monique

Leaving on Saturday and starting to get excited!!! Please send me any suggestions that you have, especially on the following:<BR><BR>Bike Tours (Amsterdam and Bruges)<BR>I'm afraid it's too early in the season for bike tours in Amsterdam; was thinking about trying Mike's Bike Tours (read mixed reviews, though), but not sure they're open. Also thinking about the Quasimundo bike tours in Bruges. Would like the take the Quasimodo day trip to Flanders Field, but it's $$, plus we are only in Bruges 1.5 days (2 nights). Or should we just rent bikes and make our own plan? We don't have bikes at home, so I'm a little worried about the traffic and everything!<BR><BR>Canal/Seine Tours<BR>Are the canal tours pretty much all the same, or are some better than others?<BR><BR>Museum Pass<BR>Does anyone know about Amsterdam's museum pass and what it includes? Is it a good value?<BR><BR>Food<BR>Any suggestions for places to eat that offer the best 'bang for your buck?' Want to try local specialties, casual not fancy!

JMM

Food:<BR>In Belgium look for a Friture - casual restaurant that serves fries with chicken,fries with mussels, fries with carbonades flamandes. You get the picture -fries + something. Pretty cheap and very filling and tasty but not for those worried about cholesterol. <BR>Also look for take away sandwich shops -<BR>Broodjes (sp ?)Shrimp and mayo,croque monsier,croque madam,ardennes ham,steak tartare <BR>Also look for Fritecotes - french fry wagons.<BR>Bikes etc - not a cyclist myself but 2 things I can say.<BR>Most highways have cycle paths beside them and the streets of medaeval towns are VERY narrow.

gsgal

in Amsterdam, you should try to sit down for Indonesian cuisine. it's excellent, the best meal i've ever had. <BR><BR>also, in Amsterdam, there's a huge outdoor &quot;flea market&quot; of sorts. they have GREAT treasures, wonderful clothes, trinkets, etc., I can't remember the name of it for the life of me, but i would HIGHLY recommend it. I think you take Tram 2 toward Waterloo. but, i may be way off on that one... someone chime in on that... <BR><BR>Brugges is an amazing city. go to the town center and climb the clock tower, if you time it right, you can be inside when the clock strikes. its pretty amazing. take a sit down lunch at any of the restaurants around the town square, walk along the Canals. <BR><BR>

jane00

Hey Monique,<BR>I'm leaving for Brussels,Brugges, and Amsterdam Saturday also and think it will be great. I've heard the Thai food in Brussels beats that even in Bangkok. We will try that. Not sure if we will bike, but maybe. I have heard about the flea market in Amsterdam and will try to go there also. Have a great time.

Patrick

I've given this advice so often I feel like a broken record. But the most wonderful day ever in Europe was the day we rented bikes in Brugge and rode out on our own to the north following the Damme Canal, stopping in the little medieval town of Damme, looping off the route to drive through tiny farm towns, looping along the Krinkeldyke, and stopping for lunch at the wonderful but busy roadhouse called Siphon, sitting in the middle of nowhere by the canal. You can spend all day if you wish and go all the way to the Dutch border and return to Brugge. I can't imagine any group bike tour being better than that day. In fact we did it all over again with friends this past summer.

Travelnut

The Amsterdam flea market is at Waterlooplein. I didn't see anything special there, mostly 'ethnic' tacky stuff, rather than decent seconds, IMO. Maybe I need to give it another go...

jenviolin

You can rent a bike yourself (take the extra insurance!) but do be careful in Amsterdam. You might want to try biking in a smaller town (bike rentals at most train stations).<BR><BR>The most-used museum pass is good for nearly every museum in the Netherlands and is worth it if you are visiting at least 6 museums. There may be a slight surcharge for some special exhibits, maybe at the Van Gogh museum now for 'Vincent's Choice'. If you are not going to visit 6 then it may not be worth it. The pass is called the Museumjaarkaart (Museum year pass) and abbreviated MJK; you will see the abbreviation posted by the admission prices if they accept the card (most do). Enjoy!

monique

Thank you so much for the suggestions!! I'd love to hear more about Indonesian cuisine; I've never tried it, and I'm a bit of a picky eater. But as long as it's not too spicy, how can I not like rice? I've read about the rice table in my guidebook.<BR><BR>