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"world view with an edge"
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Letter from the Editor
March, 2005 Dear Friends,
Sometimes when we think we're such clever experienced travelers a sharp knock on the side of the head brings in a reality check.
Recently, I was in Amsterdam for six days and the weather was a bit bad: rain, wind and interminably dark. Unfortunately two nights in a row I got really drenched and on the seventh day arriving in Paris I had a full blown case of this flu that seems to be running around the world. The Pope and I entered the hospital the same day with the same issues. Read about this experience below my Amsterdam commentary.
In Amsterdam I stayed a short distance from the train station in the heart of the historic district at the wonderful Hotel Sofitel Amsterdam situated in a classic 17th century building. I loved this hotel, its location and my very snuggly quiet little corner suite. The extensive buffet breakfast each morning was bountiful with crepes, fresh fruit, eggs, sausage, bacon, lots of pastry choices, cold cereals, meats, cheese and for tourist's dull coffee but espresso was easily available. Guests in the dining room provided a diverse mixture of languages from throughout the world. With the dollar in the pits, these breakfasts can easily run $40 and up so if even a continental breakfast is included in your room rate grab it.
Most of the Sofitel front desk staff were very helpful with directions or other information. Like everywhere, sometimes the person on duty had less "world" experience than another and their answers were not quite accurate. The tram stopped right in front of the hotel and many sites and shopping are within walking distance or a tram ride.
You can purchase an "I amsterdam card" for: 24 hours - €33 48 hours - €43 72 hours - €53. It includes a ticket for free access to public transportation including busses and trams, an excellent full-color guide and a card that offers free entry to almost all the museums. Available from the Amsterdam tourism office in five languages, I found this book and card better than a private guide. Using your card, it's so much easier to just hop off and on a tram or bus without having to figure out the correct change for the fare, and getting in the museums is a snap too. The book is extremely well designed with phone numbers, hours and open days, a little location map, identifying photo, paragraph or two of information and more. They are numbered for locating on a larger key map.
I was able to chart out everything I wanted to see with some geographical sense. The book can be purchased from the Amsterdam tourism website or you can e mail or call them or stop at any of their locations in the city. I had difficulty using the website and ultimately never could purchase the book there.
Amsterdam is a very manageable city in the historic core. The ground level trams run frequently and extensively. Busses and a metro are available too. There is massive construction as the city enlarges the underground. Somehow I can't develop much enthusiasm for riding an underground system when ground level is already at or below sea level. But then any location under ground or water is a source of panic for me.
Once I understood that everything seems to circle out from one focal point, the Central train station, getting around is quite easy. Just keep following a sidewalk and you'll circle returning to the train station or your origination point. Like most Europeans these people know how to walk and directions like "just a five minute walk" can mean a long distance to some of the rest of us. English is so prevalent that language is never a problem.
One American tourist I met on a canal boat tour couldn't understand why all the signs weren't in English, I suggested maybe that was because we were in the Netherlands not the US.
This was my fourth trip to Amsterdam and the longest stay, previously it's been a one or two day stop over on the way to or from another country. I know people that come every year for a getaway but usually they are a lot younger and enjoy the clubs, restaurants and party atmosphere. That isn't my style as you already know. Crowded loud restaurants do nothing for me even if their food might happen to be spectacular which it seldom is.
Amsterdam has a reputation or is thought of by some as having an "open" lifestyle with easy access to drugs, in the winter that wasn't noticeable. I have seen crowds of pseudo hippies lounging around the train station in warmer months but never felt any danger even walking alone after midnight. As in any big city, pickpockets are always a problem. If you carry a purse don't have your wallet or money in it. Distribute any valuables around your body. This is a city full of travelers, many on the street are pulling rolling suitcases and wearing large back packs.
I've taken the canal boat tours before and always find it interesting and very relaxing but you are a bit low to really see the street scene. In the winter the unique and historic architecture is easier to scrutinize with no leaves to peer through. Make sure this is not your only way of viewing Amsterdam. Your I amsterdam pass provides the opportunity for several canal cruises.
