Coffee Shops and Brown Cafes in Amsterdam

Do you know the difference between Amsterdam coffee shops and brown cafes? They both sound like places where you could stop for a bite to eat, though you might not be sure why one is brown.
 
This is one destination where you could be in for more of a surprise than you planned for if you just wander in for a cup of coffee. In Amsterdam coffee shops are totally different from cafes, restaurants, and even bars. Walk into one, and you’re apt to get a buzz just from the smoke, and we’re not talking cigarettes here.
 
In Amsterdam coffee shops are where the Dutch and tourists go to buy and smoke marijuana. Yep, very little coffee here! Since the 1970s, the Dutch have been tolerant of “soft drugs”, and it is legal for coffee shops to sell up to five grams of cannabis per person to their customers. You can smoke there or take it with you. There are laws that govern these shops.
 
They can’t sell alcohol and cannabis on the same premises for instance. It’s ironic that it’s become harder to smoke cigarettes in public places than to smoke dope. Tobacco laws around Europe make smoking cigarettes more of a problem!
 
But if you’ve never smoked a joint, and you’ve always wanted to give it a try legally, pop into one of Amsterdam’s coffee shops. The bartender – yes, bartender – will give you a menu – yes a menu!
 
The menus tell you what kind of pot is available and where it came from. The bartender (or sometimes the patrons) can advise you what you might want to try. Something mild, so you can still walk out. You’ll find a selection of marijuana and hashish and how you can smoke them.

Now Brown cafes (Bruin cafes) are more like traditional pubs or corner cafe bars with dark wood from years of being smoke filled rooms. They are places where you can get a simple meal and a beer, or that coffee you might have been looking for when you stumbled into that coffee shop! A brown cafe might be a place you want to find after you’ve visited a coffee shop.
 
Brown cafes tend to be local hangouts. Some of them have been around for years, so they’ll look well worn. They may seem old and crowded, but think of them as cozy. Settle in and expect a warm welcome.
 
The Dutch say they have “gezelligheid” – a comfortable “hang-out-here” feeling. They aren’t really made for tourists. They’re local hangouts, but the the people are friendly, and you can get an inexpensive light meal while you meet real Amsterdamers.
  
There are plenty of traditional restaurants and cafes and bars all over the city if you’re not feeling quite so adventurous.
  
So when you’re in the Netherlands, should you try Amsterdam coffee shops and brown cafes? That’s up to you, but at least now you know what you’ll be getting into!

Visit Amsterdam – Wooden Shoes, Windmills And All.

Amsterdam is so Dutch! Think canals and bridges and wooden shoes with flowers in them in windows framed with lace. (Yes the there are wooden shoes all over the place, but you won’t find many people wearing them in Amsterdam.) It’s a city full of historic buildings, but it’s modern and progressive at the same time.
 
Back in its golden age of the 17th century, sea trade made it one of the world’s richest cities. It was built up with its iconic tall skinny town houses. Those wily burghers built them skinny because they were taxed by street front footage.
 
Dam Square is the very center and heart of Amsterdam. It’s a big square and not particularly pretty, but it is historic. The Royal Palace dominates the square. If you arrive by train at the Centraal Station, it’s about a five minute walk to the square. The Dam is surrounded by shops, food stalls and restaurants and it’s crowded with locals and tourists all the time.
 
The center of the old city is shaped by its canal rings. Walk along these canal streets. Take a boat tour of the canals. If you really want to get into it, rent a houseboat for your stay instead of a hotel. You can also bike along these streets just like the Dutch do.
 
The Dutch do really ride bikes. Amsterdam is a city where bikes outnumber cars. A bike can be a great way to get around. Avoid walking along the bicycle lanes. They are clearly marked and bikes rule on them. If you end up in one without thinking and hear a bike bell, get out of the way!
 
Spend a morning examining the masterpieces at the Rijksmuseum. (The Rijkamuseum has been undergoing a restoration, check to see how much of it is open.) Jump to the Van Gogh Museum for the afternoon. It has more Van Gogh’s than anywhere in the world, something like 200.
 
Visit the Anne Frank House. See where Anne and her family hid during the Nazi Occupation of the Netherlands, and where she wrote her diary. The tiny rooms are empty, but they will make you stop and think. The original diary is on display. This is a very popular place to visit, and lines can be long. During the summer, the house is open until 9 at night. Consider a late afternoon or early evening visit to avoid the lines.

