I have to go to Europe the end of September on business. 9/19 - 9/30 to be exact. I
will be flying into Amsterdam & picking up a rental car to drive to Berlin were I
will be on business for a week. Because of Octoberfest this is the lest expensive way
to get there. Or so says my corporate T/A.

With a weekend to kill on the front-end. Where would you spend it? I'm thinking I
might stay in Amsterdam. Question is, what would I do, or more to the point. What is
there to do?

Also have another weekend on the back-end. Where would you spend it? I'm thinking I
would/could stay in Berlin or take a very slow country drive back to Amsterdam.

Just looking for ideas. Thanks if you have any practical experience.

Also, any Hotel recommendations?

Integrity is like virginity. Once you loss it, you are screwed and can never
get it back.

ZombyWoof

ZombyWoof wrote:

    >I have to go to Europe the end of September on business. 9/19 - 9/30 to be exact. I
    >will be flying into Amsterdam & picking up a rental car to drive to Berlin were I
    >will be on business for a week. Because of Octoberfest this is the lest expensive
    >way to get there. Or so says my corporate T/A.

He's kidding. Oktoberfest is far south in Munich, 850 kms/528 mls from Amsterdam
and 600 kms/373 mls from Berlin, so it will not block any of the AMS-TXL/SXF/THF
(don't know to which one they go these days from AMS) connections. If he doesn't
want to get you a flight to Berlin, he must have other reasons. Get yourself
another travel agent.

Jens

On Tue, 23 Jul 2002, ZombyWoof wrote:

    > I have to go to Europe the end of September on business. 9/19 - 9/30 to be exact. I
    > will be flying into Amsterdam & picking up a rental car to drive to Berlin were I
    > will be on business for a week. Because of Octoberfest this is the lest expensive
    > way to get there. Or so says my corporate T/A.
    >
Eh? Serious? That's quite a drive man, better hope your T/A got you a decent rental.

    > With a weekend to kill on the front-end. Where would you spend it? I'm thinking I
    > might stay in Amsterdam. Question is, what would I do, or more to the point. What
    > is there to do?
    >
No, the questions is, what would you like to do? Get drunk, stoned, serviced by
one of the professional ladies? Or are you more interested in seeing the town,
catching a museum?

    > Also have another weekend on the back-end. Where would you spend it? I'm thinking I
    > would/could stay in Berlin or take a very slow country drive back to Amsterdam.
Personally I don't find Berlin that attractive. Id' say plan a route along some towns
that weren't bombed to pieces in the war.

    >
    > Just looking for ideas. Thanks if you have any practical experience.
    >
Live just outside amsterdam, does that count?

    > Also, any Hotel recommendations?
    >
there's a few big chain hotels in the area near the rai. Convenient for parking and
with public transport you're in the centre in 15 minutes at most.

There's the Ibis on the Stationsplein, walking distance of most tourists spots and a
car park nearby.

    > Integrity is like virginity. Once you loss it, you are screwed and can never get
    > it back.
Yeah, yeah, sure! Just use a .sig seperator next time.

--
Met vriendelijke groeten/Best regards Jeroen Wijnands http://www.xs4all.nl/~wijnands
http://spam.pagina.nl
--
The bigger the theory the better.

There are many places with many things to do within a short drive of Amsterdam or
Berlin. You need to be more specific.

Asking "What is there to do in Amsterdam?" has answers that can and do fill books. It
is a place where you can immerse yourself in different cultural (old and new) things
day and night. But.. you need to be more specific. If you have no interest in art,
then it makes no sense for people to start recommending the Van Gogh museum. If you
are a bit prudish, then it makes no sense to make recommendations to see that Banana
place. (No, I didn't go there, but I did see magnets)

Jens Arne Maennig <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > He's kidding. Oktoberfest is far south in Munich,

THE Oktoberfest may well be Munich's, but many other towns also hold them. Would
certainly check if Berlin's is on then - if so, stay there! Would have thought your
TA could have got you rather closer than Amsterdam though, and I don't understand
why not still into Berlin ...... On the other hand, I'd always recommend Amsterdam
for a break!

Surreyman

On Tue, 23 Jul 2002 14:02:47 GMT, mrtravel <[email protected]> let us in on
their opinion by saying:

    >There are many places with many things to do within a short drive of Amsterdam or
    >Berlin. You need to be more specific.
    >
    >Asking "What is there to do in Amsterdam?" has answers that can and do fill books.
    >It is a place where you can immerse yourself in different cultural (old and new)
    >things day and night. But.. you need to be more specific. If you have no interest in
    >art, then it makes no sense for people to start recommending the Van Gogh museum. If
    >you are a bit prudish, then it makes no sense to make recommendations to see that
    >Banana place. (No, I didn't go there, but I did see magnets)
    >
I was trying to ask "what to do" I was looking for suggestions based on what others
like to do. I'm pretty much up for anything. Is there any "must do's" I.E. as in "You
went to Amsterdam and didn't do ___!"

