It has been a while (almost 8 years) since our last family long trip. (You bet) I am definitely excited and looking forward to it. They used to be young (then), and now all of them have grown up as adults while me, aging graciously into my golden years.

Finally, we will get to spend our 2026 Chinese Lunar New Year away from home (this time round) as a whole family. Yay! This trip holds great significance (especially for me) as it has always been my plan to bring the family to Europe, and I am glad that I am able to fulfill this bucket list of mine as planned. 😊

Starting the morning with a good brekkie at Chinese Terrace Kitchen.

Served with Hong Kong traditional chee cheong fun with peanut sesame & sweet sauce and seafood siew mai.

Served with crispy prawn beancurd rolls.

Like before, excitement can only begin after getting through the departure hall.

Chilling out at SilverKris Lounge prior to boarding.

Freshen up with a nice shower thereafter. One of the must ritual without fail.

Off we go to Frankfurt. See you in 13 hours’ time. 😊

Cheers to a great and enjoyable family holiday. ❤️

Commencing sky lunch….😋😋😋

With onion, cucumber and spicy peanut sauce.

Celeriac and red apple salad with Japanese cucumbers.

Grilled Angus beef burger with portobello mushroom, sauteed onions and cherry tomatoes.

Northumberland Nettle creamy cheese offering a gentle and herby flavour. L’Ortolan Brie, Thomas Hoe Stilton served alongside accompaniments and crackers.

Waves of soft ice cream flowing over layers of chocolate shavings.

Time for light dinner prior to landing.

Legume salad with yuzu, soy and sesame dressing.

Red wine sauce, baby carrot, yellow squash, asparagus and fondant potatoes.

A rich and smooth blend of young coconut, banana, avocado and cacao with fresh raspberry and crumbled pistachio.

Laying over at NH Frankfurt Airport West for the night upon arrival before heading off to Amsterdam tomorrow.

Simple, nice and spacious room. A perfect place for layover near the airport.

After settling in, we spend the remaining night rounding up at Netto Marken-Discount supermarket store which is conveniently located right beside the hotel.

Waking up to a chilly, foggy morning. What a quiet street on a Sunday where most or all shops are closed.

Thankfully, there is still a nearby Jet petrol kiosk that opens where I can grab a hot sausage croissant while waiting for the rest to wake up. 🙏

This morning, we will be catching a long distance train from Frankfurt Airport to Amsterdam Centraal Station.

Catching a quick breakfast at the Quartier supermarket inside Frankfurt Airport.

Round 2 at Bestworscht.

Finally, I am here in Netherlands, Amsterdam Centraal Station after a good 4 hour train ride.

Checking in to Avenue Hotel thereafter for my next 5 nights abode.

A fairly decent room size with an attic floor to accommodate additional beds.

A bustling street scene in the heart of Amsterdam in the historic city center near the Red Light District.

Fabel Friet, a popular restaurant in Amsterdam known for its fresh Dutch fries. A must try snack while in Amsterdam.

Freshly prepared fries upon ordering.

Scenic moment on the canals of Amsterdam, featuring the Buddha Lounge Boat in the foreground and the historic Basilica of Saint Nicholas in the background.

Chilling out at Starbucks inside Amsterdam Centraal Station.

Followed by dinner at La Madonna Italian Pizzeria.

Frankly, the food standard of this restaurant is not really up to par and it’s quite a disappointment especially for our first night dinner. Well, there are bound to be hits and misses in life and probably this is one of those misses. 🤣

A serene, quiet morning street in Amsterdam, known for its historic architecture and public transport systems.

Morning view of Hotel Sint Nicolaas located in the center of Amsterdam.

Enjoying a cup of hot coffee early in the morning at Jennifer couldn’t be more apt to beat the cold.

A scenic view of one of the iconic canals in Amsterdam.

Starting the day with a nice breakfast at Winkel 43.

This café is known specially for its apple pie.

Truly deserving being the specialty apple pie. Highly recommended. 👍👍👍

After a hearty morning meal, we will be paying a visit to Zaanse Schans followed by Zaadam for today.

You can take a local train from Amsterdam Centraal Station to Zaandijk Zaanse Schans Station.

The train journey will take about 17 mins and the station is 4 stations away from Amsterdam Centraal Station.

From there, it will take another 15 mins walk to reach Zaanse Schans.

The Zaanse Schans is a huge open-air museum famous for its idyllic Dutch windmills, charming museums, and heritage sites.

