I'm happy to learn you're going to The Netherlands as you'll surely love it the way I do. Amsterdam is easy to walk around (all flat, not like Arezzo!) and enjoyable. Everyone speaks a good English and transportation is very good from there to any place in the country, so you won't really need a car. Many Ziners will give you suggestions about it, so I'll keep it short to a list of Do's - Don'ts

DO Take a self guided walking tour with a portable listening device from one of the tourist agency and you'll discover many unespected corners of Amsterdam. The Rijksmuseum is compulsory if you like Flemish and Renaissance paintings, but also the Historical Museum of Amsterdam and the Rembrandt House are interesting Taste the Indonesian food in one of the many restaurants If you're going to Delft, buy a traditional (white and blue) china vase or plate; they're expensive but you won't regret it Utrecht, 50 miles east of Amsterdam, is very old and charming, while The Hague is peaceful and has one of the top museums in the world (Mauritshuis) plus the sea resort borough of Scheveningen (think about a XIX century Daytona Beach!)

DON'T Rent a bike: the pedestrian and car traffic in the town is heavy, so if you aren't a skilled biker you probably won't enjoy it in spite of the extensive net of cycle trails. Out of town is a different question. The red light and drug district: while it was a mecca in the 70's now you can find all those product right in you town, so it's just boring and sometimes bad looking or scary The Van Gogh Museum: I hope none of you Ziners will throw stones at me, but his best masterworks aren't there and you don't miss a lot skipping it unless you're a big VG fan Hotels: the charming ones are located in old houses with narrow staircases and sometimes no lift and little rooms

Well, the more I think about it the more I'm ready to leave to Amsterdam right now ......

Bye Paolo