Riding around on the trams is also a great way to acquaint yourself with the area. I did that on one free afternoon and jumped off here and there stumbling across a fantastic street market in a neighborhood that seemed predominantly Muslim. Unlike the promoted flea markets, no tourists were even close.
We also did a dinner cruise this time and in addition to tasty food, the lighting of the streets, trees and buildings made that quite an eventful time. To best enjoy the night scene the interior lights on the boat were almost non existent and I tended to "feel" my food before charging into it.
You can rent bicycles but first be an experienced bicycler and second understand the rules of the road here. They don't just bicycle to school or work but carry the kids on the bike as well as the groceries and a variety of other things; sometimes all at once. I considered them bicycle station wagons. We took one walking tour with some new arrivals to the city and they were constantly stepping into the bicycle lanes in front of riders who were quite polite but legally could have ridden over them. Bicycles are king of the road, more important than cars or pedestrians.
The famous Rijksmuseum is under renovation and they have done a very clever thing by opening the newly furnished Philips Wing with 100 "Masterpieces" of their collection. This is a unique opportunity to view all the highlights of the Golden Age in one place. Included are fifteen works by Rembrandt and all four paintings by Vermeer from their collection. Rembrandt's greatest masterpiece, the Night Watch, is in the last room of the galleries. Furniture, china, silver and other items are also on display.
When I visited the Rijksmuseum before it was like any gigantic museum - almost too much to absorb and this selection was just perfect. Take the tram direct to the museum, they have a coffee shop with food, snacks and wine and there are many restaurants nearby. The gift shop is fairly extensive but try to resist the wonderful posters as they will/do become such a burden if you're traveling to other cities. Schiphol Airport is also featuring a large exhibit from the Rijksmuseum that you can visit while waiting for your plane to depart.
Like the Delft shoes, pots and masses of wooden tulips at the flower market also home of colorful amaryllis larger than a basketball, Van Gogh is on everything imaginable throughout the city.
The Van Gogh Museum is about a block away from the Rijksmuseum so doing both in one day is possible but might create "museum" overload. Spend all the bright sunny days outside and the dreary ones in.
Of course this is the land of Rembrandt and no tour would be complete without a visit to the Rembrandt House. Guides give tours and unfortunately mine went into minuscule detail regarding every dust spot or crack in the plaster and the ever "impatient" one had to drop off, plus I had been there years ago.
On that same visit I saw the Anne Frank house which has had some renovation, I skipped it this time but it is a popular tourist destination.
I think I hit the infamous red light district, the only neighborhood that had a house or two that looked in need of repair. The streets were also clogged with large numbers of young muscular male tourists. Shops specialized in marijuana plants, seeds and paraphernalia as well as the more specific sex related items and XXX video stores. I asked about bringing the seeds back into the states and the clerk answered "We sell them, we don't tell you how to get them into the states. I will say they do not smell". My own experience has been that Homeland Insecurity is so focused on "terrorists" that you could bring anything else - agricultural particularly - in without a problem. In the case of my local international airports they can't identify most food or other items anyway - well maybe a dead fish or cow who still had his parts and eyes and had been in your luggage for two weeks but they still wouldn't know the word in English. That is just one of thousands of security problems at US airports. PS I didn't bring back any plants or seeds not even tulip bulbs.
Schiphol Airport has a great website to familiarize you ahead of time with the huge complex. Getting stuck here for a few hours is not a bad thing if you have money or credit cards.
Arriving is simple but sometimes a lengthy walk from your plane. Customs and passport control goes fast and smooth. Then you burst from relative calm into the terminal and start making your choices. Probably best to change at least $100 into euros and remember to request smaller bills. The exchange rate at the airport wasn't any different from various locations in the city although I didn't specifically research this. Later in France I also received the same 64 euros for $100. It even hurts to write it! Luggage carts were never a problem and I didn't pay for one here on arrival or returning nor was there any charge at Charles de Gaulle. The US is now up to a ridiculous $3 per cart rental. I'd rather use a porter when they're available and give them the money.