Oude Kerk – the Old Church – is the oldest church in Amsterdam. As a quirk of history and geography, it’s in the red light district. Are you ready for another quirk? That’s a popular area for tourists at night.
 
When you’re ready for some food and drink, there are plenty of restaurants and bars. Beer is the Dutch national drink. Brown cafes are traditional Dutch local pubs with simple meals, coffee or beer. They may seem old and crowded, but people are friendly, and they can be a real bargain. And then there are the coffee shops, which aren’t what you think. Read our page on coffee shops to see how quirky the Dutch really are.
  
Amsterdam has more canals than Venice. Guidebooks tell us there are 100 canals crossed by 1,200 bridges. You can spend a day or two just wandering along the canals and admiring those tall skinny houses. There are a couple of thousand houseboats and a couple of hundred agencies trying to rent them to tourists. 
  
A trip to Holland wouldn’t be complete without seeing a windmill. Other than those wooden shoes, what could be more Dutch than a windmill. There are actually still eight windmills in the city, and you can visit two of them.

Inconsistencies With Internet Hotel Rating Systems

Will internet hotel ratings help you book the kind of hotel you want? You’ve heard all the big internet travel booking services tell you to book your hotel with them and save money big time. Get a five star hotel for a three star price. Sounds great doesn’t it?
 
While you may get a good deal, you will probably also get confused trying to compare the sites. There really is no standard set of criteria for hotel rating systems. With internet hotel rating systems, as with those of different countries, the number of stars depends on each websites’ subjective rating system. And remember, you’re probably only going to find bigger hotels on these services, not smaller, cozier places.
 
To add to your aggravation when you’re searching for a hotel on the internet, there may be inconsistencies within each site: one three star hotel might be great and in a great location, the next three star hotel you look at might not be a place you’d ever want to stay.
 
Because of those inconsistencies, we’re not as fond of those sites which tell you they will get you a bargain for a four star hotel, but only reveal the name after you’ve paid for the reservation. Instead of a four star hotel for a three star price, you might be getting exactly what you paid for, a nice three star hotel.
 
To try and understand what those stars mean on any given site, read their description of how they arrive at the ratings. You’ll really have to go looking for this. Some of them don’t publish their criteria. Others only give you generalities.
  
Some criteria to consider: Do they judge room service, a concierge, internet connections and a fitness center as important for a four star hotel or do they judge more on location and ambiance? Are the amenities you’re looking for always or only sometimes available for the number of stars you’re looking at. And how much does any of that matter to you?

Read what people are saying in forums. Check travelers’ reviews to see if a property lives up to its stars. Figure out which amenities are important to you, because that’s what really matters not which amenities are important to the people that assign those stars.
  
Not all internet travel booking services have all the same hotels listed. Some have more properties available than others. Check, if you can, to see which service has the greatest number to choose from in the area you’re traveling to.
 
While one internet booking site might be more liberal with its stars than another, and yet another might list more properties, if you find one where the ratings consistently fit your needs, you might just want to stick with that travel site. That way those internet hotel ratings can work for you, and you’ll get just the kind of hotel you want.

The Need For Travel Adaptors and Converters

Electrical adaptors and converters. You’re going on holiday not studying electricity. Why do you need to know about these?
 
Because if you don’t have the right adaptors and converters, you’re appliances just might not work!
 
Electrical adaptors for travel are plugs that go between your appliance with their Australian style prongs and the foreign wall socket with the receptacle for a different arrangement of prongs. It changes the plug shape to match the outlet. There are actually 16 different types of electrical outlets that you may encounter throughout the world.
 
We take several styles of adaptors when we travel so we are prepared to plug in, no matter what country we go to. Some countries even have two different styles of wall sockets, so you might need two kinds of adaptors. You can even encounter different shaped sockets in the same room, not just in another country!
 
You may have one or two types of these already, but be sure you have all the appropriate ones. If not, you can get them at any travel store or order them online.
 
To be a savvy traveler, tuck a pouch of adaptor plugs in a corner of your luggage to be prepared for any socket you might encounter. Be sure the adaptors you take accept polarized-blade appliance plugs and fit down into the recessed sockets you’ll find around the world. Some of of our old adaptors fit into the plugs, but because they’re recessed, it’s hard to get them out.
 
