Just curious, where will you go on Holliday?

[masha]

Tell me, would like to hear:-)

Love Masha

[wil]

We planned to go to Schotland..
a beautiful part of England.
But we had already visited Bretange this year...03-2004
see thread: Have fun Wil (Click here) see the nice photoshoot (http://board.mashasworld.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=138&highlight=bretange)
and we wanted to buy a new digital photocam:
like the Nikon D70 or Canon EOS 300D.
I discussed with Andrew about it a fwe weeks ago.
Does anyone now wich one is better?

Wil you go on vacation too this year Masha?

___________________________Wil:

some pics of scotland:

[masha]

Looks amazing Wil.

I will go to Amsterdam this summer.Just for a short time. But I am sure I will love it :-)

Love Masha

[wil]

What ???? You are coming to Holland?
WOow Great. You are only one hour
traveling from us away. I think we must arrange
a meeting! A. and I would love it to
meet you and Andrew. We could take a drink
at least! No better, we offer you a drink..
Think about it....

But Amsterdam is a great city.
Travel to Amsterdam?
A fascinating, pretty, tolerant city latticed
with 17thC canals and studded with medieval buildings.
Canal boating is very pleasant [including the bargain price 'Museumboot' [boat].'Holland lies so low they're only saved by being dammed.
Must sees are: Begijnhof [a square of very old and beautiful buildings], Oude Kerk [a stunning 14thC church in the red light district], Koninklijk Paleis [a royal palace you can visit].
And don't forget to travel around the coffee shops and pretty, interesting red light district. Party atmosphere, sex for sale, and limitless people-watching. These erotic theaters, barely dressed women.
See you in Holland.....____________________Wil:)

[wil]

Canal cruise - Take a regular canal cruise or even better take a candle light tour with cheese and wine. Our favorite, however, is the Lovers dinner cruise. It may sound silly, but we do still love these touristy cruises ourselves as you can see the canalhouses much better from the water then from the streets. But make sure to check out the options , if you would like to spend some more time on the canals

[wil]

Originally posted by masha
Looks amazing Wil.

I will go to Amsterdam this summer.Just for a short time. But I am sure I will love it :-)

Love Masha


I agree you will love it !!!!
You will have a wonderfull time.....
And its only 30 min from the beach and the sea you know?
So if the wether is good enjoy the sun!

This is Holland.... too much below sea level!!
we work hard to keep the water outside!
Do you dare to come?

[wil]

Amsterdam was founded around 1275, when the count of Holland gave some fishermen permission to build a dam in the Amstelriver. Around this dam trading started and more and more people build their houses there. In the beginning it will have been not much more than Edam, Volendam and small cities like that. But because of it's strategic location at the inland sea [Zuiderzee] (a left over from a storm that broke the dunes many hundreds of years ago) the wealth of the city grew tremendously. Between 1481 and 1490 Amsterdam got mighty citywalls (with towers and gates) that protected it's harbors and inhabitants from any enemies

Until the end of the war against Spain (1648) Amsterdam still fitted within it's original walls and devensive canal ("de Singel"). But soon after that war ended (in which Amsterdam at first had sided with the enemy) the trading with the rest of the world made the city even richer and more and more people wanted to live there. Therefor the old walls of Amsterdam dissapeared, only to be remembered in streetnames like the Walletjes (the famous redlight district) and Oudezijds Voorburgwal. The old walls were replaced by new ones. These too have dissapeared by now.
Luckely some towers and citygates remained.

Map of old Amsterdam (you see the houses build near all canals)

[wil]

Amsterdam and the journey to the East
Explore a gigantic VOC ship from the days of seafaring heroes and pirates!

Watch the gun being fired, the crew taking their meals on board and loading the ship's cargo. Then wander through the centuries-old Admiralty storehouse and see the famous collection of old ships models, charts and paintings. Find out about the Dutch trading ventures and voyages of discovery, about Amsterdam in the golden age, the Dutch East India Company (VOC), distant countries, unusual cultures, the mercantile spirit and the colonies.

On the jetty you will find the magnificent replica of the Dutch East Indiaman Amsterdam.
This ship sank off the coast of Southern England on its maiden voyage. Step aboard and feel the atmosphere and adventure!

