about me

about me
photo by Hans-Peter Harmsen

Hi, I’m Monique, a fellow travel aficionado living in Amsterdam.

When I was about 6 years old, during a family vacation on the island of Texel, I decided that I needed to see more of the world. So I packed a knapsack, said goodbye to my parents and  took off along the dike that surrounds the island. My parents followed discreetly at a distance, to make sure I’d be safe.
Ever since that time I love to travel and discover new places.
While I was studying at the University of Amsterdam, where I got my Master in European Studies, I spent a couple of summers living and working in Spain, and a trimester studying in Leningrad (now St Petersburg) Russia. Since I enjoyed travelling so much, working in tourism was a logical choice.
I’ve been leading groups in the Netherlands and in other (European) destinations for more than 30 years and I travel a lot during my free time too. But I’m always happy to come home to Amsterdam, one of the greatest cities in the world. I'd love to share my knowledge of Amsterdam with you. 

I'm a proud member of Guidor, the Dutch National Guides Association.