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Rick Steves’ Travel Blog

Here you can browse through my blog posts prior to February 2022. Currently I'm sharing my travel experiences, candid opinions, and what's on my mind solely on my Facebook page. — Rick

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European Tourist Traps

All over Europe I’ve noticed there are two kinds of sights: legitimate cultural and historic sights that thoughtful travelers seek out, and commercial ventures that advertise aggressively and are on sale all over town with various discounts, promotions, and commissions.

tourist-traps-amsterdam

It’s fascinating to see how the crowds that patronize these two groups of sights–cultural and commercial–are distinct and different.

medieval-torture-exhibit-amsterdam

Compare the cost. In Amsterdam you can have a fascinating look at the Dutch Resistance Museum filled with actual artifacts from the days the Nazis ruled the Netherlands; a walk through Rembrandt’s studio complete with his personal inventory of curiosities and his best etchings, and then actually print a replica for yourself; be up-close-and-personal with the very best paintings by Vincent Van Gogh–or you can buy a ticket to a tacky torture exhibit with plenty of papier-mâché gore but absolutely nothing historic inside. Choose carefully how to use your precious vacation time and money.

Do you have any warnings about well-advertised but disappointing commercial sights in Europe? How about sights that might be written off as tacky, commercial ventures that are actually a great value?

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Scouting the Netherlands in the Rain

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I’m in the Netherlands for five days before returning next month with my film crew. I’m scouting good spots to film and good spots for various “on cameras” (like this delightful little counterbalance bridge in the storybook town of Marken). I don’t care about the relentless rain I’m traveling through–but when I’m here with our camera, I’ll be praying for sun. Ten years ago we produced one 30-minute TV show in standard definition on Amsterdam that included a side trip into the countryside. Next month we’ll produce two half-hour shows in glorious hi-def: a complete show on Amsterdam and another on the Dutch countryside. They will air (with an entire new season) this September across the USA on your local public TV station. Stay tuned!

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Design Your Own Cocktail in Amsterdam

While the twenty-somethings head for the Heineken Experience–a Disneyesque brewery tour– older folks cap a visit to the Van Gogh Museum by heading for the House of Bols: Cocktail and Genever Experience, just across the street from Vincent’s place. This clip shows how, at the end of the tour, you employ what you’ve learned about your taste preferences by designing your own cocktail.

If you can’t see the video below, watch it on YouTube.

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Touring Fragrant Amsterdam

Good travelers travel with all their senses…and that includes our noses. Here are a few angles on touring Amsterdam that involve your olfactory skills:

 tulip-bulbs-amsterdam

Perhaps the Dutch are so into flowers because of the population density and the tight quarters they live in. You see it in the paintings and you see it in the markets–the Dutch have long had a love affair with flowers. I’ve even purchased a bouquet in the market just to brighten up my hotel room…to go Dutch. A popular souvenir for many visitors is a packet of tulip bulbs.

 

cannabis-starter-kit-amsterdam

In the flower market, one of the most popular packet of seeds is one that may have you doing a little explaining at US customs. While Washington State has legalized marijuana, I still can’t legally grow it at home, so this starter kit may not be a good idea. But it is thought-provoking (and a reminder that many Europeans do enjoy growing their own).

 

sniff-house-of-bols-amsterdam

While the 20-somethings line up for the Heineken Experience–a malty, yeasty, amusement ride of a brewery tour just down the street, an older crowd celebrates their visit to the Van Gogh Museum by crossing the street and stepping into the House of Bols: Cocktail and Genever Experience. Dutch gin has a long and bleary heritage and you learn all about it here along with a fun chance to test your olfactory skills. This line of scents each has a hidden identity. Pump the spritzer, sniff, and guess the scent–then pull back the cover to see what it was. I failed miserably, getting only butterscotch correct. While there are plenty of beer and wine tasting tours and experiences in Europe, what are your favorite hard liquor experiences on the Continent?

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Building a Home in Amsterdam

Anyone who’s built a home knows about soils and foundation concerns. Imagine building a home in a place like Venice or Amsterdam. Watching construction people dam, drill, fill, and build here, it just seems routine. This video clip gives a peek at the watery process.

If you can’t see the video below, watch it on YouTube.