Guestbook tourist responses Amsterdam Holland

Our Arts and Culture tour with Hans Noltes was an incredible succces. We (4 ladies from Seattle) traveled through Holland for 9 days in October 2016. Hans helped with hotels, all planning and driving us. We saw Amsterdam, the gardens of Piet Oudolf and the well known planting designer himself , Laag- Keppel castle, the royal gardens of the Het Loo Palace, the Helmantel museum in a rebuilt monastery on a Groningen terp (mound) and the painter Henk Helmantel himself: some 12th century Groningen churches, the hanging kitchens of Appingedam,the pittoresque Frisian towns of Workum and Hindeloopen, the Enclosure dam (Afsluitdijk ), Art hotel Spaander in Volendam and museums like the Rijkmuseum, Mauritshuis and the recently opened Voorlinden museum. A “”skutsje silen”” boat tour showed us Frisian canals and lakes. We enjoyed the very organized and architectural green Dutch landscape with the Frisian cows, geese and cheese –cover style farmhouses (so called stolpen).
Cary Jurriaans, Whidbey Fine Arts Studio, Seattle, USA

On Sunday, March 23rd we had a great tour with our Dutch tour guide Hans Noltes. We were a little tired when we arrived at Amsterdam Centraal, Amsterdam's central train station but when we met Hans everyone was excited for the tour and to see what this gentleman had to tell us about the beautiful city of Amsterdam. Hans was very well prepared when he picked us up from the train station. Everyone got his public transportation pass and after a quick stop at the hotel (to check-in) we were already on the road. The students were fascinated by the city and enjoyed having someone with them to tell them all the history about it. Why are many canal houses leaned forward and how do people manage to live with water all around them? We learned about Amsterdam's architecture, history and most of all about sustainability. Our tour focused on the subject of sustainable practices in the city of Amsterdam and Hans was a great resource to teach the students all about it. The tour highlight was when when we visited the former shipyard in the northern part of the city where a polluted brownfield will be turned into a cleantech playground. 15 second hand houseboats will be retrofitted in sustainable ateliers and surrounded by an undulating landscape of soil-cleaning plants . Hans is an experienced tour guide who knows how to interact with students. They absolutely enjoyed the day with him!

Olivia Schaefer, Program coordinator of the Academy for International Education (AIB) in Bonn, Germany

”We would like to thank you for 2 great days on the road in the Netherlands. It was very well planned and informative. We feel that we were able to see everything as arranged and appreciated how you organized our time and the sites we visited. We feel we could not have done any more as you filled our days well. We were very happy to have time with family in Linschoten and Workum. The visit to the Enclosure dam (Afsluitdijk) was very interesting and we appreciated the information that you were able to share. We would highly recommend your services to anyone interested in visiting the Netherlands.” 4 Canadians of Dutch ancestry ,Paul and Sylvia Hordyk and Eric and Elizabeth Litz, October 2013

Technical visits to Zuiderzee Land Reclamation Project , Delta Works , Maasvlakte II of the Port of Rotterdam , Zeebrugge Port and Belgian boatlifts and by two Brazilian professors

"I and my wife made an unforgettable tour of 6 days in the Netherland and Belgium guided by Hans Noltes. Mr. Noltes is the typical Holland gentleman and was a teacher of geography, who gives you the exact measure why the Dutch are so proud of their country, a considerable part of which was gained from the sea by this laborious and ingenious people. With the assistance of Mr. Noltes we felt exactly the spirit of the Dutch people and their struggle against the sea and the rivers .The masterpieces of Dutch hydraulic engineering like the Delta Works, especially the colossal Maeslant storm surge barrier, and the Zuiderzee Project wit its Enclosure Dam ,waterways and waterway aquaducts ,the Maasvlakte II Project of Rotterdam Port; the biggest Dutch engineering project since the Delta Works, a new port and supporting infrastructure on20 km2 reclaimed land, a coastal defence project like the Sand Engine and much more were presented to us with didactic details by Mr Noltes. In Belgium he showed us Zeebrugge port, Belgian masterpieces of hydraulic engineering like the impressive boatlifts of Strepy-Thieu and the Inclined Plane of Ronquieres and the historical inner cities of Ghent and Bruges.