If you have a hotel reservation and prefer a direct ride one can take a taxi or less expensive is the The Connexxion Airport Hotel Shuttle operating a three per hour service between the Airport and more than 55 hotels in and around Amsterdam. Regular buses leave from platform A7 (in front of Arrivals hall 2) and from the RAI entrance 22.
Actually as you walk out from picking up your luggage Gate/Arrivals 2 is almost directly in front of you slightly to the left. The blue vans were parked right in front at 7:30am, my arrival time. They work similar to SuperShuttle in the states except make the rounds of hotels. A roundtrip ticket - including your return - is 17 euros. The van was clean and the driver an attractive young lady who was happy to assist with our luggage. Some hotels also have their own shuttles at the airport.
It is also very easy to go down one level and catch the train into the city or for that matter another destination. Brussels is only 2 ½ hours away. I've done that previously but was carrying way too much luggage this time to arrive at the train station and figure out how to find and get to my hotel.
You can buy train tickets ahead of time on the internet or for slightly less at vending machines. Check schedules and just about every other train feature you might need to know at their website
http://www.ns.nl or connect through the extensive Schiphol site
www.schiphol.nl.
You can also take a taxi to or from Schiphol even order one in advance. The driver will be waiting for you at the Schiphol Transfer Assistance desk (STA) at Schiphol Plaza. Taxis also operate from the taxi rank outside Schiphol Plaza and will take you to any destination in the Netherlands or neighboring countries which sounded really interesting.
I never rode in a taxi in Amsterdam, first because we didn't see many of them and one night there were five of us running late and the driver would not take that many people, so we walked.
Even in the winter months the flower market is open, a little quieter but fun and lots of cafes and shops line the adjoining street. This is a great place to buy magnets or other kitschy type souvenirs.
We'll have follow-up stories on more of Amsterdam as well as our two recent trips to Paris, Charleston, SC and Kentucky. Our regular journalists and several new writers have lots of new destination features, some restaurants and I've expanded the reviews of travel products and hope to have another dozen up soon.
I have medical evacuation insurance and on occasion buy other types of trip insurance but I was so sick that I arrived at the hospital with nothing - I didn't even have a card with my hotels name and phone number on it. This dilemma brought back memories of other times I've been injured or gotten ill in sophisticated places and third world countries.
If one is traveling alone it doesn't help if no one knows anything about you, your insurance coverage and you're too sick or injured to speak or remember these details yourself.
The next time I leave - actually in hours - I'm going to carry a plastic bag or pouch of some sort with big red letters that say Emergency Info. In there will be a copy of my passport, my medical evacuation policy and other insurance, my prescriptions with any relevant medical history, and who to notify in case of an emergency. Now perhaps I'm the only person who doesn't do this already - well I doubt that. Like writing down all your credit card numbers, great advice that I remember when the plane is landing.
In a place like Paris or any major city in the world they would make an effort to find out who you are and other information if you became separated from your passport or other documents. In third world countries my advice has always been and remains DO NOT LEAVE YOUR HOTEL unless they have carried you out unconscious or dead and you had no choice.
The hotel has records from when you checked, all your personal items are in your room and you do not want to take anything to a hospital - that goes for anywhere in the world including the US. Hotels and resorts have doctors on call that can come to you and determine if you should be evacuated. The hospital that I was taken to on the island of Grenada via the back of a panel truck (the ambulance) was a few steps below living in a garage. No food, no water, an abusive staff and likely a giant Petri dish of disease. Thank goodness I didn't need a transfusion.
The spectacular Spice Island resort would have been a better place to wait for the US medical evacuation team flying in.
Be aware that Montezuma's revenge or any type or combination of diarrhea or vomiting will dehydrate your body very quickly and you need IV's of fluid and antibiotics. At the very first sign of a problem, start taking an anti diarrhea medication to avoid this life threatening situation.
On that happy note, I'm leaving for the airport!
Happy Trails!
Mary E. Gallagher
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