Spring Break in Amsterdam

Parent Cafe
1

<p>So DS who is a 19 year old sophomore called yesterday to tell me that he and a guy buddy are going to Amsterdam for spring break. He has used his own money to purchase the ticket and arranged for time off from his job so this isn’t a “should I let him go” thread. </p>

<p>There is no letting him go or not. He is over 18, responsible, his money, etc.
Parents out there who have been there, can you provide any tips/advice that I might helpfully in a mommish way, pass on? </p>

<p>I know very little about Amsterdam. DH was there years ago on a business trip. I know that little is illegal there. I know that an acquaintance has a niece in prison there for something to do with drugs or trying to bring drugs into the country. It is not a pretty picture. </p>

<p>Again, this is a responsible kid, honors student, deans list, has traveled to Egypt, Australia, Mexico, etc. He has not traveled with just a college kid before though the high school trip to Egypt was largely unchaperoned. He came home with tales of sitting around till 2am in bars with girls who were drinking too much and whom he was concerned about. He understands how the laws are different in different countries, etc. </p>

<p>They are talking about stay in some kind of hostel. Anybody have advice on that? </p>

<p>I do know that I am asking him to give me his flight information and hotel/hostel information and will make sure he registered with the State Department. </p>

<p>Thanks…</p>

2

<p>ebeee, be happy for him, it will be OK, honest :slight_smile: Amsterdam is an amazing city, so much to do and see. Yes, there are drugs and yes there is sex and yes there’s temptation – but all that is also available easily in just about any big city in the world. Amsterdam is also about great architecture, art, coffee houses and highly educated, politically involved, multi-lingual residents your son could have eye-opening discussions with. English is probably more widely spoken in Holland than anywhere in Europe save England! It’s a great place to start discovering Europe. And just to put you at ease, your son could send you daily “I’m OK” emails from the zillions of internet cafes in the city. BTW, my DD chose Northeastern’s ASB (alternative spring break) program. She’ll be building houses for poor people in Georgia.</p>

3

<p>My D spent a week or so in Amsterdam as part of her European trip this fall. Yep, you can buy and smoke dope there. I don’t think she was interested in buying sex so I don’t know how easy that is. However, she also had a great time, rented bikes, did museums, that kind of things. As far as I can tell, she had more fun with that than the one visit to the pot cafe.</p>

4

<p>katliamom, thanks for the words of encouragement. I am feeling so “mommish” (DS’s word). Wish he was building houses in GA. He has even worked in construction!<br>
I can’t imagine him sending daily emails…</p>

5

<p>I’d rather have my kid in Amsterdam for a week than Cancun or Ft. Lauderdale or wherever. It’s a clean, safe, wonderful city.</p>

6

<p>Well…my son stayed at the Hans Brinker Hostel and he told me NEVER to recommend it or stay there. He wasn’t expecting “plush” but he said this was more like a prison with metal bunks…and rolls and tea for breakfast (bread and water…as he put it). However, DS and his friends DID like the city and enjoyed their time there. They went on to Munich and Vienna…which all of them actually liked more…but they are musicians and Vienna, in particular, has a lot of music history.</p>

7

<p>I have been looking at Amsterdam guides as I thought D was going to have an overnight layover- however- on the way there it will only be 5 or so hours and on the way back about 15 hours, not enough to lay down although they are looking forward to doing as much as they can.</p>

<p>Much history, I think it will help to do some reading first to get more out of it.</p>

<p>( one of the guides however- was apparently aimed at GLBT tourists and * and not to mention less mainstream* adventurers, which I didn’t realize when I picked it up at Barnes and Noble- no I didn’t buy it- ;), but I was thinking- good thing D is a city girl- it might scare the pants off someone from a more conservative community)</p>

8

<p>I’ve been there a number of times and from your description of your S I don’t think he’ll have any problems. He should try to be aware of his surroundings and realize that things like muggings and theft do occur. When staying in a hostel make sure he keeps an eye on his stuff. </p>

