being thrown in there. For those who have never been to Europe, it was a great experience to be immersed in a culture completely different from that which I am accustomed and I recommend going if you ever have the opportunity. I will try to recount as much as I can remember with the aid of my pictures for those that have not traveled to Paris and Amsterdam! (Disclaimer* - this account of my trip is very long. It will take a while to read and may not interest you. It is meant to be more of a personal journal for my benefit because there's so much more than even the pictures can tell you. If you want the short version, give me a call or check out my Facebook album, #2, #3.)My co-worker Lori, our friend Sumner from American Airlines and I had planned to Amsterdam after considering other destinations such as Tokyo, Sydney, Beijing, Hong Kong, Phuket, Bangkok and Greece (pretty much in that order). We settled on Amsterdam because it would give us the most amount of time to sightsee. Sumner backed out at the last minute to exchange his travel plans for an opportunity to spend time with his father in
Our flight from Cedar Rapids left at 5:15 PM and we were in Detroit by 7:30 PM. We departed Detroit at 9:25 PM aboard an Airbus 330 in our business class seats. Before we even pushed back from the gate we were offered champagne and juice. I watched outside while they deiced us and a 747 several gates down. Once established in a cruise climb, we were served appetizers of mixed nuts and a sampler plate of mini toasts with lobster Marsala spread and prosciutto chevre canapé (whatever that is). For dinner, I chose the stuffed chicken breast with gorgonzola au gratin potatoes and edamame and a salad. We pulled out our personal entertainment screens and donned our headphones. I began watching "A Good Year" (something about a boy who inherits his uncle's vineyard), but after finishing my blackberry crisp à la mode, I became somewhat disinterested and tired and fell asleep. I woke up and finished the end of the movie before starting "Wall·E" (an animated Disney flick about a trash-compacting robot). It was okay, but I also dozed off several times during this one. Periodically, I monitored our progress across the Atlantic using the map page of the entertainment system. There was also a flight information screen that showed altitude, time and distance to our destination.
We arrived at Charles de Gaulle shortly after 11:00 AM on Friday morning. There was glass everywhere I looked. Even the jet bridge was made of glass. It was quite a maze from our gate to customs, but the flow of traffic kept us headed in the right direction. After clearing customs, we wandered around looking for an ATM to withdraw Euro and a place to purchase a train ticket to downtown. We looked at several maps and took a few lucky guesses before getting in line. We bought a three day unlimited pass for the trains, buses and trams in Paris. Another lucky guess got us on an RER train that brought us downtown. At the first stop, a young boy boarded with his accordion and began to play music for the passengers. It was very quaint, almost cliché, but he was good and I imagined that he was personally welcoming me to Paris, so I gave him some change. We noticed a lot of graffiti on the walls and over passes at every train station. It was not how I pictured Paris at all. From the Paris Nord station, we began to wonder around armed with a street map and an accommodation guide to secure a hotel or hostel for 2 nights. We struck out on the first place that looked reasonable. The entire street was blocked off apparently for construction, but we also saw a lot of police in what appeared to be riot gear. We never did find out exactly what was going on. We hopped on the Metro to get us over to a different zone. When 
we got there, we couldn’t find the hotel. The number was on the wall next to an alley, but there was no entrance. Looking up and down the alley, we found another hotel with an available room. The only downside was that it was on the 5th floor. It made for an exhausting climb up the steep spiraling staircase. But it was cheap and very clean. That day we were so wiped out that we didn't feel like doing anything but sleeping. So we made a rough plan of attack for the next day and slept through the afternoon and all night.
