(no subject)

[winterbadger]

So, I don't think I've said here yet, but I'm planning a spring trip abroad, and for various reasons I've picked the Netherlands as my destination.

redactrice has already been helpful, giving me advice on things to see and places to go and sharing links from her favourite travel boards. My buddy Justin has made two excellent suggestions, based on his travels to see Dutch in-laws. One is a feast for the eyes; another is a feast for all the senses.

I've started reading an excellent book called "The UnDutchables", a humourous but sincere look at culture and society of the Netherlands (that it's as popular in the NL as in the US and UK suggests to me it's pretty insightful). And I'll start planning soon what I want to see my first time there (I'm assuming that it will not be my last!)

Any suggestions are welcome!

Comments

[cmlc.livejournal.com]

Oh, Madurodam! Magical wonderland of my childhood and just as good when I went back a year or two ago :-)
If you're cheap enough to indulge in fast food, my favourite there is Maoz falafel with the unlimited all-you-can-eat salad bar.
Riding around on trams is fun :-)
Go see the Vermeers (and other things) in the Rijksmuseum and the Amsterdam Historical Museum. Then go see the Vermeers and other things in the Mauritshuis in the Hague (just hop on a train) - the Mauritshuis is superb. Dudek's in the Hague is famous for its apple pie; I shall be trying it out in a month or so (will you be there at the end of February?).
But the best thing is just walking quietly along the canalside in the evening.

[winterbadger]

I shall be trying it out in a month or so (will you be there at the end of February?).

I'm thinking of April, probably. I can't go right away, and March will be crazy with one class ending and two more starting, one of them a concentrated (eight-week, vs. sixteen-week) one. So, April seemed like a good choice. Time for the tulips to be around, but it hopefully won't be total mad tourist season yet. I understand it would probably be wise to avoid Queen's Day, though. :-)

I'm really looking forward to it!

[reasdream.livejournal.com]

ooooh. *jealous* postcards?

[winterbadger]

Sure!

Any one who would like a postcard from Nederland, drop me a line at winterbadger at GEE-mail daht kahm (see that clever phonetic spelling!) and I'll shoot one off to you when I'm traveling!

[la-renardine.livejournal.com]

I've only been to Amsterdam, and for very short visits at that, but I recommend (some I've done, some not yet): the flower auctions http://us.holland.com/e/17763/Flower+Auctions.php , the canal boat bus to see the houseboats at eye level, Anne Frank's House, and the Rijks Musuem to see the Dutch Masters - beautiful light and soulful eyes. Schipol Airport is the coolest I've ever been in, so arrive early for your departure flight, it's fantastic.

[winterbadger]

Thanks!

I gather I can see a very detailed version of the Schipol Airport at the Madurodam :-) but I don't think I can wander around *inside* that one. :-)

[peaceful-fox.livejournal.com]

Oh. I would LOVE to go there. I can't wait to hear about your trip! Postcard please? I'm going to France, Turkey, Poland and possibly Belgium. I can return the favour! :-)

[hobbitblue.livejournal.com]

Don't go to Groenigen. If I'd been homesick at all for the backstreets of a Northern English town, complete with run down shops, litter and depressed looking people, that place would have cured me. To be fair, some of it was nice but, yeah, definitely a miss.

Any city with canals or a river is worth doing a boat trip in, Amsterdam especially.

[winterbadger]

Oooh, thanks for the tip! Bit onomatopoeic, is it, in that it is full of people groaning, or makes one groan?

[hobbitblue.livejournal.com]

Both, I@m sure! :)