Also the magnificent and rich museums, like the Amsterdam Rijkmuseum, and the traditional boat tour in Amsterdam are mandatory and Mr. Noltes, according to the contracted tour, may provide tickets in advance. At last, but not least! The kindness of Hans left us much comfortable to ask all the questions and requests, without any restriction and ever with much interest to show details and curiosities that we would never know with a standard touristic tour, beyond the special typical cakes and groceries offered ad hoc to us and provided by Hans' wife."

Paolo Alfredini and Emilia Arasaki ,Full Professors of Port and Coastal Engineering of the Polytechnic School of São Paulo University, Brazil, April 2014

Deltaworks Tour of Olson ,Tricks and Willemsen families from United States, England and New Zealand

It was my pleasure to plan a week long reunion between two couples one from Chicago and the other from Devon UK and my husband and I (New Zealander's)in Holland in August 2011, focusing on the Dutch Delta project Searching on the Internet I found Hans Noltes’ website and I contacted him. From then on it was a breeze Hans answered my e.mails promptly; answered my many questions with much patience and in perfect English, and designed an itinerary doable by 6 people of mature years. Hans also suggested and made on our behalf bookings at the famed Hotel New York Rotterdam. An inspired suggestion. Our two days encompassed the Kinderdijk windmills(sadly too wet to see anything), and on to Zeeland, including Ouwerkerk (Floodmuseum), Eastern Scheldt Bridge , Colijnsplaat, Neeltje Jans. (Eastern Scheldt storm surge barrier ), the historical town of Veere and Brouwersdam and Haringvlietdam of the Deltaproject.

Hans was at the Haarlem B&B to pick us up well before the designated time with his comfortable vehicle fitting all 6 of us with ease.We spent two whole days with Hans and were sad to say goodbye. His knowledge of Dutch Water Management, the Delta Project, and the villages and towns related to the project is phenomenal. He spoke excellent English and enjoyed conversing with my Dutch speaking husband as well. He was considerate of our party all of whom loved to absorb the most minute details of the museums and structures, we were very grateful for his patience. We came away even more impressed than ever with the skill of Dutch Water Engineers, and a deep understanding of the constant battle against the sea! We were totally impressed with Hans' professionalism, and would have no hesitation in recommending Hans's HollandTheRideWay company. We shall return to Holland and plan to take advantageof Hans' skills again. There is no better way to get to know a country than through the eyes of a skilled knowledgeable "local".

Group outing of Plasma & Materials Processing Group, Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) , Holland

This year we booked Mr. Noltes as a guide for our yearly group outing in Septmber 2011.. First, we visited the “Maeslantkering” which is a very impressive piece of Dutch engineering. Subsequently, we took a look at a traditional wind mill and after this visit we went to a very innovative Dutch project. While enjoying the nice weather on the beach, Mr. Noltes explained the goal of the “Zandmotor” project located just in front of the coast. This project is intended to protect & replenish the Dutch beaches in a more natural approach. To wrap up our group outing we visited the largest greenhouse for grape growing and after tasting some very delicious grapes we returned to Eindhoven. The tour was very well organized and the visits were well chosen and really interesting

On July 19th, 2011, Stiftung Mercator (Mercator Foundation) went on a firms outing with HollandTheRideWay. Stiftung Mercator focuses part of its work on the effects of climate change; Mr. Hans Noltes from HollandTheRideWay hence organized an amazing visit to the storm surge barrier in Hoek of Holland and a very interesting lecture on water affairs and land reclamation by Dr. Ronald Waterman. We then let the day fade at the Themepark Westlandse Druif.(showing Dutch grape cultivation in greenhouses) Mr. Noltes made sure that from dinner to route planning, everything was perfectly planned and arranged for the group. He was always happy to give us an inside view on the specific features and history of the region and to share his experiences with the group.

We like to thank Mr. Noltes very much for the great day and wish him all the best for the many tours to come.

