Faina needs a push... to Amsterdam!
 

Hello, guys, I am thinking of going in April... and have no clue about local religious holidays. I know the Queen day is April 30 and read that report.

My question is about Easter. Different brunches of Christianity celebrate it on different days, is this correct? When is it in the Netherlands? I'll plan around it.

Also better check the Muslim holidays too.

The Dutch would celebrate Easter based on the Roman calendar. In other words, it would be on the same day as the Roman Catholic Church.

The Orthodox churches calculate Easter on a slightly different method, based on full moons and passover. If usually falls a week or two after the Roman date for Easter.

The Dutch are often Protestants who celebrate Easter based on the same calendar as the Roman Catholics.

Grazie, any others I've missed, LOL

Easter is Sunday April 17 and the following day is Easter Monday - which is a national holiday. I've been in France and Italy on both of those days and the only difference was that the train schedules are different on National Holidays. If you are there during that time, don't worry, neither day will interfer with your stay, unless you are taking a train on Monday. I know for sure that the train thing is all France, and I am assuming that it is the same in the Netherland.

Aside from Anne Frank House (which I know that you will visit) - try to see the Portugese Synagogue - like no other synagogue I've seen. It's entirely lit by thousands of candles. I saw it during the day, and I don't know if they still have services, especially at night.

Also, as I'm sure you already know, Passover starts April 3rd, but that shouldn't effect the entire country or the train schedules :-))

Nina

Easter Sunday is on the 8th April; Good Friday (7th) and Easter Monday (9th) may also be public holidays. You need to check the individual sites to confirm if they are open over Easter.

Nina, I'm sure you just looked a wrong calendar as Easter is Sunday April 8th for the Roman Catholic church and not Tuesday April 17th.

Oh, thank you guys! I was thinking of leaving after Passover, the last day is April 10 this year.

Woo-hooo, first time absolutely on my own in Europe, I'm feeling wild already :))

Nina, thank you, I'll need all advices I can get!

Saps ..... sorry about that, I was looking in my date book which has 2006 and 2007 dates, and even then I got it wrong.

Hey, what does someone who recommends seeing the Portugese Synagogue know about Easter???

Faina .... any chance that you will have the time to hop the train for a few days in Paris? I know that you have mentioned that you wanted to go there?

Amsterdam is a beautiful city and you will find so many things to see. do, and eat there. Just remember - no photographs of the ladies in the windows - you can loose your camera over that :-))

If any holidays do interfer with your stay, just go to a Coffee Shop and forget about them - just don't forget to come home and write a trip report.

Nina

Faina, in the second paragraph of your initial post, you asked about "different _brunches_ of Christianity ..." Are you going there to eat or to sightsee? How many brunches can you go to in one day??? Are Christian brunches different than non-Christian brunches :-))

I'm the pot calling the kettle black - cause I'm the Original Typo Queen.

Nina

I've heard of the Last Supper, but I was a little confused by the Brunches of Christianity. Darn, I must have missed learning about that in Sunday School. :-))

OK PM, now THAT was funny!

Well, I'm sure any decent brunch of Christianity must have some loaves and fishes. Is that the same as bagels and lox?

I think it would be more like rye bread and gefilte fish. It's tough to share a bagel with a crowd.

Nina

On second thought ... it would probably be a loaf of challah.

Nina

Faina, consider yourself pushed! :)

Any brunches of Judaism would have, not only the loaves (rye, challah, pumpernickel) and fishes (lox, gefilte, smoked salmon) but the rest of the supermarket as well.

Everybody is a stand-up comic, congratulations! >:-)

I came in with an olive brunch, and you're tossing bagels at me? O:)

Thank you for information, though.

Got verbal approval from the manager. The next step will be to check out the logistics of staying in 2-3 places, not just Amsterdam. Research is so time consuming!

ready2travel - you can be my brunch planner any time ... more is always better.

Faina - great news. Poor thing, you will just have to force yourself to do the research - as if you are not up to the task... :-))

Nina

And, Nina, I'm sure it was not me who wanted to go to Paris. It will be less crowded without me :)

I wonder if anybody ever stays in the smaller towns of Netherland or they are doable as a day trip out of Amsterdam?

Or should I consider Belguim?

Hi Faina, congratulations! This will be a fun trip for you to plan.

You know that the train station at the Amsterdam Airport is right downstairs in the Airport right? It will take you right into Amsterdam in something like 20 minutes. You will have fun dear one.

Faina -- I think some people like to stay in Haarlem as a quieter alternative. So I've read... What do I know? I'm taking my first trip to Amsterdam on Friday!

Or for something truly different:

http://www.supperclub.nl/

:D

No Mr. Again in Amsterdam?

You're feeling wild already?

Well listen up missy...just make sure you don't stay in the Red Light District!! ;)
:D

I am so green with envy! Loved Amsterdam...loved Den Haag (was there for North Sea)...lost all my pictures...even the ones of Madurodam. :(

I thought that you had mentioned a while back that you had hoped to go to Paris ....GOT SOMETHING AGAINST PARIS???? :-))

If you do decide to go to Belgium, IMO, I would suggest Brugge. It small enough to be do-able in a few days and is one of our favorite little cities.

