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April 15–27, 2012
·Itinerary
·Printable full program description
·Register
PROGRAM LEADERS:
Ed Langerak, Professor of Philosophy
Lois Langerak, Dential Hygienist (ret.)
We invite you to explore with us the delightful Netherlands, the little country that is very big on beauty and that has had a tremendous impact on history, art, and western culture. For beauty, we will visit the famous Keukenhof Gardens, the world’s largest bulb-flower garden, during its annual festival, and will also see the world’s biggest flower auction at Alsmeer, where the “Dutch auction” method is used to sell 92 million flowers daily.
Three towering artists will receive special attention: (1) Rembrandt: we will visit his house and studio in Amsterdam as well as museums that highlight his paintings, including the Rijksmuseum, which displays his “The Nightwatch” and other masterpieces even as it undergoes remodeling. (2) Vermeer: in addition to his most famous painting in the Rijksmuseum, “The Milkmaid,” we will see “Girl with a Pearl Earring” and “View of Delft” at the Mauritshuis in Den Haag and will visit the Vermeer Center in Delft. (3) Van Gogh: we will visit the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, which has over 200 of his paintings, as well as the Kroller-Muller Museum in the Hoge-Veluwe National Park, which has some of his most famous paintings as well as a remarkable collection by modern artists. We will also attend to some of their contemporaries — the Frans Hals Museum in Haarlem — and predecessors, such as the early Flemish painters in Brugge and Ghent.
The Dutch are known for their history of commitment to tolerance, and issues of pluralism and limits to toleration will be another important component of our study-travel experience. The immigration of Muslims from Morocco and Turkey, initially met with what was thought to be traditional cultural open-mindedness, has recently raised much debate over how to cope with cultural differences, especially when people reject assimilation or integration on religious grounds. The recent murder of Theo Van Gogh by a fanatic upset by his anti-Islamic film and the threats toward Ayaan Hirsi Ali have heated up a debate over toleration of the intolerant. We will participate in discussions with activists on various sides of this issue, and related recommended readings and discussions will be available. [These may include discussions in Belgium about the conflict between the Flems and the Walloons, as well as discussion at the Roosevelt Academy in Middleberg about similarities and differences between the problems faced by Dutch immigrants to the Midwest and those faced by current immigrants to the Netherlands.]
Other highlights: Three days in Amsterdam, including a walking tour, an evening canal boat cruise, a visit to the Anne Frank house, and free time for exploration. The Friday cheese market at Alkmaar, and the town of Gouda, with its Cheese Weigh House and the 13th century St. Janskerk with its beautiful stained glass windows—half Catholic and half Protestant. Haarlem and the Grote Kerk of St. Bavo with its stunning Muller organ that was played by both Handel and Mozart. Enkhuizen with its famous open-air Zuiderzee Museum. The charming water village of Geithorn, “the Venice of Holland.” A day each in the achingly beautiful canal towns of Brugge and Ghent in Flanders (Flemish Belgium). A ride over the Afsluitdijk, the huge dyke that closes off the sea in northern Holland, and a visit to the massive Delta Works, which controls the water level in southern Holland; here we will find out what the Dutch are thinking about the threatened rise in sea level. Kinderdijk with its iconic windmills. The university town of Leiden, where the pilgrims lived before they left on the Mayflower. Rotterdam, the world’s largest harbor. Eight group dinners with the various cuisines of the Netherlands, including Indonesian and Pannenkoeken. Regular free time for individual exploration.
Special Opportunity
Every ten years the Netherlands hosts a famous world horticultural exposition called "Floriade," and it so happens that it will be held in 2012 and it will be going on when we are there. Below is the link to its website. We cannot include it in our regular program, but you may wish to arrive early or extend your stay for a few days in order to visit it. It is in Venlo, on the German border, a city that can be reached by the efficient train system from Amsterdam airport via a transfer in Rotterdam (about three hours). Witte Travel (the company that is making travel arrangements for us) has worked up package that includes two nights in a conveniently located hotel (with breakfasts), the train tickets to and from the Amsterdam airport, and the entrance fee, for approximately $429 per person. After your registration for the program, if you are interested in taking this package, we will share the contact information for the Witte representative. Of course, you may make your own travel arrangements also. The program leaders, Ed and Lois Langerak, intend to make use of this package by extending their visit two days at the end of our Study Travel program.
We are grateful to Witte Travel, a leader in travel to the Netherlands since 1975, for their assistance with travel arrangements.
Program Leaders
Ed and Lois Langerak are experienced travelers and group leaders, having led St. Olaf College’s 1989–90 Term in Asia (Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand and China), 1996–97 Term in the Middle East (Turkey, Morocco, Egypt, Jordan and Israel/Palestine), 2003–04 Global Semester (Geneva, Turkey, Egypt, India, Thailand, Hong Kong, China and Korea) and in 2010 they repeated the Term in the Middle East. They also led a very successful St Olaf Study Travel trip to the Middle East (Turkey, Israel, Palestine, and Jordan) in January 2009. Ed received his Ph.D. from Princeton University and has taught philosophy and interdisciplinary courses at St. Olaf from 1972 until 2011. His recent research and publications have focused on issues of toleration and pluralism. Lois has recently retired from being a dental hygienist in Northfield. Ed and Lois have visited the Netherlands several times; it is the home of their ancestors, and they are excited at the possibility of driving by the little town of Langerak.
What to Expect
Most of our movement will be by air-conditioned private motor coach. Movement within each city and at cultural/historic sites will at times be on foot. To fully participate in the program, you must be capable of walking up to five miles per day over possibly uneven terrain, of climbing stairs that may not have handrails, of keeping pace with an active group of travelers on long days of traveling, of dealing with the emotional highs and lows that can occur when experiencing different cultures, and of traveling with a group for several hours each day.
Hotels will be tourist class (four star or superior rating) with private baths, air conditioning, and English-speaking staff.
You should plan on seeing your family physician or a travel doctor at least four to six weeks prior to departure, preferably earlier, to talk about routine vaccinations. For more information on travel health, visit cdc.gov or who.it .
Program Fee
The program fee is $3,750. Based on double occupancy, it includes seminars by Ed Langerak, assistance by Lois Langerak and local guides, accommodations, breakfast daily and several other group meals, admissions for group activities, ground transportation, and gratuities to guides and drivers. For single occupancy, add $550.
Please plan to arrive in Amsterdam on Sunday, April 15 and to depart Amsterdam on Friday, April 27. For seamless travel arrangements, we recommend booking your flights through Witte Travel: 800-Go-Witte (800-469-4883).
Register
Register online or call our toll free number 888-865-6537 or 507-786-3629. A deposit of $500 per person guarantees your space.
Printable Registration Documents
