Travel Thread

[myboynoah]

You don’t think Amsterdam has a unique hyper-tourist vibe? Red light district, sex museums, weed, etc? Come on.

Well I went there with my family so I must have missed all that fun.

We enjoyed it. Nice European city with canals and waffles.

Doesn't even have a Circus Circus, so I'm all ???? about the Vegas comparison.

But you are correct that there are other awesome Dutch cities to explore.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Well I went there with my family so I must have missed all that fun.

We enjoyed it. Nice European city with canals and waffles.

Doesn't even have a Circus Circus, so I'm all ???? about the Vegas comparison.

But you are correct that there are other awesome Dutch cities to explore.

Hedonism as a tourist attraction.

The problem with analogies is that people sometimes expect a perfect match. That is not how analogies work.

I like Amsterdam. Heading back in 2020. But I think Delft is my favorite. Esp. on a Saturday with the open market.

[creekster]

You don’t think Amsterdam has a unique hyper-tourist vibe? Red light district, sex museums, weed, etc? Come on.

We took our kids there some years ago and somehow managed to avoid those things. Besides, lots of places have sex museums and weed and try pretty hard to pry money away from the tourists that wander by. I don't think Amsterdam is unique or excessive that way. And the red light district has been there for many years. There used to be a lot of red light districts in Europe, but Amsterdam is one of the few places where it still remains in a fairly defined area. When in AMsterdam with our kids we enjoyed taking bike tours around the city, including some based on art and commerce history, and also a couple that went out into the polders and visited dairies making Gouda. My wife and i have been there twice in the last 3-4 years and each time enjoyed what the city has to offer, including good food, atmosphere and art. I did not say that there are not other great places in the Netherlands to visit, but putting Vegas and Amsterdam in the same bucket is a bit weird, IMO.

[Jeff Lebowski]

We took our kids there some years ago and somehow managed to avoid those things. Besides, lots of places have sex museums and weed and try pretty hard to pry money away from the tourists that wander by. I don't think Amsterdam is unique or excessive that way. And the red light district has been there for many years. There used to be a lot of red light districts in Europe, but Amsterdam is one of the few places where it still remains in a fairly defined area. When in AMsterdam with our kids we enjoyed taking bike tours around the city, including some based on art and commerce history, and also a couple that went out into the polders and visited dairies making Gouda. My wife and i have been there twice in the last 3-4 years and each time enjoyed what the city has to offer, including good food, atmosphere and art. I did not say that there are not other great places in the Netherlands to visit, but putting Vegas and Amsterdam in the same bucket is a bit weird, IMO.

It is funny to me that my comment has stirred up some many responses. You keep missing my point, so I will stop trying to explain it. Carry on.

And Lol @ you folks living in Vegas. I guess a comparison to Vegas is seen as a real insult!

[Pelado]

Hedonism...Heading back in 2020.

fify - you had a lot of superfluous words.

[falafel]

It is funny to me that my comment has stirred up some many responses. You keep missing my point, so I will stop trying to explain it. Carry on.

And Lol @ you folks living in Vegas. I guess a comparison to Vegas is seen as a real insult!

And hot as hell to boot! What in the world are we doing here?!

[creekster]

It is funny to me that my comment has stirred up some many responses. You keep missing my point, so I will stop trying to explain it. Carry on.

And Lol @ you folks living in Vegas. I guess a comparison to Vegas is seen as a real insult!

I said nothing about Vegas, I just think it has nothing in common with Amsterdam. So I guess you used that comparison because you really wanted to compliment Amsterdam?

[happyone]

I'm in Munich right now with three teenagers (2 girls, 1 boy).

We did Neuschwanstein yesterday. Was on girls bucket list. Boy seemed happy enough. Today we are doing a Hitler walking tour and Dachau. Son loves any/all WW2 stuff; girls not so much. The carrot is that we will go shopping tonight.

On the Hitler sites - Berchtesgaden and the Eagles nest is worth a visit. It is also close to Salzburg, Mozart's birthplace

[PaloAltoCougar]

On the Hitler sites - Berchtesgaden and the Eagles nest is worth a visit. It is also close to Salzburg, Mozart's birthplace

I spent the last part of my mission in Bad Reichenhall, equidistant between Berchtesgaden and Salzburg, and then in Salzburg itself for the final month (lived next to the manse that served as the Von Trapp home in Sound of Music). We spent a fair amount of time rooting around Eagles Nest, the nearby General Walker Hotel (used by visiting Nazi leaders) and the adjacent SS barracks, most of which have since been torn down. To the south, we visited Werfen Castle, the setting for Where Eagles Dare. That area may be my favorite place on earth. I'm looking forward to next June when we'll serve there as tour guides for our oldest daughter's family.

