The Lemon Fool

I love Amsterdam, I have visited the city over the past four decades more times than I can remember and it always seems to offer something new and refreshing for me. I am here with my daughter, we were both ready for a break from the boredom of the UK lockdown/unlocking.

I am now getting ready to return to the UK after being here in Amsterdam since Monday, My daughter and I have walked the streets, visited the museums and eaten in the restaurants, it has been great. The crowds that one would normally associate with Amsterdam at the height of summer are absent, you can walk without bumping into people, though as always you ned to be wary of the bikes. Car traffic is totally absent.

The museums all have a booking system that seems to operate well, ensuring that there are no queues and there is plenty of room inside while maintaining the 1.5 metre distancing required here.

Masks are NOT required in shops, only on public transport and I'd say less than one in twenty are wearing masks on the streets.

We have stayed in an AirBnB so no issues with hotels etc and we have been situated right in the centre of thing in Prinzengracht in a traditional narrow canal house which as been very practical and quaint, we have felt like locals due to the lack of thousands of tourists and the Dutch seem to be going about their business almost as usual although some shops and restaurants seem to be closed either temporarily or for good.

We travelled here via Eurostar and while it is more expensive than flying I'd say it is a lot more comfortable. Unfortunately, at present the trip requires a change at Brussels on to the Thalys service from Paris to complete the journey but it will soon revert to a non stop train.

I'd recommend it to anyone who wishes to see Amsterdam without the crowds and I'd guess similar less crowded trips will apply to the other cities in Europe. Now is the time to go before it either goes back to lockdown or the crowds return.

As part of this process I have had to complete a strange immigration form for the UK government that seems to describe now defunct quarantine regulations that as far as I am aware don't apply to the Netherlands.

John

redsturgeon wrote:Masks are NOT required in shops, only on public transport and I'd say less than one in twenty are wearing masks on the streets.

A coincidence that COVID-19 cases have trebled in the last three weeks and the Netherlands is back on the quarantine list?

AF62 wrote:

redsturgeon wrote:Masks are NOT required in shops, only on public transport and I'd say less than one in twenty are wearing masks on the streets.

A coincidence that COVID-19 cases have trebled in the last three weeks and the Netherlands is back on the quarantine list?

I know, I was looking at that this morning, the slope of the curve in cases looks a lot worse than France. Just goes to show the utility of masks maybe.

John

Snorvey wrote:How can we schmoke a little pot with a fashe mashke on?

Wear a mask like this:

Sorted.

I like Amsterdam too, but my idea of a holiday is to do as many museums and sights as possible, and I'm put off by the thought of all those booking systems and rules in foreign languages. The Netherlands are about the best place for handling English visitors, but I was thinking of visiting France by car, and you'd have no idea what's happening there (apart with today's news a good chance you'd be quarantined as you left Calais ferry terminal!)

So dull life continues.

JohnB wrote:I like Amsterdam too, but my idea of a holiday is to do as many museums and sights as possible, and I'm put off by the thought of all those booking systems and rules in foreign languages. .

I'll ask them to only use Dutch from now on

- dspp

dspp wrote:

JohnB wrote:I like Amsterdam too, but my idea of a holiday is to do as many museums and sights as possible, and I'm put off by the thought of all those booking systems and rules in foreign languages. .

I'll ask them to only use Dutch from now on

- dspp

why did you omit the next sentence, which would have made your dig pointless?

JohnB wrote:

dspp wrote:

JohnB wrote:I like Amsterdam too, but my idea of a holiday is to do as many museums and sights as possible, and I'm put off by the thought of all those booking systems and rules in foreign languages. .

I'll ask them to only use Dutch from now on

- dspp

why did you omit the next sentence, which would have made your dig pointless?

My apologies. I didn't realise you spoke Dutch.

Snorvey wrote:I see Amsterdam residents have been advised to avoid Aberdeen.

Nothing to do with the pandemic. Just avoid it.

My memory is that Averdeen hosts one of the two Dutch schools in the UK, the other being in Woking.

dspp