shannon

Trying to plan a 9 day trip next September 18-28 (arriving the 19th, returning the 28th).<BR><BR>I know I should be spending more time at each place but this is a good highlight trip and IF we like a certain place a lot we will plan a future trip to explore better....so putting that out there---<BR>Friday-travel to Brussels from either Frankfurt or Amsterdam depending on frequent flyer flights/availability.<BR>Saturday Brussels<BR>Sunday Amsterdam<BR>Monday Luxembourg<BR>Tuesday Bruges<BR>Wednesday Paris<BR>Thursday Versailles/Paris<BR>Friday Cologne<BR>Saturday Dusseldorf<BR>Sunday--leave for home<BR><BR>Are there potential major sites in those towns that are closed those days? For example I think I read that the palace at Versailles is closed on Mondays. <BR><BR>Thanks!

sss

Don't forget that on your one day in Amsterdam you should do a day-trip to Delft and Rotterdam.<BR><BR>Also, I've heard Luxembourg is so small that you probably only need 3 hours there tops. Do you really need to spend the night?

Grasshopper

&quot;For your one day in Amsterdam you should try to do a day trip&quot;? If you're only there one day there are more than enough things to do in Amsterdam to keep you busy!<BR><BR>Shannon, this is WAY too much travelling and not enough visiting. Cut it down to 3 places MAX, preferrably 2.

HelpfulHarry

Bad, bad idea! Assuming you aren't a troll you will be spending the vast majority of your trip traveling to the next place on your checklist, packing/unpacking &amp; checking in...all of which can take a lot longer than you probably realise when you are in an unfamiliar environment. Slo-o-ow down &amp; actually experience Europe, not glance at it through the window of your car as you rush by!!

Rex

I don't want to sound like a smart aleck, shannon - - but have you used the traditional old approach of pins and strings on a map? You are jumping all over the place.<BR><BR>Or tell us more about the rationale of why you have these destinations in this order?<BR><BR>I think that the header of this question barely has anything to do with what you need/want to know.<BR><BR>The real question is, how will you have gathered any information on how/whether you like any of these places if you spend one-third of all your waking hours in a train, car or plane?<BR><BR>You could make a decent (but still whirlwind) &quot;sampler&quot; trip out of this by deleting at least two of your destinations - - and Brussels and Luxembourg are two of the more obvious candiadtes to remove. Then try stringing them together without criss-crossing so much.<BR><BR>Tell &quot;us&quot; more about why the start and finish points are where you have chosen them, and maybe we can help.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex

JohnL

You won't even be able to catch the &quot;highlights&quot; with a schedule like this. You will spend all of your time traveling and not enjoying where you are. Cut out about half of the destinations and you'll be fine. Figure out where you'll be on Sunday then check musuem listings, etc. to see if they are closed.

pedro

maybe he/she is a backpacker and plans to travel during the night.

xxx

No, pedro, that wouldn't make sense either. These places are too close to make overnight rtain travel an options. But too far away to avoid the problem of spending all their good sightseeing time getting to the train station, riding on the train and getting from the train station to their hotel.<BR><BR>It's just flat out a bad plan.<BR>

shannon

Trying to make this trip affordable.<BR><BR>Using Hotel Points and Frequent Flyer miles. Husband has to be at work on Monday the 29th in Dusseldorf. Sunday the 28th is our 1 year anniversary.<BR><BR>IN order to maximize hotel points you need to stay in 1 place for several nights. Paris Hilton runs 30-35kpts/night...put that in perspective to the Brussels Hilton City at 10,000pts/night. ALL I want is a clean hotel room with private bath. Don't need anything fancy. <BR><BR>SO theory was this---stay in Brussels--2-3 hours train ride from most of the major cities we are interested in. I know most of the people on this board LOVE Paris but it is last on my list next to London for places to visit in this world. <BR><BR>Get up in the morning, take the train to that day's destination arriving around 10-11. Spend the rest of the day and evening....get back on the train around 8-9...back to bed by 11-12. Sleep, get up, repeat.<BR><BR>My husband is not one to look at every old bldg, cathedral, museum etc. He isn't into art or sitting around sipping coffee. He doesn't like sitting around much PERIOD unless he is watching ESPN or some sport. SO we have to keep it moving or he is bored/uninterested. WE are not morning people so even if we stayed in the same city we are sightseeing in ....we wouldn't leave the hotel until after 10-11am. This forces us to get up and get moving.<BR><BR>We can get SelectPassSaver tickets for 8 days for $400 bucks each. Airfare is paid for, hotels are mostly paid for with the exception of those little fees here and there and whether or not they charge for electricity.<BR><BR>We don't need fabulous gourmet meals... because I married the pickiest eater in the world-- so we are not there for culinary delights or spending several hours dining each meal every day. <BR><BR>I worked it out where I arrive in Brussels and spend the night Friday night. Stay 5 nights, 6th night spend the night in Paris and spend the next day in the Paris area as well, late that night take the train to Dusseldorf/Cologne depending upon which city we decide to stay. Stay 2 nights and then I fly home and husband stays for work in Dusseldorf.<BR><BR>I don't need to see the Latin Quarter. I don't need to ride thru the fields outside of Amsterdam. <BR><BR>I would like to check out the Anne Frank museum, see the red light district, the canals....<BR><BR>as far as Paris goes--show me Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower, the Seine, Palace at Versailles, possibly the Louvre if I can talk the hubby into it.....<BR><BR>The travel day to/from Bruges is pretty light. No major travel between Dusseldorf/Cologne. <BR><BR>We can nap on the trains. <BR><BR>We just spent 2 weeks in Australia and had many full/long busy days and got a lot of stuff in....We weren't exhausted. The worst part was flying back and the time adjustment. <BR><BR>SO there is NO packing unpacking every single night. WE pay NOTHING for our lodging, nothing for airfare. Just need train $, entrance fees, food, shopping. <BR><BR>Now does it make sense? <BR><BR>

sorryforyou

What I understand now is that you should leave your picky eater, doesn't like to this and that husband at home. What do YOU like to do. Have you ever even given thought to your own likes and dislikes. Sounds as if every minute is planned around him. What a great bore.

