Use ATM in europe to get money
by simonli625
I would recommend you used ATM card directly to get your cash. I found that the exchange rate of using ATM card is more favorable than using the counter to exchange money. I probably wouldn't use credit card to get your cash as the exchange rate normally wasn't that good.
If you have a Credit Union ATM card, a lot of them don't charge you transaction fee when you take money out other than their branch. The only issue with ATM card is their daily limit. Most ATM card has a daily limit of $300 - $500. You may want to check with your bank to check what is your limit. Most of the time you don't really need that much money daily unless your hotel doesn't accept credit card.
Another thing I would check is whether your ATM card has one of those logo - either 'Plus' or 'Star'. Both 'Plus' and 'Star' are pretty common around the world and most ATM machine will accept them.
If you are using your credit card, then definitely inform your credit card company that you will be traveling abroad, otherwise they will put your credit card on hold until you give them a call.
Wander Around Amsterdam...
by coceng
...and discovering so many things unlike so many things that I had seen in my life! Maybe this place is for me, maybe not. I miss my own habitat in Kuala Lumpur or rather my own room !
There I was in the photo looking like a clown, spot me yet ?
go and see the Amsterdam zoo,...
by Isa76
go and see the Amsterdam zoo, take a stroll along the canals (Grachten) and the shopping main street, and finally, take a look around the Redlight District
oh- and what about the Sex Museum? The entrance is just NLG 4.50 - you'll see some really pervert and S/M things, which would be strictly forbidden here. But believe me, it's interesting to see... :-) the tulips
Places we missed, part-1
by jss1018
There are quite a few places we should have visited, and would like to on a future trip. Seven days was a fairly long stay, but there's so much to see and do in the greater Amsterdam area it's hard to see it all in a week. The short Winter days decreased our time spent out and about. We found out quickly that the city didn't seem to really come alive until after nine or ten o'clock or so in the mornings, with a lot of the more popular attractions not being open any earlier than that. On our first few days there and when getting up early and ready to explore, the streets felt dead and fairly deserted except for locals going about their business. Also, some days were cold while we were there, and after spending the day out in the elements we were ready to hibernate in our apartment when the temps started to drop even more in the evenings.
Our list of "we'll do it next time" things would be:
The Royal Palace. Yep, it was right on Dam Square, and you can go inside and see parts of it. I'm sure it sounds goofy that it was right there where we stayed and we didn't even go in, but you just had to be there. So many places to see and visit, we somehow didn't think of it.
The New Church. Also right on the square, just to the right of The Royal Palace when facing it. We did, however, visit The Old Church not far from Dam Square, and listed on our Must-See Activities page.
De Molen van Sloten ("The Windmill from Sloten"). Located not too far outside the main Amsterdam city area, with as the name says, the 1000 year-old village of Sloten adjacent to it. I've read that the village still maintains it's picturesque appearance from the older times, and that the windmill is still operative. It's located at one of the Amsterdam ring canals, and is apparently used to pump water for maintaining water levels in the lower lying areas.
The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam...
by eladr
The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is the largest museum in Holland and attracts
well over a million visitors each year. It is internationally celebrated for its
exhibitions and publications as well as its scholarships and research. The museum
features works by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Frans Hals, Jan Steen, Breitner, as well
as dolls houses, silver, prints and drawings, delftware, furniture, weaponry, ship
models and Buddhas. The museum is well worth a visit for the décor alone as it
devotes considerable resources to the design and layout of exhibitions. Cutting
edge designers are regularly commissioned to work on Rijksmuseum projects.
Center of Amsterdam
Bols Genever tastings!
De Oude Kerk / The Old Church
The Bulldog, Leidseplein
