[goleoboy]

hi, since HK is such a cosmo place with peep from everywhere... wanted to see if I can get some tips. We'll be spending 2 weeks in Paris in March and will make short trips to Brussels and Amsterdam. Wanted to know if there are any 'must do' recommendations ? Shopping and eating is our fave. :-) Thanks guys!

[jayinhongkong]

When in Amsterdam, go to Tweede Kameer in the Centrum.

[thromsturmond]

Ummmm, Amsterdam, do the obvious. And when you're not doing that, their modern art museum is great, Good Indonesian food, too.
Brussels is easy. Great food town, and they have the best beer on earth. Find a good bar and settle down; if you have no idea what you like for beers, find a good bar - one with at least 150 beers, all opaque or translucent - and have them walk you through it.
Also, in Brussels, it's worth going to the museum at the former palace on the outskirts of the city just to look at their wing on Congo if you want to see odd Belgium. They refuse to really acknowledge how millions of people died there 100 years ago when the Belgian king owned - yes, personally owned - a country the size of western Europe and worked its residents to death. Never have seen a museum hedge its bets on a display before like that one did.

[BXL]

I can give you a few tips for Brussels as I have just moved to HK after living there for 6 years.

I would skip the Africa museum. The "exhibits" have not been updated since the mid-70's.

The best beer place by far is Beermania (BeerMania - Home page.). It is a store with a little cafe and about 300 different kinds of beer. The best is Nasser's (the Iranian owner) own Mea Culpa. If you want to give monks a lot of money try the Westvleteren 12 black top (Belgian beers are often named by degrees). Apart from the Westvleteren, the Rochefort 10 and Westmalle Triple are the best of the Trappist ales. They are strong so watch out.

Avoid eating at the Rue des Bouchers off the Grand Place. Place Sainte Catherine is a better bet for moules/frites depending on the time of the year. Very good restaurants, but you need to seek them out as they are off the tourist path are: Le Fruit Defendu in Ixelles and L'Idiot du Village in the Marolles. The best of the best is Chalet de La Foret south of town in the Foret de Soignes, but it is not open on Sat or Sun. Make reservations. Check out www.resto.be for addresses & phone numbers.

You should visit the Horta House in Ixelles and another nice museum is the Foundation Folon but this is a bit outside town.

Have fun.

[louloute]

Originally Posted by goleoboy

hi, since HK is such a cosmo place with peep from everywhere... wanted to see if I can get some tips. We'll be spending 2 weeks in Paris in March and will make short trips to Brussels and Amsterdam. Wanted to know if there are any 'must do' recommendations ? Shopping and eating is our fave. :-) Thanks guys!

In Paris
* museums: Louvres (1 full day of visit), Rodin, Centre Georges Pompidou...
( you can enjoy free entry the first sunday of each month)
* Montmartre (metro anvers) climb to the Sacré-coeur and visit around
*Ile de la Cité: (metro cité) wonderfull architecture and nice atmosphere
* nightlife around Châtelet and Bastille

Around Paris:
*Versailles Castle (not far away)

Nevertheless, 2 weeks seems too much time to spend in paris, maybe you can get a car and visit Honfleur (in the north) or Saint-Malo, Le Mont Saint-Michel, some castles, Lyon, Strasbourg...

Have a nice trip

Have a nice trip!

[guylaroche]

Amsterdam:

Avoid most steak restaurants, too low quality.
Chinatown is nice. Thai restaurant Bird is highly recommended. For a "croquet" try Febo.

Must see: museums, canal cruise, Red Light District at night.

[Nijntje]

The red light district in Ams no more exist now already. All shops in tht district become fashion boutique owned by the local fashion designer there already.

In Ams you can also visit Rambrant Huis, Van Gogh musseum also next by(in Museumplein). National Museum in the centre is big and full of many history and paintings, antiques...

you should try to eat bitterballen (fried meat ball with potato mesh inside), pannekokken (pancakes/crespe). And you can also try to take a ride on the canals.

U can take a look in the Waterloo flea market in waterlooplein, the biggest flea market in AMs. There are a lot souvenirs shops along the street which just outside the centraal station (of cos u need to cross the roads outside the station first)

Originally Posted by guylaroche

Amsterdam:

Avoid most steak restaurants, too low quality.
Chinatown is nice. Thai restaurant Bird is highly recommended. For a "croquet" try Febo.

Must see: museums, canal cruise, Red Light District at night.

[esears2004]

We went to Amsterdam from U.K. From U.K. to port Calais by P & O ferry, then drived from Calais to Belgium then Amsterdam. It took about 7 hours from Port Calais to Amsterdam. We also visited Brugges, Belgium and had our lunch there.

We stayed for one night at Nadia hotel. We paid about 80 euros/night in Amsterdam. Maybe it is expensive for that kind of Hotel because wen t there after New year. But there are many hotels in the City.
Never forget to visit the red light district because you will really enjoyed that place. We had dinner to Indonesian Restaurant just walking distant from Red light district, paid about 140 Euros for two but that is too much for 2 people. We had boating tour in the Canal which we also enjoyed. And we parked our car outside the city because we were advised that it is difficult to get the car park. It is a great city and I do hope we go back there again someday.

[jayinhongkong]

I had an Indonesian dinner with an American girl down in Leidseplein (towards the south of Amsterdam) and the waiter was from Hong Kong. For the 40 Euros or so I paid for my meal, I ended up getting free dessert. I've been hooked up by waiters in Germany in the same way. Always keep your eyes open for other HKers.

[ontheroad]

I disagree, 2 weeks is not enough in Paris... some more ideas....

Other museums : Musee d'Orsay (for the Impressionists), Musée Picasso, Musee de l'Orangerie, Camondo, Marmottan (for its Monet collection), Musee du Quai Branly, les Arts Decoratifs, Les Gobelins (tapestries from the Middle ages) and many more.

Bridges that you have to cross: Le Pont des Arts, le Pont Neuf.

Churches to visit: La Basilique Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame, Saint Sulpice, Basilique St Denis and many more.

Parks to walk in: Luxembourg, Buttes Chaumont, Le Jardin d'Acclimatation, les Tuileries, le Jardin des Plantes, Parc Montsouris.

Original places to go: Under Paris in the Catacombs, Indian Paris in Passage Brady,
Walks to take: Walking around the 6th, 7th, Marais, Canal St Martin quarters. The Jewish streets in the Marais are great fun to walk around as well.

Eat in a Brasserie: La Coupole, Bofinger, Brasserie Lipp, Pied de Cochon etc.

Take a cruise on the Seine, see a show at the Crazy Horse Saloon or the Moulin Rouge. (Kitschy topless).

Best icecream: Berthillon. To die for sherbets.

Best sandwich to eat at the Luxembourg : Gerard Mulot. The best patisserie!

After-noon tea with the old ladies at the Lutetia or Angelina's, or Mariage Freres.

Shopping in the 6th, the Marais, Rue du Faubourg St Honore, or the famed Bon Marche and Galeries Laffayette.

Take a day-trip out to the Monet museum and house in Giverny, an hour's train ride from Paris. The Japanese gardens are lovely.

Flea markets on the weekends at the Porte de Vanves.

Listen to Jazz and drink wine at the Caveau de la Huchette.

See Jim Morrison's tomb at the Pere Lachaise (the Montparnasse Cemetary is quieter and has other famous people too).

Lots more stuff........