While missing my husband and family on Easter Sunday, I had an amazing opportunity to attend worship service at St. Walburgkerk in Zutphen with my fellow travelers. While the worship service was mostly in Dutch, it was truly amazing to be a part of the congregation. Afterwards, we had a lovely walking tour of charming city with our tour manager Ellen.
I signed up for the excursion to Palace Het Loo. This was another huge highlight for me. The images I had seen didn’t do the gardens justice. There is a nice walk from the parking lot to the palace, the scenery is quite beautiful. On top of touring the palace itself (no photos allowed) and gardens, we had the opportunity to visit the roof to take beautiful pictures of the grounds…gardens…amazing! This was quite special as the roof is normally only open on Easter Sunday and limited times throughout the year. Ellen, our tour manager, mentioned that this was the first time she’d ever gotten a chance to view the gardens from the roof. The Palace is quite grand. I wouldn’t have thought that the ceiling would be wood, it’s painted brilliantly. Woodwork is a true work of art, in addition to the chandeliers, wall coverings, regular paintings, and furnishings. This was definitely a great place to visit. The gardens alone were worth the cost of the excursion. It was simply divine. I LOVE the French garden style they have adopted. It’s very “organized” and symmetrical, which I so appreciate. There is a café outside the palace grounds, which has light snacks and drinks for those needing a little pick-me-up.