs! A good mix of Wales and New Zealand fans wandering up and down the closed off streets (too many people for cars!) stopping at souvenir shops and getting a quick bite and pint.

Once inside the stadium, we felt like we were at the Super Bowl! Such a fun atmosphere and all the fans were very nice despite the fact that we were sporting All Blacks gear. We should note that each person it allowed to purchase 4 alcoholic beverages at once, which makes carrying those and your hot dog all the more difficult.

We watched as the fire canons went off as team Wales entered the field. Everyone cheering and chanting to get pumped up! Then came New Zealand. They got in a triangle formation and began the Haka. A true treat and totally intimidating. Wish we could’ve seen the faces of team Wales (they’re back were to us). Although we imagine them with “game faces”, but shaking on the inside. Haha. You can see the video of the Haka on our Instagram – @endlesstravel365.

The match began. The first half was a great site, each team going back and forth scoring. Rugby is a pretty crazy sport to watch live. Especially since they don’t wear pads or helmets. The fans are equally as crazy, chanting “WALES! WALES! WALES!” and singing a traditional song to keep the players energized. The second half was all New Zealand. Final score 33-18.

After the match we let the crowd disperse a bit then made our way down to the field as all the players were heading into the locker rooms. Justin even managed a selfie with one of the All Blacks! Lindsay was too short to get in the pic, but did get a high five!

We made our way back to Penarth and met up with our hosts back at the pub. We hung out for hours discussing the match, laughing at our similarities as couples, and learning about Wales culture. What was a trip to a rugby match turned into an excellent two days with new friends. A true gem and we would’ve loved to stay longer, but we will be back for sure.

Enjoy the Ride,

Justin and Lindsay

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Ireland – Bangers and Mash, Pints, and Dancing!

Ireland is tops! We had a meaningful few days there because we are both part Irish.

Our first question to a Dublin local was “Where can we get traditional Irish food and dancing?” The answer was O’Neill’s, which was a short 5 minute walk from our hotel in Temple Bar (super touristy area, but full of tradition and fun!). This bar is incredible. It’s very easy to get lost as it’s a huge place. We found a cute corner table right next to the bar where we had a delicious corned beef meal and local pints of cider and red ales. About 9pm, we headed upstairs where a table right next to the band was waiting open! We listened to Raglan Trail play some wonderful Irish music and were treated with traditional Irish folk dancing (River dance what?!). Lindsay got pulled on the dance floor – see video on our IG page.

Our next day we grabbed a bus with Finn McCools Tours (which you can book on our website through the Book Travel tab at the top of the page) for the Cliffs of Moher. Tara was our guide and she was awesome! It takes about 4 hours to get to the Cliffs, so Tara filled our drive with historical information. We learned that all the small rock walls or fences are a result of the last famine in Ireland. People traded the labor of building the walls for food. It’s hard to imagine a time without enough to eat and for that we are thankful. Tara also told us about Michael Collins who was a hero in helping Ireland become independent. There are so many statues and structures that we saw dedicated to Collins that we were beginning to wonder who he was.

We were also treated with a stop at a 13th century monastery. The old stone church or “Kil” and the leaning bell tower (a mini version of Pisa) were rich with history. Glad we got to stop and explore the area for a short while.

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Once we arrived at the Cliffs of Moher we could hardly contain our excitement and practically ran to the trails! This place MUST be on your bucket list. It’s absolutely breathtaking! The cliffs stand 702 feet at the highest point and plummet straight into the Atlantic Ocean. Lindsay’s pink silicone wedding band is pictured below. We left a piece of our Irish hearts behind at the cliffs for good luck. We got lucky and were able to see them crystal clear with no fog. A true blessing as the fog rolled in as we were leaving.

On the way back to Dublin, we got to stop in Galway for an amazing fish and chips, exploring an old Spanish arch built in 1584, and some shopping. Also stopped at the “baby cliffs” as the locals call it and the Leprechaun’s castle or smallest castle in Ireland.

Once returning Dublin we made our way down Cook Street to The Brazen Head – Ireland’s oldest pub, circa 1198. Amazing bangers and mash, pint of course, and music. We welcomed a group of 6 Norwegians to our table and proceeded to laugh the night away. Favorite part of the night was one of the guys attempting a dance with every woman in the bar.

Next morning was Thanksgiving and we spent on the hop on hop off bus. Great way to see the city of Dublin. Stopped off at the Little Museum of Dublin and had a free tour with our bus pass to learn even more of Ireland’s rich history. They also drove us through Phoenix Park which is over 1,700 acres and houses the President of Ireland along with several other monuments, sports fields, and the zoo!

