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Posted by: stephenaki Nov 28 2007, 05:07 AM

OK, sitting here in Schipol waiting for my flight. Didn't get a chance to find Dutch jump wings for my buddy as I was not in a location that afforded me that opportunity.

I got here Monday and took a train then tram to the Carlton Beach Hotel in The Hague. Well I gotta tell you, its a really flat country! Canals everywhere big enough for 20 foot boats.

Maybe it was where I was at but I was not wholly impressed with the architecture, a lot of boxy industrial style housing, mostly apartment or row houses. People were nice and most spoke english though.

Weather was overcast windy, hence the reason they have so many windmills, and cool. Not overly cold, around 40-45 deg F.

The Tram ride through Den Haag to The Hague was interesting as you do pass through the old town which has the lions share of interesting architecture. I will have to plan a trip up here where I can actually do a bit more sightseeing and am not on a timeline due to business requirements.

No, I didn't wander around Amsterdam, next time! Just thought I would share my initial impression, this is the first time I actually made it out of Schipol airport. The last 10 or so times I was in Schipol last year I was just connecting either to Kuwait or back to the states. Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving, can't wait to get home to see the wife and play with my 2 year old.

Posted by: Bleyseng Nov 28 2007, 09:09 AM

Yep, lots of new industrial (modern style) housing and commerical buildings there. Gotta go to the old cores of cities to see the cool brick buildings...best seen on a bike.

In the airport ya gotta find the French fry stand in the back corner

flat the country is since lots of it is below sea level!

Posted by: shelby/914 Nov 28 2007, 11:53 AM

If you want to make the wife happy, go back in the spring for the flower parade. We stayed in a B&B, which was just the upper floor of a single family home in a village outside Amsterdam and then just walked up to see the parade. It ends up at the Kukenkof which is a huge flower garden/park. There is also Maduradam for the kids and the canal boat rides. Just across the harbor is an old Dutch "tourist" town with several working wind mills and of course cheese making. You could really make some "points" to spend later on car events. The Dutch people always seemed very nice to me, but traveling with small cute kids sometimes make people more friendly. O'yea everything is probably mispelled, did not get out the old maps.

Posted by: stephenaki Nov 28 2007, 12:11 PM

QUOTE(shelby/914 @ Nov 28 2007, 09:53 AM)

Posted by: hcdmueller Nov 28 2007, 03:37 PM

If you want some of the best BBQ ribs I have ever had find a restaurant named Kepas in Zeist.

One cool thing to see is the dike/bridge that goes accross the top of the country to separate the north sea from the zuiderzee. In the middle is a rest stop with a restaurant and tower. If you climb the tower you can see the curvature of the earth.

Posted by: wertygrog Nov 28 2007, 03:46 PM

What ever you do, I don't recommend that you eat a whole hash brownie in one sitting haha.

Amsterdam sure is a pretty city though...it's nice to wander around on foot or on bike downtown!

Posted by: Bleyseng Nov 28 2007, 09:42 PM

QUOTE(hcdmueller @ Nov 28 2007, 01:37 PM)

Posted by: wertygrog Nov 28 2007, 10:23 PM

ah, walking around the red light district....memories that last a lifetime...