TIA

--

Integrity is like virginity. Once you loss it, you are screwed and can never
get it back.

ZombyWoof

On Tue, 23 Jul 2002 15:53:56 +0200, "J. Wijnands" <[email protected]> let us in on
their opinion by saying:

    >On Tue, 23 Jul 2002, ZombyWoof wrote:
    >
    >> I have to go to Europe the end of September on business. 9/19 - 9/30 to be exact.
    >> I will be flying into Amsterdam & picking up a rental car to drive to Berlin were
    >> I will be on business for a week. Because of Octoberfest this is the lest
    >> expensive way to get there. Or so says my corporate T/A.
    >>
    >Eh? Serious? That's quite a drive man, better hope your T/A got you a decent rental.
    >
Well according to the driving directions, it's only about six hours. For an American
that's an afternoon drive. I might forego the drive & take the train. But it is awful
expensive, there will be two of us. The costs of two R/T rail tickets exceeds the
cost of the rental.

    >> With a weekend to kill on the front-end. Where would you spend it? I'm thinking I
    >> might stay in Amsterdam. Question is, what would I do, or more to the point. What
    >> is there to do?
    >>
    >No, the questions is, what would you like to do? Get drunk, stoned, serviced by one
    >of the professional ladies? Or are you more interested in seeing the town, catching
    >a museum?
    >
No I want to know what others do. What the must do's are. Hookers hold no appeal to
me. Don't mind rubber-necking them though. I do drink, enjoy jazz. Wish I could smoke
but am subject to random drug screens at work. To good of a job to loss over a buzz.
I think I would enjoy seeing the town. I like architecture. I also love to eat.

    >> Also have another weekend on the back-end. Where would you spend it? I'm thinking
    >> I would/could stay in Berlin or take a very slow country drive back to Amsterdam.

    >Personally I don't find Berlin that attractive. Id' say plan a route along some
    >towns that weren't bombed to pieces in the war.
    >
I have to stay in Berlin for a week because I am going on business not holiday.

    >>
    >> Just looking for ideas. Thanks if you have any practical experience.
    >>
    >Live just outside amsterdam, does that count?
    >
Want a job as a tour guide for a weekend? All food & drinks included.
    

    >> Also, any Hotel recommendations?
    >>
    >there's a few big chain hotels in the area near the rai. Convenient for parking and
    >with public transport you're in the centre in 15 minutes at most.
    >
    >There's the Ibis on the Stationsplein, walking distance of most tourists spots and a
    >car park nearby.
    >
    >> Integrity is like virginity. Once you loss it, you are screwed and can never get
    >> it back.
    >Yeah, yeah, sure! Just use a .sig seperator next time.
    >
Of all the .sigs I got, it figures that one does not have one.

On a side note. I happen to be a CIO and am visiting Germany to work with Siemens on
a project for automated solid waste management. The software system is installed for
and in use by the cities of Berlin & Munich.

P.S. Does every one in Amsterdam write English at or around your level?

--

Integrity is like virginity. Once you loss it, you are screwed and can never
get it back.

ZombyWoof

On Tue, 23 Jul 2002 15:53:06 +0200, Jens Arne Maennig <[email protected]> let us
in on their opinion by saying:

    >ZombyWoof wrote:
    >
    >>I have to go to Europe the end of September on business. 9/19 - 9/30 to be exact. I
    >>will be flying into Amsterdam & picking up a rental car to drive to Berlin were I
    >>will be on business for a week. Because of Octoberfest this is the lest expensive
    >>way to get there. Or so says my corporate T/A.
    >
    >He's kidding. Oktoberfest is far south in Munich, 850 kms/528 mls from Amsterdam
    >and 600 kms/373 mls from Berlin, so it will not block any of the AMS-TXL/SXF/THF
    >(don't know to which one they go these days from AMS) connections. If he doesn't
    >want to get you a flight to Berlin, he must have other reasons. Get yourself
    >another travel agent.
    >
    >Jens
    >
I'm not kidding, check Airfare into any major gateway city in Germany from Virginia.
The next cheapest city to get us into Europe was Amsterdam. My agent is deficient in
her abilities. I've also double checked the rates using on-line booking engines.

But of course this wasn't the question I was asking now was it?

I am the one who "WANTS" to be in Amsterdam to relax after my flight & before I start
my business week. A six hour drive is no big deal for an American.

That being said; is there any recommendations on must see things while there. This
includes places to stay and eat. Not really into hookers & getting stoned. I 47, been
there done that. Don't mind watching others though. I will probably check out a
coffeehouse or two for the ambiance.

--

Integrity is like virginity. Once you loss it, you are screwed and can never
get it back.

