Miscellaneous Tips...
by Donna_in_India
Meeting New People and Seeing New Places
These tips are based on my last 8 weeks of traveling in Europe/Africa:
1. Buy/pre-order as many museum/attraction tickets online as you can.
2. Ask the taxi fare before taking off in a taxi, especially if it’s late at night or coming from an airport.
3. Charge your camera batteries every night.
4. If you have a Eurail pass and need to make reservation make them in Europe. It’s a lot less expensive.
5. If you’re climbing a few hundred steps up a tower, monument, etc. go only a clear, sunny day.
6. Learn at least Hello, Thank you, and Goodbye in the foreign language of the countries you are visiting.
7. Turn your cell phones off inside churches, museums, etc. If it rings and you must take the call, do it outside!
8. If there’s a running commentary (live or recorded), be polite and be quiet.
9. Dress appropriately and be respectful in churches.
10. If you’re traveling with children, don’t let them disrupt others around you. If they cry or throw a tantrum, take them outside.
11. If you have a complaint, do it reasonably without yelling and cursing.
12. Regarding pictures:
a. If there are signs saying “No pictures”, don’t take pictures! There’s a reason for the signs. Do you really, really need that picture of Mona Lisa to prove you’ve seen it?
b. Learn how to use your camera before the trip. If there are signs saying “No flash”, make sure you know how to use the camera without it.
c. If you see a couple or family with one person taking pictures of the other(s), offer to take a picture of both/all of them. Maybe they’ll reciprocate.
13. Check local holidays. Since many museums and stores will be closed, you’ll need to have other plans for the day. (Most stores throughout much of Europe are closed on Sunday.)
14. Don’t try to do too much. Leave some open time to just explore.
15. You’re on vacation so relax and have a good time!
walking
by Alleypat
Wear comfy walking shoes and don't forget something for the aching legs and feet. We walked for hours and hours. Luckily, there is a good tram/bus system and friendly taxi drivers. Watching the tram pull away leaving me behind as my friend Annette went in the front to pay.
Walk around the city and enjoy...
by hajin
Walk around the city and enjoy the beautiful architecture, canals and the friendly people. Many of the tourist activities are in close proximity so you can conceivably walk around everywhere without using public transportation. The first time I was in Amsterdam, it was Spring and the weather was beautiful. My friends and I rented a paddleboat and headed out through the canals. It was so much fun to see the city while meandering through the canals not knowing where we were heading. We sang and laughed the whole way. Passerbys waved and called out welcomes--the most memorable trio of greeters were these three young guys who were sitting on a couch right by the railing of the canal. If we knew how to stop the boat, we might have...
LIFE ON ICE IS ALSO DIFFERENT .....
by eden_teuling
In WINTER the canals can be covered in ice: all boats are "winter prisoners" and can't move......
But then we come: the skaters, the champions........
But for TOURISTS I have another idea for a winter's day: visit REMBRANDT HIMSELF AT HOME.......
The 17th Century House where WORLD'S GREATEST ARTIST lived and worked has been brought back to its former glory!
Furniture and other objects are all from REMBRANDT'S era and you really will have the feeling that soon you will get some fresh tea / coffee and that the MASTER himself will join you for a chat about ART & AMSTERDAM....
The visitor will get a fascinating view of the live of Rembrandt by walking through his ATELIER (WORKSHOP), his living quarters, his ART & CURIOSITY CABINET......
There are also paintings from his students and fellow-artists from that time and......from the Master's MASTER : PIETER LASTMAN....
The new WING (Extension) of the MUSEUM houses a wonderful collection of REMBRANDT's etchings and offers room for special exhibitions.....
Surely you will agree with me that this is a wonderful outing for a winter's day in AMSTERDAM.
Memories of guiding visitors around
by Pavlik_NL
More often I guide people around in Amsterdam, the number one tourist attraction in my country. One sticks out above all others. During the international choir festival (2001). I guided a wonderful Czechian girls-choir (Kantilena from Hradec Kralovy) around in our capitol and we had such fun. The expressions while walking through the red-light-district, hahaha. I will never forget the proud faces of three of them telling me secretly they got their hands on a joint. Thanks to them, especially to Magdalena and Tereza, for a perfect time.
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The flowers market, Amsterdam
manzano patio
Nice shaped tops of the houses
with the two beasts
