If you’re looking for a comfortable, clean, modern hotel with excellent amenities and service — and all at reasonable rates — then check out the Hotel Esja.
I stayed at Hotel Esja for a couple of nights as part of a travel package booked through Icelandair (see my epinion under Icelandair in the airlines category for info on the great stop-over deals).
After writing my first posting on travelling in Eastern Europe I received some constructive criticism, which made me think about writing more elaborate descriptions. First, please understand, that I will not describe the places to see, except maybe if I am writing about Ukraine, or of something is just outstanding and is worth seeing. Instead, I will try to look at the little peculiarities of traveling in Eastern Europe and maybe provide more information. And if you want to find out some more, please feel free to post any comment to this opinion, since all the comments are forwarded to me directly.
I’ll admit that I first went to Amsterdam just to smoke cannabis. However the more I went (been there 4 times), the less that was the reason. If you go make sure not to overlook the cultural side which includes the Van Gogh museum, the rijks museum, the Ann Frank house(a favorite of mine), and so much more. Even common buildings could be 300 years old. Nothing like that in America. Make sure you go in the spring or summer. The spring is better because before June all prices are less at hotels and places aren’t as crowded. The winter is just too cold and dark much of the day. Sunrise was at 10:30am. Sunset at 5pm. However in the spring it’s all reversed. Sunrise at 4:30am. Sunset at 11pm(really). I should keep this secret to myself but I would say the only place to stay in town is the hotel Krasnapolsky(apartments). They have a special apartment section in back of the hotel(attached), that includes 2 big rooms(living room and bedroom), 2 televisons, kitchen(fully equipped), kicking stereo with cd player, vcr, washer/dryer for clothes, a vaccuum and a big comfy sofa. PLus you get the use of all the hotel’s 5 star facilities. All for alot less money per night than a regular small room. You just have to book in advance. Some rooms have balconies. Some have nice canal views. All are right in the center of town at Dam square and across the street from the Greenhouse coffeeshop.
In Amsterdam the temperture is never hot. At best it’s warm. Even in august you’ll need a jacket and a sweater for night time.
Another great thing in the Dam is legal prostitution. If you take advantage of this make sure you don’t smoke at all that day. Trust me on this one.
Crime is something to watch out for in the center. This is NOT a safe city. Definately not recommended for younger people(under 21).My girlfriend almost got kidnapped on her way back from the store. My friend got his jacket stolen from him. I got mugged by a kid with a knife. Don’t ever leave the crowd. Never walk alone, especially in the red light district. ESPECIALLY if you’re a woman. But don’t let that discourage you. Daytime is pretty safe. And besides any big city is a little dangerous. Just dress down, no jewlery or expensive watches.
One of the best parts of the Dam is the food. Especially when you’re munching out. Bakeries restaurants and cafes line the streets selling everything from fast food to french food. Fresh doughnuts, pastries, breads of all kinds, ice cream, frites(huge french fries; cheap), and of course Heineken beer flows out of every bar tap for about 1 american dollar a glass(or less).
I find the dutch people to be surprisingly rude. It’s as if they know they have such a great city and don’t want to share it. Probably because they are so overrun with immigrants from around the world. They seem perfectly happy to take your money though. And at least they all speak english.
Lastly another great aspect of the Dam is that you could get by on 75 dollars a day if you stay and eat cheaply. Which is so easy to do because of the abundance of low cost quality food and low cost hotels. Trust me though spend a little extra and stay at the Krasnapolsky Apartments. Many budget hotels are in questionable areas of the city and don’t include private bathrooms. Another thing is that airfare has been as low as 260 dollars round trip(KLM/Northwest airlines). Cannabis is also affordable at 10-25 guilders a gram. Hashish is 25-35 guilders a gram. Usually exchange rate is 2.5 guilders to one dollar. Do the math.
Gatwick airport is like coming home for me. Each year I visit family in England. I have been back 15 times in the past 14 years. Why do I choose Gatwick? Well it is close to my Dad.
Len, my husband, flies over with me every third year. On those occasions we hire a car, when booking our flights. The other years, my son-in-law picks me up from Gatwick, and drives me to their home. Halfway through my vacation, my family drive me to my Dad’s house, in Maidstone, Kent. This way I can book a taxi cab to take me to Gatwick Airport. It is a 40 minute drive.
I went to London on business last week. I was in the city for 3.5 days. It was my first time to London, and I stole the occasional break between meetings and in the evenings to tour around a little. FYI: before I left for the trip I read “forkids” review entitled “London on Business.” I found the forkids epinion helpful, but in retrospect, I have some different and additional comments that I think others might find helpful.
Glasgow International Airport - airport code GLA -( or Abbotsinch for those of us with longer memories ) is visible from the M8 motorway about 8 miles out of Glasgow and a mile or so from Paisley. So is very accessible to reach by car. It is my local airport and I have flown from here many a time on both international and domestic flights.
One thing to confirm, if you are using a low cost airline, is which Glasgow Airport you are going to. There is another - Glasgow Prestwick ( airport code PIK ) which is about 25 miles south of Glasgow.
I just love Innsbruck! It’s such a fantastically scenic city, so rich in history and culture that I’d want to go there even if it wasn’t ringed by rugged mountains, offering a treasure trove of outdoor activities from skiing in the winter to hiking and rapelling in the summer. The city not only has inviting cozy inns and boutique hotels, but it has them at prices that mortals can afford. Same deal with the outstanding variety of excellent restaurants….there’s something for everyone, and there’s something for every budget.
Hey all. Welcome to the second review, part 2 of my vacation in the U.K. After spending a hectic week in London, where more than half the population smokes something or other, there are loads of tourists, people are impolite, and if you ain’t fashionable, you shouldn’t be there…I then traveled to the country side.
Now, it’s not like I would have traveled to this part of England had I not had family friends there, but I’m very glad I did. This part of my trip was noticeably shorter, and quite a bit less interesting as London, but it was relaxing. So here goes nothin’:
Background
Glasgow International (or Glasgow Abbotsinch as some still like to call it) is Scotland’s premier airport - serving the country’s biggest city, and is also its busiest terminal, serving over 7 million passengers a year. It is not physically the largest airport in Scotland - that distinction still belongs to Prestwick Airport some 30 miles away, but here’s some history. It all began after WW2 when Glasgow Corporation needed a new airfield to serve the city with the anticipated growth in air travel. The existing pre-war site in Renfrew was too small, so an old RAF base in nearby Abbotsinch was selected, and things really got going proper in 1966 when the present day terminal building was erected. The British Airports Authority (BAA) took over the reins in 1972, and poured a sackful of money into extending and revamping the building into its present form in 1989.
but the secret is pretty much well and truly out. The Estonian capital of Tallinn is in fact one of the most beautiful and best preserved medieval cities in Europe. Not only that its pretty cheap when you get there. All good news then? Well no – not quite. Truth is that you haven’t got much longer to find Tallinn in its present form. Fast food chains and stag nights are already sneaking through its medieval defences.