<p>If possible, I suggest he spend at least a little time out of the city in the countryside - at least for day trips. Holland has a very nice green countryside. He could head to the Kinderdijk area to see lots of windmills, to Den Haag (The Hague) to see the beach (although it’s likely to be overcast and cold), and to some other places. Everything is very close compared to what we’re used to.</p>

9

<p>thanks ucsd…I totally trust your thoughts on this…He has been going to school in an urban environment and is totally street savvy. Understands theft and mugging stuff. I’ll pass on your suggestion to get out of the city itself.
I’ll also let him know not the Hans Brinker hostel.<br>
Anyone have any good hostel (is there such a thing?) suggestions? I’m more of a four star hotel snob myself.</p>

10

<p>EK4–there is a wonderful shower facility right in the Amsterdam airport. It was worth every penny to get clean and fresh before the next flight. After that, we went shopping. Lots of good chocolate shops in the airport too.</p>

11

<p>^^ That’s right - tell him to bring you back some great Dutch chocolate!</p>

12

<p>ebeee, I am a worry wart mom who gets nervous. That said, my 19 year old was just in Amsterdam with a friend. Further, my other college daughter has traveled alone in various countries in Europe a few times, including Amsterdam. My older one had a cell as she was in Europe for a longer block of time and so got a cell there. My younger one didn’t have her own cell but in essence, she did because once in Europe, she was able to borrow a cell from the friend’s parents with whom she stayed with in London. We feel better that we can reach her and vice versa. However, we also got an international calling card so she could call out that way. Also, there is email. When our kids have traveled on their own (particularly older D who has done quite a bit of it alone in foreign countries), we know their entire travel plans…flights, hotels, contact information. They call when they arrive at destinations and any change in plans. You could make sure to have the contact information for where your son is staying and then get him a calling card and ask that he call at certain junctures. </p>

<p>As far as hostels in Amsterdam, I actually researched these widely on the internet to do some ground work for younger D who recently went (older D has done most of this kind of research herself) and found some hostels where you can even get a private or double room and not a dorm like room with many in a room. This was an affordable alternative. These can be lined up in advance online (I prefer that my kids have such travel plans lined up ahead of time and they have). As it turned out, younger D did not go with the hostel option (just as well to me) as I had also looked for an inexpensive hotel since she’d be splitting it in half with a friend (she paid for the entire trip with her own earnings). I found one that she reserved right in the heart of the action. It cost more than a hostel but wasn’t so bad split in half (also they went four nights as she spent the rest of break in London at this girl’s parents’ house). </p>

<p>The hotel I had reserved was:
DIE PORT VAN CLEVE HOTEL: $159
(behind Dam Square)
I picked it due to low rate and location. There were cheaper ones that were not in the center. </p>

<p>I just looked up the email I had sent my D after my research. I had gone through every hostel in the center of Amsterdam and made some personal picks at the time based on availability (was a holiday time and only about five weeks in advance) and I also was looking for them to have their own room for two. For what it is worth, here are my notes/picks:</p>

<p>Hostels:</p>

<p>HOSTELBOOKERS.COM:
THE WHITE TULIP HOSTEL: $89 FOR PRIVATE ROOM FOR 3 (MUST BOOK WHOLE ROOM)
<a href=“Hostels In Amsterdam from €4 - Top Rated Hostels 2024”>Hostels In Amsterdam from €4 - Top Rated Hostels 2024;
(red light district, 3 min. walk to Central Station, 2 min. walk to Dam Square)
Lockers in room, 24 hour safe, sheets and towels included.</p>

<p>HOSTELBOOKERS.COM:
HOTEL DE MALLEMOOLEN: $59 FOR A PRIVATE TWIN
<a href=“Hostelworld - Explore the world’s best hostels”>Hostelworld - Explore the world’s best hostels;
(breakfast included, steep stairs, sink in room, shower/toilet shared, includes linens and towels, 200 m to Central Station, excellent location, good reviews)</p>