Day 2
day of sightseeing. We took the Metro to the station nearest the Louvre. There were signs to the entrance, but I was not sure exactly where I was going. All the buildings had so much detail on every face, edge and peak. I just kept snapping pictures. It wasn't until I saw the glass pyramids in the center of the museum that I knew we were at the right place. We got in line by quarter to nine and only had to wait a few minutes for them to let us inside. Map in hand, we began in the Denon wing on the first floor. (You can follow along on this Interactive Map if you so choose.) I wanted to head straight for the Mona Lisa so I could get a good look before it got too crowded. However, we did make a few stops along the way. We then made our way through the Greek terracotta and ceramics exhibits in the Sully wing. The Egyptian Circuit didn't interest us much so we moved through that section pretty quickly. Next, we went up to the 2nd floor to see paintings from the 15th - 17th centuries. Not really my cup of tea. I would rather see sculptures than paintings. It was interesting to see students in the museum copying various subjects of art. The artists were very talented and sometimes I couldn't tell the difference between the original and the copy. It was at this time we caught our first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower from a window. Moving on, we went down to the ground floor through the French, Italian, and Greek sculptures. We saw such masterpieces as Michelangelo's "Dying Slave", Canova's "Psyche and Cupid" and Aphrodite or "Vénus de Milo." We saw just about everything we wanted to by 11:30 AM. Afterwards, we realized how much we rushed through the museum and we probably could have stayed another hour or two to see everything and take in each piece of art more thoughtfully.
Day 2
Lori and I awoke fairly early on Saturday morning to begin our big
day of sightseeing. We took the Metro to the station nearest the Louvre. There were signs to the entrance, but I was not sure exactly where I was going. All the buildings had so much detail on every face, edge and peak. I just kept snapping pictures. It wasn't until I saw the glass pyramids in the center of the museum that I knew we were at the right place. We got in line by quarter to nine and only had to wait a few minutes for them to let us inside. Map in hand, we began in the Denon wing on the first floor. (You can follow along on this Interactive Map if you so choose.) I wanted to head straight for the Mona Lisa so I could get a good look before it got too crowded. However, we did make a few stops along the way. We then made our way through the Greek terracotta and ceramics exhibits in the Sully wing. The Egyptian Circuit didn't interest us much so we moved through that section pretty quickly. Next, we went up to the 2nd floor to see paintings from the 15th - 17th centuries. Not really my cup of tea. I would rather see sculptures than paintings. It was interesting to see students in the museum copying various subjects of art. The artists were very talented and sometimes I couldn't tell the difference between the original and the copy. It was at this time we caught our first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower from a window. Moving on, we went down to the ground floor through the French, Italian, and Greek sculptures. We saw such masterpieces as Michelangelo's "Dying Slave", Canova's "Psyche and Cupid" and Aphrodite or "Vénus de Milo." We saw just about everything we wanted to by 11:30 AM. Afterwards, we realized how much we rushed through the museum and we probably could have stayed another hour or two to see everything and take in each piece of art more thoughtfully.A short trip on the Metro took us near the Cathedral of Notre Dame. We came out of the station near the Palais de justice de Paris. Next to that building I saw a cathedral and assumed it was the correct one. Lori and I walked around entire block in vain before looking at the map and realizing the Notre Dame was a few blocks to the southeast. I again rushed past this landmark
without going inside to fully experience it. I was mad at myself when we got back and heard how beautiful it was inside. I suppose it's just another reason to go back. I did take the time to walk around to the back of the cathedral to see the flying buttresses. Ever since studying about the architecture of that time period in high school history class, I've wanted to see them in person. It was now about lunchtime, so we looked for something quick and cheap. We found a sandwich shop and each had a Royal Poulet, which was a baguette with chicken, lettuce and tomato. It came with a can of pop for just under 5€.
From here we got on the RER line to the west side of town to see the Eiffel Tower up close and personal. It was about four blocks along the Seine River from the station to the tower. I stood at the base in awe of size and grandeur. It covers much more area than one might imagine when viewing from a distance. I wanted to take the stairs to save a few Euro, but it was awfully windy and there didn't seem to be a designated line that I could see. So, we followed the crowd and took the elevator. The second level alone provided a breathtaking view. We spent several minutes investigating the landscape and snapping pictures before heading to the summit. 