Now, do you need converters as well? Maybe.

Adaptors do not change the voltage. Most newer electronic devices now have smart “multi-voltage” power supplies that can be used almost anywhere in the world with the proper adaptor. Digital camcorders, battery chargers for digital cameras, and computer chargers tend to be multi-voltage or dual voltage, so they are OK with only an adaptor.
 
Most of the appliances we take are “dual voltage”. My curling iron automatically senses if we are using 120 or 240, and all I need is the adaptor plug. My hubby’s razor has a switch he can turn to go from one voltage to the other.
 
If your appliances don’t allow for the change in voltage in one of these ways, then you will need a voltage converter or transformer that will go between your appliance and the adaptor plugs. Be sure you research which type of converter or transformer you need. Electrical razors can operate with a small converter (50 watt converter). Heating appliances such as a hair dryer or curling iron need a larger converter (1600 watt converter). That’s why you can’t plug them into those “shavers only” plugs in hotel bathrooms!
 
As an Australian going to the US, you’ll need a “step-up” converter to bring the voltage up to 200-220 that your appliance uses.
 
You can go to a site like Voltage Valet to help you figure out the voltage and electrical frequency of the country you’ll be visiting. Once you see which electrical adaptors and converters you need to pack, you’ll be plugged into a good trip. Simple as that.

The Belgian Beer Culture

If you like beer, then Belgian beers should draw you to visit this little country. The Visit Belgium website says there are over 450 different varieties of beer.
 
Beer is more than just a drink here, this country cultivates beer connoisseurs. Belgians take their beer seriously. Many of the beers have specific beer glasses in which that beer, and only that beer, may be served. Just like some wine glasses, each glass is made to enhance the flavor of the beer it is designed for.
 
Certain beers may be paired with food, just like wines are, and some beers are aged for years in their bottle. Almost all Belgian beers are “conditioned” in the bottle not in kegs, so it will be different than if you go into a British pub to get a local beer on tap or if you visit one of the growing number of micro-breweries in the Australia.
 
Many of Belgium’s beers are made in small quantities and don’t travel well, so you’ll just have to go to Belgium to try them.
  
You’ll find all kinds of styles and all kinds of strengths, so be careful when you’re drinking. There are:
  
Blanche or White Beers – sometimes called wheat beer.
  
Lambic beer – a non-malted wheat beer that is naturally fermented by airborne yeast. (This is made specifically in the Brussels area. Gueuze, Faro and Kreik beers are Lambic beers. They have a secondary fermentation that makes them sweet or fruity. Kriek is a refreshing cherry-flavored beer. Our Belgian friends told us we had to try the cherry beer while we were in Brussels.
 
Brown Beers – more like what you would consider an ale.
  
Red Beers – produced from red barley and aged in oak.
  
Golden beers or blond beers – similiar to Pilsner lagers.
 
There are Trappist beers which make famous dark ales and great blond beers. Abbey Beers which are similar but are not made in monasteries.

Six of Belgium’s Trappist monasteries make beer. There are some twenty different beers brewed by those six monasteries. These breweries are not open to the public except on occasional “open door days” and then only with reservations, but you can sample them in local cafes and some abbey shops.
  
If you drive around to the Trappist monasteries to try their beer, you can try some cheeses too. Beer and cheese instead of wine and cheese.
 
Many of the Belgian beer breweries have tours or museums. Some require reservations, some have admission frees for the tours and tastings and some are free. Check with the Visit Belgium website for more information.
  
As you might expect with all these beer, there are beer festivals in many cities and towns the year round. In addition to trying a variety of beers, you can buy beer glasses, bottles, labels, and coasters (though you can snag coasters for free when you buy your beer). You can also buy old ads, clocks, mirrors, pints, jugs and other collector’s items.
  
Not up for that kind of a festival? You’ll find a number of Belgian beer museums, and there are also many Belgian beer tours.
 
Don’t worry too much about all the differences; just revel in the fact that when you stop in a little cafe or pub, you’ll have lots of great Belgian beers to choose from.

Don’t overlook Brussels, Belgium

Brussels is one European capital that’s easy to miss on your grand tour of Europe. The whole little country of Belgium is easy to miss, but it’s one that you really shouldn’t. It has lots to offer. This grand old city is not only the capital of Belgium, it’s the Capital of the European Union.
 
