Fridays Scandinavian style.While Copenhagen is beautiful and has great fooderys , my recent visit in August led me along Hajbro Plads a lovely energies area for tourists and locals alike. My daughter say it first while on the hop-on- hop- off bus, she was elated as we always are when we travel and see a Fridays restaurant ! It's like meeting an old faithful friend in a place where you never expected to see them. This restaurant had friendly staff, great happy hour and the food was fresh and had generous portions like the Fridays of the past at home in America. We had the Jack Daniels chicken strips which had the fresh taste of real chicken cut in pieces and not compressed parts , the sauce was fantastic and served in generous portions and with some sprinkled over the chicken while on a bed of red cabbage,yummy! I had a strawberry pina colada or two , which was new to me but so so good ! The presentation , service, taste of food was like the Fridays of old , while the price was a little more than traditional home Fridays it was absolutely worth it! The area was upbeat and scenic for people watching and the square by the restaurant has local talent for your entertainment!
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More so now than ever , there has been a push for travelers to become more cognizant of their footprints so to speak when visiting other cultures and countries . The renewed awareness is probably gaining strength because of the widespread documented poverty and inequity seen by humanitarians who travel as well as the continued realization that something aught to be and can be done. Some Local economies as well as the Country at large only benefit minimally from tourism as the monitory benifits are scraped up by larger brands who provide lodging and tours as well as food in heavily visited tourist areas. The Travel Foundation based in England is a charity which partners with developing countries and their tourist boards to bring about sustainable travel measures that will benefit monitarily and environmentally. A few if their initiatives are, Reucing greenhouse gas emissions from tourism businesses, Leading the way: Locals leading tourist excursions in their community and Shining a light on local crafts which benefits local markets areas where tourists frequent. Partnership Countries include:Saint Lucia,Croatia, Mexico, Turkey, South Africa, Jamaica and Cape Verde. Learn more at http://www.thetravelfoundation.org.uk/ How we can help the movement:
Learn some of the language: Just a few words or phrases will help you connect with locals Purchase tours that fund local businesses: some tours are now stating that that they are partnered with sustainable travel initiatives Eat local: Venture outside of your hotel and visit other less touristy spots , meals are usual any less expensive and consorting with locals is priceless. Purchase and carry a collapsible water bottle: This will reduce plastics being disposed of is landfills all over the world ! . This jewel of the Netherlands is situated to the northwest of Amsterdam ,only about 45 minutes by car. We booked a tour with Zaan tours ,our tour guide's name was . He is the owner operator and we were very lucky as we were the only two on the tour for that morning. We drove via SUV along the motorway to the town of Zaanse Schans and had a splendid guided tour of the little village which comprised of cheese making, clog making and the picturesque windmills. These windmills are still at work and are use to grind chalk and create energy. We were able to climb up a working windmill via the small stairwells and look out from the deck like platforms out onto the Daam River and the awesome scenery of Dutch splendor! This is a very interesting exhibit Although my visit to this wonderful and interesting Museum happened in August 2017 , I continue to follow their newsletters and this piece is well worth sharing! http://vangoghmuseumpu.m3.mailplus.nl/nct3582060/P22HzDbKF3LIJmk. Enjoy!
This hotel was out of the downtown Frey but easily accessible by the Ferry at Amsterdam Central Station . Lovely ride to and forth from the hotel daily. We loved the hotel's quite atmosphere and the lovely rooms. The floor length windows in our room gave a modern feel and an awesome view to the area surroundings and the ferry boat stop. Bike rentals were close by and so was grocery shopping. The room had a fridge which was excellent to keep water and food cold when purchased at the Hama (market) nearby. No need to sped 25 Euros for breakfast because of the little fridge. We ordered Dominoes one night and they delivered right to our door! The hotel provided bottled water upon request and was prompt to respond to all out request including light sheets and toothpaste! I love this Doubletree ,will definitely be revisiting next time in Amsterdam. Amsterdam fast became one of my favorite cities just on my first visit! We arrived via Schiphol airport on KLM , the flight took about ninety minutes. We took the train from Schiphol to Amsterdam Centraal Station which took about twenty minutes . We then took the ferry across the Amstel River to our hotel. Amsterdam was alive with tourists and busy with bike lanes to accommodate the preferred way to get around the city. The Hop-on-Hop-off was a great way to see the city in 24 hours and the Hop-on-Hop-off boats was also included in our ticket . Canals by boat was fabulous , with great commentary in English and other languages . The bus was double decker styled which also included commentary in English via headphones as well. Amsterdam's many cobblestones ally's and squares remain vibrant Day and night. The food was a great mix of diverse restaurants from American style to Asian and of course their native cuisine . Museum square housed some of the famed museums like Rijksmuseum ,Van Gogh and Stedelijk with the Museumplein park to complete the picturesque setting. The Amsterdam Icebar was a real treat and should not be missed , tickets are 25 Euros at the door but if you buy at any of the sightseeing tours store or on the boats or at your hotel it could be as low as 16 euros ! You get coins for two or three alcoholic beverages and the experience in the Icebar is priceless. The canals are adorned with beautifully blooming flowers and the atmosphere is unforgettable . Most people speak English and most places including buses and trains and museums have free wifi you just have to log in with your email address. No need to purchase expensive international data plans . Our hotel was Doubletree at the Wharf it was a fantastic place to stay and away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Amsterdam as you took the ferry that frequently left Amesterdam Centraal by the waterfront to get there . Watch for more on my hotel experience . We took a tour to see the Windmills in Zaanse Schans and it was definitely a highlight of this Holland experience! Amsterdam has some of the most interesting museums on the planet , they accentuate the city as much as the many lively streets and magnificent waterways ! I visited the Van Gogh , Rijksmuseum and Ann Frank House . Vincent Van Gogh's paintings are a wonder to experience up close and their beauty shows his true heart in contrast to his fretful life at times. His paintings of Sunflowers are featured in five cities around the world presently , Amsterdam,Philadelphia, Tokyo, London and Munich . This painting is my favorite of his gorgeous collection of florals. To learn more about the Sunflowers here is a link: https://youtu.be/2RW3RWyZmLo The Rijksmuseum is a Dutch National Museum that boasts the arts and history it's people. This museum was beautifully appointed in Museum Square and had so much culture to explore on it's multilevel floors . The Ann Frank House told the story of the hiding place of Ann and her family before they were found and put to death by the Natzis . The walls of the house were adorned with some of the exerps from her diary and many pictures of the family were also visible. This house held a special place in my heart because I had written a paper in college about Ann Frank after reading her diary . I was young and never heard of her at home during high school in Jamaica but in College here I was taking a course in Western Civilization and became very interested her life. I felt that visiting the house made it more real for me what I had read all those years ago. A must visit if you go to Amsterdam. Kobenhavn as the Danes call this city is the capital of Denmark and is so full of history and architecture as well as vibrant food and fun things to experience . Above is the City Hall ,situated in the center of it all! The waterfront was abuzz with sights and sounds and there are boat rides around the harbor to show you the city from that perspective . We did the three day Hop- on -Hop -off bus by Grey line which has three different routes to show you the city by land. Amelienborg Castle , Tivoli Gardens The little Mermaid statue and the spectacular waterfront along with many fabulous sites make this city one of the most charming and interesting I have visited . Amelienborg Castle, Kobenhavn Denmark Tivoli Gardens at night !
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