without going inside to fully experience it. I was mad at myself when we got back and heard how beautiful it was inside. I suppose it's just another reason to go back. I did take the time to walk around to the back of the cathedral to see the flying buttresses. Ever since studying about the architecture of that time period in high school history class, I've wanted to see them in person. It was now about lunchtime, so we looked for something quick and cheap. We found a sandwich shop and each had a Royal Poulet, which was a baguette with chicken, lettuce and tomato. It came with a can of pop for just under 5€.From here we got on the RER line to the west side of town to see the Eiffel Tower up close and personal. It was about four blocks along the Seine River from the station to the tower. I stood at the base in awe of size and grandeur. It covers much more area than one might imagine when viewing from a distance. I wanted to take the stairs to save a few Euro, but it was awfully windy and there didn't seem to be a designated line that I could see. So, we followed the crowd and took the elevator. The second level alone provided a breathtaking view. We spent several minutes investigating the landscape and snapping pictures before heading to the summit. Needless to say, the view from the top was even more spectacular. I was amazed that the structure did not sway in the wind the same way most skyscrapers do. Despite the windy conditions, the tower was as solid as a rock. The streets below looked as if someone had hand-carved them out of the solid blocks of buildings. We could see tour boats traveling up and down the Seine. Not too far off in the distance we saw the Arc de Triomphe. This monument was erected to honor those who fought in the Napoleonic Wars. We actually visited this later in the evening, but we had to go back to the hotel to get warmer clothes.
Now bundled up, we stopped at the Arc de Triomphe beforewalking down the Champs-Élysées, which I would crudely compare to Chicago’s Michigan Avenue. There were a lot of high 
end retail stores including Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Prada, Armani and Nike, plus a few car dealers. The Metro took us back past the Eiffel Tower, which was now lit a brilliant blue, on our way to find a place for dinner. We decided on the Castel Cafe. I had quiche that had ham, green beans, tomatoes, and spinach inside. After dinner we walked back to the Eiffel Tower to get some night shots. At the top of the hour, strobes all over the Tower sparkled for about five minutes. It looked really neat, but my camera wouldn't take a good photo of it.
Day 3
There was one spot we didn't get to visit the previous day that I wanted to see before we left for Amsterdam. However, I misinterpreted the map. I thought that Place de Fontenoy was Palais
de Fontenoy. Big difference. The "Palace" turned out to be a military school with a monument across the street. It was still cool to see up close, but I learned to be more careful with my map reading. Outside the Ecole Militaire, we saw some equestrians. We took a few pictures before moving on to look at what I thought was a capitol building. With a gold-leafed rotunda, I didn't see how it could be anything else. A closer look at the map and some Google-ing when I got home set me straight a second time. What we were actually looking at was Les Invalides, a complex of several museums and the burial site of Napoleon Bonaparte among other French war heroes. Not knowing this and running short on time, we snapped a picture and headed back to the hotel to check out.
Lori and I then made our way to Paris Nord station to board a high speed Thalys train to Amsterdam. We experienced a little bit of sticker shock when purchasing our tickets. For a same day travel ticket, the rate almost doubles. That’s just another disadvantage of making last minute travel arrangements. We didn't have many options, so we bit the bullet. It took us a while to find our seats because I didn't count the cars as we walked down the platform. Then we found out we were booked in separate cars. The conductor said it wasn't a big deal though. From Paris to Brussels was the "highest speed" part of our journey. Afterwards we had to go slower for the towns along our route. It snowed a bit on this leg of our trip. We went through Anvers and Rotterdam before learning of a train derailment near Amsterdam. Somewhere past Rotterdam we took a detour that would skip La Haye and Schiphol Airport. Passengers traveling here would be asked to take a different train to reach their destination. We got as far as Diemen Zuid when they told everyone they would have to take the Metro line the rest of the way to Amsterdam because of the derailment. They didn't really offer much for instructions, barely even a "good luck" before pushing us out the door into the cold and snowy weather. We again followed the crowd and made it in one piece to Amsterdam Central Station by about 5:30PM.