Something you’ll have to get used to in all of Belgium, is that there are two languages. Dutch and French, so you’ll often see signs in both languages. It’s Brussels in English, “Brussel” in Dutch and “Bruxelles” in French. You’ll get along fine in either language or English. Our friends in Belgium slip from one language to another with ease that puts us to shame.
 
Right in the center of the city is where you want to be. “La Grand Place” or “Grote Markt” is the main square right in the heart of the old town. This huge cobble stone square is surrounded by the city tower and 300 year old buildings, most of which were guild halls.
 
There are really only a few old streets left around the square, but they’re fun to wander. Shop for chocolates. Have Belgian Waffles with caramelized sugar on the square. (Luikse wafel or gaufre de Liege). Definitely have a beer. The Belgians are known for their beers. There are over a hundred breweries in this little country producing hundreds of different brands and many types of beer!
 
When you stop to eat, you’ll have to have mussels (moules). You can have French fries (fritjes or frites) with them, or have fritjes as a snack. If you want to eat those fries as the Belgians do, have them with mayonnaise. The first time we visited friends in Belgium, they made it a point to serve us Brussels sprouts, but you don’t have to eat those if you don’t want to! If you order any of these as a snack, you can take them and sit on steps or benches around the square just as the locals do.
  
Just a short walk from the Grand Place-Grote Markt is the Manneken Pis. Everyone wants to see this fountain with its funny little statue. And it is little, smaller that you think it will be, especially since it’s reputation precedes it all over the world. You know what we’re talking about the funny bronze statue of a little boy… well, Manneken Pis says it all doesn’t it? Maybe he had one too many beers?

There is a museum full of little outfits that have been created for the little boy. If you’re lucky (or unlucky depending on your viewpoint), you might even see him dressed in one, but they are usually kept in the museum. Signs will direct you to the corner where he stands.
  
For a little culture, visit the Royal Museums of Fine Arts off one end of the main square. There are two museums linked together here, the Ancient Art Museum and the Museum of Modern Art. If you like early Flemish masters, the Ancient Art Museum is for you.
  
You probably don’t need to spend more than two or three days in Brussels to see it well before you move on to other areas of Belgium or Europe, but really, it’s a great city that you shouldn’t miss.

The Advantage Of Traveling With Dual Voltage Appliances

Dual voltage appliances are great for travel because all you need is the correct adaptor plug (or plugs) for the country that you are going to visit.
 
So just exactly what does “dual voltage” mean?
 
They are appliances that are designed to operate on voltage anywhere between 110 and 240 volts without damage. They can be used almost any where in the world, and the beauty of it is they eliminate the need for voltage converters or transformers. Dual voltage appliances should be clearly marked as such at the power connection point.
 
Some accommodate automatically – my spouse’s curling iron does. On other appliances you may need to flip a switch, I need to change the setting on my electric razor. You might want to change that setting as you pack so you don’t forget to change it once you arrive.
 
If your shaver or curling iron isn’t dual voltage, you’ll probably need a voltage transformer or converter so it will work.

How do you know if your appliance is dual voltage? Look on the box when you buy it, or on the appliance. Somewhere on that electronic gizmo, it tells you what the electrical input requirements are. Look on the back, or the bottom, or the handle. If it says something like 110/240 volts, the appliance is dual voltage. You won’t need that transformer/converter but you may still need an adaptor.
 
Most modern electronic equipment like laptops are multi-voltage, meaning they will operate on voltages ranging from 110-240 volts. So you will be OK with just an adaptor. You can go ahead and charge your computer, cameras, and camera batteries and even your MP3 player.
 
Look for dual voltage appliances when you’re preparing for your trip. That way you won’t have to buy and pack a converter or transformer, just pack your adaptors and you’ll be ready electronically anywhere in the world.

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International Electricity Considerations

Flip a switch, and you have electricity – the lights come on. Plug in an appliance, and it will go on too. Right? Not necessarily. There are different voltages and currents all around the world, not to mention the shape of plugs. Electricity worldwide is always there, it’s just delivered differently, and you need to know about it.
 
If you’re planning to take something electronic with you (and who isn’t these days?) you should check the voltage requirements on the gadgetry you plan to take abroad and compare it to what is available in the country you’re visiting.
 