During the whole year the ship is manned. The stalwart sea dogs unload the cargo, scrub the deck and sing old shanties.

Netherlands Maritime Museum Amsterdam.

[wil]

How to treat the Dutch

1.Why can´t I use the word "Dutch" when I am in Holland?
The word "Dutch" reminds a Hollander of the word "Duits" which is a word for Germans and other things he doesn´t like

2. Which Du... Hollandse words should I learn before coming to Holland?
None. Never try to speak Hollandse, not even if you have lived in Holland for more than five years. Not only will it give you a splitting headache but also no Hollander will have any idea what you are trying to say. Foreigners are expected to speak English.

3. What is "drop"?
Drop is a kind of liquorice that only Hollanders can eat. It can be recognized by its colour: black. The taste is a cross between printer ink (blue) and earwax. Hollanders absolutely love it and eat kilos of the vile stuff.

4. Where can I buy those cute wooden shoes?
Just about everywhere but please don´t, they´ll look absolutely silly on you. Which is of course the main reason for selling them to you in the first place. A Hollander himself wouldn't want to be found dead in them

5. Shall I be safe behind the dikes.

Yes, we haven´t had a major flood in ...oh, two weeks. No honest, you´ll be quite safe. A word of caution: Do not try to make holes in dikes. Behaviour like that is not only frowned upon but in certain cases can get you stoned to death with wooden shoes by an angry mob. You may feel free however to stick a finger in any dike you like. It'll get you a few good laughs from the natives.

6. What is a "patatje met"?
Hollanders like to drown fried potato's in litres of mayonnaise and put it in small paper bags. This is called "een patatje met". The best "patatje met"

7.Is it O.K. to drink Hollandse tapwater?
Yes, Hollandse tapwater is completely safe to drink

8.Should I worry about high crime-rates in Holland?

No problems there, Holland has a very low crime index. The reason for this is not that Hollanders are not as criminal as others but in Holland fewer things are considered a crime.
------------------------------------------------------------
Greetings from Holland and have a nice day.

[wil]

In the Red Light Districts of Amsterdam you will find, on any given day, hundreds of girls offering sex for money. Nowhere else on earth are the women so straightforwardly on display, sitting sparingly attired on stools behind windows. Nowhere else except in the other main Dutch cities, because this conspicuous window prostitution is distinct to the Netherlands, as distinct as the habit that many of its residents have for living their lives behind open curtained windows.

For many hundreds of years prostitution has been tolerated, it's rarely been considered an offence. In 1996 the taxation of prostitutes was introduced. Since October 2000 window prostitution and brothels have the benefit of being fully legal businesses. This was intended to enhance conditions, decrease crime, and intensify regulation. While prostitutes are now obliged to pay taxes, not many of them will say that this is a benefit, and some businesses, most notoriously banks, have declined to accord prostitutes such things as mortgages and business bank accounts!

Amsterdam's main Red Light District, known locally as the Walletjes, or Wallen (little walls), or generically as Rossebuurt (red or pink neighbourhood), is situated along and around two of the city's oldest canals, the Oudezijds Achterburgwal, the Oudezijds Voorburgwal (collectively known as the Burgwallen), and around the Oudekerkplein, in an area bounded by the Warmoestraat and the Nieuwmarkt. It's a place where prostitutes, clergy, kids, junkies, residents and cops all interact with social gezellig and titillated tourists gasp, "Isn't it all so shocking?"

[wil]

Throughout the ages, man has pondered the question, "How many windows are there in Amsterdam?" Official figures were vague and left us skeptical. With notepads in hand, we set out to expose the truth. The results far exceeded our expectations

Combined total 505

[masha]

Wow Wil, thanks for all that Dutch advice! You don't read the stuff you wrote in those books. MANY THANKS!

Love Masha

[zulu]

Wow Wil, you're the Marco Polo of Amsterdam! Masha you'll love Amsterdam! I've been there once and i'll visit it again.

But my favourite holiday location is Cuba. This country is very beautiful. The people are so nice. Mostly they're poor but they're happy somehow. You should visit it, smoking a great cigar and having a rum in Havanna or maybe dance in the streets while musicians play in one of the many bars!

The most cities have a colonial architecture and got a real romantic ambience.
There are also white beaches, you're alone! I really love it!

see ya...
zulu