After lunch, we hopped a train to Howth, a lovely port and fishing town located on a peninsula about 30 minutes from Dublin. We strolled the pier looking at all the boats and were even greeted by a group of seals! We stopped off for an amazing seafood dinner on the pier (straight off the boat)! After that we found Howth Castle! We also stumbled on St. Mary’s church where the first tombstone was with the sur name “Cooke”. Can’t help but wonder if we’re related. There are so many brilliant architectural achievements in Ireland that you have to see and can’t miss as they are everywhere!

Ireland is a true gem and we can’t wait to get back to explore even more!

Enjoy the Ride,

Lindsay and Justin

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Scotland – Wee Drams and Hairy Coo

From the 8th floor of our hotel room, we noticed a market going on down the block. We immediately got ready to head out for the evening and made our way to Buchanan Street – a place filled with shops, lights, restaurants, nightlife, and this amazing Christmas market. We wandered around admiring all the booths, drooling over the food, and listening to several street performers. One such duo of singers captured our attention with their medley of Chainsmokers songs. We listened to these guys for at least 30 minutes, dancing and singing along. Splendid – only wish we caught their names.

Once we left Buchanan Street, we stumbled upon the city square, which was all fenced in with lines of people waiting to get in. We asked a gentleman what was going on and he told us it was their Christmas Lights Switch On ceremony complete with fireworks, music, food, and fun. He said make sure you #GlasgowLovesChristmas on social media. And boy do they ever love Christmas. We got lucky with a table at Jamie Oliver’s restaurant right next to the event and were able to pop outside in the middle of our dinner to witness the countdown, lights, and fireworks. Truly magical and the best kind of happy accident (right place right time for sure). To end of first evening, we stopped in MacSorley’s for some pints and live music. 

Wondering how the next day could top the Christmas spectacular, we hopped on a Rabbies tour bus for Stirling Castle, the Troussachs National Park (where the Highlands meet the Lowlands), Loch Lomond, and the Glengoyne whiskey distillery. This trip does take about 9 hours, but well worth the time and fee. You also get discounts for the castle and distillery. Stirling Castle is a 12th century castle where several famous battles took place and we were able to get a private history lesson from Andrew, one of the castle employees. He pointed out the William Wallace monument (“They may take away our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom!”) in the distance and told us stories of Scotland’s past. We also learned the Braveheart isn’t entirely accurate – lots of misrepresentations of that era, not that it broke our hearts and sorry if it breaks yours. The Troussachs park is a lovely drive to see the countryside and how different the high and low lands actually are. They look like 2 different countries. And we learned the Scotland forestry service plants 3 trees for every 1 they cut down! (Shout out Madera – the outdoor company we are ambassadors for!) Loch Lomond is an impressive lake at 24 miles long. It was foggy when we arrived and the lake looked very spooky. The Glengoyne distillery is a great way to end the trip with a tour and lesson on how they make their whiskey and a wee dram to quench your thirst.

A highlight of the Rabbies tour was an extra stop to pet the hairy coo (or cow if you will). See photos below. Magical beasts.

Glasgow will never disappoint and we would love to return for another visit. Slàinte!

Enjoy the Ride,

Lindsay and Justin

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An Icelandic Saga

Iceland is like something out of a dream. You have to see it for yourself, but we will try our best to describe it and give you some tips along the way. Also, the language is difficult if you aren’t familiar, so please forgive if something is spelled wrong.

Note: the people are very friendly and helpful so if you need anything don’t hesitate to ask.

Our first night was spent walking the streets of Reykjavík. A small (Iceland’s total population is only about 330,000), yet bustling downtown lends itself to shopping, delicious food (unless it’s fermented shark – give it a go, but we aren’t making promises), and a magical atmosphere especially when it’s snowing. You can even send a letter to Santa!

While we are proponents of exploring on your own, Iceland is a great place to hop on a guided tour. All of the tours we took were convenient, educational, and super fun. We met some great new friends too – shout out NYC and Liverpool!

Our first day we toured the south part of the island with #GreyLineIceland. They took us to visit Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls which we can’t begin to tell you the magnitude of. The black lava sand beach of Reynisfjara hardly looks real until you pick up the sand. This one was a major #bucketlist stop for us. We attempted to walk up to a glacier, but we almost got blown off of the mountain. Weather out of control!