A visit to Netherlands will not be complete without visiting Zaanse Schans.

We happen to catch the lifting of the bridge (while we were crossing the bridge) to allow boats to pass through the canal. This reminds me of the Yeongdodaegyo Bridge in Busan, South Korea.

Up close and personal on one of the functional windmill.

One can get to visit the cheese factory here…..

….. and learn about the history of the cheese production.

You can even go for the cheese tasting thereafter.

This is followed by a visit to the Clog Factory.

You may also get to have a good understanding of the history of the clog making process at this wooden shoe workshop.

After spending a good time at Zaanse Schans, we headed for lunch at Wolfsend, located in the historic centre of Zaandijk.

This is what a good meal should be as compared to last night’s dinner. World apart is all I can say.

Proceeded next to Zaadam which is 2 stops away from Zaandijk Zaanse Schans Station after having a great moment in Zaanse Schans.

Zaadam is a charming city filled with beautiful historical sites, interesting architecture.

Admiring the Town Hall of Zaanstad, one of the city’s most impressive landmarks.

Inntel Hotel, one of the most insta-worthy spot.

This building is uniquely special as it is made up by stacking up traditional Zaanse houses together. How ingenious! Just like stacking Lego bricks together.

Wandering around Gedempte Gracht, a charming pedestrian-only area along the canal with elevated boardwalks, quaint bridges, and a wide range of shops and restaurants lining it.

Having a nice dinner at Pasta Grill Marina before calling it a night.

This is at best so-so and nothing much to shout about. We had to wait relatively long for the food to be served even though there were not many diners in the restaurant. 😂

Powering up the day at Rene’s Croissanterie before spending the day at leisure exploring Amsterdam city.

Magna Plaza, an upscale shopping mall in a neo-Gothic building.

Royal Palace Amsterdam located on the west side of Dam Square and opposite of the War Memorial.

Madame Tussauds Amsterdam is a wax museum and the first Madame Tussauds that was opened in mainland Europe.

War Memorial in Dam Square and a National Monument.

A sculpture in Rokin near Dam Square featuring two heads facing in opposite directions and water seeps from the top of the heads down their shoulders, across the plinth and spills onto the ground.

Saw a big red heart in Amsterdam during city walk.

Zero Zero, a go-to spot for an unforgettable sandwich experience offering a good selection of freshly baked focaccia bread.

Sourdough, roast beef, basil pesto & tomato parmigiano reggiano.

Sourdough, mortadella, stracciatella, pistacchio & parmigiano reggiano.

Rijksmuseum, national museum of the Netherlands dedicated to Dutch arts and history.

Moco Museum is an independent art museum dedicated to exhibiting modern and contemporary art.

Van Gogh Museum houses the world’s largest collection of works by Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh, featuring masterpieces such as Sunflowers, The Potato Eaters, Almond Blossom and The Bedroom.

The Albert Cuyp Market is located in one of the most popular areas of Amsterdam where one can experience authentic Amsterdam atmosphere and humor in the streets. A trip to Amsterdam is not complete without visiting this street market.

Savouring chicken snacks at Chris Kip proudly proclaiming to be selling the best chicken in Amsterdam.

Followed by a freshly made stroopwafel at Goudse Stroopwafels.

This is as fresh as it gets. 😋😋😋

Proceeded for lunch at Northeast Kitchen next.

Come during week day for lunch from 12pm to 3pm to enjoy smaller portions of the dishes at a smaller fraction of the price.

Quick snack at The Lebanese Sajeria. They are known for their signature flatbread freshly baked on the saj oven and then filled with your choice of toppings.

Lebanese-spiced minced beef with pomegranate molasses, pine nuts, labneh, tomatoes & fresh mint.

Sweet treats at Pat’s Poffertjes. Another not to be missed type of local snack in Netherlands.

Late dinner at Tulsi Indian Restaurant to end the night.

Boneless pieces of chicken breast marinated with salt, pepper, degi mirch, ginger garlic paste, starch, red chilli paste, curry leaves and deep fried.

Potato and cauliflower in curry sauce.

Lamb curry cooked with potatoes in thick gravy.

Fish cooked in a very spicy madras curry sauce with a blend of spices with lemon.

Special basmati rice with chicken.

Always good to have spices in life! 👍

Begin the day with a light breakfast at the take-out café inside Hema store at the central station.

