A complete tour brochure with application form will be available in June.

Fill out the below form to have the brochure emailed to you as soon as it’s ready.

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 Highlights

• Several days in and around Paris, with docent-led tours of Musée du Louvre and Musée d’Orsay and an evening boat cruise on the Seine River
• Excursion to the palace and grounds of Château de Versailles
• Monet’s home in Giverny and the Giverny Museum of Impressionisms
• Charming Rouen, including a wine tasting with lunch
• Normandy Landing Beaches and the American Cemetery
• Tickets to four musical performances (mix of opera, orchestral, and chamber)
• Organ recital at a historic church in Paris
• Wonderful cuisine, fine wine, and free time to sightsee and shop!

Hosted by

Dick Wallace – Dick has worked in radio as a classical music announcer for 39 years with stops in Detroit, Toledo, and most recently Interlochen Public Radio in Northern Michigan. He continues to be active in radio by hosting a weekly pops program. Dick also plays the drums, loves to sing, and enjoys sailing, swimming, and fishing. Over the past 25 years, Dick has been a travel host along with his wife Candice on seven European music-themed tours. Dick and Candice currently represent Witte Travel & Tours in their group department, hosting and planning group travel.

Dale Hull – Dale and his wife of 48 years, Ruth Ann, are experienced travelers, both having served as tour hosts in the past for groups traveling through Europe and also as solo travelers–Ruth Ann through Scandinavia and Dale through Central and South America. Dale earned a Master in Humanities degree from Central Michigan University, served as Executive Director of the Crooked Tree Arts Center in Petoskey until his retirement, and currently teaches at North Central Michigan College. The Hulls treasure experiences in the performing and visual arts in every genre.

Sunday most of the group attended church at St. Walburgskerk. Although the service was in Dutch, we sang several songs in our own languages and the minister welcomed us and gave us a bit of translation of his sermon. We enjoyed coffee and cookies with the parishioners following the service. After lunch back on board, most passengers went on the afternoon Het Loo Excursion while others relaxed on board as the ship sailed to Kampen. After dinner we enjoyed a walk into Kampen to see the immense Boven Kerk.

We joined the Het Loo Excursion. The Palace is in a beautiful setting. Ellen bought our tickets and we were on our own to visit the palace, gardens, and the Royal stables. After working our way through the rooms of the house and viewing a bit of the gardens, we headed outside to see several cars that were displayed outside for the day. Then we also walked through the stables to see the cars, sleighs, etc. displayed there. The drive back was along the rural roads as Ellen always chose country roads so we could see the “real” country.

Monday the ship sailed along the shores of the North East polder and through the Lemmer Locks arriving in Sneek around 2:00 pm. Those who had stayed on board could explore the town. Following dinner, there was a walking tour to the Water Gate. A full-day excursion to Drenthe and Groningen was offered.

The all-day Excursion to Drenthe and Groningen was very interesting. At the Staphorst Farm Museum we were shown the traditional clothing of the area. Then on to Drenthe to see a hunebed. This one was back in the woods and it was interesting to imagine how the people had been able to arrange the huge rocks. Lunch was in a lovely restaurant in Ter Apel near a 15^th-century monastery. Our next visit was to Ellen’s renovated Saxon farm house in Sellingen where we saw her prize wolfhound and its puppy and many of her paintings. Before returning to the ship, we stopped at the Martinikerk in Groningen for a private demonstration of the church’s organ by Sietze de Vries. We enjoyed his descriptions and examples of the sounds of the various pipes and were overwhelmed by the power and beauty of the music.

Tuesday the ship cruised through the Princes Margriet Canal and the Van Harinxma Canal to Franeker. Those who had stayed on board were able to walk into town for a bit of shopping and sightseeing. After dinner a Frisian folklore group entertained us with dances.

We joined the Friesland Excursion today. This was a very nice day. Sloten was very picturesque little town—plus we found a small grocery store where everyone stocked up on goodies and wine. Hindelopen’s Museum Hidde Nijland had a very nice collection of costumes and furniture that we enjoyed. And Ellen had us on more small back roads. Following one of our more interesting drives across a small narrow bridge, we had lunch in Hindeloopen. Outside a man was smoking eel and everyone had to check this out. One of our group purchased one and demonstrated how to eat it. There were no additional takers for this treat!

Wednesday the morning was at leisure in Franeker. We visited the Eise Eisenga Planetarium which was very interesting and we browsed through town and looked at the City Hall and former Weigh House. In the afternoon the ship cruised through more locks out into the Wadden Sea and then via the North Holland Canal. Along this route there were several fields of colorful tulips and other flowers, plus some that were not yet in bloom due to the cool, wet weather in Holland this spring. At night we tied up near the flower fields. There was no town nearby or opportunity to disembark. After dinner we were entertained by a group of “shanty” singers.

Thursday the ship continued cruising through the tulip fields. Late morning we docked in Alkmaar and took a walking tour of the city with views of the Cheese Museum and Sint Laurenskerk. We were divided into fast, medium and slow walkers. We were in a medium group and, unfortunately, unless you stayed right next to our guide, you could not hear him at all. In the afternoon the Salvinia continued to Amsterdam and we celebrated with a Captain’s Dinner and wine.