On the way back from our day trip the bus driver informed us there was a good chance to see the Northern Lights so we were able to hop on another #GreyLineIceland bus to head out into the darkness. Our guide was absolutely amazing and hilarious having us do a Northern Lights dance on the way to the national park where we stopped to wait. We waited about 1 1/2 hours for the sky to open up in another #bucketlist moment. Green bands started dancing across the sky like nothing you can even describe and everyone was running and cheering with delight! More photos to come in the photo journal tab.img_1536

The second day we hopped on a small bus with Nice Tours to hit up the Golden Circle. Walking through the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates at the Thingvellir National Park was nothing short of awesome – one foot in North America one in Europe. Gulfoss waterfall is incredible with multiple levels and plummets off into the depths of the earth through a 32 meter crevice. Walking around the top of the 6,000 year old Kerid volcanic crater is surreal and is a once in a lifetime experience. Strokkur Geyser erupts every 5-10 minutes and if you’re lucky there will be Vikings to sing thanks to the earth. An extra stop at Faxi waterfall  and feeding Icelandic horses on the side of the road was a really nice treat. Thanks to our guide for these extras.

We finished our day at the Blue Lagoon – a must if you are in Iceland. It’s definitely a tourist mecca, but well worth it. Something about drinking a cold Icelandic beer in a natural hot spring brings so much joy. We suggest going in the middle of the day on a weekday to avoid massive crowds and better photo ops.

Only disappointment was not getting to go whale watching due to weather. Iceland reports the weather more than the news because it changes in a moments notice. Next time for sure!

Let us know if you want help booking a trip! We booked everything through our exclusive travel search engine and got great hotel and tour discounts – check out the Book Travel tab ⬆️!

Enjoy the ride,

Justin and Lindsay

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24 hours in St. Augustine

So you have 24 hours in St. Augustine? What do you do? We packed it in, but it was an absolute blast exploring the oldest city in the US.

Since there’s so much to see and so little time, we recommend taking the Old Town Trolley Tours. A hop-on hop-off style tour with 23 stops and 100 points of interest, and your ticket is good all day so take your time and enjoy.

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We stopped at the St. Augustine Distillery and Ice Plant Bar (both absolutely amaze balls). The distillery shows you how they make the booze and lets you sample 3 signature cocktails – try the Florida mule DELISH! Head upstairs to the bar where you are taken back to the 20’s with drinks, food, music, and fashion – major Gatsby feels. They even make custom ice cubes out of 300lb. blocks of ice. We sampled a diamond cube in our beverages.

From there we hopped off at the San Sebastian Winery and sampled some grapes to make sure we got our daily fruit intake. Met a lovely couple that were getting ready to move to Colorado to work ski season. Shout out!

 

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Next up – the Pirate and Treasure Museum! Arrrr matey! Totally cool, interactive history museum. They give you a treasure map and if you find all 12 items you get a prize! Being competitive, we started out racing to find the artifacts, but once we got started it was amazing to see all the treasures and we ended up doing the map together.

Don’t forget to hop off at Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth and take a sip. It may taste a little funky, but that’s because it’s a spring that was discovered in 1513. Cheers to eternal youth anyway!

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Our last stop was the Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest masonry and only extant 17th century fort in North America. It’s rich with history and if you time it right you can catch the firing of the canons. Don’t forget the ear plugs! Also note that if you are a veteran or active military you get entrance to the fort for LIFE! #canonlife

After all that hopping, you’re bound to work up an appetite. Harry’s Seafood Restaurant has the best creole in the area. If the weather is good, sit outside on the patio and vibe to the sound of the water and the live music. Relax, you’ve earned it.

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Enjoy the Ride,

Justin and Lindsay

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Madera Outdoor

Awesome news loyal followers – EndlessTravel365 has partnered with Madera Outdoor! 

Because it takes 2 trees to hang a hammock, Madera plants 2 trees for each hammock sold. Through partnering with Trees for the Future, they have planted over 10,255 trees and counting. They are improving the livelihoods of impoverished farmers by revitalizing degraded lands. Since 1989, with their partner’s (trees.org) experience in planting over 115 million trees all over the world, they have demonstrated the transformative power of trees in helping people break out of the poverty trap while also addressing the global environment. Their work in East and West Africa is helping to build a world where people can leave a legacy of opportunity through sustainable practices and productive lands for future generations.*

We feel strongly about this cause and are so excited to be a part of something we believe in! Not to mention their hammocks are badass too.

Click HERE to shop now!

*Source: Madera Outdoor

 

Enjoy the ride and your new hammock! 

Justin and Lindsay

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