Dutch Treat! NECA's 2010 International Study Mission To Explore The Netherlands
Promoting improved communication, networking and partnership among electrical contractors around the world is at the heart of every NECA International Study Mission. But, you have to admit, these trips to some of the most inviting places on earth can’t be beat for sheer fun and excitement.
NECA's 2010 International Study Mission to the Netherlands focuses on Luxembourg, Belgium, and Holland. It is scheduled for August 26-September 5, when the late summer in Europe is at its best and there’s still plenty of time before temperatures fall for participants to extend their trip with optional excursions to other attractive destinations in the region.
Through membership in AIE, the European Association of Electrical Contractors, NECA has good contacts with local contractors and counterpart organizations. In fact, participants can spend a day in Brussels and another in Amsterdam meeting with their Dutch counterparts to discuss government regulations, bidding, training, materials, wage rates, and opportunities for American contractors. We’ll also visit active construction sites.
The adventure starts in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, where we’ll be staying at LeRoyal Hotel, one of the leading hotels of the world. Sites to be explored include General Patton’s resting place at the Military Cemetery in Hamm, the Place d’Armes, Constitution Square, Old Town, the Government District, Corniche, the Millennium Monument, the Palace of the Grand Dukes, and Place Guillaume II. Participants will also experience the countryside as we travel via Little Switzerland to Vianden, one of Luxembourg’s most beautiful old towns with cobbled stone streets, cafés and a splendid medieval castle.
A short trip on one of those world-famous high-speed trains takes us to Brussels where participants will stay at another 5-star hotel, the Conrad Brussels on Avenue Louise. After check-in and lunch, our tour will concentrate on Grand Place, with its ornate baroque and gothic guild houses. Then, we’ll then visit The Town Hall and Manneken Pis before concluding the day’s sightseeing at Galleries St. Hubert, a spectacular glass-roofed arcade in the center of town lined with cafes, theaters and stores.
Then, it’s off to Bruges the next day for a guided tour of this city known as the Venice of the North for its romantic canals and maze of winding cobbled alleys. (BTW, Bruges is also known as The Chocolate City. Proceed accordingly.)
The next morning, participants ride the high-speed Thalys Train to Amsterdam and enjoy a walking orientation tour of the historic city. Accommodations are at the 5-star Sofitel Amsterdam, the epitome of elegance and luxury.
Of course, there’s too much to do or see in a single day. So our walking tour continues on the next day to the “antique quarters” area of the city, known for its jewelry and silver stores. We then stop at the flower market, where you can purchase the famous tulip-bulbs. Lunch will be served onboard a private canalboat during a two-hour cruise along Amsterdam’s famous canals before the tour concludes with a reception at the Conrad.
In addition, optional tours will be offered during our stay in Holland's capital city. For example, “Typical Dutch” takes you through picturesque villages around Amsterdam famed for windmills, dikes, and ditches. A guided tour of The Hague and Delft is another popular choice.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
The full itinerary, with reservation form, can be downloaded under “Related Documents” below. If you need additional information, call Geoff Robertson at American Travel Association (706-663-2171) or e-mail him at travelata@aol.com.