Friday we all boarded buses to visit the Aalsmeer Flower Auction. It was very interesting to walk above all the activity and see the boxes and boxes of various flowers lined up and then being hooked together and pulled from place to place. We also saw the rooms of buyers at computers placing their orders. Amazingly efficient. Next we were bused to the Keukenhof National Flower Exhibition. This “show” only lasts for two months and is fabulous. There is every possible type of tulip plus many, many, many other flowers. There are all kinds of gardens and pavilions–even areas for children and animals. We each had a picnic lunch packed by the ship kitchen, but it began to rain in earnest and we hurried back to the bus to eat lunch in a dry, warm place. The buses made stops to drop off those who wished at locations in Amsterdam so we could sightsee and shop on our own or return to the ship. A return pickup was also provided. After wandering around in the city, Mike and I thought it would be easier to simply find our way back to the ship than to find our way back to the pick-up point. It turned out to be a very long cold walk. Earlier, John asked if anyone was interested in a canal cruise this evening so about 50 of us opted to do this. The canals are beautiful in the evening with the lights on the bridges and the interesting buildings along the way. It was very informative and relaxing after a busy day of walking and a great way to top off our week in the Netherlands.

Saturday we were up very early to transfer back to Schiphol Airport. It had been a fun and very interesting week! I would recommend this for any first timers wanting to experience a bit of Europe as well as those who have traveled a lot and are looking for a more in-depth experience in a single country.

The Salvinia is a relatively small ship accommodating 120 passengers, plus the crew. The ship size allows it to travel the canals and smaller waterways and visit the interesting villages along the way. Cabins are small, but arranged so that everything you need is close at hand and comfortable. Bouquets of tulips greeted guests when they arrived in their cabins and in the lobby and lounge. The ship has a small library, a variety of board games, an exercise bike, a whirlpool and sauna and a very pleasant lounge and sun deck (which unfortunately did not get much use due to the cold and rain). The food on board ship is good and plentiful. Breakfast and lunch are served buffet style and provided plenty of choices. Dinner is served family style and although not gourmet, was always tasty. Everyone seemed to enjoy the ship, the service, staff and food.

Motorcoaches were excellent, clean and quite new. The larger one that we were on several times had a bit of trouble negotiating a few of the narrow roads with tight turns that Ellen chose, but each time the driver managed it somehow to the cheers of his passengers. The drivers were excellent, polite and friendly—along with being extremely good at maneuvering the buses.

Tour Highlights:

• The vibrant city of Munich, including the Bavarian National Museum and the Alte and Neue Pinakothek Museums
• The Wies Church and Oberammergau, with a visit to a woodcarving studio
• The charming cities of Augsburg and Nuremberg
• Lauscha, where glass Christmas ornaments are made
• An overnight stay in Weimar
• Seiffen in the Erzgebirge, with visits to artist workshops
• A final night in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic
• Free time to shop and explore!

Marianne Norton began planning tours in response to a frequently asked question, “Can I go with you on your next buying trip?” As a former gallery owner—The Four Winds Collection—she has traveled the world buying art, handicrafts, textiles, and furniture. Among the most popular treasures are the Christmas nativities and decorations from around the world—and Germany, with its Christmas Markets, that make collecting holiday art what it is today. Whether you are someone who wants to combine viewing a country’s “art of the spirit” with enjoying the traditional artistry of Christmas, or a store owner wishing to make direct contacts to purchase for your season, you are certain to bring home some of the special magic that is Christmas!

Handbell ringers and enthusiasts are cordially invited to the first international handbell festival in Israel. The Holy Land: A Musical Journey of Faith will deliver us into the cradle of Biblical sites where we shall also share Christian and Israeli music together.

Our musical journey will convene in Tel Aviv along the Mediterranean Sea for our first concert. This will be followed by concerts in Jerusalem and the area of Nazareth/Galilee. You will get to know Inbalim Ensemble, a member of Peimon, Israel Association of Handbell Ringers. Since their organization in 2009, it has become their passion to establish choirs in Israel churches, senior citizens’ homes, among special needs populations, and in low-income districts for troubled youth. Our time in the Nazareth/Galilee area is devoted to concerts that may extend into some of these areas.

The complete brochure and application will be available June 2012

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To view the preliminary itinerary, projected tour cost, and what the tour includes, click on the link below.

Highlights of Your Tour

• Tour Sydney and its historic “Rocks”
• Travel through the spectacular Blue Mountains
• Spend 14 nights on board the fabulous Diamond Princess
• Call at the Australian ports of Melbourne and Hobert, Tasmania
• In New Zealand, cruise the Fjordland National Park and visit Dunedin, Christchurch, Picton, Wellington and Tauranga
• Tour Auckland, the “City of Sails” and see a Maori performance

Your hosts for the Very Best of Australia and New Zealand are Merlyn and Dorothy Vander Leest who have been leading groups to destinations around the world since 1995. Retired educators, the Vander Leests have combined their passion for learning with a “get out there” attitude and a desire to make life-changing travel experiences accessible to everyone. They look forward to sharing this fabulous adventure with you!

Book Early and Save!

Sign up by June 15 and you’ll receive a discount of $50 per person!