We found our way out, but it wasn't easy to get acquainted with an entirely different language in five minutes. I pretty much had to forget everything I learned in Paris. Again, I had no sense of direction coming out of the train station. To get oriented, we had to walk in one direction until we saw a street sign. The only map we had was in a guidebook loaned to us by a co-worker who had been to Amsterdam on the way back from her trip to Spain. We lucked out again by picking the right street and direction towards our hostel. Already having a place to stay put my mind more at ease than when we arrived in Paris. We dropped our bags off in our room and locked up our valuables before venturing out for dinner. There were no traditionally Dutch restaurants to be found, so we settled for Italian. I had a bowl of pasta with strips of ham. It was interesting, but not bad.
Day 4
We didn't have as many things to see in Amsterdam, so we agreed to slow our pace down considerably. We also declined to buy passes for public transportation because the book said it 
See my other pictures at Photobucket.com.
Now bundled up, we stopped at the Arc de Triomphe beforewalking down the Champs-Élysées, which I would crudely compare to Chicago’s Michigan Avenue. There were a lot of high end retail stores including Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Prada, Armani and Nike, plus a few car dealers. The Metro took us back past the Eiffel Tower, which was now lit a brilliant blue, on our way to find a place for dinner. We decided on the Castel Cafe. I had quiche that had ham, green beans, tomatoes, and spinach inside. After dinner we walked back to the Eiffel Tower to get some night shots. At the top of the hour, strobes all over the Tower sparkled for about five minutes. It looked really neat, but my camera wouldn't take a good photo of it.Day 3
There was one spot we didn't get to visit the previous day that I wanted to see before we left for Amsterdam. However, I misinterpreted the map. I thought that Place de Fontenoy was Palais
de Fontenoy. Big difference. The "Palace" turned out to be a military school with a monument across the street. It was still cool to see up close, but I learned to be more careful with my map reading. Outside the Ecole Militaire, we saw some equestrians. We took a few pictures before moving on to look at what I thought was a capitol building. With a gold-leafed rotunda, I didn't see how it could be anything else. A closer look at the map and some Google-ing when I got home set me straight a second time. What we were actually looking at was Les Invalides, a complex of several museums and the burial site of Napoleon Bonaparte among other French war heroes. Not knowing this and running short on time, we snapped a picture and headed back to the hotel to check out.Lori and I then made our way to Paris Nord station to board a high speed Thalys train to Amsterdam. We experienced a little bit of sticker shock when purchasing our tickets. For a same day travel ticket, the rate almost doubles. That’s just another disadvantage of making last minute travel arrangements. We didn't have many options, so we bit the bullet. It took us a while to find our seats because I didn't count the cars as we walked down the platform. Then we found out we were booked in separate cars. The conductor said it wasn't a big deal though. From Paris to Brussels was the "highest speed" part of our journey. Afterwards we had to go slower for the towns along our route. It snowed a bit on this leg of our trip. We went through Anvers and Rotterdam before learning of a train derailment near Amsterdam. Somewhere past Rotterdam we took a detour that would skip La Haye and Schiphol Airport. Passengers traveling here would be asked to take a different train to reach their destination. We got as far as Diemen Zuid when they told everyone they would have to take the Metro line the rest of the way to Amsterdam because of the derailment. They didn't really offer much for instructions, barely even a "good luck" before pushing us out the door into the cold and snowy weather. We again followed the crowd and made it in one piece to Amsterdam Central Station by about 5:30PM.
We found our way out, but it wasn't easy to get acquainted with an entirely different language in five minutes. I pretty much had to forget everything I learned in Paris. Again, I had no sense of direction coming out of the train station. To get oriented, we had to walk in one direction until we saw a street sign. The only map we had was in a guidebook loaned to us by a co-worker who had been to Amsterdam on the way back from her trip to Spain. We lucked out again by picking the right street and direction towards our hostel. Already having a place to stay put my mind more at ease than when we arrived in Paris. We dropped our bags off in our room and locked up our valuables before venturing out for dinner. There were no traditionally Dutch restaurants to be found, so we settled for Italian. I had a bowl of pasta with strips of ham. It was interesting, but not bad.