<p>HOSTELBOOKERS.COM:
HOSTEL THE GLOBE CENTRE: $96 FOR PRIVATE TWIN
<a href=“http://www.hostelbookers.com/hostels/netherlands/amsterdam/19563/[/url]”>Hostels In Amsterdam from €4 - Top Rated Hostels 2024;
(Red Light District, includes linens and towels)</p>

<p>Again, there are cheaper hostel rooms if you share with more people. I went for location and more privacy. </p>

<p>After all that and my D left the states with a reservation at Die Port Van Cleve Hotel (not the hostel)…the entire plan changed once she was in London. Her friend/roomie, who is from London’s brother wanted to go with the two of them to Amsterdam and so the hotel room they had booked was for just two. This friend/roomie is apparently quite wealthy and her parents canceled the hotel booking (penalty and all) and rented the three kids a three bedroom apartment in Amsterdam and I have no clue what that must have cost but likely a LOT. My D did not pay the difference. My D was funding this trip on her own and that was not the case of her pal. In fact, her pal decided while in Amsterdam to stay longer there with her brother and so my D had to leave as planned for London to fly back to NYC as she had to be back for rehearsals for a show at school and so traveled alone back to London. Friend had to change her plane likely at penalty but I guess money was no object. Anyway, that’s what I know of Amsterdam places as this was just a month ago. My other D stayed in Amsterdam but I can’t recall if that was a hotel or hostel and it was in Nov. 2006 when she was studying abroad in Italy. She has traveled quite a bit since then and I can’t keep track of where she stayed but she had lined that up herself.</p>

13

<p>I love Amsterdam and I felt very safe when we visited. We enjoyed the museums, food and simply walking around the very accessible city. Interestingly, on our flight back to Boston, there were drug sniffing dogs that met our plane in Logan Airport.</p>

14

<p>Though your son may not be the type to partake in this, remind him that while Amsterdam has this image of tolerance towards all types of drugs, they are all still illegal, and so while it may be fine to smoke a joint in a coffee shop, there are still serious consequences for other actions.</p>

<p>mountains: Drug sniffing dogs because of all the drug tourism, and related trafficking.</p>

15

<p>Well my DH, took an entire summer right after HS to visit Europe. He stayed in youth hostels (for the most part). He does have a lot of tales to tell, and as a parent I would have been very upset with him. He also had the time of his life! The pitfalls were because his parents gave him graduation money for his trip, but it was not nearly enough money, and the other student he went with got homesick and flew back to the US after 4 days! My DH continued with his own plans. He also extended his touring to areas which were not planned, and this also lead to his budget problems. Your son will be in the same city for a week. I would let him go. Everything you have said about him, points to a nice, responsible young man.</p>

16

<p>If they’re still being made, perhaps get him a Let’s Go Guide for Amsterdam. These guides are written and updated by students each summer (it started at Harvard years ago, but I’m not sure if it’s still strictly their project) and they’re extremely useful for traveling students.</p>

17

<p>My daughter makes this recommendation:</p>

<p>"hostelbookers.com</p>

<p>“The place I stayed was Inner Amsterdam (i had to look that up); it was nice enough, near the Van Gogh museum. Mostly i recommend RENTING A BIKE! best way to see/get around Amsterdam, by far.”</p>

18

<p>My daughter’s college has a campus there ( Emerson ) Some of her friends got to and or are currently spending a semester there.
it wouln’t have worked for her major , but if it had I would’ve had no reservations about letting her go.
Sooner or later they will be exposed to the big bad world and all of the temptations out there.
She did say it was the runnig joke about the boys that got prostitutes.
And the visits to the local pubs, but no mention of the pot smoking…she can tell me with no problem.</p>