Our Guide Hans Noltes was very knowledgeable about Holland. We really enjoyed the trip during which we visited Madurodam (small scale Holland) , the historical inner city of The Hague with the Parliament buildings , the storm surge barrier in Hook of Holland , the Delta works in the province of Zeeland , a fort of the New Dutch Waterline and a lock of which we saw a miniature in Madurodam.

Alkmaar Cheese Market , Afsluitdijk (Enclosure Dam ) and Delta works tours of Langhans and Cairnes families from Australia

We had booked a river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest and with two days free before the cruise, decided to seek out destinations around Amsterdam which included the Alkmaar Cheese Markets, Delta Project, the world famous Windmills of Kinderdijk….how could we organise all these destinations over two days? I contacted Hans NolteS (HollandTheRideWay) on the Internet, specified places we wanted to visit and other places another couple we were travelling with, wanted to see as well.

Hans organised a private 2 day tour for us and he proved to be a wonderful guide. His knowledge and expertise made our visit an unforgettable experience. He not only showed us the sites on our ‘required’ list, but gave us an understanding and insight into the engineering and construction feats which ensure the Netherlands stays safe and dry.

During our two days with Hans we came to appreciate the enormous effort the people of the Netherlands continue to make to ensure their country remains safe from both the sea and flood.

By the way, Hans’ ‘people carrier’ a blue Peugeot Boxer Min-bus, was very comfortable and he regularly offered us refreshments and Dutch treats during our travels (loved the cake!). We travelled along dykes, through picturesque little villages with traditional architecture, meandered through a countryside of enormous beauty and viewed many mesmerizing windmills, all the while Hans ensured we were well informed often using maps to point out interesting aspects of our tour.

We have no hesitation in recommending Hans to any visitor to the Netherlands. His knowledge and expertise is wide ranging and we are sure if you contact him, he will ensure you have best personalised guided tour out of Amsterdam ever.

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....We managed to squeeze so much in on our first day, Hans was meticulous in planning the sights we visited. We travelled to Alkmaar and its famous Cheese Markets and walked through this historical town. We then visited the Zuider Zee reclamation project (WIERINGERMEERPOLDER)and the enclosure dam (Afsluitdijk) Monument, watch tower and the Schermerhorn Windmill Museum with its working windmills, then on to Grootschermer, the little village of Noordeinde, Graft historical town hall and De Rijp narrow main street, lock and wooden houses, Middenbeemster central village of Beemster polder, UNESCO world Heritage site and fort of THE Amsterdam Defence line. NEAR PURMEREND

On our second full day Hans again amazed us with his extensive knowledge as he took us to Schoonhoven ferry across Lek River, branch of the Rhine River, riverside villages of Groot Ammers, Streefkerk, Nieuw Lekkerland and the windmills of Kinderdijk (19 windmills, UNESCO World heritage site.), then on to Alblasserdam riverside village, Hoek van Holland storm surge barrier (Maeslant kering). The last place on the tour, Maeslant kering proved to be an engineering masterpiece and Hans once again imparted his considerable knowledge and organised a GUIDED WALK for us of the storm surge barrier It is amazing that once we returned to Australia on September 20th, just 4 days later, the massive Maeslant Kering storm surge barriers were ‘tested’ and we watched its closing by way of the internet. We are sure that it would have much more interesting to be there with Hans to see this event first hand.

Thank you Hans for showing us your wonderful country - maybe some day you will visit Australia and we can show you some ‘Aussie’ places of interest.

Brian and Sharon Langhans , Cronulla , New South Wales, Australia

In november 2010 a Group of Chinese Managers from State Owned Companies in Shanghai have visited under the inspiring leadership of Mr. H.Noltes the storm surge barrier at The Nieuwe Waterweg ( New waterway) between Rotterdam and the North Sea.
Only a few days before the date of the scheduled item Rotterdam Business School ( RBS) contacted Mr Hans Noltes of HollandTheRideway and applied for a possibility of the excursion and workshop. Mr Noltes took the request and after a short time a very interesting idea was offered.