This morning, we will be heading up to Giethoorn, also known as the “Venice of the North” by joining a local tour as going on our own could take up a little challenge.

After much consideration, we decided on letting the professionals to handle it so that we can just sit back and enjoy the well provided journey there and back. 😊

Giethoorn, where silence is golden. Giethoorn offers a rare, peaceful escape from modern life. It is an unique way to experience the authentic Dutch way of living with and on the water.

A boat trip provides the best experience as you will be able to glide silently past masterfully restored, thatched-roof farmhouses.

Giethoorn is renowned for its lack of roads in the village centre, where waterways and walking paths are the main transportation methods.

It is also called Swan’s Lake as there are about 250 swans living on this lake.

After the boat tour, we are given free time to wander and explore the village on our own.

The “De Gieterse Daansers” statue in Giethoorn, a work depicting traditional local dancers.

Large sculpture artwork titled “Kent Aamstra”, created by Dutch artist Peer Veneman.

Statue of the Dutch actor and author Albert Mol.

A traditional wooden boat known as a “Gieterse roeiboot” displayed on the lawn of a house.

Privately owned bridge by the island house owner.

Giethoorn is named after the Dutch phrase Geytenhoren (goathorn), due to the large number of wild goat horns discovered by the then early settlers.

Adjourning for a light lunch at Venice café.

In Amsterdam, there are self-dispensing food outlets and Febo is one of it.

They operate till quite late to the night and one can always catch a late night supper if hunger sets in.

All you need is simply select the food items of your choice and pay via card payment.

Visited Tony’s Chocolonely Superstore, the most famous Dutch chocolate in Netherlands.

It has been very popular in the Netherlands since its introduction. Not only because of the unique taste combinations, but also because of the fair prices they pay for the product.

Beautiful night view of Leidsestraat, a busy and second most expensive shopping street in Amsterdam.

Savouring a nice and authentic Dutch cuisine at De Hollandse Tulp.

Traditional Dutch pea soup with pork sausage.

Crispy fried cod bites with garlic sauce.

A must to try dish in Netherlands will be none other than the traditional stamppot, a classic Dutch dish made with mashed potatoes and vegetables, served with traditional meats and gravy.

Tiny fluffy pancakes served with butter and powdered sugar.

Wow, glad we had this wonderful Dutch cuisine meal. 😋😋😋

Mesmerising view of the canals of Amsterdam at night, showcasing the city’s iconic waterways and historic architecture illuminated.

Another astonishing night time canals view highlighting the illuminated Papiermolensluis bridge.

A nice and huge present for the family in a festive Christmas street lighting while we took a leisurely stroll back.

Spotted Cinnamood and there is no prize in second guessing after a great experience when I was in Munich back in 2024.

Morning brekkie at Chun Café.

Sweet marinated beef, soft boiled egg, mild spicy sauce.

Five spiced marinated garlic shrimps, sweet Japanese Omelette.

OMG! This is really power. Highly recommended to go early to beat the long queue.

Spending time at Kalverstraat, a bustling pedestrian shopping street in Amsterdam.

A moment in Dam Square, the historic centre of Amsterdam.

Joining the queue at Van Stapele Koekmakerij. The shop specializes in signature chocolate cookie with white chocolate filling.

I reckoned that their cookies must be good since they only make one kind of cookie in the shop and judging from the queue outside. 🤣

Reformed church located in the central part of the city, near the Anne Frank House.

Interesting find, the smallest cheese store!

Statue of Anne Frank, a prominent diarist and Holocaust victim.

Portrait of Anne Frank and includes a poignant diary entry from October 29, 1943, where she compares herself to a caged songbird.

Anne Frank House museum in Amsterdam.

Scenic view of the historic canals in Amsterdam, featuring traditional Dutch architecture and houseboats.

Decided on a light luncheon at Roem Café after feeling inspired by the car that we seen. 😅

Kees de Jongenbrug, a bridge over a canal in Amsterdam, featuring a prominent “flower bike” decoration on its railing as a form of street art.

The 9 Streets is a famous, historic, and trendy neighborhood in the heart of Amsterdam’s UNESCO-listed canal district.

Manneken Pis, a popular fry shop that serves up fresh Flemish-style fries. They are well-known for being voted the best fries in Holland and offer over 20 different types of sauces, including curry, satay, and cheese sauce.

Final night dinner at Steak House De Markies in Amsterdam.

