We traveled to The Netherlands and England in June 2003. I spent a very long time beforehand researching all the things to see and do. Check out findings below to see what we planned to see.

Getting There -We found a fantastic deal that included round trip airfare to Amsterdam from Washington DC with a free layover in London on the way home including two nights in a 4 star London hotel for $1 a night! I found it on www.bestfares.com. You have to belong and sometimes you find a great deal and the dates you want are not available, but this year they didn't let me down.

Another good source for low airfares is www.etn.org. It consolidates a lot of discounters all in one location.

Accomodation - I searched high and low for a place to stay this year. Amsterdam prices seem higher than France and Austria - more on a par with London. My requirements were that the place had to be value for money, have charm and character and be centrally located near the attractions we are most interested in. I struggeled because the less expensive places were not available. Finally, I stumbled upon a great B&B (several in fact) that all met my needs. One had the room we needed at a good price and we snatched it up. It is called Heren B&B on Herenstraat. It is linked with Maes B&B which are both in lovely old canal houses but with modern conveniences including a guest kitchen. Both are non-smoking and the owners are very helpful. Another lovely B&B that wasn't available is at Sunhead 1617.

If you prefer a hotel to a true B&B, check out another strickly non-smoking establishment The imperial Hotel.

We didn't manage to eat at all of these restaurants so, I can't yet say how well these restaurants live up to my research but the ones we did eat at and would recommend have a star next to the name. Since Graham is vegetarian, I often do a lot of research in advance to come armed with some restaurants that we know about to get us started.

Codes used below:

V = completely vegetarian
VF = vegetarian friendly
$ = budget prices
NS = non smoking or non-smoking area

** We ate there and liked it.

Caffe Esprit
De Waaghalls (V, NS)
De Portugees
Golden Temple Vegetarian (V)
Sluizer (fish or meat)
Fish and Dish (NS)
Het Gasthuys ($, Dutch cuisine)
**Kantijil en de Tijger (Indonesian) ate here twice it was so delicious!
Me Naam Naan ($, NS)
**Wagamama (NS, noodle bar) - Couldn't find this in Amsterdam, but London is great.
La Fruteria (NS, tiny, juice bar) - Never went in, but saw it and it looked good.
Pasta de Mamma (NS, sandwiches)
Rivercafe (VF, Tapas, near water)
D'Theeboom ($, canal-side)
Cafe de Jaren ($, light lunch, informal)
The Goodies
De Vliegenda Schotel ($,V, fondue-chinese)

Apparently Amsterdam has a wonderful public transport system that includes trams, buses and a metro. We used our feet most of the time, but we did use the trains to get into the countryside, rented bikes and road a canal boat. Below are some selected links to information about these various modes of transport.

Guided Bike Trips
Bike Rental
Trains
Metro
Trams
Buses
Canal Boats
Taxis
General transport site for Amsterdam

Everyone has there own taste and interests. We aren't very interested in art museums and like to be active and do hands on things. So although you will find some museums in the list below of places we plan to visit, none of them will just have paintings and sculptures.

Amstelkring: A museum in a canal house with a catholic church hidden in the attic.

Amsterdam Historical Museum: In a building that used to be an orphanage. A permanent exhibit tells the history of Amsterdam.

Holland Experience: Multimedia show in 3D that attempts to acquaint visitors with the history of the Netherlands. This was fun but they don't say much and you don't really learn any history.

Madame Tussauds Scenarama: Similar to London's Wax museum but this includes history section.

The Munttoren: The Mint used to be housed in this tower. Now the lower level sells Delft pottery and the top has great views.

Rembrandthuis: Museum in the house where Rembrandt once lived that is dedicated to the artist's life.

Scheepvaartmuseum: This maritime museum is in a building that is over 300 years old. Outside is a replica of an old Dutch ship called The Amsterdam. On board are re-enactors who are unloading cargo, scrubbing the deck etc. who interact with visitors. I was disappointed here. The ship was fun to explore but the actors were not there and the indoor part of the museum had very little English and no air conditioning.

Tropenmuseum: This tropical museum is dedicated to the lands that the Dutch East Indies company used to trade with. You can stroll through Arab streets, or a thunderstorm in Africa or the courtyard of a Javanese house. EXCELLENT MUSEUM!! We spent hours here and enjoyed every minute.

Waterlooplein Flea Market: Daily flea market with hats, shoes, clothing, leather and much, much more. Stuff from many countries all over the world. Some stalls sell sandwiches, chips or even the Dutch specialty raw herring. We were disappointed, but it was hot and our luggage was lost and the only clothes they were selling were too hot for what I needed to buy. I might feel differently in different circumstances.

Woonbootmuseum: This houseboat museum lets the visitor board a real houseboat and see what life on a houseboat is really like. We enjoyed this. It is in a peaceful location and we were the only visitors. They have a nice gift shop too.

Canal Boat Rides: Several companies offer boat rides and tours or cruises. It is a great way to view the city from its waterways. We enjoyed this. It was the first thing we did when we arrived and it helped orient us very well.

Guided Bike Ride to the countryside: This company has a couple of good bike trips to the countryside for beginners like me. We plan to do the one that goes to Edam and Volendam. We really enjoyed this. We ended up using MacBike which rents bikes next to the Central Station and trying to follow a countryside map. We got lost trying to follow the map, but if you follow signs you are fine. It was cheap too. Only $20 for 2 people all day.

Mystery Walking Tour: Same company that does the bike trips also has this walking tour.

Alkmaar

Edam

Enkhuizen and the Zuiderzeemuseum

Volendam

Delft

Gouda

Schans Zaanse

Haarlem