The Chinese managers visited Rotterdam to follow a course at RBS to learn how to do business in the Netherlands and to gain knowledge about law, banking and tax system in the Western World. During the total programme of 7 weeks some typical Dutch items were scheduled. The above mentioned excursion and workshop were one of these items After the excursion the Chinese guests of Rotterdam Business School (RBS) have received a very interesting workshop “ Water Management from Mr. G.Geldof. , Senior Water consultant.

The purpose of the excursion and the workshop was that the Chinese Managers gain an insight into to a typical Dutch topic “Water Management”.A special note has to be added for the wonderful organization of the excursion and the workshop. RBS was very happy to have the opportunity to meet such interesting persons as Mr Noltes and Mr Geldof and to share their knowledge.

During the workshop the managers received information about different water projects in the Netherlands; Delta Strategy; Regional water management; Rotterdam Water City 2035;
Urban Water Management and the Urban Cycle.
Building with nature needs to be the idea that is involved in all new water projects.

A very interesting workshop that offered new perspectives on the way we can live in a country below sea level.

The conclusion of the workshop was: Involve Water Management in the design of our future.

Our experiences with Hans Noltes and his wife Mieke were absolutely exceptional. Even though we were going on a bike/barge tour first Hans met us at the airport with a tulip bouquet for my wife, he didn't need to meet us, it was not his responsibility but the bike/barge tour didn't offer to pick us up so Hans did.

When we finished the bike/barge tour Hans and his wife were waiting for us and whisked us away for an unbelievable tour. His knowledge and thoughtfulness far exceeded our previous experiences in The Netherlands. My wife's uncle was killed in WWII and is buried in The Netherlands, Hans arranged for a visit to his grave. at the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial in Margraten He arranged for a private tour of the Velvet Cave in Valkenburg , an exceptional experience. We toured Belgium in addition to The Netherlands and Hans knowledge of Bruges was fantastic . We also visited the beautiful Serres of Laken , the royal greenhouses near Brussels

Everywhere we went he found the ideal spot to shop, to have a refreshment at a sidewalk cafe, and point out the most important landmarks..

His knowledge of the unbelievable accomplishment of the Dutch people to protect themselves from the sea was absolutely first class, including a private guided tour at the storm surge barrier of Hook of Holland (Maeslant kering)

HollandTheRideWay gave the members of the Chilean Chamber of Construction of Valdivia a good impression of a construction work in flood zones by showing them a masterpiece of Dutch hydraulic engineering ,the storm surge barrier at Hook of Holland, during their European Technology Mission in autumn 2009

Article in Diarioaustral of November 27, 2009 written by
Mrs.Nadia Vera, Executive Secretary of the Chilean Chamber of Construccion Valdivia (Camera Chilena de la Construccion Valdivia)

I teach a study abroad course - Rembrandt's Amsterdam in the Dutch Golden Age - that explores Rembrandt in a context rich in scope and variety, distilling the essence of Dutch culture. I firmly believe that one of the keys to understanding Dutch society, in its relationship to the land, in its historical forms of governance, is an exploration of how the Dutch have dealt with and continue to deal with the constant threat of sea and river flooding in a land - especially Holland and Zeeland - under sea level. I was delighted to find HollandTheRide Way on the Internet; Hans Noltes proved an expert guide and teacher for the students in my class (and for me, of course!).

From a roadside stop along the river Lek to point out how a graceful bend in the dike is evidence of a past breach and flooding and repair, to an engaging explanation through maps of the Delta Works and the delta geography of South Holland and Zeeland in the presence of the great Storm Surge Barriers, Hans offered his extensive knowledge with grace and in a pleasant manner. I look forward to working with Hans the next time I teach my course; his tour was a memorable component.

By visiting the storm surge barrier in Hook of Holland Norwegian we ( Norwegian employees of Ramboll company ,a multi-disciplinary engineering, design and consultancy company ) got a good impression of a masterpiece of Dutch hydraulic engineering during a tour arranged by HollandTheRideWay.

In the expo room at the barrier Guide Hans Noltes of HollandTheRideWay told us many aspects of the Deltaworks plan by using some of his interesting maps. The visit to the Storm surge barrier was part of a Ramboll exploration tour in Holland in which a visit to the works of the Central line of the Amsterdam Subway also played a part We had a very nice trip to Amsterdam, and we were all very satisfied with your lecture and our visit to storm surge barrier.