ZombyWoof

On Tue, 23 Jul 2002 16:08:55 +0100, "a.spencer3"
<[email protected]> let us in on their opinion by saying:

    >
    >Jens Arne Maennig <[email protected]> wrote in message
    >news:[email protected]...
    >> He's kidding. Oktoberfest is far south in Munich,
    >
    >THE Oktoberfest may well be Munich's, but many other towns also hold them. Would
    >certainly check if Berlin's is on then - if so, stay there! Would have thought your
    >TA could have got you rather closer than Amsterdam though, and I don't understand
    >why not still into Berlin ...... On the other hand, I'd always recommend Amsterdam
    >for a break!
    >
    >Surreyman
    >
The difference in airfare into Germany in our required time frame is almost $500 pp
greater the Amsterdam. Since we are going in a little early to relax, I was the one
who decided to go through Amsterdam because I've always wanted to visit. No
deficiencies on my T/A's part.

--

Integrity is like virginity. Once you loss it, you are screwed and can never
get it back.

ZombyWoof

a.spencer3 wrote:
    >Jens Arne Maennig <[email protected]> wrote:

    >> He's kidding. Oktoberfest is far south in Munich,
    >
    >THE Oktoberfest may well be Munich's, but many other towns also hold them. Would
    >certainly check if Berlin's is on then - if so, stay there!

Berlin's biggest "Oktoberfest" is being organized by the "Bavarian embassy"
(Landesvertretung) in Berlin, has about 3.000 visitors (on invitation only) and lasts
one evening. Not exactly the kind of event that is influencing the traffic of the
tree Berlin airports with a total capacity of 5.700 passengers an hour too
dramatically.

Jens

Yeah sounds like you're ripping off your company Zomby, did you get your unnecessary trip to Amsterdam, weekend hotel, car rental and waste of 2 days travelling down to Berlin, approved on the basis of an Oktoberfest blocking flights into Berlin?! Nice cheek! Did you already know the boss was thick as two short planks when you asked?! I admire your bravado. Nearest I ever got was a free airticket for a scuba diving trip in Australia but the round the world ticket in coach my company bought me was USD3000 cheaper than return business to LA and I did get my boss's approval first on the basis of the cost savings.

Nice one.

ZombyWoof <Bit Bucket> wrote:
    > "J. Wijnands" <[email protected]> let us in on their opinion by saying:
    >> No, the questions is, what would you like to do? Get drunk, stoned, serviced by
    >> one of the professional ladies? Or are you more interested in seeing the town,
    >> catching a museum?
    >
    > No I want to know what others do. What the must do's are. Hookers hold no appeal
    > to me. Don't mind rubber-necking them though. I do drink, enjoy jazz. Wish I
    > could smoke but am subject to random drug screens at work. To good of a job to
    > loss over a buzz. I think I would enjoy seeing the town. I like architecture. I
    > also love to eat.

Amsterdam is a captivating city to wander around in. The maze of canals and bridges,
combined with the old buildings punctuated by occasional sparks of ultra-modernity,
make for great aimless discovery.

As for neighborhoods, make sure to check out the Jordaan, just west of centraal
station, which has some of the best canal-facing houses. Walk along Harlemmerstraat
to Harlemmerplein (open square with ugly sculpture) enjoying the shops and shoppers,
and then come back one block south along the canal.

I wouldn't say it's a top-10 eating city, but there are some interesting cuisines to
be found. Indonesian, Surinaamse, and Turkish are the best of them.

If you're there on a Saturday or Sunday, you might consider taking the train to
Beverwijk (about 20 minutes) and checking out the middle eastern pavilion at the
weekly Zwarte Markt (black market). It's about a 15-minute walk from the station;
follow the signs and crowds or just ask anyone. The middle eastern hall is a giant
building housing a bazaar of Turkish, Moroccan, Syrian, Egyptian, and other middle
eastern hawkers. They sell spices, music, clothes, and some really good food
(restaurant-style as well as Turkish bread, etc., for takeaway). The smells and
sounds in the air will take you far from Europe.

    > P.S. Does every one in Amsterdam write English at or around your level?

You'll find it correlates strongly to age. English-language education became a really
big thing after WWII, so people schooled in that time (through the present) have the
best mastery. Plenty of people in their 20s and 30s have so adeptly conquered idiom
and dialect that you'd be hard-pressed to imagine them not growing up in an
English-speaking country.

Outside of the big cities the quality of English is not so universally perfect but
most people still speak it very well.