Not too bad for the food quality though the Google review wasn’t that promising. This is one of those bet we took! 😅

One for the road breakfast at Verona 63 Café in Amsterdam prior to leaving for Frankfurt.

2 sausages, 2 slices crispy bacon, 2 fried eggs, mushrooms fried tomatoes, and 2 hash browns with toasted bread & butter.

A simple, homely and delicious breakfast meal.

Time to depart Amsterdam for Frankfurt.

Arrived into Frankfurt Main Station for the final leg of our holiday.

We will be staying over at Mercure Hotel Kaiserhof City Centre for the next 4 nights.

Loved the big and spacious triple sharing room.

After check-in, proceeded for a super late lunch at Sole E Mare Restaurant.

This is what a good Italian cuisine should be about. 😋😋😋

Chilling out at Lindt store thereafter.

Admiring the nice interior decoration of the second level store.

It has become a form of ritual (strictly no compromise!) to have the white hot chocolate each time I am at this store. The white hot chocolate is really darn good if you are a true blue white chocolate die-hard. 😉

Had a late snack bite at Erich Zeiss snack bar inside Frankfurt Main Station.

Powering up the morning at Der Bäcker Eifler Bakery inside Frankfurt Main Station.

With a hearty meal, its time to head over to the Fern Bus Terminal for my day trip to Heidelberg.

Boarding the bus for my scheduled departure at 08:15 hrs. The bus ride will take about 1 hr 10 mins. It is more cost-effective to take a bus than a train as the travel time is about the same.

I have been to Heidelberg when I first visited Germany back in 2023 and covered in detail. It’s a nice town and I loved the vibes here, so this trip I thought of bringing my children to experience the vibes of this town so they too can enjoy it. As a saying goes, good things are meant to be shared especially with family members. 😊

We are finally here at the Hauptstraße in the Altstadt (Old Town) of Heidelberg and we will be spending the rest of the day at leisure here to soak in to the vibes and atmosphere of this beautiful town.

Starying with a sweet dessert treat at Café Schafheutle.

Finally, I am able to get my hands on Frittenwerk.

Butcher’s sausage according to house recipe with herbs and pleasant spiciness. Served with spicy curry worst sauce.

Local baked potato with pulled pork, coleslaw, pickled onions & baconnaise.

Jesuitenkirche (Jesuit Church) in the Old Town of Heidelberg.

Admiring the beautiful interior of the church.

Old Bridge Gate (Brückentor), which is the historic entryway to the Alte Brücke (Old Bridge) in Heidelberg.

The sandstone arch bridge crosses the Neckar River, connecting the historic Old Town with the eastern side of the city.

The iconic Bridge Gate features two high circular towers that were reconstructed at the end of the eighteenth century.

It is a central landmark of Heidelberg, famous for its picturesque views and architectural style.

Picturesque view with the Heidelberg castle on the background.

Settled for lunch at Löwenbräu Brauerei-Ausschank, a traditional German restaurant.

Meal is great without a doubt other than the pork steak which was a little way bit of salty for comfort.

Ending the night with a nice Mexican dinner meal at La Mex Lounge.

Fried calamares with cheese sauce.

Grilled Argentinian sirloin steak strips with tomatoes, corn, beans, onions, covered with sour cream and BBQ sauce.

Filled with chilli con carne, beans, corn and cheddar & mozzarella cheese, served with tomato salsa and sour cream.

Fajitas with chicken breast strips, peppers & onions.

Comes with tortillas, salad, sour cream, salsa & guacamole.

Chicken with “Indian Style” curry, ginger, onions and their special spices.

Served with basmati rice.

This dinner is one of those good, delicious and satisfying meal that we have had.

Waking up to a relaxing bright and sunny morning. Since it being a Sunday, all retail shops are closed and this will be a good time to explore Frankfurt city to take in some of the city sights at leisure.

Early brekkie at my all-time favourite, Rewe To Go store while waiting for the rest to get ready from their 自然醒. 😅

The Eiserner Steg (Iron Footbridge) in Frankfurt, Germany, a popular pedestrian bridge over the Main River connecting the old town with the Sachsenhausen district.

Capturing a beautiful moment in time featuring sightseeing boats docked on the Main River in Frankfurt and with the Frankfurt Cathedral as the background.

Scenic view of the Main River in Frankfurt am Main taken from the Iron Bridge.

Trying out Xinjiang cuisine at 楼兰新疆餐厅 (Loulan Xinjiang Restaurant) for lunch.

