Touring - Low Countries Tour

Two weeks from now I will be touring the Netherlands and Belgium starting in Amsterdam.
Anybody have any suggestions, what to see, what not to see, highlights, lowlights, anything?

Defintitely visit Bruges in Belgium an old old city not restored ......like it was 400-500 years ago
Amsterdam wasn't worth the bother to me, full of backpackers, the VanGogh Museum interesting but the Rijksmuseum is closed till '08 and the choice things moved to a smaller building, in and out in 2 hours
If u plan on using trains at all check closely as many DO NOT take bikes
The Dutch country side is interesting and very easy to ride

BTW bike theft is horrific in A/Dam, NEVER NEVER use your own bike there leave it locked where u stay and walk or rent a bike

I would avoid the larger cities, instead focus on a few smaller towns. Alkmaar is nice, so are Delft or Gouda. Giethoorn is one of my favourite places. Also riding through the Hoge Veluwe NP, with the Kroller Muller museum in it is a highlight. You might want to go to Arnhem to see the Open lucht museum. There are some realy nice long distance bikeroutes through Holland. You should be able to get information on them at any VVV (tourist info). Maps I would get at the fietsvakantiewinkel in Woerden.
In Belgium I realy liked cycling from La Roche to Houfalize, Bastogne is a good place for Americans to see.
I'm from Holland but live in the US.

Where are you staying? I used Vrienden op de Fiets (friends of cyclists) When you join you can stay in a members house. It is mostly good in Netherlands, but there are some Belgian members.

http://www.vriendenopdefiets.nl/

Canadians have a special relationship with the Dutch. Their queen was born here and they still provide all the tulips for the spring show at the parliament buildings in Ottawa. Wear your Canadian flag and have a great time.

Although English is taught in schools, don't believe the story that everyone speaks English. You will be much better received if you attempt the local language. Give your host the option of switching to English.

Thanks

I have heard of the Vrienden op de fiets, but how do you join?

I am not going to wear a Canadian flag. I will just take my Tim Horton coffee mug!

Bill

Go to the site I linked on the previous message, click on the English language site and follow directions. If you have trouble with their email address you must right click on your mouse and click copy email address or just send the info to:
info@vriendenopdefiets.nl

The tim's coffee mug is a good idea if you want to attract other Canadians, but it will be lost on the Dutch.

Although English is taught in schools, don't believe the story that everyone speaks English. You will be much better received if you attempt the local language. Give your host the option of switching to English.

I just went through there in July. Out of the dozens of people we met only one group of two people didn't speak english - they also where unilingual (We tried talking to them in 4 different languages...). Dutch was the one language we didn't have.

Although we always did the basics in dutch - Hello, thank you, goodbye, etc.

Two weeks from now I will be touring the Netherlands and Belgium starting in Amsterdam.
Anybody have any suggestions, what to see, what not to see, highlights, lowlights, anything?

We went through Netherlands and Belguim in July, as part of a larger trip. We stayed in campgrounds, which were numerous. They averaged 10 euro a night.

Buying cheese in Gouda is excellent; they have a cheese "fair" on Saturdays.

It rains everyday in Belgium without fail; expect several hours of rain per day. The people of Hoegaarden (best beer in the world) are absolutely wonderful. Actually most people are very friendly.

In flemish Belgium the older people speak french and dutch. The younger speak english and dutch.

I can't think of much else to mention off hand.

Well obviously the Tim's coffee mug is a Canadian in-joke.
Thanks for the info, folks.

Bill

Nice handle you got there pal. :) it's very Skookum. :beer:

Being originally from Flemish Bruges (Brugge) would highly recommend you visit that medieval city.
Yes most northern Euros speak English. BTW English was my fifth language. Speaking Flemish (or Dutch for that matter) for non-natives is a bit arduous. Best way to explain Flemish: Put a real hot potato in your mouth and try to talk!
But the basics in any language help: like 'Dank U' (thank you) and similar things can be picked up quite readily.
Yes, not only the Dutch, but us Flemish speakers have a high regard for the "Canuks,"
they are the folks that liberated us in 1944! Thank you!!!

It was a good trip, (how could it not be?) despite some lousy weather.
Never made it to Bruges, ran out of time.
English is pretty much universally spoken at a high level, except when its pouring rain, you're lost and you need directions to the VVV. But there is always a way.
Lots of cool things to see, scenic cycle routes, helpful people, a very vibrant bicycle -oriented culture. but I didn't see too many other cycle tourists.
I camped, hotelled and B&B'd. The best value are the B&Bs.
Highly recommended for cycling, but they need some hills.
A couple of notes on flying Air Transat for fellow Canadians. They have the longest slowest check-in lines, I have ever seen, 4 hours before flight time is not too early if you have a bike. I was planning to plastic bag it from Calgary, but they had no bags at the counter and just took my bike as is -handlebars turned and pedals removed AND tires deflated. How did this urban legend about the tires bursting ever start anyway? My bike arrived safely in Amsterdam ... but one tube was ruined from being rolled around flat and the rear tire had a nick in the sidewall and when I pumped it up, the tube bulged out, so I spent my first couple of days looking for a bike shop that was open sunday or monday.
When I flew back I was able to purchase a bike box at Schiphol airport for 17 Eros ($26 CAD), but no tape to close it up, I managed by cobbling together some straps from my panniers. A roll of twine or nylon cord would have been handy. Then an hour and a half in line as they weighed every piece of baggage, told people their carry ons were too heavy, made them transfer items to their checked baggage then charged them excess baggage. Maybe thats how they make money - I shouldn't complain
I am a shareholder.
Of course if you have a bicycle it travels free, so you can shove your heavy stuff in the bike box and get away with it. they still insisted on weighing the box and then obsessed about what code to enter on the ticket. It took about 15-20 minutes to check in each travelling party.
Why don't they make me deflate the tires when it is inside the bike box?
I would take a packed lunch as the food on Transat it pretty mediocre.
Would I fly them again? Probably as their fares are very competitive and they fly direct to Europe, just be prepared. Box your bike, take lots of tape.