Amsterdam
Nov 19 - 21, 2000
More Photos
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Our Travel Experience
Amsterdam had also always been on our list of where we wanted to visit
this summer. We visited Amsterdam last since Tara saw that one-way prices
from Europe to America were US$100 cheaper if you flew out of Amsterdam
instead of London.
We had a fun two days even though Tara had caught a cold in London
and didn't feel well. We thought it was amazing that we'd been healthy
for the five months since leaving Japan and that just before we had to
fly home to America, we caught a cold. We also picked up presents for friends
back home here on our last stop in Europe. We figured that flower bulbs
from Holland would make nice gifts for anyone with a yard. We also had
some fun seeing what other plants were being sold!!
| Our first experience at the tourist information center in
the airport really highlighted how unhelpful tourist information in Spain
had been. We walked up to the tourist info and asked about places to stay
for three nights. She told us the price and started calling places for
us. Then, she asked if we needed train tickets downtown or a map. She highlighted
exactly where our hotel was on the map, gave us train tickets and explained
how to use them, plus answered our other questions. Unfortunately, our
hotel was nothing at all to write home about. We were worried about security
in the room since the lock on a set of big glass doors was not stable.
Therefore, we carried all really valuable stuff with us and hoped for the
best. |
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It rained and rained and rained while we were in Amsterdam. We wanted
to visit the Van Gogh museum and walk through the red light district. Our
hotel was a bit further out from the train station than we'd stayed last
time, so we did alot of walking. We were very convenient to the Van Gogh
museum, so we headed there first. It was a Sunday and there was a big line
outside the museum. Therefore, we decided to wait on the museum. We happened
upon a restaurant that was yummy. We like Amsterdam food.
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We wandered and wandered, looking for the district we remembered
that highlights just how legal prostitution is in Amsterdam. It took us
a long time actually to find the glass fronted rooms with women inside
with red lights ontop. It was just as amazing to walk around and gawk as
it was last time. One woman thought Seth was gawking too much. She came
out and yelled at him "What are you looking at? Go take your wife home
and get her naked." We thought it was funny. It started to rain harder
then, so we ended up in the same Paradise Cafe as last time since the Bulldog
was full and we couldn't find the Grasshopper. It was raining so hard at
night that we needed by buy an umbrella to walk home. Seth did pass by
the convenient outside urinal again. I didn't snap a photo this time since
there was a large line to use it. |
| We did stop at an EasyEverything Internet cafe on the way home and
Tara discovered bad news about the ticket she'd purchased for our trip
home. The return fare between Amsterdam and Atlanta was *cheaper* than
the one-way fare. This is generally true with air tickets within America...
BUT, this was NOT the case in the summer when she looked at coming to Europe
one-way. In the summer, a one-way fare was about 60% of a round-trip ticket.
We figured that for the extra flexibility, we'd pay a bit more. But, now,
the Internet was showing her a one-way fare costing US$100 more than a
round-trip fare. Tara was upset that she'd gone through all the hassle
to get us ticketed with United and then only NOW found this out about the
ticket. Even so, all was not lose, since a one-way fare is refundable. |
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The next day we headed out again to the Van Gogh museum and this time
it was less busy. After about an hour in the museum, we grew bored (as
often happens in museums) and headed out into the city again. After a stop
at the Internet cafe, Tara decided not to try to change our tickets since
she wasn't seeing the cheaper return fare anymore. Who knows what she really
saw the day before!
We enjoy walking the city streets of Amsterdam. It is very quaint to
be walking along a tree lined canal. A picture just can't capture the reflection
of light in the water or the special atmosphere in the city.
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Seth had a coupon for a pancake bakery, but it was directly
across the city. So, we decided to just walk until we got to the pancake
bakery or saw somewhere else to eat. Even though it was cold and drizzly,
walking was so nice that we walked all the way across town for dinner.
It was DELICIOUS. Yum. Yum. |
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Walking home, we passed a public library with an impressive number of
free internet machines. It was already 10 minutes to closing, so we quickly
logged in and then called it a night.
The next morning we were on our way to the airport.
| Category |
Rating |
Comments |
| Overall Experience |
9 |
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| Ease of Journey |
6 |
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| Accommodation |
5 |
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| Activities |
8 |
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| Coolness |
9 |
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Tourist Info