There are two basic standard wall currents in electricty worldwide: 100-120 versus 220-240 volts. You’ll need to read the guidebook or look up what is used in the country you’re visiting. When you’re traveling, it’s important to know if you need to “step up” or “step down” your voltage with a transformer or converter so you don’t damage your appliance.
 
If your shaver or curling iron isn’t dual voltage, you’ll probably need a voltage transformer or converter so it will work, and you won’t burn it up.
 
Dual voltage appliances are great for travel. They don’t require a transformer or converter. Some accommodate automatically. On other appliances you may need to flip a switch. You might want to change that setting as you pack so you don’t forget to change it once you arrive.
 
So now you’ve got the voltage figured out, whether it’s dual voltage or if you need a converter. But you’re not ready yet. Now what about the socket shape?
 
Electrical socket shapes differ from country to country. Some countries have more than one socket shape! Even if you have a dual voltage appliance or that transformer, you’ll probably need an adaptor so that you can plug it into the wall socket.
 
Most modern electronic equipment like laptops are multi-voltage, meaning they will operate on voltages ranging from 100-240 volts. So you will be OK with just an adaptor. You can go ahead and charge your computer, cameras, and camera batteries and even your MP3 player.

If you’re worried about power surges, spikes or dips for your laptop, plug your laptop in only to charge it and operate it on battery power. If you really want to be safe, get a surge protector designed to operate with the power system in the country you’re visiting. In the U.S that’s a 110-120 volt surge protector; in most of the rest of the world you’ll need a 220-240 volt surge protector.
 
Even off in jungle camps and safari lodges, we’ve found that our computer and cameras charge just fine, when they turn on the generators. So for travelers, electricity world wide is almost always on.
 
One last thought, if you see an electronic item that you wish to bring home as a souvenir, check it’s voltage requirements. You may need a transformer to operate it at home!

Think Ahead To Avoid Hotel Fees

Some hotel fees are hidden, some are right upfront. Sometimes you can avoid hotel fees if you know about them. It just takes a little forethought and imagination.
 
Make sure you bring your mobile phone charger, and use it, so you aren’t forced to use their phone. You don’t want to pay those phone fees just because you forgot to charge your phone! If your phone doesn’t work in the country you’re visiting, but you have a computer, consider using Skype or another free internet phone service.
 
Check to see if the hotel you’re booking has fees for internet access. Big hotels tend to charge for this, but smaller ones don’t. We usually like those smaller hotels anyway. If you’re a business traveler, you probably need access, but you might be able to get it without the hotel fee in the lobby or their business center.
 
If you’re a casual traveler, you may be able to find free internet access at a local library or city hall or coffee shop. We’ve even picked up free wi-fi at a sidewalk cafe in Eger, Hungary. Just sitting there, having a glass of “Bull’s Blood” wine and checking e-mail with no fee!
 
It’s easy to avoid hotel fees for the mini-bar. You know they’re going to charge you way too much. Why not grab a bottle of wine and some snacks from a shop on the street. You’ll probably have a better selection, and you’ll definitely save money.
 
Make sure that bottle of water sitting in the bathroom says it’s complimentary. Especially in some less developed countries where the water isn’t safe, it probably will be, but in some cases, if you drink it, you buy it. And pay more than you want to.
 
If the hotel you’re in has a gym, check to see if there is a fee to use it. No need to pay to walk on the treadmill if you can just take a nice walk and see the sights. That would be more fun anyway, wouldn’t it?
 
That newspaper some hotels deliver to your door may not cost much, but are you going to read it. If you tell them you don’t want it, you might save a bit on your bill.

You may not be able to avoid a fee for the shuttle to the airport, but you should know about it. We’ve stayed in hotels that have a free shuttle pick-up from the airport, but it costs you to get back! What are you going to do? You’ve got to take their shuttle and just pay for it.
 
Many city hotels charge a parking fee. This can be pretty high. We’ve often saved a bunch by parking at a city lot nearby and walking a block or two.
 
Always check your bill to see if there are charges on there for things you didn’t use. You might be able to have those charges removed. You can’t do this if you’re checking out in a hurry though, so it always pays to check your bill the night before you’re leaving.
 
We don’t mind paying for services we’ve used, but expensive fees add up and can really impact your travel budget. We like to think ahead and avoid hotel fees when we can.

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