[happyone]

I spent the last part of my mission in Bad Reichenhall, equidistant between Berchtesgaden and Salzburg, and then in Salzburg itself for the final month (lived next to the manse that served as the Von Trapp home in Sound of Music). We spent a fair amount of time rooting around Eagles Nest, the nearby General Walker Hotel (used by visiting Nazi leaders) and the adjacent SS barracks, most of which have since been torn down. To the south, we visited Werfen Castle, the setting for Where Eagles Dare. That area may be my favorite place on earth. I'm looking forward to next June when we'll serve there as tour guides for our oldest daughter's family.

While my family was in Germany, the semi-annual Mormon Serviceman's Retreats were held in Berchtesgaden. When my family went, we always stayed at the Gen Walker. When the Army downsized in the early 90's most of the Army stuff was closed and torn down. We went 4 or 5 times while we lived in Germany. One year Dad decided to blow off the afternoon session, take the family and hike up to the Eagles Nest (EN) starting at the Gen Walker. My brother and I got into a race. We got to the top about 30-40 minutes ahead of the family, just as the visiting GAs were coming out of the EN. The Germany South MP would not let us stay and wait for the rest of the family, so we rode down with them on their bus. That night at dinner time family wasn't back so my brother and I were invited to have dinner with Elder Hinkley and Elder Ashton along with the GS MP. If I have my dates right, it was probably about the same time you were wandering around Austria - Oct 1972.

[PaloAltoCougar]

When my family went to Berchtesgaden, we always stayed at the Gen Walker. When the Army downsized in the early 90's most of the Army stuff was closed and torn down. We went 4 or 5 times while we lived in Germany. The semi-annual Mormon Serviceman's Retreats were held there. One time Dad decided to blow off the afternoon session, take the family and hike up to the Eagles Nest (EN) starting at the Gen Walker. My brother and I got into a race. We got to the top about 30 minutes ahead of the family, just as the visiting GA were coming out of the EN and rode down with them on their bus and that night my brother and I had dinner with Elder Hinkley and Elder Ashton. If I have my dates right, it was probably about the same time you were wandering around Austria.

I spoke with then-apostle Hinckley when he visited the mission (with Pres. Lee) in August '73, so maybe? And nice memories about your visit... The General Walker hotel, run by the U.S. armed forces, may have been the top R&R destination for European personnel. During my time there, we were teaching an American soldier who had been a draft dodger in Canada but thought better of it and submitted himself to the Selective Service. His assignment? He served as the lifeguard at the General Walker Hotel in the summer and as head of the ski patrol during the winter. "Man, I can't believe I was avoiding the draft when I get to do this!," he often told us. Of course, some of his contemporaries didn't fare as well.

[Topper]

Anybody been to the Galapagos before? Did you scuba dive while there?

[myboynoah]

The problem with analogies is that people sometimes expect a perfect match. That is not how analogies work.

I didn't expect a perfect match, but the Amsterdam/Vegas analogy surprised me based on my experience. There is much more to Amsterdam than hedonism. Vegas exists for the hedonism (plus it's kitschy, plastic, and hot as hell).

[happyone]

I spoke with then-apostle Hinckley when he visited the mission (with Pres. Lee) in August '73, so maybe? And nice memories about your visit... The General Walker hotel, run by the U.S. armed forces, may have been the top R&R destination for European personnel. During my time there, we were teaching an American soldier who had been a draft dodger in Canada but thought better of it and submitted himself to the Selective Service. His assignment? He served as the lifeguard at the General Walker Hotel in the summer and as head of the ski patrol during the winter. "Man, I can't believe I was avoiding the draft when I get to do this!," he often told us. Of course, some of his contemporaries didn't fare as well.

We came home in the Summer of '73, when dad left the Army. Yes they are good memories.

I wish I had taken advantage of my brothers being stationed in Germany in the 90s and early 00s. One was in Heidelberg and the other Garmish!

When I retire...

Speaking of cushy jobs in the Viet Nam era military, we had a kid in our branch who was the afternoon DJ for AFN Nuremberg

As to the last statement - don't I know it

[Jeff Lebowski]

And hot as hell to boot! What in the world are we doing here?!

Because it is super nice in the winter!