Utrecht is a hopping Dutch city -- a university town where life is never still and shopping reigns, with plenty of good restaurants and cafes. There's also a unique museum here that everyone loves -- the Musical Clock to Street Organ Museum (Nationaal Museum van Speelklok tot Pierement). Be sure to take the guided English tour like I did (on every hour), which features both the delicate sounds of a fascinating collection of automated musical instruments from the 16th century onward -- including musical snuff and jewelry boxes to musical clocks -- and the resounding sounds of massive street or 'barrel' organs, some of which fill an entire room.

The museum is housed in a 10th-century church where -- I learned from the travel guide Here's Holland (www.heresholland.com) -- in 1457, Sister Bertken, ashamed at being the illegitimate child of the parish priest, came and lived as a hermit until her death 60 years later.

A fun place to spend a couple of hours in musical bliss. Kids will enjoy it too.