19

<p>As a pretty sheltered recent grad who just spent a few months living in Amsterdam, I assure you that it’s reputation is probably more worrisome than is necessary. As others have said, it’s a safe (relatively speaking) and beautiful city…your son should have a fantastic time!</p>

<p>I was never in a hostel, but I heard very good reviews of Flying Pig, Stayokay, and Shelter City. Also heard bad reviews of Hans Brinker. Can’t personally vouch for (or against) any of these, but google is a traveler’s #1 resource (tons of reviews all over the place…I like to look around, but <a href=“http://www.tripadvisor.com%5B/url%5D”>www.tripadvisor.com</a> is my very favorite…take everything with salt)! I’ve also heard many hostel-goers recommend <a href=“http://www.hostelworld.com%5B/url%5D”>www.hostelworld.com</a> for reviews and bookings.</p>

<p>Public transit will be easy and efficient. Trains are reliable for getting outside of Amsterdam (Utrecht is a nice visit…the coast could also be fun…<a href=“http://www.ns.nl/servlet/Satellite?cid=1075985690180&pagename=www.ns.nl%2FPage%2FSuperHomepageEnglish[/url]”>http://www.ns.nl/servlet/Satellite?cid=1075985690180&pagename=www.ns.nl%2FPage%2FSuperHomepageEnglish&lt;/a&gt;) and trams are a great way to get around the city, particularly once you’re tired of walking. Info and directions for all of this are online, or your son can check the tourist info office when he arrives in Holland. Bikes are a popular way to get around, but unless your son and his friend are relatively experienced riders, I’d actually not recommend renting them (lots of speedy cyclists…it can get chaotic, particularly if you’re not sure of the rules or directions).</p>

<p>If your son is up for any day-tripping, I booked a few things through Lindbergh, (some of their trips are cheaper than train fair would be for a solo journey, although you’re at the mercy of someone else’s schedule…<a href=“http://www.lindbergh.nl/[/url]”>http://www.lindbergh.nl/&lt;/a&gt;). If it’s of any interest at all, I highly recommend their Dark Amsterdam walking tour.</p>

<p>One piece of safety advice: caution your son against pick-pocketers. Really, he just needs to keep his eyes open and realize that it’s a possible issue.</p>

<p>I’m sure your son and his friend will come up with an itinerary of their own, but one more recommendation is the Heineken Brewery (<a href=“http://www.heinekenexperience.com/[/url]”>http://www.heinekenexperience.com/&lt;/a&gt;). Everyone kept telling me that I just had to go, but I figured it would be pretty thin in terms of actual content. Actually a really nice set-up. Pleasant surprise. The website says that you should be of legal age (by your own country’s standards) to access it, but I didn’t encounter any trouble at the brewery, itself, so I’m not sure about the policy (I was of age, but I look young and wasn’t asked for ID). I recommend against the relatively new torture museum. I didn’t go, but every single person I met who *had<a href=“locals%20and%20travelers%20alike”>/i</a> gave it negative “tourist trap” reviews.</p>

<p>Lastly, no matter what else your son does or doesn’t do, he should seek out a pancake house (there’s one right next Heineken or plenty hiding in the old city center) and order a plate of poffertjes (think fluffy mini pancakes). After someone got me to try these, I never wanted to eat anything else in my life. Just saying.</p>

<p>Amsterdam’s a beautiful city. It’s definitely worth getting past the Red Light District and coffeeshops. Those who do, from what I can tell, tend to appreciate the city more, plus they earn more respect from the locals.</p>

<p>It’s just in my nature to over-prepare (and over-advise…) for travel, so I’ll stop here, but feel free to PM if you’d like any further info from a young, traveling-without-family perspective :)</p>

<p>I’m sure it’ll be a great trip!</p>

20

<p>FYI, helpful for basic info:</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.amsterdam.info/[/url]”>http://www.amsterdam.info/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://www.iamsterdam.nl%5B/url%5D”>http://www.iamsterdam.nl</a></p>