It is about an hour from Brussels. It is like a fairytale city, canals, swans, wonderful buildings, nice reasonably priced hotels, and good restaurants.

Personally, I would rather stay in the city that I am visiting. I know a lot of people stay in small towns nearby and take the train, REH etc.. in to the city each day ie: Venice/ Mestre, Amsterdam -I forgot where they stay, but it is a short commute. I think they do it because hotels are cheaper and the areas are usually quieter. IMHO I think that the expense of the daily commute and the hassle of not being able to drop by your hotel for a rest or change of clothes isn't worth it.

Faina .... we'll do lunch at the Mona Lisa and talk girl to girl!

Nina

Nina, no! With me it won't be a "girl to girl" It will be complaining mother to mother ;)

Oh, Jayne, I'll be anxiously waiting for your report!

Flyboy was this the highlight of your trip? :-p

JaGirl, you know the rules: never take on a trip what you can't afford to lose. This is why Mr Again stays at home ;)

I am concidering Brugge and Haarlem already. As soon as I know how many days... Am I losing or gaining a day going there LOL

Hi Faina - we had dinner in haarlem [not brunch] and liked the p[alce a lot. the atmosphere was like we imagine amsterdam was 100 years ago.
as you are travelling alone, you might like the idea of a cycling holday. I can't remember the name of any particular company, but I was surfing some time ago and there are a number that do that sort of thing; you cycle during the day, and meet up with the barge at night.
Good luck!
PS I just googled " cycling in Holland" and got quite a lot of different companies who do that sort of thing.

Faina - OK 'complaining mother to mother' it is .... Maybe LoveItaly will join us for a real mini GTG. I come with references too:-))

By the way, I didn't mean to insult Harlem with a possible reference to it as merely a bedroom stop. I haven't been te myself, only to A'dam, but have heard nice things about it from friends.

Nina

I'm still trying to figure out how many days I have... you know, flying to Europe losing one day and coming back gaining one... all these time changes are confusing :))

I've heard of Haarlem first searching Elderhostel, they stay there. I may take a day trip.

And if anybody wants to drop a line, it's [email protected]

Flying from the USA to Europe usually is an overnighter. Departing in the evening you arrive the next day. Coming back you usually arrive a few clock hours after you leave Europe.

I am an advocate of staying in Haarlem for visiting Amsterdam. Of course I am prejudiced because I used to live in Haarlem.

From Schiphol Plaza at the airport take bus #300 direct to the Haarlem train station. For this bus you use eight strips from a Nationale Strippenkaart. Buy a 15 strip card from the tourist office in Schiphol for euro 6.70. The strips are valid on buses and trams throughout Holland.

There are a half dozen trains hourly both ways between Haarlem and Amsterdam for visiting the big city. Be careful of "helpful" people in Amsterdam Centraal Station. It is a den of pickpockets.

Not only Easter Monday but also Good Friday is a holiday in NL.

In 2007 both western and Orthodox Easter fall on April 8.

I recommend Queen's Day in Amsterdam at the Spui. I park myself in front of the Hoppe when I am there and I am shooting for a repeat in 2007.

The annual flower parade takes place on April 21. It ends in Haarlem and the floats are on display the following day, Sunday, near the V+D department store. This is a small small version of the Rose Parade but very well done.

Here is another recent Fodor's thread that should be of interest.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34860744

Faina, search for RufusTFirefly's (unfinished?) report on his trip to Benelux this past summer. Lots of good ideas; I bookmarked it for future reference as in the next year or 2 I hope to go to Brugge, Amsterdam and...?

I'm jealous!

Here is the link to Rufus's report. Aside from being an utterly charming writer, he appears to have the inside track on moderately priced, charming accommodations.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34831310

Thank you, guys, I printed all reports mentioned here and found by a search, now I have my "bedtime stories" to read for a loooong, looong time :))

I will fly in and out of Amsterdam, 12 days 11 nights, the rest is TBD.

RUFUS: where is Amsterdam report? I'll be watching you :)

I wonder if coffeeshops are open on Christmas Day? Or are they like pharmacies - deemed to be essential that some are open all the time?

Well, I am still on vacation but spent five nights in Amsterdam (Sept. 30 through Oct.5). Loved it! I would stay there and take side trips because it's such a neat place and so easy to get around, whether you want to walk, or take the trams. As far as biking, it's a serious mode of transportation in Amsterdam and I'd sure want to practice up on my riding skills before hitting the streets. We walked almost everywhere just because it's so enjoyable.

We stayed at Hotel Keizerhoff, which was very nice and kind of like staying with some Dutch relatives. The only drawbacks were the corkscrew staircase and no Internet.

Amsterdam is a very clean city and we felt safe although we did take precautions to avoid attracting pickpockets.

We did take a side trip to Den Haag and also to Haarlem, which were both nice. Stopped in Delft to see the pottery factory, too.

I think you will love Amsterdam! More after I get home if you are interested.