2025 Art Adventure Abroad to Belgium and Netherlands!
There is one room remaining for the workshop.
Darla’s 2025 Adventure Art Abroad
Bruges & Brussels, Belgium
With an optional river cruise through Holland & Belgium
Begins 15 April
(The pic on the banner and others below are from the Avalon website)
Everything is coming up...tulips! I have planned a very popular area for us at the peak of viewing season—the tulips of Holland! I have reserved cabins on the Avalon Waterways cruise Tulip Time Highlights for Garden/Nature, an 8-day cruise from Brussels, Belgium to Amsterdam, Holland!
The 2025 art workshop/retreat begins 15 April in Bruges, Belgium and we conclude in Brussels, Belgium. We plan to see the sights, take in some museums and windmills and taste the famous Belgian chocolates as we begin our art journal. There is also a guided walk and canal cruise reserved for our group.
Last year I created a book: “Making an Art Journal as Your Travel—with Art Ideas by Darla Bostick.” It was well received when we were in Italy for my 2023 workshop/retreat. Each art participant gets one! In Bruges we will begin our art journals and continue as we move to Brussels.
THE WORKSHOP--CREATING A TRAVEL JOURNAL!
Your workshop includes instruction, lodging with breakfasts and a canal cruise with a guided walk in Bruges.
Instruction: 6 days of instruction with a complementary book written by Darla.
Transport: You are responsible for your own airfare or any other transportation.I am flying from DFW if you wish to join me and travel along. We will fly into Brussels, Belgium. From there it is a short train from Brussels to Bruges. After Bruges for a few days, we will return to complete our workshop in Brussels. The Bruges city center is small enough to experience by foot and Brussels has a metro--although there is a convenient Hop-On-Hop-Off bus in the city that may give us the best overlay of what the city has to offer. There are some fine museums and churches. If you do not choose to join us on the river cruise, you may fly home from Brussels (or you may wish to spend extra time there on your own….)
Lodging (5 nights in Bruges and Brussels) Both hotels have elevators.
In Bruges the remaining reserved room is a canal view suite with one queen bed.
The hotel rooms in Brussels for 2 nights have twins.
As of January the rates below are for the private suite in Bruges and room with twin beds in Brussels. Breakfast is included everyday, workshop instruction and the canal cruise in Bruges.
The cost for 1 artist with instruction and companion sharing a private suite is $2484 total.
The cost for a single artist in a private suite is $2344.
The cost for 2 artists sharing a private suite is $1642 each.
Meals: Breakfast at both hotels is included. Other meals are not included in cost.
Excursions: These are extra.
In Bruges the Canal ride and guided walk is $40 and is included in the room pricing.
In Brussels we have the opportunity for 2 excursions to be decided by the group (and cost extra).
Admission costs: Any expense for museums, etc will be added on as we progress. Participants will be informed of possibilities and cost.
As of January 14 we have 18 participants for the art workshop/retreat**
The Avalon River Cruise in Belgium and Holland is optional at the end of the workshop.
This workshop/retreat and cruise has been very popular. I do not plan to increase the size of the workshop, but if someone must cancel, I will refer to a wait list.
The Avalon River Cruise has a waitlist but I am optimistic we can add more to our group.
PAYMENT SCHEDULE:
For those taking the cruise after the workshop your initial $250 deposit to Avalon holds your cabin on our ship. [You MUST register through Darla for your cruise discount ASAP]
At time of registration a deposit $500 to Darla for the Art Adventure Abroad Workshop/Retreat This amount is applied to the cost of your workshop retreat.
20 Jan 2025 the balance of your cruise is due. Refer to your invoice.
1 March the balance of your payment to Darla for Art Adventure Abroad Workshop/Retreat is due.
This balance must include your excursions already reserved.
In Bruges: $40 each for the canal cruise & walk tour is included with your workshop fee.
In Brussels we have 2 excursion options--consult with Darla for details.
Sometimes spouses like to join us on the Art Adventures. Bruges is well known for its beer and tours… (just saying). There is no additional charge for spouses.
Here is the plan:
14 April: hop on your plane from home
15 April: arrive in Belgium. From there we take a short train ride north to Bruges (1.5 hours) [or, if the group would rather, I can see about scheduling a private coach shuttle]
15-18: April we are in Bruges
15 April: arrive in Bruges, lunch in city centre and check into our rooms. We have a studio space for our use at the hotel & will talk briefly to our group before dinner, pass out materials,discuss our journal ideas, our itenerary. Afterwards you can retire early or see Bruges at night at your leisure.
