Last night, I downloaded photos and then I went to sleep with the TV on, and my glasses on too. Bob got up and turned off the TV. But this morning, I couldn't find my glasses. I tore everything apart looking for them (and missed many idyllic photos as we were
Coming into Arnhem)
but did not find them until Bob looked under the bed (where I had looked several times previously, but you really can't see to find your glasses if you need glasses). After Bob found my glasses, we had to get to breakfast ASAP as our tour was leaving at 9:00, and it was now almost 8. I was afraid to order something so Bob just got me a selection from the buffet.
Our table companions were a widow from Costa Rica and a widower from Austria who were traveling together and a lady from Canada. After we ate, I put on my sweater (and Bob put on one too) and we got our safety cards (cards which you take with you when you leave the ship) and our color card for the tour (ours was yellow). We put on our communication devices set to yellow, and went out and got on the bus.
We were about the first ones on. Our guide this time had his microphone on the whole time and did not know it so I heard a lot of stuff that I probably was not meant to hear. But a lot of it was in Dutch so I didn't understand it.
We had two choices of tours today - one to Arnhem Bridge & Arnhem Airborne Museum and the other to Het Loo Palace. I decided on the palace, which was the residence of the Dutch Royal Family until quite recently and was said to have been restored to be 'cozy' as if the family could still live there. I was thinking something like Queluz. It was a little more like Peterhof I think. Our guide was a sort of doddery old man, but at one point he said that when the Nazi's told everyone in Arnheim to leave in 1944, he was two years old - so that made him two years younger than my sister and about five years younger than I am. The day was mostly sunny, but windy.
house in Arnhem
Road to Het Loo
We drove past a big pink bicycle and some pink bicycles on lamp posts - that is apparently for a bike race ending in Italy which is sponsored by what the guide said was a pink newspaper - whatever that is.
Pink Bikes
We got to the palace about 10,
Welcome sign at the gate
along with another bus from our boat, a couple of Viking buses, a couple from AmaStella and at least two other buses. The roads and paths around the palace were paved with brick which made the going very bumpy, but not as bad a gravel or actual cobblestones.
Path to the Palace
Diagram - we walked from the lower left to the red area
We got our tickets from the guide
Ticket
From the entrance building to the courtyard
Queen Wilhelmina statue
and also a booklet explaining the palace, and he tried to explain the various monarchs - Kings and Stadhouders which were apparently place-holders for Lords or Princes. I didn't understand it until I looked it up later.
As we exited the Entrance building we entered the Stables Square (with peacocks on the lawns).
Royal Stables
The stables were built between 1907 and 1909 at the orders of Queen Wilhelmina (1880-1962). The stable had room for 88 horses. Most of the horses are gone but there are two retired horses still in the stables.
Royal Stables
Royal Stables
A section of the stables is still used by the Royal Stables in The Hague. In the middle are two large coach houses. Royal carriages and sleighs as well as liveries (uniforms of the coachmen) are on display here. We didn't visit here because by the time I got back to this area my back was too painful for me to continue
Royal Garage
Opposite the Royal Stables was the Prins Hendrik Garage. In the 1920s when horses and carriages were replaced by cars, Prince Hendrik, the husband of Queen Wilhelmina had this addition built for the cars. Highlight of the collection is the Cadillac Convertible Sedan. The car was bought in 1949 and used by Princess Wilhelmina. Near the Prins Hendrik Garage there is a playground for children.
Diagram of the site - Entrance lower left
The palace has two restaurants and a Kiosk. We didn't see the Kiosk which is at the back of the gardens behind the Colonnades.
We didn't go out into the gardens because it was cold and the pathways were gravel which might have been difficult with a scooter.
The first restaurant we saw was the Grand Cafe of Paleis Het Loo at the Prins Hendrik Garage. It is a self-service restaurant. This restaurant is outside the gate where they take your ticket. You do not have to pay for admission to go to the stables, this restaurant or the playground.
