Chris' and Melanie's life and times living in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

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About this blog

Hello everyone,

This travelogue covers our life to the Netherlands. We flew into Amsterdam from Chicago and lived on the Singel Canal in the center of the city for over 8 years. It has been an adventure for us getting settled into Dutch life. We have enjoyed sharing the experiences with you. We hope you enjoy the travelogue! -- Melanie and Chris Hooper

• 1

  Moving to Amsterdam   Chicago, on Apr 7, 2003 5 pictures 2 comments
• 2

  Moving to Permanent Housing   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Apr 12, 2003 12 pictures 0 comments
• 3

  Week 1 including Easter weekend   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Apr 23, 2003 3 pictures 0 comments
• 4

  Queen's Day   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Apr 30, 2003 1 picture 0 comments
• 5

  The month of May   Amsterdam, Netherlands on May 30, 2003 3 pictures 0 comments
• 6

  Düsseldorf, Germany   Düsseldorf, Germany on Jun 5, 2003 6 pictures 0 comments
• 7

  Dave's visit   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Jun 18, 2003 14 pictures 0 comments
• 8

  Summer's longest day   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Jun 21, 2003 1 picture 0 comments
• 9

  First trip to America   Chicago, IL on Jun 30, 2003 1 picture 0 comments
• 10

  Polder Survival   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Jul 2, 2003 11 pictures 0 comments
• 11

  Chris' Mom and Dad visit   Amsterdam and other European cities, Netherlands on Jul 8, 2003 7 pictures 0 comments
• 12

  Weekend visit to Copenhagen   Copenhagen, Denmark on Jul 15, 2003 7 pictures 0 comments
• 13

  Our house   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Jul 18, 2003 12 pictures 0 comments
• 14

  A Saturday afternoon drive   Friesland, Netherlands on Jul 20, 2003 6 pictures 0 comments
• 15

  Back in Amsterdam   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Jul 30, 2003 0 pictures 0 comments
• 16

  Prague, Czech Republic   Prague, Czech Republic on Aug 1, 2003 15 pictures 0 comments
• 17

  Jeannine and Julia visit (Chris' sister and niece)   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Aug 16, 2003 10 pictures 0 comments
• 18

  Culture Shock   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Sep 2, 2003 0 pictures 0 comments
• 19

  Melanie's Mom's visit   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Sep 4, 2003 2 pictures 0 comments
• 20

  September 11 in Europe this year   Aubel, Belgium on Sep 23, 2003 6 pictures 0 comments
• 21

  All over Belgium   Various, Belgium on Sep 29, 2003 57 pictures 1 comment
• 22

  Another Dept Outing, Leiden, and a Royal Lie   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Oct 17, 2003 19 pictures 0 comments
• 23

  Halloween in Amsterdam   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Nov 3, 2003 37 pictures 0 comments
• 24

  Heidelberg, Thanksgiving, Sinterklaas   Heidelberg, Germany and Amsterdam, Netherlands on Nov 24, 2003 18 pictures 0 comments
• 25

  German Xmas Markets and Chris' Mom's 2nd visit   Amsterdam, Netherlands and Aachen, Koln, and Dussledorf, Germany on Dec 14, 2003 9 pictures 1 comment
• 26

  Happy New Year!!!   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Jan 1, 2004 4 pictures 0 comments
• 27

  Post Holiday Traditions   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Jan 7, 2004 1 picture 0 comments
• 28

  Weekend trip to Antwerp   Antwerp, Belgium on Jan 18, 2004 11 pictures 0 comments
• 29

  Back in Amsterdam   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Jan 20, 2004 0 pictures 0 comments
• 30

  Americans in Paris   Paris, France on Jan 23, 2004 15 pictures 0 comments
• 31

  Back in Amsterdam   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Feb 1, 2004 0 pictures 0 comments
• 32

  February Happenings   Orval, Belgium, Maastricht and Amsterdam, Netherlands on Feb 28, 2004 6 pictures 0 comments
• 33

  Back in Amsterdam   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Mar 1, 2004 0 pictures 0 comments
• 34