Day 4
We didn't have as many things to see in Amsterdam, so we agreed to slow our pace down considerably. We also declined to buy passes for public transportation because the book said it was just as easy to get around on foot. Plus, we didn’t need an excuse to spend more money. At Dam Square we found a national monument, the Royal Palace, and the Nieuwe Kerk. We then headed southwest to visit the Van Gogh Museum. A broken down
tram car necessitated that an entire street be blocked, which caused us to get a little off track. So, we saw the Magere Brug a little earlier than planned. On our way back in the right direction, we stopped at the Carousel Pancake House for brunch and I got a plate of pofferjes, which I was dying to have. With our bellies full,
we continued on to the museum For obvious reasons, pictures were not allowed inside. I did not find staring at artwork to be the most fun thing to do in the world, but I made the best of it. I took more interest in learning about the life of Vincent Van Gogh, even though his artwork was a huge part of his life.
From the Van Gogh Museum we walked and walked and walked to see the De Gooyer Windmill on the other side of town. The snow now began to fall harder and the cold chilled us both to the
From the Van Gogh Museum we walked and walked and walked to see the De Gooyer Windmill on the other side of town. The snow now began to fall harder and the cold chilled us both to the
bone. I snapped a quick photo and we headed back to the hostel to warm up. It wasn't a very straight shot. We had to weave through a residential area and across a major street. It made us both a little uneasy because night had fallen. After warming up, we walked around trying to find something appetizing. We saw a lot of Italian restaurants, Argentinean grills, and a few fast food mainstays. We picked another Italian restaurant, but on a different street and it turned out to be a very pleasant experience. There were only two main waiters, but they took good care of us and were very upbeat and entertaining. Lori had warned me about the reputation for poor service in Amsterdam earlier when we stopped at the poffertjes house, but this establishment was an exception. On the way home, we stopped to pick up some souvenirs. I will say: it's hard to find something unique to Amsterdam that you can't find at any gift shop in Pella. It was a little hard to fall asleep at the hostel because a dance club next door was "bumpin." Management said there was nothing they could do and understandably so. The amenity kit we received in business class that contained an eye mask and earplugs came in handy and allowed us to get some rest.
Day 5
We had to be up early to get to the Anne Frank House and back to the hostel before checkout
Day 5
We had to be up early to get to the Anne Frank House and back to the hostel before checkout
time. I remember reading the Diary of Anne Frank in either middle school or high school, but didn't think I would ever visit the place where they hid from the German Police. It was a disheartening way to start the day, but I am glad I took the tour. We started on the ground floor and worked our way up and back through the office space and storehouse for the company that Otto Frank owned. In the back, known as the annex, we walked through the concealed rooms where the van Pels' and the Franks lived in hiding for over two years.
We checked out of the Bulldog and made our way to Amsterdam CS to take the train to Schiphol Airport. This system was almost more confusing than getting out of the Charles de Gaulle Airport. We purchased tickets to get to the airport, but I'm not sure if we got on the right system. The gentlemen guarding the entrance to the Metro looked at our tickets and didn't give us any trouble. They even gave us directions. As far as I'm concerned, we paid an appropriate fare and we got where we needed to go, so my conscience is clear.
Schiphol was a nightmare at first. When we got off of the train, nothing looked like an airport. It looked like a mall. There were signs everywhere, but I had difficulty comprehending what they were telling me. It was information overload. Schiphol was definitely not set up like an airport in
We checked out of the Bulldog and made our way to Amsterdam CS to take the train to Schiphol Airport. This system was almost more confusing than getting out of the Charles de Gaulle Airport. We purchased tickets to get to the airport, but I'm not sure if we got on the right system. The gentlemen guarding the entrance to the Metro looked at our tickets and didn't give us any trouble. They even gave us directions. As far as I'm concerned, we paid an appropriate fare and we got where we needed to go, so my conscience is clear.