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu New mini
photo-feature: Life in DC: http://travel.u.nu/dc/

ZombyWoof schrieb:
    >
    > On Tue, 23 Jul 2002 15:53:56 +0200, "J. Wijnands" <[email protected]> let us in on
    > their opinion by saying:
    >
    > >On Tue, 23 Jul 2002, ZombyWoof wrote:
    > >
    > >> I have to go to Europe the end of September on business. 9/19 - 9/30 to be
    > >> exact. I will be flying into Amsterdam & picking up a rental car to drive to
    > >> Berlin were I will be on business for a week. Because of Octoberfest this is the
    > >> lest expensive way to get there. Or so says my corporate T/A.
    > >>
    > >Eh? Serious? That's quite a drive man, better hope your T/A got you a decent
    > >rental.
    > >
    > Well according to the driving directions, it's only about six hours. For an
    > American that's an afternoon drive. I might forego the drive & take the train. But
    > it is awful expensive, there will be two of us. The costs of two R/T rail tickets
    > exceeds the cost of the rental.

I do not believe anyone can drive from Amsterdam to Berlin in 6 hours. You are
driving half the way through the most densely populated area of Europe with massive
traffic jams most days. I've had days where it took me 3 hours to get from Amsterdam
to the German border. Tom

    >
    > >> With a weekend to kill on the front-end. Where would you spend it? I'm thinking
    > >> I might stay in Amsterdam. Question is, what would I do, or more to the point.
    > >> What is there to do?
    > >>
    > >No, the questions is, what would you like to do? Get drunk, stoned, serviced by
    > >one of the professional ladies? Or are you more interested in seeing the town,
    > >catching a museum?
    > >
    > No I want to know what others do. What the must do's are. Hookers hold no appeal
    > to me. Don't mind rubber-necking them though. I do drink, enjoy jazz. Wish I
    > could smoke but am subject to random drug screens at work. To good of a job to
    > loss over a buzz. I think I would enjoy seeing the town. I like architecture. I
    > also love to eat.
    >
    > >> Also have another weekend on the back-end. Where would you spend it? I'm
    > >> thinking I would/could stay in Berlin or take a very slow country drive back to
    > >> Amsterdam.
    >
    > >Personally I don't find Berlin that attractive. Id' say plan a route along some
    > >towns that weren't bombed to pieces in the war.
    > >
    > I have to stay in Berlin for a week because I am going on business not holiday.
    >
    > >>
    > >> Just looking for ideas. Thanks if you have any practical experience.
    > >>
    > >Live just outside amsterdam, does that count?
    > >
    > Want a job as a tour guide for a weekend? All food & drinks included.
    >
    >
    > >> Also, any Hotel recommendations?
    > >>
    > >there's a few big chain hotels in the area near the rai. Convenient for parking
    > >and with public transport you're in the centre in 15 minutes at most.
    > >
    > >There's the Ibis on the Stationsplein, walking distance of most tourists spots and
    > >a car park nearby.
    > >
    > >> Integrity is like virginity. Once you loss it, you are screwed and can never get
    > >> it back.
    > >Yeah, yeah, sure! Just use a .sig seperator next time.
    > >
    > Of all the .sigs I got, it figures that one does not have one.
    >
    > On a side note. I happen to be a CIO and am visiting Germany to work with Siemens
    > on a project for automated solid waste management. The software system is installed
    > for and in use by the cities of Berlin & Munich.
    >
    > P.S. Does every one in Amsterdam write English at or around your level?
    >
    > --
    >
    > Integrity is like virginity. Once you loss it, you are screwed and can never get
    > it back.
    >
    > ZombyWoof

--
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real address.

To reply, please be sure to mail "tandp at freenet dot de"

Yes, go and spend a weekend in Amsterdam and make a trip in a canalboat, see the red
light district, got to a coffee shop!!!

in artikel [email protected] schreef ZombyWoof op
[email protected] op 23-07-2002 14:35:

    > I have to go to Europe the end of September on business. 9/19 - 9/30 to be exact. I
    > will be flying into Amsterdam & picking up a rental car to drive to Berlin were I
    > will be on business for a week. Because of Octoberfest this is the lest expensive
    > way to get there. Or so says my corporate T/A.
    >
    > With a weekend to kill on the front-end. Where would you spend it? I'm thinking I
    > might stay in Amsterdam. Question is, what would I do, or more to the point. What
    > is there to do?
    >
    > Also have another weekend on the back-end. Where would you spend it? I'm thinking I
    > would/could stay in Berlin or take a very slow country drive back to Amsterdam.
    >
    > Just looking for ideas. Thanks if you have any practical experience.
    >
    > Also, any Hotel recommendations?
    >
    >
    > Integrity is like virginity. Once you loss it, you are screwed and can never get
    > it back.
    >
    > ZombyWoof

newstartnz schrieb:

    >Yeah sounds like you're ripping off your company Zomby,

Nope, Siemens is paying. They want him to buy this overpriced garbage processing
thing, so they have to bribe him a bit. Siemens is just fiering som ten thhousand
people in Germany, so they are having the funds available.

Jens