Europe group posting on GLOBOsapiens

Itemized Budget for 13-nights in Amsterdam/Haarlem

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djunk Joined: Dec 07 Points: 24 Posts: 6 Posted: 2007-12-14 00:17:00    Round Trip Airfare US to AMS (April 3 to April 17): $870. Joops Hotel 13-nights (in Haarlem): $1635.* Food 13-days: $780. (at $60/day for 13-days)** Shopping and Miscellaneous: $900. AMS - Haarlem Train: $100 (@ appox. 9 return trips) Does anyone notice an expense item that I am missing? * I would rather stay in Haarlem and day trip to Amsterdam by train. Other hotel or transportation recommendations are welcome. ** I'm travelling solo, and typical eat local cuisine from small restaurants and street vendors. (I cannot wait to down some smoked herring!) But I'm very interested if my food budget is adequate...comments? Cheers and Happy Holidays, Don Reply    Reply with quote    Contact djunk   marianne Premium account Joined: Sep 03 Points: 20248 Posts: 349 Posted: 2007-12-14 13:53:00    Your suggested budget of $60 = €40 is a good estimate. Prices of meals range from €8 to €20 and (more), excluding drinks, these are sit-down meals. If you want to eat a bread roll and herring (they are not smoked but raw), you will pay €2,50, or 'friet' at €2 a portion, at a herring or friet (french fries/chips)stand Good value for money restaurants are the Greek restaurants (not typically Dutch) and the Indonesian restaurants (very Dutch) also eetcafé (translates as meal café) it is a combined pub, restaurant and coffee shop (I mean the one where you get COFFEE). They often serve typically Dutch dishes. List of Greek restaurants http://www.ertussenuit.com/links/104-0-1.htm List of Indonesian restaurants: http://www.ertussenuit.com/links/97-1-1.htm Both these websites are in Dutch, but I am sure it is not too difficult to find exact addresses and prices. The best friet, or French fries in Amsterdam: address is in de Voetboogstraat near Kalverstraat, the main shopping street. These two tips may be helpful http://www.globosapiens.net/marianne/travel-tip-museum-card-4535.html http://www.globosapiens.net/marianne/travel-tip-vleminckx-friet-french-fries-chips-00004536.html You did not include travel by bus / tram in Amsterdam. Amsterdam is compact enough to go on foot everywhere. But if you want to use public transport within any city / town in the Netherlands you will need a 'strippenkaart'. you can get them at the he train station, tobacconists, post offices and most supermarkets. If you buy your ticket on the tram or bus it is more expensive. ‘Strippenkaarten’ come in 15 or 45 units and cost €6,90 and €20,40. Extra info. Train from Schiphol Airport to Haarlem takes 30 minutes single ticket is €5.10. You cannot buy a return because that has to be used on the same day. Get your ticket from the machine because if you go to the counter you pay an extra €0,50 per journey. This is a demo to try out how to buy tickets http://webdemo.ns.nl/webdemo.e2000/ [ This Message was edited by: marianne on 2007-12-14 13:54 ] --- “I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” Robert Louis Stevenson Reply    Reply with quote    Contact marianne   djunk Joined: Dec 07 Points: 24 Posts: 6 Posted: 2007-12-14 14:54:00    Marianne, once again thank you for the info. It was really my food budget for 13-days that I wondered about. You've put me at ease that my budget is spot-on given my style of how/where I like to eat when aboard. And even if the herring is raw, I still love it. :) Have a nice day, Don Reply    Reply with quote    Contact djunk