Schiphol was a nightmare at first. When we got off of the train, nothing looked like an airport. It looked like a mall. There were signs everywhere, but I had difficulty comprehending what they were telling me. It was information overload. Schiphol was definitely not set up like an airport in
the states. We located a bank of flight monitors and found the appropriate concourse and check-in area for Northwest . I had to change into my business class clothes before check-in so that took a few minutes. While attempting to check in, I had trouble locating my reservation. It didn't work to swipe my passport and when I tried to enter the confirmation number manually, it asked for my destination. On our kiosk at our station, it asks for the final destination airport. However on the KLM kiosks, it asks for the first destination. The kiosk attendant sent me to a to a line that was not intended for employees but the ticket agent was kind enough to help me. We decided to check our bags this time so we didn't have to drag them around but the check-in process was still a hassle. We had to stop at the post office so Lori could mail her postcards. By this time we both noticed the final boarding announcement/special invitations for those passengers were "delaying the flight". It was such a pleasant announcement which made it
funny. Plus, it sounded as if it had been translated from another language because the words were out of order and some words were missing. I’ll do an impression for you if you really want. I got to do a little bit of plane spotting near our gate before going through security. At Schiphol, everyone goes through security immediately before boarding rather than between checking at reaching the gate. We got in line to go through pre-screening of our documents. After passing the mini interview regarding the packing of our bags and our reason for visiting the Netherlands, we asked the gate agent if she could assign us seats yet. We were told to wait, so we headed over to
some chairs. Unbeknownst to us, we walked out of the area that had been roped off for those that had already passed pre-screening. So we had to talk our way back in without our boarding passes. They didn't give us too much trouble and within 10 minutes we had our business class seat assignments.
Our appetizer for this flight was a selection of shrimp and salmon. For dinner, I had the chicken parmesan with cous cous. This is another crude American comparison, but I thought the cous cous had the taste and texture of shredded chicken ramen noodles. I had an ice cream sundae for dessert, a granola bar and a tangerine for mid-flight snack, and the cold meat and cheese tray and bread pudding for a light snack before arriving in Minneapolis. I had enough time to watch the rest of "Henry Poole is Here" that I had started on the flight to Paris, "License to Wed" (starring Robin Williams), and "Wanted" (an action thriller about a group
some chairs. Unbeknownst to us, we walked out of the area that had been roped off for those that had already passed pre-screening. So we had to talk our way back in without our boarding passes. They didn't give us too much trouble and within 10 minutes we had our business class seat assignments.Our appetizer for this flight was a selection of shrimp and salmon. For dinner, I had the chicken parmesan with cous cous. This is another crude American comparison, but I thought the cous cous had the taste and texture of shredded chicken ramen noodles. I had an ice cream sundae for dessert, a granola bar and a tangerine for mid-flight snack, and the cold meat and cheese tray and bread pudding for a light snack before arriving in Minneapolis. I had enough time to watch the rest of "Henry Poole is Here" that I had started on the flight to Paris, "License to Wed" (starring Robin Williams), and "Wanted" (an action thriller about a group
of assassins.) We got to Minneapolis at about 5:30 PM, but it felt like 11:30 PM to us. After clearing customs and immigration, we claimed our bags and put them on a different carousel to check them the rest of the way home. We had to wait until 9:20 PM for our flight to Dubuque, but we ran into a friend on the way to our gate and told him all about our trip. Our flight to Dubuque was pretty uneventful. I got a few hours of sleep before I had to be back to work at 5:00AM. I was just glad that my body clock adjusted much better coming home than it did traveling to Europe.
I didn't pay anywhere near full price for the flights, but I will still need to save up before I can go again. I can't wait though. Business class was definitely worth it. Sumner, if you're reading this, I hate you for getting me hooked. Thank you Lori for making me fly business when I wanted to save and fly economy. Until next time, au revoir / vaarwel!
I didn't pay anywhere near full price for the flights, but I will still need to save up before I can go again. I can't wait though. Business class was definitely worth it. Sumner, if you're reading this, I hate you for getting me hooked. Thank you Lori for making me fly business when I wanted to save and fly economy. Until next time, au revoir / vaarwel!
See my other pictures at Photobucket.com.
1 comment:
What a great recounting of your trip! I laughed when you commented about having trouble finding something to take back with you that you couldn't get in Pella.
As for the Poffertjes, that looks a lot like the ones my grandma made me when I was younger. She served them with strawberries on the side. It's the funnel cake icing that I don't approve of. :)
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