We have been to Amsterdam several times, and have seen the Anne Frank House, Rijksmuseum, the canals, and other highlights of the city. For our visit on September 9, 2025, we chose Marken and Volendam, two traditional fishing towns near Amsterdam. I vaguely remember visiting Volendam when I was little girl. At that time, more than 65 years ago, Dutch people wandered around Volendam in traditional black clothes and wooden shoes. The only wooden shoes we saw on this trip were the ones on a Dutch doll in traditional dress that I bought for my grandchildren, and the giant wooden shoes outside a boat cruise shop!
Marken was the least touristy of the two towns. We arrived early in the morning, with hardly anyone outside. We stopped by a cemetery. There were numbers marking the graves of bodies washed up from the sea that hadn't been identified. Once they are identified, they will get a proper grave and a headstone.
Canals wove through the town, separating the neat black houses and their green gardens.
We paused for a slice of Dutch apple pie at a dimly lit cafe decorated with model ships and other memorabilia of the sea.
Volendam was a very touristy place. We walked along the pier, joining in with the festive hordes. There were boat rides, cafes and food carts, a cheese factory, and vintage ships from the 1700s.
Our guide bought some raw herring and showed us how to eat it.
Waffles were sold all over town.
We visited a cheese factory and wished we could take cheese home without having to declare it to customs authorities!
The cheese curds were drained, shaped into wheels, pressed to remove excess liquid, and then aged.
We had a half day to spend in Amsterdam on September 12, before our flight left for home. We spent it at the Rijkmuseum, which I can enjoy over and over.
We wandered by ourselves through the Asian wing, but then took a "Highlights" tour with a fabulous guide.
Our guide shared the history of the paintings and their times, with memorable stories about Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Van Gogh, the "greats" of Dutch painting. She was also dramatic and passionate--she absolutely loved art and she had the skill to make us love it, too.
Rembrandt's "Night Watch," the museum's greatest masterpiece, was being restored, a task that would take seven years! Our guide described the painting from a life-size copy, and then we watched the restorer at work.
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