On our third day in Holland, we ventured out to Paleis Het Loo just outside of Apeldoorn. This former royal residence is over 3oo years old and is open to the public. Immediately I fell in love with the trees. It was easy to imagine wandering for hours in the woods beside the gardens (and yes, I’ve read a lot of fairy tales).

After exploring the stables and coach houses and admiring the peacocks, we strolled through the extensive formal gardens, complete with sculptures and fountains.

We stopped for an elegant coffee and lunch at the palace cafe. I just love when every little detail is beautiful. It makes my heart sing.

And this was truly my favourite part of the palace. Wait until you see what it was like inside.

Winding corridors and curving archways covered in green. You can only imagine how many secret kisses have been had in these walkways. I may have gotten one or two myself!

Then we ventured inside the palace walls to take in the opulence and historic beauty.

It was very clear how many people felt very attached to the royals. The palace guides spoke with enthusiasm about the history of not only this place but the people who have called it home.

Confident Traveller Tip: Don’t be shy about asking questions when visiting these kinds of historical locations. Often the people that work there have a deep love of and commitment to the stories and significance of the place and are delighted to share. Some of the most fascinating things I’ve learned have actually been from overhearing guides chat with school groups, even if I could only pick up a word here or a phrase there.

One of the significant things that I learned on this trip was very personal in nature. I found as we explored Holland I was seeing the world with an additional lens, one that’s been developing more and more over the past little while. As I took photos, for instance, I was not only trying to capture the memory but I was also looking through that lens as a creative. I was gathering colours, shapes, images that fueled my creative fire and that I know will find expression in many aspects of my creative work.

After our palace adventures, we travelled to the city of Arnhem, which is known for being the site of a battle that many people know from the movie A Bridge Too Far. That bridge marks the spot.

I’m happy to say that these days this location also known for a lovely little strip of restaurants along the Rhine River. We had a hard time choosing but settled on Rose’s Lounge, which was lovely.  This lawn chair patio is just perfect for drinks and a nibble, don’t you think?

For us, a full dinner was in order and I thoroughly enjoyed my goat cheese and asparagus salad – yum! We had a wonderful time relaxing by the river, watching the sun go down and even some hot air balloons floating by. A perfect end to another wonderful day of travelling.