GETTING THERE

Your two homes in the Netherlands are the centrally located and locally owned adorably chic Hotel Estheréa in Amsterdam, at Singel 303-309, tel +31 20 624 51465, and, in Rotterdam, the elegant, modernist Morgan & Mees, Mathenesserlaan 145, +31 10 316 3120. Your room at Hotel Estheréa is available to you starting from 3:00 pm, whether you check in on Saturday, October 11th or earlier if you so choose. As part of your Wonderfeast package, I will book a car and driver to meet you at Schiphol airport and take you to the hotel.

 

WHAT TO BRING

Here’s a list of things to bring. These are just the basics:

– comfortable shoes. By far the most important thing you’ll need on this trip!! I would recommend breaking them in well before our tour and bringing at least two pairs so that if one gets wet you’ll have a dry pair to change into

– a hat, light-weight, folding umbrella, and a hooded raincoat. The weather in the Netherlands in October is often rainy and the temperature brisk so we’ll want to be prepared. Check the weather regularly before departure to get a sense of what we might find on the other side of the pond

– a camera if you’re a happy snapper and, if you have them, maybe a very light pair of binoculars for better art viewing

– a comfortable, waterproof bag in which to carry your things around town – backpack or shoulder bag or purse, whichever you prefer

– clothing-wise: I recommend layers. Long sleeve cotton T-shirts and fall/early winter weather trousers, a couple of warm sweaters, scarves, and a jacket to wear under your raincoat unless it can keep you warm on its own.

– a ‘nice’ change for dinners out.

– lastly, a photocopy of your passport (see ‘Safety and Smart Travel Practices,’ below).

 

MONEY MATTERS

Currency conversion:

Here’s my favorite site for the latest currency exchange rates: http://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/

How to have access to money while in the Netherlands:

The best system is to use the ATMs. You’ll want to make sure, therefore, that your credit or debit card can be used in Europe and has a PIN number that is valid abroad. Also, ideally, your card will feature one of those embedded security chips that have been in use for many years now in Europe and are recently becoming widespread in the U.S., too. Bottom line is, if you haven’t already done so, you’ll want to make sure your card can be used in Europe. Also, you might want to see which credit card companies offer the most competitive rates since some charge higher conversion commission rates than others and there are several that don’t charge foreign transaction fees. It may be worthwhile to switch companies.

DO NOT bring traveler’s checks, cash, or assume you’ll do your currency exchanging at a bank or conversion kiosk. It’s time-consuming and ultimately not as safe as using a card. If your cash is stolen, you’re out of luck whereas if your card is stolen, it’s easy enough to block and get a replacement.

Tipping: 

Tipping in the Netherlands is NOT REQUIRED. There is no percentage for tipping. At cafés and restaurants, I usually round up a couple of euros or a euro per person if I’m with others. As for taxis, again, a euro or two on top of the fare does the trick. Simple. No calculating necessary and definitely no 10%-20%.

 

SAFE AND SMART TRAVEL PRACTICES

Baggage:

Take a photograph of your suitcase prior to handing it over at check-in. Bags do get lost and, while in my experience they are usually delivered quite quickly, it can be a real drag if you don’t know what your bag looks like. On the same note, carry basics (glasses, medication, contact lens solution, etc.) with you on the plane so that, if your bag should get lost, you can get by for a few days. And definitely bring any valuables (laptops, electronics, jewelry) with you on the plane.

Documents:

Please bring a photocopy or smartphone photo of your passport with you to the Netherlands – the front pages suffice (where your photograph, passport number, and the date of issue, etc. are recorded). While I will also have that information thanks to your registration form, it’s a good idea for you to have a copy as well. That way, should happen to your passport, we can easily get a replacement.

Personal safety/pickpocketing:

As my mother has often said about Europe, “the great thing is that your body is always safe, though your belongings may not be.” I cannot sufficiently stress the importance of being vigilant about pickpockets in Amsterdam especially. So, to avoid any unpleasant experiences…

never

– carry large amounts of cash on your person. It’s much safer to leave it in the safe at the hotel.

– carry your passport with you. Again, leave it at the hotel.

– put anything valuable in back pockets.

always

– keep your hands on your valuables when walking the streets through a crowd, visiting a site, or on the bus, metro, or tram.

– turn backpacks and purses around (carrying them on your front) when on public transportation and put your hands across the pockets where you are keeping your valuables (money, camera, etc.).

– be aware of your surroundings! If anyone should try to grab something, shout “NO!!” and “Stop, thief!” (it’s “Stop, dief!” in Dutch so shouting in English will do the trick. Especially because the Dutch speak impeccable English).

 

PHONES, COMPUTERS, & GADGETS, OH MY!

– WIFI matters: both your hotels have WIFI throughout the building, including your rooms. You’re therefore welcome to bring your laptop or iPad or whatever you like to use for e-mailing and reading online material. Just make sure that you have a US-Europe plug adaptor that will attach to your power source. This can be bought at most electronics stores or ordered online.

  • Phones: if you want to be able to place calls during your stay in the Netherlands, there are two ways to do so. 1) Get an international data plan for your already existing phone, specifying that you’re going to be using it in Europe, OR 2) Get a European enabled cell-phone that you can then put a Dutch SIM card into that you would buy upon arrival in Amsterdam. Just keep in mind that the second option will require finding and working with a Dutch phone store and may take a lot of time (and a lot of Advil to get combat the headache of it!).

 

PHOTOGRAPHING IN THE NETHERLANDS

Policies regarding photography vary from place to place. Some sites do not allow photography at all while others allow photography sans flash. It really depends on the place. I will find out at each location we visit and will be sure to let you know whether or not it is permissible to take photographs.

I hope all this helps!