  Cultural Contrasts   Chicago,, IL on Mar 13, 2004 0 pictures 0 comments
• 35

  Happy Birthday to Me!   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Mar 27, 2004 0 pictures 0 comments
• 36

  Flowers, friends, a castle, and lots of Orange   Gouda and Amsterdam, Netherlands on Apr 30, 2004 22 pictures 0 comments
• 37

  Belgian Weekend   Brussels and Gent, Belgium on May 4, 2004 8 pictures 0 comments
• 38

  Back in Amsterdam   Amsterdam, Netherlands on May 5, 2004 0 pictures 0 comments
• 39

  France and Switzerland   Neuchatel Switzerland and Colmar, France on May 10, 2004 11 pictures 0 comments
• 40

  Amsterdam Happenings   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Jun 25, 2004 6 pictures 0 comments
• 41

  Normandy Weekend (+ a little more Belgian beer!)   Antwerp, Belgium and Normandy, France on Jun 28, 2004 15 pictures 0 comments
• 42

  North Sea Jazz and Amersfoort   Den Haag and Amersfoort, Netherlands on Jul 19, 2004 7 pictures 0 comments
• 43

  Trip to Central Europe - Berlin   Berlin, Germany on Jul 21, 2004 13 pictures 0 comments
• 44

  Trip to Central Europe - Krakow and Auschwitz   Krakow, Poland on Jul 24, 2004 15 pictures 0 comments
• 45

  Trip to Central Europe - Slovakia and Hungary   Budapest, Hungary on Jul 27, 2004 22 pictures 0 comments
• 46

  Trip to Central Europe   Vienna, Austria on Jul 31, 2004 6 pictures 0 comments
• 47

  Gay Pride Parade   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Aug 7, 2004 47 pictures 0 comments
• 48

  Dave's 2nd trip   Luxembourg, Luxembourg on Oct 8, 2004 0 pictures 0 comments
• 49

  Two Chicagoland clock enthusiasts visit   Apeldoorn, Netherlands on Dec 1, 2004 6 pictures 0 comments
• 50

  Brad and Kelly visit!   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Dec 2, 2004 13 pictures 0 comments
• 51

  Under the Tuscan Sun -- mostly   Florence and Tuscany, Italy on Dec 12, 2004 46 pictures 0 comments
• 52

  Back in Amsterdam   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Dec 15, 2004 0 pictures 0 comments
• 53

  White Christmas   Sandy Spring, Maryland and Mansfield, OH on Dec 30, 2004 4 pictures 0 comments
• 54

  January in Amsterdam   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Jan 31, 2005 0 pictures 0 comments
• 55

  Mussels in Brussels   Brussels, Belgium on Feb 4, 2005 7 pictures 0 comments
• 56

  Record Snowfall!   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Mar 2, 2005 11 pictures 0 comments
• 57

  Did somebody say Guinness?   Dublin, Ireland on Mar 7, 2005 20 pictures 2 comments
• 58

  March in Amsterdam   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Mar 21, 2005 0 pictures 0 comments
• 59

  Birthday weekend   Dinan, France on Mar 25, 2005 35 pictures 0 comments
• 60

  Day trip to The Hague   Den Haag, Netherlands on Jun 26, 2005 5 pictures 0 comments
• 61

  A weekend of bubbly   Champagne, France on Jul 11, 2005 29 pictures 0 comments
• 62

  What lovely people!   Sao Paulo, Brazil on Jul 22, 2005 0 pictures 0 comments
• 63

  Day trip to Munster, Germany   Munster, Germany on Jul 31, 2005 7 pictures 3 comments
• 64

  Gay Pride 2005   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Aug 6, 2005 0 pictures 0 comments
• 65

  The (self-proclaimed) Merry Widows   A'dam, Brussels, Gent, Brugge, Rhine and Mosel Rivers, Koln, Germany on Aug 23, 2005 70 pictures 0 comments
• 66

  Chris' mom and Dad visit: Italy and France   Venice, Italy on Sep 11, 2005 71 pictures 0 comments
• 67

  Christmas, 2005   Mansfield, Ohio and Finksburg, MD on Dec 30, 2005 5 pictures 0 comments
• 68

