Just booked my trip to the Netherlands – I’ll be there the week of April 22nd on business. Yup – touring tulip fields, meeting breeders and growers, looking at flowers and talking to gardeners – my life is a living hell, I tell you.
The “official” trip is over the morning of the 28th, but I’m going to stay over an extra day. I’m guessing I’ll have some time to sightsee, etc., during the week, but probably won’t know till I get there when that might be – so peeling off to meet mysterious “internet friends” won’t be an option till Saturday.
Does anyone want to get together on Saturday the 28th? Either for some kind of outing during the day, or dinner in the evening, or both. I’ll actually be staying in Haarlem, but I understand that’s a quick and easy train ride from Amsterdam.
I am, alas, a staid middle-aged lady who doesn’t drink, so this doesn’t necessarily appeal. (Yeah – a week in Amsterdam and I don’t give a shit about hookers or hash – sigh. Quelle waste, eh?)
So – mention I’m staid and middle-aged and no one’s interested. Le sigh.
I’m starting to get organized for this trip, and will ask again, somewhat pathetically, if any of our Dutch brethren would be interested in getting together on the 28th.
You’re so cool I don’t even know what to do, what an awesome business trip to go on! Please tell me there will be clogs, pretty please? One picture with you in clogs, preferably in a field of tulips with a windmill in the background…you know you want to.
Didja know the population of the Netherlands is the tallest in the world? You’ll need clogs just to be eye-level, see?
Field full of tulips I can probably arrange, since tulips are why I’m going. Apparently there’s fewer than ten “authentic” windmills left. Wooden shoes – I don’t think so. :eek:
Be very, very careful – I met my husband at an Amsterdope.
Don’t forget that the time difference means the Amsterdopers are awake when you’re asleep, and vice versa, so this thread may not be on the front or top of the page while they’re around to find it. It might help if you email a couple of the members who live there and see if they can drum up some interest amongst others you might not be familiar with.
Shayna – many thanks! I knew Maastricht lives there, of course, and Coldie and Heloise (though they’re no longer around, having found their Doper Soul Mates – but those names are very helpful. I’ll start with PMs and see what happens.
Hiya twickster! Shayna was right, I hadn’t seen the thread, so you might want to e-mail some of the Dutch Dopers. This thread lists a few more.
Arwin and I live together here in the town of Maastricht. gum as she lives in Amsterdam, but she may have restrictions due to health problems.
I think Kimstu has returned to the States by now. But there’s still Mycroft Holmes, and MostlyClueless. I’m posting their names here in the hope they do vanity-searches.
As for a get-together in Amsterdam, I’ll think about it, but I’m afraid a 2,5 hour traintrip to Amsterdam (5 hours if I go back the same day) is a bit long for me. But I’d love to show you around Maastricht if you’d be willing to make the trip. The town gets raving reviews here on SDMB. And there’s that garden I told you about in the garden-magazine thread, remember?
Thanks, Maastricht – very helpful! I’ll write some emails tonight. It is tempting to come down to visit y’all – and see that garden, which does sound totally delightful (and which I hadn’t forgotten about), but I’m not sure I’m going to have time – with only one “free” day, the Van Gogh Museum is at the top of my list for things I absolutely must see.
Heard back from Marienee, whom I’d emailed – she lives in the south, but will see whether she can get up to Amsterdam or not.
Hurry! The blooming season for tullips and other bulbs is short and almost over.
You are correctly informed about the train-ride. (20-30 min.)
Sorry, I’m just 6’2.
About the wooden shoes; On second though;t let’s not go there, it is a silly place.
About Haarlem: take some time to admire the trainstation; it has some fabulous authentic details. And the innercity of Haarlem may be more attractive (is pittoresque a word in english?) than A’dam.
Yeah – “picturesque.” And I can’t wait to walk around Haarlem and just look – it sounds fabulous. (Our hotel is apparently right in the middle of town.) I’m starting to get really excited about this trip! I’ve only been to Europe twice – and the more recent trip was more than 20 years ago.
You don’t mention being able to get together – is that a “no”?
Well, Queens day isn’t the sex&drugs&rockandroll kind of crazy. Well, the night before april 30 is, but not the day itself. On the day itself, the whole of Amsterdam changes into a big street festival, a carnival and streetfair for all ages. It is like E-bay, but outdoors and all over Amsterdam. Half of Amsterdam squares off a few square feet on the pavement and sells their used or self-made stuff to the other half. The other half walks by in tightly packed crowds. Amsterdam on Queensday is no place for people who aren’t happy in dense crowds.
There is self-made music everywhere. Many people will perform some kind of silly act, do something creative, or go just a benign sort of crazy. And the color orange will be everywhere.
The atmosphere is festive, silly, “long-live-the-queen” although the love of the monarchy will be firmly tongue in cheek. It is like Holland won the World Soccer Cup, but without the hooligans. Everyone, young and old, male and female, is out on the streets, everyone talks to everyone, jokingly haggles about the prizes of the goods offered, complements the children playing their musical instuments for a pit of pocket money. It is really quite, quite special.
Huh! By a bizarre coincidence, although I’ve moved back to the US now after my two years in the Netherlands, I too will be paying a visit to beautiful Holland on 19–29 April. I don’t know yet what kind of free time I’ll have during that last weekend, but I’ll keep watching this space to see what plans develop, if any, for an AmsterDope.
(Oh that’s right, it’s coming up on Koniginnedag! I must remember to bring my big spherical orange earrings! :))
Cool! MostlyClueless says he’s up for doing something that Saturday – I’m still reading guidebooks, but am thinking walking around the Jordaan, or hitting the flea market at Albert Cuyp, or maybe the Rembrandt Museum, or …
So far he’s the closest to an actual “yes” – Maastricht, Arwin, and Marienee – none of whom live in Amsterdam – are all saying hm, sounds good, they’ll see what they can do about getting up there.
Hey twick, when are you flying out of Schiphol (Amsterdam) on Sunday the 29th? I’ve got my flight home in the early afternoon, so I’ll probably be kicking my heels in the airport from 10:30 AM to boarding time. Wanna meet for a coffee or such in the airport? We can co-post a Dope report on what we did in the Netherlands!
Bummer – my flight is at 9:30 AM, so my heel-kicking will occur a bit earlier. (I’m flying via Paris, since there are no direct flights between Amsterdam and Philly.)
– but those names are very helpful. I’ll start with PMs and see what happens.