16 April: After breakfast at the hotel we can begin our adventure through Bruges! We have a 2pm guided walk and canal ride scheduled
18 April: take a train to Brussels and spend two nights
20 April: The workshop ends in Brussels today
OPTIONAL CRUISE ADDED AT THE END OF THE WORKSHOP
20 April taxi over to the ship where we can board as early at 10am and around 2pm have access to our rooms
20-27 April cruise through the Senne and Rhine Rivers
27 April—end of our cruise. For me, the main things to see in Amsterdam are the Vincent van Gogh Museum, the Rembrandt Museum, Anne Frank House, and a canal cruise. It may be we have time for these during our final day on the cruise. If not, you may wish to add additional days on your own in the city.
Our Avalon Waterways River Cruise is 8 days 20-27 April 2025 on the Rhine and Senne Rivers.
See your visions of tulip season in Holland and Belgium come into view while cruising from Brussels to Amsterdam-perfect for garden and nature enthusiasts. For flower lovers, an
expert botanist will provide lectures onboard, sharing his knowledge about botany and the world of plants! Take in the quintessential Dutch scenes of windmills, waterways, and seemingly endless rows
of blooming color. Embark in Brussels and sail to Ghent—“The Diamond of Flanders.” Visit St. Bavo’s Cathedral with its stunning Flemish artwork. Sail to Bossuit for moving battlefield remembrances,
including In Flanders Fields Museum and the Last Post Ceremony. On to Holland for a visit the former Dutch East India Company trading port. You’ll tour a marvel of flood-protection at the Delta Works
in Veere. In Kinderdijk, see 19 windmills built in 1740 for water management and marvel at the Erasmus Bridge in the historic port city of Rotterdam.
Be amazed at
the varieties and volume of tulips and other flowering bulbs in the flower farm regions of Zaandam and Haarlem and delight in a visit to see the breathtaking blooming colors of Keukenhof, also known
as the “Garden of Europe.” With 70 acres of parkland and lakes, Keukenhof is one of the world’s largest flower gardens with more than 7 million flowering bulbs each year.
This
beautiful and historic springtime river cruise concludes with two nights in Amsterdam. Take a guided canal cruise past bridges and homes of a golden age.
Now, here is the important part!! The cruise is optional—totally. You can just do the art workshop/retreat and fly home from Brussels on 20 April. If you choose to continue with us on the river cruise, as a group we get free gratutities as well as $1000 per person discount. This does not include airfare and you can add travel protection separately if you wish. To hold your room, you must contact me and then I contact my liason at Avalon and they will email you a link to make your deposit of $250 per person (non-refundable).
Our ship is the Poetry II.
Because we qualify as a group, we have discounted rates and those rates are frozen at our original reserved rate!
The nearer the cruise is to your reservation, the rates rise.
I would have to check if you want catergory B, A or P as they are likely higher than listed below.
Here are the cruise rates:
Categories P, A, B have floor to ceiling windows
Panoramic (P) is $4408 per person--based on 2/room
Level A is $4358 per person ($50 less than Panoramic each)--based on 2 per room
Category B is $4258 per person based on 2 per room
Category D & E is on the level of the river—the windows you see in the blue band on the ship photo above. On 13 January: for two sharing a room the cost is $3168 each (or $6,336 together with 2 people) after our discounts! {If you don't get travel insurance, the cost is $5,618 together for 2 people}
There are no single room discounts.
Categories P, A,B have floor to ceiling windows (above)
Category D & E Deluxe stateroom 172 sq. ft. (above)
Our itinerary
Tulip Time Highlights for Garden and Nature Lovers Cruise Code - WXA 50420 T Darla Bostick, Group Leader 800 221 0097 darlabostickart@gmail.com
Day 1, Sunday April 20, 2025 BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (EMBARKATION) Welcome to Belgium.
Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding. Flights into Brussels must arrive by 2:00 pm. Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm. Enjoy dinner on board as you sail for Ghent this evening. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO GHENT (Dinner)
Day 2, Monday April 21, 2025 GHENT
Medieval Masterpieces and Flemish Finery Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host.
ACTIVE Explore a different side of Ghent by bike with your Adventure Host OR:
CLASSIC Explore Ghent—“The Diamond of Flanders”— with a Guided Sightseeing Tour of this showcase of medieval Flemish wealth. You’ll visit St. Bavo’s Cathedral—with its remarkable Flemish artwork.
Alternatively, you may choose to join a full-day Guided Optional Excursion of Bruges to explore its canals, cobbled streets, and medieval buildings. You’ll see its crisscrossed canals, the 13th-century belfry of Market Square, and charming patrician houses. This evening, enjoy live entertainment onboard.
OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BOSSUIT (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 3, Tuesday April 22, 2025 BOSSUIT
Battlefield Remembrances in Flanders DISCOVERY Visit the In Flanders Field Museum in Ypres—named for the soldier’s famed poem. Learn about the story of the invasion of Belgium, the first months of the mobilization, the four years trench war in the Westhoek, the end of the war, and the lasting remembrance to follow. After your visit, enjoy lunch at the museum’s café. DISCOVERY Following the museum, visit battlefields, cemeteries, memorials and private collections.
DISCOVERY Experience the Last Post Ceremony, taking place nightly under the arches of the Menin Gate. Enjoy some free time for dinner before the Ceremony starts. OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO MIDDELBURG (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 4, Wednesday April 23, 2025 MIDDELBURG, HOLLAND
A Spicy History in Middelburg’s Dutch Harbor Town
ACTIVE Explore Middelburg by bike with your Adventure Host, OR:
CLASSIC Join a Guided Walking Tour through the winding cobblestones and canals of Middelburg. See the 15th-century Gothic Town Halland learn about its important role in the spice trade and Dutch East India trading. Enjoy lunch on board while cruising to Veere.
ACTIVE Alternatively bike from Middelburg to Veere with your Adventure Host. VEERE History and Scottish Houses
ACTIVE Join a hiking experience in the Domburg area on a scenic route through history and landscapes, OR:
CLASSIC Explore the town of Veere with an expert local guide.
DISCOVERY While sailing satisfy your curiosity about botany and nature during a lecture hosted by a local expert.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO KINDERDIJK (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 5, Thursday April 24, 2025 KINDERDIJK–ROTTERDAM
Harnessing the Wind for 300 Years--Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.
ACTIVE See the windmills of Kinderdijk by bike with your Adventure Host, OR:
CLASSIC Join a Guided Tour of Kinderdijk where 19 windmills were built in 1740 as flood prevention and water management. You’ll hear about the windmill’s vital role in the Netherland’s history and why it became a national symbol of Holland. Enjoy a cruise through Rotterdam harbor.
ACTIVE Experience Rotterdam by bike with your Adventure Host, OR:
DISCOVERY Join a Guided Visit to Floating Farm Rotterdam, the first floating farm in the world and regarded as one of the many examples of green innovation in the Netherlands, OR:
CLASSIC Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour of Rotterdam featuring innovative architecture, including the marvelous Erasmus Bridge.
Later, enjoy live entertainment onboard. OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO ZAANDAM (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) Day 6,
Day 6, Friday April 25, 2025 ZAANDAM
Windmills, Waterways, and Waving Fields of Flowers
CLASSIC Join a half-day Guided Tour of breathtaking Keukenhof—known as the “Garden of Europe”—for its 70 acres of lush parkland, lakes, and the world’s largest flower gardens—with more than seven million tulips, daffodils and hyacinths as well as other bulbs, planted each year. Alternatively spend your time to explore independently the quintessential Dutch town of Zaandam. Cruise to Haarlem this afternoon while enjoying lunch on board.
HAARLEM Tulips and North Sea Trading Ports
ACTIVE Enjoy an easy bike ride to the beach with your Adventure Host, OR:
CLASSIC Visit Haarlem, a major flower bulbs growing district outside of Amsterdam. Explore the former North Sea trading port with its medieval features, gabled houses, and leafy courtyards.
DISCOVERY While sailing, discover more about botany and nature joining a lecture hosted by a local expert. Enjoy dinner on board your ship this evening as you sail to Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AMSTERDAM (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7, Saturday April 26, 2025 AMSTERDAM
Canals of Colorful Amsterdam
ACTIVE Join a Biking Tour through the Dutch countryside past polders, dykes, and quaint centuries-old villages, OR:
CLASSIC Explore the iconic waterways of Amsterdam on a Guided Canal Cruise past stately homes of Amsterdam’s “Golden Age", OR:
DISCOVERY Access Amsterdam’s secret gardens hidden behind the brick façades – a unique opportunity as they are normally closed to public. This afternoon, you may like to join Guided Optional Excursion.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AMSTERDAM (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 8, Sunday April 27, 2025 AMSTERDAM (DISEMBARKATION) Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning. (Breakfast)
You can check it out on the Avalon Waterways website, but you MUST reserve through me to take advantage of our group discount!
Darla Bostick 940.320.5660
PS One of our artists, Teresa, sent me this link. It pretty much sums up why I love Avalon cruises! Our first cruise was on Mekong River in Cambodia and Vietnam. Others we have done with Avalon are to Myannmar on the Irrawaddy River, to India on the Ganges, to Hungary/Germany on the Danube and most recently on the Rhone River that followed my art workshop,
https://www.timetravelturtle.com/avalon-waterways-ship-river-cruise/
The workshop is 15-20 April 2025. The lodging and excursions planned are only for the workshop participants & spouses.
The cruise is not part of the workshop, but is an optional add-on 20-27 April 2025.
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