  Business trip to India   Mumbai (Bombay) and Chennai, India on Mar 4, 2006 11 pictures 0 comments
• 69

  A Slice of Italy   Cinque Terre, Naples area, Amalfi, Paestum, Lake Como, Italy on Apr 18, 2006 125 pictures 0 comments
• 70

  Queen's, Remberance, and Liberation Days, 2006   Amsterdam, Netherlands on May 5, 2006 14 pictures 0 comments
• 71

  The Loire Valley   Amboise, France on Jun 5, 2006 17 pictures 0 comments
• 72

  Chris' parents visit   Prague, Krakow, Berlin and Quedlinburg, Germany on Sep 14, 2006 15 pictures 0 comments
• 73

  Incredible India   New Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, India on Sep 26, 2006 15 pictures 0 comments
• 74

  Halloween 2006   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Oct 29, 2006 33 pictures 0 comments
• 75

  Sinterklaas Avond (Santa Clause eve)   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Dec 5, 2006 3 pictures 0 comments
• 76

  Romantic Rome   Rome, Italy on Feb 10, 2007 56 pictures 3 comments
• 77

  Amsterdam   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Mar 19, 2007 0 pictures 0 comments
• 78

  A Birthday in Paris   Paris, France on Mar 27, 2007 15 pictures 0 comments
• 79

  Rosie's excellent adventure   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Apr 7, 2007 11 pictures 0 comments
• 80

  Rosie's excellent adventure, part 2   London, United Kingdom on May 15, 2007 10 pictures 0 comments
• 81

  Great Scots!   Edinburgh, United Kingdom on May 23, 2007 76 pictures 0 comments
• 82

  Isle of Skye   Portree, United Kingdom on May 24, 2007 0 pictures 0 comments
• 83

  Ferry to dover   Dover, United Kingdom on May 25, 2007 0 pictures 0 comments
• 84

  Return to Ghent   Ghent and Lier, Belgium on Jul 30, 2007 11 pictures 0 comments
• 85

  How's summer?   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Aug 12, 2007 0 pictures 0 comments
• 86

  25 hours on Texel Island   De Koog, Netherlands on Aug 19, 2007 22 pictures 0 comments
• 87

  What do Joan of Arc and Monet have in common?   Rouen, France on Aug 27, 2007 58 pictures 0 comments
• 88

  Belgian Beer Weekend   Brussels, Belgium on Sep 2, 2007 23 pictures 0 comments
• 89

  Fall Vacation, Part 1 - Stranded in Salzburg   Salzburg, Austria on Oct 1, 2007 39 pictures 0 comments
• 90

  Fall Vacation, Part 2 - Ljubljana and the Karst   Ljubljana, Slovenia on Oct 4, 2007 47 pictures 0 comments
• 91

  Fall Vacation Part 3: Istria & the Dalmatian Coast   Dubrovnik, Croatia on Oct 7, 2007 88 pictures 0 comments
• 92

  Fall Vacation Pt 4: Day Trip to Kotor & Mostar   Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina on Oct 10, 2007 52 pictures 0 comments
• 93

  Water, water everywhere!   Mukinje, Croatia on Oct 11, 2007 34 pictures 0 comments
• 94

  Beautiful Fall Colors at Slovenia's lakes   Bled, Slovenia on Oct 14, 2007 48 pictures 1 comment
• 95

  In Memory of Milo   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Nov 24, 2007 20 pictures 0 comments
• 96

  Chartres Cathedral   Chartres, France on Jan 28, 2008 22 pictures 0 comments
• 97

  Southern France off-season - Part 1   Beynac, France on Mar 3, 2008 39 pictures 1 comment
• 98

  Easter in England   Brackley, United Kingdom on Mar 23, 2008 56 pictures 0 comments
• 99

  Flat Matt's excellent adventure   Vaduz, Liechtenstein on Mar 30, 2008 17 pictures 0 comments
• 100

  What's happening in Amsterdam?   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Apr 15, 2008 0 pictures 0 comments
• 101

