Amsterdam

Hi,

well I just got back from a quick trip to Amsterdam.

Got my bike fixed at the dealer ( http://www.tromm.nl/ ).

While the bike was in the shop I rented a bike at Centraal Station...
Mac Bike has that concession now... solid bikes but I don't like the
all-red with placard look... but I guess it makes them less desirable to
the thieves.

And the junkie population seems WAY down.... didn't get propositioned
for hard dope on the bridges once.

My favorite hotel is being remodeled (possibly a plus... we'll see what
it does to rates) so I stayed at the Asterick on the recommendation of a
regular visitor here... it was ok but I liked the convenience the other
location gave (closer to the corner pub).

Weather was great.

ttyl

akia

--
To live outside the law, you must be honest.
(Bob Dylan - Absolutely Sweet Marie - Blonde on Blonde - 1966)

On Mar 23, 11:27 pm, Anonymouse wrote:
Hi,

well I just got back from a quick trip to Amsterdam.

Got my bike fixed at the dealer (http://www.tromm.nl/).

While the bike was in the shop I rented a bike at Centraal Station...
Mac Bike has that concession now... solid bikes but I don't like the
all-red with placard look... but I guess it makes them less desirable to
the thieves.

And the junkie population seems WAY down.... didn't get propositioned
for hard dope on the bridges once.

My favorite hotel is being remodeled (possibly a plus... we'll see what
it does to rates) so I stayed at the Asterick on the recommendation of a
regular visitor here... it was ok but I liked the convenience the other
location gave (closer to the corner pub).

Weather was great.

ttyl

akia

--
To live outside the law, you must be honest.
(Bob Dylan - Absolutely Sweet Marie - Blonde on Blonde - 1966)

I am leaving for my first trip to Amsterdam. I leave on 4/30 and
arrive on 5/1 in the morning. any suggestions, ideas, itineraries
would be appreciated. We then want to drive or should I say, go to
Haalem, Kuekenkof, Brussels, Bruges and then onto Reims France. Any
ideas, out of the way or otherwise (should we go up north north north
of Haarlem?) would be appreciated. Thanks

Anonymouse wrote:
Hi,

well I just got back from a quick trip to Amsterdam.

Got my bike fixed at the dealer ( http://www.tromm.nl/ ).

While the bike was in the shop I rented a bike at Centraal Station...
Mac Bike has that concession now... solid bikes but I don't like the
all-red with placard look... but I guess it makes them less desirable to
the thieves.

And the junkie population seems WAY down.... didn't get propositioned
for hard dope on the bridges once.

My favorite hotel is being remodeled (possibly a plus... we'll see what
it does to rates) so I stayed at the Asterick on the recommendation of a
regular visitor here...

That was me. Glad you found it ok. I actually prefer the Asterisk as
it's slightly nearer the canal area, and further away from the traffic.

So the Hotel de Stadhouder is being remodelled, good,when I passed it in
the airport bus it almost looked as if it was being demolished. Hope
they keep the dog and the coffee machine!

jimbral wrote ups.com...
would be appreciated. We then want to drive or should I say, go to
Haalem, Kuekenkof, Brussels, Bruges and then onto Reims France.


Well, there's no _need_ to drive...
Amsterdam - Haarlem: E. 6,20 return ticket (train).
Amsterdam - Leiden: E. 14,00 return ticket (train).
Leiden - Keukenhof: E. 18,00 return ticket (bus) with entrance.
Greetings,

-Hm... Brussels E. 41,40; Brugge E. 49,00, ouch.

Mike O'Sullivan wrote:

My favorite hotel is being remodeled (possibly a plus... we'll see
what it does to rates) so I stayed at the Asterick on the
recommendation of a regular visitor here...

That was me. Glad you found it ok. I actually prefer the Asterisk as
it's slightly nearer the canal area, and further away from the traffic.

So the Hotel de Stadhouder is being remodelled, good,when I passed it in
the airport bus it almost looked as if it was being demolished. Hope
they keep the dog and the coffee machine!

Hi,

yep that was you Mike!

the Asterick has some pluses... it's got wifi...and it is on a quiet
street...

the Stadhouder had a better breakfast and was close enough to the pub
you could just slip out the front door and into the pub... no coat, no
bike, just in and out.... and the tramstop is right there too.

for me the closest pub/food place is a bike ride from the Asterick (I
don't walk well)... a SHORT ride but I've still got to unlock the bike,
ride over, lock back up, etc... spend more time locking/unlocking than
getting a bite to take-away.

still the stadhouder had a better breakfast and being family run the dog
gave it a homey touch.

and it had better coffee (that was quite a coffee machine!)

ttyl

akia



--
To live outside the law, you must be honest.
(Bob Dylan - Absolutely Sweet Marie - Blonde on Blonde - 1966)