Another awesomely tasty meal without a doubt.

We manage to catch hold of the carnival cultural parade (similar to our Chinggay procession or Japan’s version of Matsuri) happening today at Römerberg and the entire Frankfurt city is packed with people with road closures to public transport.

We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves by participating and soaking in to the atmosphere.

Spicing things up at Anjappar Chettinad.

Brinjal cooked in a special tangy masala base.

Grilled chicken fillet simmered in a delicate curry sauce with tomatoes.

Lamb pieces grilled in a delicious, skillfully seasoned with oriental herbs.

Fish marinated with different herbs and spices in the tandoor.

A unique blend of spicy, shrimp and basmati rice slow-cooked to enhance the flavours of the freshly ground spices.

This is yet another awesomely good meal.

It started to snow the moment we step out of the restaurant.

So thankful that we are able to enjoy this white snow moment as a family in this winter trip.

We will be heading up to Strasbourg, Paris (the capital city of the Grand Est region, formerly Alsace, in northeastern France) this morning for our day trip on our last day here in Europe before homecoming tomorrow morning.

Sitting back and relax while taking a quick bite on board train before reaching Strasbourg Station in 2 hours time.

Arrive into Strasbourg as scheduled. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t really the best as we would like it to be. Well that’s what travelling entails. Expect the unexpected. 😂

Picturesque view of the Ill river in the city centre of Strasbourg while enroute to Petite France.

At long last, I am here at the actual Petite France. It’s so surreal that I still can’t believe my own eyes. 😱

Admiring the alignment of houses in one of the street in Petite France.

You may stumble upon more beautiful sights as you stroll along the streets of Petite France.

Pampering ourselves with a nice sumptuous breakfast at L’Atelier 116 café and bakery.

Mille Feuille Praline, Brioche Perdue Au Poids, Chouquette, Croissant Au Chocolat, Cheese Madeleine & Butchi Nature.

OMG! I really like the design on their napkins. So professionally done with pride.

This was quickly followed by Donatien Maitre Eclair to try out their best chocolate eclair in 2025.

The shop offers a wide selection of sweet and savory eclairs, along with other pastries like macarons.

Crispy praline filling, hazelnut ganache, roasted hazelnuts and homemade praline.

View of City Centre Gutenberg Square with Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg as the background.

Admiring the magnificent view of the cathedral.

Another angle view of the cathedral.

Mesmerising view of the Ill River specifically near the Quai des Bateliers.

Adjourned for late lunch at La Fignette after last minute walk-in reservation earlier in the morning and also took the opportunity to take shelter from the rain.

This is good French cuisine and definitely worth our while to wait for it.

Ponts Couverts (Covered Bridges) classified as a historic monument.

Dessert treat at Amorino Gelato Al Naturale for their rose shaped cone gelato before leaving Strasbourg for Frankfurt.

One for the road dinner at Ristorante Bacco.

Pizza with mozzarella, parma ham, rocket, tomatoes and parmesan.

Pork medallions with mozzarella and ham.

This is definitely a great meal to end our trip with. 😋😋😋👍👍👍

Time always flies when we are having fun. Before we know it, it’s now time for us to head over to the airport for our flight home.

Chilling out at Lufthansa Business Lounge prior to boarding.

Just some usual suspects of a typical breakfast meal. Nothing great to shout about.

Freshening up prior to boarding.

Time for homecoming.

Cheers to good health. Wishing one and all a Happy Lunar New Year. 恭喜发财, 万事如意, 心想事成, 马到成功, 事事如意, 生体健康.

Start of sky lunch thereafter.

With onion, cucumber and spicy peanut sauce.

Marinated octopus, fine mesclun salad, semi-dried tomatoes and lemon olive dressing.

Served with stir-fried Asian vegetables and egg fried rice.

Followed by light breakfast prior to landing.

Rolled oats soaked in milk, natural yoghurt, dried fruits and nuts.

A hearty, nutritious twist on traditional pancakes, garnished with fresh figs, pistachio nuts and maple syrup.

It has been a great and fun family trip where we can really spend time bonding with one another and embracing each other differences and accepting it unconditionally. Nothing beats a family who unites together. For me (personally), I thoroughly enjoyed myself spending time meaningfully with my children and I really hope and wish I could do more of such trips in the years to come. It’s not easy as everyone will need to make time for it. Let’s pray and hope that my dream will come through somehow…….