  A weekend honeymoon - 20 years later   Positano, Italy on Apr 20, 2008 29 pictures 1 comment
• 102

  Dutch flower fields   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Apr 26, 2008 37 pictures 1 comment
• 103

  Queen's Day 2008   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Apr 30, 2008 12 pictures 0 comments
• 104

  Germany's Black Forest   Baden-Baden, Germany on May 4, 2008 29 pictures 0 comments
• 105

  Joining the ranks of the unemployed   Amsterdam, Netherlands on May 9, 2008 0 pictures 0 comments
• 106

  Two weeks later...   Amsterdam, Netherlands on May 22, 2008 1 picture 0 comments
• 107

  Pastries (and other goodies!) in Portugal   Lisbon, Portugal on Jun 3, 2008 153 pictures 0 comments
• 108

  How time flies...   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Jun 8, 2008 0 pictures 0 comments
• 109

  Friends & Family Tour or How to Gain 5# in 5 weeks   Finksburg, MD on Jul 23, 2008 74 pictures 0 comments
• 110

  What's happening in Amsterdam?   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Aug 5, 2008 1 picture 0 comments
• 111

  Day trip to Maastricht   Maastricht, Netherlands on Aug 20, 2008 16 pictures 0 comments
• 112

  Tourists in London   London, United Kingdom on Sep 2, 2008 41 pictures 1 comment
• 113

  Flower Parade   Zundert, Netherlands on Sep 7, 2008 107 pictures 2 comments
• 114

  Open Monument Days   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Sep 14, 2008 12 pictures 0 comments
• 115

  Update on our travels ......   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Sep 1, 2009 37 pictures 0 comments
• 116

  Tour of Norway - Oslo and Sogneford (Days 1 and 2)   Oslo, Norway on Sep 4, 2009 54 pictures 0 comments
• 117

  The town of Bergen (Day 3)   Bergen, Norway on Sep 6, 2009 11 pictures 0 comments
• 118

  The Hurtigruten (Day 4) - Rainbows and waterfalls   Geiranger, Norway on Sep 7, 2009 48 pictures 0 comments
• 119

  Crossing the Arctic Circle (Days 5 and 6)   Trondheim, Norway on Sep 9, 2009 34 pictures 0 comments
• 120

  Four rainbows before lunch! (Day 7)   Tromsø, Norway on Sep 10, 2009 48 pictures 0 comments
• 121

  The Northern tip of Europe   Nordkapp, Norway on Sep 11, 2009 64 pictures 0 comments
• 122

  Naked Statues!   Oslo, Norway on Sep 13, 2009 34 pictures 0 comments
• 123

  Let's go fly a kite!   Scheveningen, Netherlands on Sep 27, 2009 0 pictures 0 comments
• 124

  Combining Business and Pleasure   Zurich, Switzerland on May 29, 2010 45 pictures 0 comments
• 125

  Where have all the blog entries gone?   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Jun 1, 2010 0 pictures 0 comments
• 126

  Eating in Paris   Paris, France on Jul 4, 2010 61 pictures 0 comments
• 127

  Brussels for a day   Brussels, Belgium on Jul 9, 2010 22 pictures 0 comments
• 128

  Dutch celebrations - World Cup Soccer   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Jul 13, 2010 33 pictures 0 comments
• 129

  Gay Pride 2010   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Aug 7, 2010 43 pictures 1 comment
• 130

  Amsterdam Jewish Sites and windmills   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Aug 8, 2010 9 pictures 0 comments
• 131

  Brussels Flower Carpet and Belgian beer crawl   Brussels, Belgium on Aug 15, 2010 16 pictures 0 comments
• 132

  Tall ships, eels and pirates   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Aug 21, 2010 61 pictures 0 comments
• 133

  25 years of Bierkoning + Food fest   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Sep 4, 2010 16 pictures 0 comments
• 134

  End of an Era   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Jul 28, 2011 0 pictures 1 comment
• 135

  Reflections on Corporate Life   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Aug 15, 2011 0 pictures 0 comments
• 136

  Moving Day!   Amsterdam, Netherlands on Aug 23, 2011 10 pictures 0 comments