As part of our Learning Exchange tour to Rotterdam in November 2009 , 22 delegates from across the Yorkshire and Humber region in the UK were lucky enough to visit the storm surge barrier and attend a presentation on the coast strengthening project. All the delegates found the day extremely interesting and informative and all noted that they were able to take away some valuable information. We would like to thank everyone at HollandTheRideWay for being so accommodating and providing such an enjoyable day.

Paul Cartwright
Communications and Events Manager
Local Government Yorkshire and Humber

Thank you Hans. Having been disappointed by our other tour operator who failed to organise a visit to the Delta Works for us, you came to our rescue by arranging an affordable and enjoyable experience for our students. Also thank you for taking the trouble to show us your Dutch Land Reclamation Project model which not only introduced the students to coastal defences but also reminded them of the general geography of the country they were visiting.

When Hans asked me what we were interested in, he worked out an amazing itinerary ,which included everything I had dreamed about and more! Of particular interest were the historic windmills at Kinderdijk. the Alkmaar cheese auction and the visit to a family owned cheese farm, where we watched the whole process of cheese making and were able to sample and buy the cheeses. Being farmers ourselves,, it was interesting talking of the Dutch farmer's way of life .

My special day was driving amongst the flower fields with many stops to photograph and experience the sheer beauty and smell, finishing the day at Keukenhof Gardens. The Aalsmeer flower auction was amazing and earned a second visit for me. So many flowers, and such a hive of activity. We visited the steam pumping station of Cruquius, and on our way to Belgium stopped at the Storm surge barrier at Hook of Holland, the Haringvliet dam and the Oosterscheld (Eastern Scheldt) dam, an open storm surge barrier. As we are from 'New Zealand, driving through 'Zeeland' province was of special interest to us. Records tell us in 1642, a Dutch explorer, Abel Tasman, was the first European to sight New Zealand,although he never set foot on land. Then it was through Westerschelde (Western Scheldt) tunnel and onto Bruges which was a wonderful place to walk around and shop.

Our trip was special in many ways. Hans planned our itinerary meticiously, he researched all places thoroughly, so was able to give us a running commentary as we travelled. He did not hesitate to stop for photo opportunities, yet always arrived at places in time for an English speaking tour. His local knowledge enabled him to drive off the beaten track, and where the best places to eat were.
A truely amazing holiday in Holland.

Our Het Loo trip was very enjoyable. Mr Noltes arrived at our apartment on time and provided information regarding the former Royal Palace and the House of Orange. The historical perspective prepared us for our visit to the Royal Stables and the Palace. The grounds were beautiful and well maintained. .The historical background from Mr Noltes enriched the experience and the tour of the landscape gardens. The Palace is a glimpse into the fascinating and somewhat turbulent past of the House of Orange in the Netherlands.

Thank you Mr Noltes for your depth of knowledge and memorable trip.
Cindy and Tim Hartin, Texas, USA

I wanted to thank you for the tour trip you provided me when I had a lay-over of 10 hours in Amsterdam back in October. That time was used wisely since we were able to see so much in just a few hours. Experiencing local transportation to and from the Zaanse Schans Theme Park (windmills, traditional wooden houses, cheese factory and wooden shoe maker) along with all the information you provided, gave me a good history of Amsterdam and surroundings.

My favorite part of my tour had to be the Canal Boat ride, it was interesting to hear all about the houses and reasoning for the canals and how it was used to form that part of the city.

Thank you again for such a great experience and I would love to see more next time I get a chance.

The Waterworks in Holland came out of shear necessity to survive under the sea level and became an engineering and construction marvel to admire.

Visiting the various gates and dams that are part of the Delta Works is a highly enjoyable and educational experience for technically oriented as well as lay people.

Hans makes the whole tour an unforgettable experience. His deep knowledge and obvious enthusiasm for the subject brings the complete scope and overall benefit of the works to the surface. We greatly appreciated his guidance, hospitality and flexibility to accommodate everyone’s tastes and desires. We highly recommend the tour he offers.