HelpfulHarry

Sorry Shannon but I still think its not a great idea that makes much sense - I personally can't fathom while anyone would want to voluntarily spend several hours on a train EVERY day AND night on their holiday.

brownie

Hi Shannon, <BR><BR>Hmm.. given your reasons - I think you've got your trip worked out.<BR><BR>While in Cologne, don't forget the Chocolate museum. I'm actually not sure if it's open on Sunday. But on Sundays most shops are closed except in very touristy areas so watch out if you're wanting to walk and get the feel of the place.<BR><BR>I wouldn't worry about the Louvre. You need a complete day to even make a dent in the percentage of what's to see. But don't forget St. Chappelle. I really liked it. <BR><BR>-brownie

shannon

I will take my picky eater any day over lying, cheating, ignorant, skirt- chasing, snobby, financially irresponsible, abusive, lazy, guys with temper problems, mentally unbalanced, bad work ethics, .....IF that is his WORST quality I think I am doing pretty well!<BR><BR>There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with enjoying a fast-paced trip. <BR><BR>What do I like to do?....see new things, look at beautiful/interesting buildings and landscapes, shopping, friends, play with my dogs.....<BR><BR><BR><BR>

t

t

Youknow

Shannon,<BR>Sounds like you know what you want and how you like to do it! You are absolutely right! You CAN always return. As far as everything being closed on Sundays, the answer it yes, with the exception of tourist things. However, Amsterdam probably won't fit this mold, being a larger city and in a more 'liberal' country. I have found that many museums are closed on Monday, however.<BR>have fun and ignore the comments on your hubby. YOU have your priorities straight!

bob

Great reply Shannon. Frankly, I'm sick of hearing that if you don't spend a week in one place you are not experiencing it. There is nothing wrong with seeing what you want, enjoying it and always having the option of visiting again later.

Sam

Many of the museums in Amsterdam are open on Sunday, including the Anne Frank House (which I visited on a Sunday).<BR><BR>Fast paced travel is ok if you realize that you actually want to do this. If you have to look for a hotel then this cuts into touring time. I think that at least 2 days (which works out to 1 to 1.5 days of touring) for each city is far more enjoyable than 1 day per city. Do what is right for you.

jenviolin

Shannon, I suggest you at least skip Luxembourg. The rest of the trip is not too crazy, in my opinion, considering you seem to know what you are getting into. Instead of Luxembourg you might want to go to the Belgian Ardennes mountains, maybe Durbuy, and spend a day kayking on the Ourthe or mountain biking - there are several'adventure' companies who will organize this for you.<BR><BR>The museums in Amsterdam are open on Sundays. Leave your husband somewhere and see them on your own, at least. And Shannon, have you looked into sports events during your trip? You might have a great time together at a soccer (football), skating, basketball or men's field hockey game!

Milo

It appears to me as though the author of this post wanted to merely ask a few questions about what is open and what is not open during her trip, not to be critiqued on where she goes and the amount of time she spends at each selected destination. <BR><BR>The additional personal attacks on her and her husband is downright uncalled for.<BR><BR>&quot;Shannon,&quot; do what you want how you want to do it. I think your itinerary is a full one and you will allow yourself to see all you want to see at the pace you want to see it in. It sounds like the perfect vacation and it is in a manner in which I prefer to travel as well.<BR><BR>Perhaps going forward you should look at a more destination-driven website as opposed to one where people are more interested in judging than assisting you.<BR><BR>Good luck!

Tom

This seems like a classic case of not explaining the plan very well in the initial posting. You get a very different picture when you put together all the information in the posts by Shannon.<BR><BR>Friday - travel [fly to] either Frankfurt or Amsterdam depending on frequent flyer flights/availability; [take the train to Brussels upon arrival]<BR><BR>Saturday - [arrive in] Brussels; [spend the day there. Five nights in Brussels Hilton City, free because of reward].<BR><BR>Sunday - [day trip to] Amsterdam [by train]<BR><BR>Monday - [day trip to] Luxembourg [by train]<BR> <BR>Tuesday - [day trip to] Bruges [by train]<BR><BR>Wednesday - [train to] Paris; [overnight there]<BR><BR>Thursday - Versailles/Paris; [late night train to Dusseldorf or Cologne, to spend two nights there]<BR><BR>Friday - [day in] Cologne<BR><BR>Saturday - [day in ] Dusseldorf<BR><BR>Sunday - [I] leave for home from Amsterdam or Frankfurt, depending on award travel availability. My husband has business there, startig the next day].<BR><BR>And there are 10 and a half months to plan until this trip in September 2003.<BR><BR>and in closing, the real question on Shannon's mind gets asked<BR><BR>Are there potential major sites in those towns that are closed those days? For example I think I read that the palace at Versailles is closed on Mondays. <BR><BR>With particular emphasis, in the message header, on asking about closings in Amsterdam on Sundays.<BR>