THE HAGUE - This city is often referred to as the “Third Option” because it’s usually the third place most tourists to The Netherlands visit after stops in first Amsterdam and then Rotterdam. But just a few hours after I arrive in stately Den Haag, as it’s called by the Dutch, I quickly realize this remarkable city that drifts off into the North Sea in South Holland should have been my first stop.

UTRECHT, THE NETHERLANDS -: The residents of this handsome city that looks like it jumped off the pages of a Dutch fairytale are quick to tell me “we are the heart of The Netherlands.”

I must confess, I have a love, hate relationship with observation (Ferris) wheels — I “love” the view they offer but “hate” how they disturb iconic skylines like London and Singapore. However, while I may find the massive urban wheels to be more eye sore than eye candy, millions of people disagree — they’re the ones who stand in long lineups and pay for the slow motion “thrill” of riding in one of the wheels’ futuristic observation pods.