The Pulitzer is a prize in itself

Continental for most, but Champagne if you’re so inclined.

Then we took in Haarlem, which has a large square set around the striking gothic cathedral of St Bavo. Many buildings in Amsterdam have problems with the foundations and the city’s boggy underpinnings are highlighted here as the cathedral spire leans slightly.

Haarlem has an ‘Anne Frank’ story of its own. Corrie ten Boom was a christian who hid Jews from Nazis and her story is told in the movie The Hiding Place – one to watch when I get home.

My first ever art gallery came next, the Frans Hal museum, which was an ‘old men’s house’ then an orphanage before being renovated as the museum and set around a stunning garden. With the help of a guide you can discover the collection which brings old, modern and contemporary artworks together.

A quick lunch in a local cafe and we moved on again to the wonder of Keukenhof (Kitchen Garden). The drive is normally through vast rainbow swathes of tulips, but it was near the end of the season.

Keukenhof is only open about eight weeks of the year, so you will have to wait until March 2019 to enjoy this unique experience in all its glory.

We visited when the gardens were still in bloom and quite beautiful, set in 80 acres with more than seven million bulbs of 800 varieties of tulips.

A last-night treat was a candlelight dinner cruise hosted by the Blue Pepper restaurant which serves contemporary Indonesian cuisine.

While sampling delicacies such as oyster, caviar and grasshopper – yes, grasshopper – we travelled down the Amstel River viewing the ‘Over The Edge’ swing on the top of A’DAM Lookout, houseboats and the house which wouldn’t move to make way for the Victoria Hotel, so they simply built around it.

So great to see, but night falls and another packed day ends.

On the final day, we ventured to The Plantage, where many Jews lived before World War II.

In one of its streets every Jew died in the Holocaust and along the canal bank, plaques are laid in their memory, known as the ‘Shadow Wall’.

Last stop was the Artis (Amsterdam Zoo).

Two features stood out. First, the Forest and Bird House, a set of three listed buildings restored to their former glory housing monkeys, sloths, lizards and birds but not behind glass or bars – you are actually in their living space (makes for great photos).

Second, the Micropia experience, based on the idea of distributing information about microbes, which are often associated with illness and disease.

Opened in 2014, this is microscience brought to life. Topics change regularly to keep things fresh, though I’m not sure the ‘poo’ topic was ideal pre-lunch viewing.

Still it is a fascinating lab experience for families. I haven’t experienced a museum quite like it.

Sadly and all too quickly my trip was over – to be in Amsterdam at 2.45pm and in my own home by 5.15pm is remarkable in itself – quicker than a trip to London.

Amsterdam, ‘vaarwel’.