Would have replied earlier but been tied up with christmas and stuff. Firstly on dutch food it all depends what you mean by not the best. It's okay, many ways much like traditional - or probably better to say conventional - british food, nothing to write home about as such and if not cooked well/overcooked definitely not albeit maybe not as bad as badly done and overcooked meat and two veg. Classic dutch food tends to be of this variety, hearty food for cold winter months. Cooked well though it is enjoyable. There's also a lot of good international cuisine and real dutch treats like nieuwe haring (worth trying at least once).
There's lots to do and visit in all the various parts of the Netherlands. As for Amsterdam it should be buzzing next year with lots of different events and anniversaries such as 400 years of the canal belt which has just got UNESCO cultural heritage status, the Rijksmuseum reopens in April, Stedelijk has just reopened. Lots of things going on in association with these and more. I do have a list of things but it's back in Amsterdam and I'm in London at the moment. So yes, there is a lot more than the red light area(s) and coffeeshops but I'll leave it at this for the moment. Maybe not a white christmas but (early) happy new year greetings to all guy On 27 Dec 2012 at 6:40, Steve Gillen wrote: Thanks to all who took the trouble to reply to my request - more information is still needed! :-) Lille is pretty certain to be on the itinerary and the converted convent sounds a good hotel to start with - Belgium is next, but not sure where to stop and what to see, as we would be heading in the general direction of Germany - most likely Cologne and Dusseldorf - other suggested cities are just too far and we have no desire to spend our trip entirely on motorways! But more suggestion on what to see there or around and about them would be welcome. I'm slightly disappointed to hear that Dutch food is not the best, but then we eat so little these days, that's hardly a big deal (one meal between the two of us and there would still be leftovers!) - Arnhem is an almost certainty, with yet another converted convent (where did all these nuns go then?) - pity to miss the Anne Frank house, but if it is so access unfriendly then so be it. OK I knew Amsterdam has Cannabis cafes and a red light district, surely there must be more? Thanks once again, it is definitely giving us ideas Steve N.B. to list owner, I have trimmed what I could from the message, but I need to leave the original message in case it was not seen by some who may have information for me **************************************** -----Original Message----- From: leedslist-boun...@gn.apc.org [mailto:leedslist-boun...@gn.apc.org] On Behalf Of Damian Walsh Sent: 26 December 2012 09:46 To: leedslist Subject: Re: [LU] NON LU: Planning a trip - suggestions You could visit Deventer, not too far from Arnhem (one of my colleagues makes a daily commute Arnhem-Deventer) - lots of 16C/ 17C architecture worth seeing if you are into that sort of thing. The Gilde Hotel in the centre of town is a converted convent (16C I think - tell them about disabilities up front because not all floors have a lift) and costs around 80¬ with a corporate rate (contact me off-list if you don't have a convienient corporation to cite ;)). If your wife can't get out and about and you have to leave her in the hotel, there is a Red Light district à l'Amsterdam ;) Finally - apologies to Cloggies on the list - I'm afraid Deventer is like nearly everywhere in NL, variable (ie poor) cuisine that is hideously expensive. There is though a half reasonable Indian restaurant to take your mind off croquettes & frikendel Damian On Tue, Dec 25, 2012 at 11:46 PM, Steve Gillen <steve.gil...@ntlworld.com>wrote: > Hi Guys > > I wonder if you can help me? > > I am planning a trip for my wife and I around late May next year and I > would greatly appreciate any help you well travelled lot can give me. > > Please also bear in mind we are both disabled to some extent or other, > myself due to arthritis I have to walk with a stick, and sit down a > lot - my wife uses a mobility scooter and cannot walk to much extent > at all - around a hotel room is pretty much the limit.. > > We plan to drive to Folkestone stay over and go over to Calais via the > Eurotunnel early the following morning - travel southwards a little > but heading towards Belgium then stay overnight in France, cross the > border and spend 2 nights in separate places in Belgium, then cross > into Germany and spend 3/4 nights in Germany, again at different > places and then travel towards Holland around the Arnhem area and stay > overnight again, then on to Amsterdam and may a couple of nights there > followed by an overnight ferry to Hull and then home - aiming for a > couple of weeks away (roughly but no > more) > > My questions are.... > > Suggestions for places to stop and visit in any of these places - I > speak French passably, certainly enough to make any requests and order > meals etc, so I imaging France and Belgium are no problem, Holland I > know they almost all speak very good English so that should be fine, > but Germany I am lost about. I speak no German and my only ever visit > there was to see us play Stuttgart many years ago (what a second leg > that was eh?) > > Hotels we hope to sort out along the way, but cheapish places of the > chain sort are no problem for us - France abounds with these as does > most of the continent so I hope to be OK with accommodation it's just > which town/cities places to visit should we go to? What foodstuffs should we > look out for? > (small appetites now, both of us - we are on weight reducing very > successfully) - we don't drink or smoke so no consideration needed there. > > Likes - historical places, battlefield sites (we should find those on > the France Belgium border area and at Arnhem) - good food in small > quantities, shopping and things to bring back, but just generally to > get to see more that just a series of motorways or endless roads. > Small towns and villages appeal to us more than cities, but we can go with > the flow on that. > > Amsterdam, the Van Gough museum should be open again by May, so that > is on the list - we are unlikely to partake of special coffee shop > "cakes" :-) - maybe the Anne Franks museum if it is accessible - again > suggestions are welcome - remember we are old farts (late 50's and > early 60's) so late night clubbing is pretty much out! :-) > > Thanks for any info any of you can supply > > Cheers > > Steve Gillen (and Paula) > _______________________________________________ Leedslist mailing list Info and options: http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/leedslist To unsubscribe, email leedslist-unsubscr...@gn.apc.org PETE CASS (1962 - 2011) Rest In Peace Mate _______________________________________________ Leedslist mailing list Info and options: http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/leedslist To unsubscribe, email leedslist-unsubscr...@gn.apc.org PETE CASS (1962 - 2011) Rest In Peace Mate
