In answer to Marlene's question, Amsterdam is wonderful and we were there last year in October for 2 weeks and couldn't have asked for better weather. Hope you have the same luck. By the way, I'd really appreciate having the charter flight information, because we weren't able to get a very good deal last year on the air fare.

We made Amsterdam our home base so we wouldn't have to lug around luggage from place to place and took their terrific trains out on day trips. We took the train to Utrecht which is a small town version of Amsterdam. The train station there is in the center of a terrific and busy mall and then we walked to the canal area where they have shops and restaurants and they also have the Netherlands Railway Museum, if you're into trains, that requires a bus to get to and then a walk.

We took a bus to Alsmeer (no train service there), which is probably one of the largest flower auctions ever. It's a site of color and flowers you'll never forget. You walk on perfectly safe and wide cat walks above all the action. We felt is was worth getting up quite early while it was still dark to make it there very early because if you get there at what most people consider a reasonable hour, it's all over and those trillions and trillions of flowers are all gone. It consists of 3 buildings, but only one is open to the public and I don't think I can count high enough as to how many football fields could fit inside.

We also took the train and then a bus to Arhem which is beautiful acreage with vintage buildings, all of which you can enter, restaurants, a trolley which you can hop on and hop off as you please which really presents what life was like way back when. Before you go outside there's a wonderful little museum with a great theater presentation.

The Amsterdam Museum right in Amsterdam is also very, very nice. We bought a $10 CD there and it takes you on a fantastic trolley ride through Amsterdam. A very nice keepsake. Also, Amsterdam has many wonderful street markets if you're into that kind of thing. We are.

If you go on line you can find out all of the specifics. I do hope I've been of some help and have a wonderful time! Don't see how you cannot.

Rose Los Angeles, California