Coming into Arnhem)
but did not find them until Bob looked under the bed (where I had looked several times previously, but you really can't see to find your glasses if you need glasses). After Bob found my glasses, we had to get to breakfast ASAP as our tour was leaving at 9:00, and it was now almost 8. I was afraid to order something so Bob just got me a selection from the buffet.
Our table companions were a widow from Costa Rica and a widower from Austria who were traveling together and a lady from Canada. After we ate, I put on my sweater (and Bob put on one too) and we got our safety cards (cards which you take with you when you leave the ship) and our color card for the tour (ours was yellow). We put on our communication devices set to yellow, and went out and got on the bus.
We were about the first ones on. Our guide this time had his microphone on the whole time and did not know it so I heard a lot of stuff that I probably was not meant to hear. But a lot of it was in Dutch so I didn't understand it.
We had two choices of tours today - one to Arnhem Bridge & Arnhem Airborne Museum and the other to Het Loo Palace. I decided on the palace, which was the residence of the Dutch Royal Family until quite recently and was said to have been restored to be 'cozy' as if the family could still live there. I was thinking something like Queluz. It was a little more like Peterhof I think. Our guide was a sort of doddery old man, but at one point he said that when the Nazi's told everyone in Arnheim to leave in 1944, he was two years old - so that made him two years younger than my sister and about five years younger than I am. The day was mostly sunny, but windy.
house in Arnhem
Road to Het Loo
We drove past a big pink bicycle and some pink bicycles on lamp posts - that is apparently for a bike race ending in Italy which is sponsored by what the guide said was a pink newspaper - whatever that is.
Pink Bikes
We got to the palace about 10,
Welcome sign at the gate
along with another bus from our boat, a couple of Viking buses, a couple from AmaStella and at least two other buses. The roads and paths around the palace were paved with brick which made the going very bumpy, but not as bad a gravel or actual cobblestones.
Path to the Palace
Diagram - we walked from the lower left to the red area
We got our tickets from the guide
Ticket
From the entrance building to the courtyard
Queen Wilhelmina statue
and also a booklet explaining the palace, and he tried to explain the various monarchs - Kings and Stadhouders which were apparently place-holders for Lords or Princes. I didn't understand it until I looked it up later.
As we exited the Entrance building we entered the Stables Square (with peacocks on the lawns).
Royal Stables
The stables were built between 1907 and 1909 at the orders of Queen Wilhelmina (1880-1962). The stable had room for 88 horses. Most of the horses are gone but there are two retired horses still in the stables.
Royal Stables
Royal Stables
A section of the stables is still used by the Royal Stables in The Hague. In the middle are two large coach houses. Royal carriages and sleighs as well as liveries (uniforms of the coachmen) are on display here. We didn't visit here because by the time I got back to this area my back was too painful for me to continue
Royal Garage
Opposite the Royal Stables was the Prins Hendrik Garage. In the 1920s when horses and carriages were replaced by cars, Prince Hendrik, the husband of Queen Wilhelmina had this addition built for the cars. Highlight of the collection is the Cadillac Convertible Sedan. The car was bought in 1949 and used by Princess Wilhelmina. Near the Prins Hendrik Garage there is a playground for children.
Diagram of the site - Entrance lower left
The palace has two restaurants and a Kiosk. We didn't see the Kiosk which is at the back of the gardens behind the Colonnades.
We didn't go out into the gardens because it was cold and the pathways were gravel which might have been difficult with a scooter.
The first restaurant we saw was the Grand Cafe of Paleis Het Loo at the Prins Hendrik Garage. It is a self-service restaurant. This restaurant is outside the gate where they take your ticket. You do not have to pay for admission to go to the stables, this restaurant or the playground.
- Next entry in the series 'Go to Amsterdam First (1950, 1965, 2009, 2016, 2018, 2022)': Het Loo Palace #1
- Previous entry in the series 'Go to Amsterdam First (1950, 1965, 2009, 2016, 2018, 2022)': Finally getting to Volendam 2016
