How is this itinerary? Doable or not? - Netherlands, Belgium, Paris

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And when we plan a trip to Italy, I will be going to Pisa too - just for that photo op.

That's... weird.

What's more weird is you being triggered by another person's interests. I bet you have never traveled to either Netherlands or Belgium but like to give your opinion on every topic.

You seem to be one of those who would tell tourists who come to the Tidal Basin to sit by the Lincoln Memorial all day instead of walking around AND taking pictures next to all the different monuments in DC. Or better yet, you could guide tourists to NE DC to get a real feel.

Since Pisa is not on my list this time, I promise you I will do a pose hugging a windmill

Honestly, I don’t care what you do. I can still find all of your trip planning and trip priorities to be weird.

Tourists should visit the Mall! And take photos! If you’re near Pisa, go for it! Just so you know, it’s a leaning tower surrounded by heaps of tourists and trashy souvenir shops in the middle of a super strange town covered in trash and graffiti. I would not go out of the way to go there so you can get a photo for your holiday card.

And not to get into a pissing contest, but since for some reason you want to go there, yes I’ve been to Netherlands and Belgium and about 84 other countries.

Then stop clicking on this thread to respond and sock puppet.

And just so YOU know, I do know the place around Pisa is trashy because I have friends who have been there and I still choose to go there.

Get a damn life.

You know how you drive on a freeway and see an accident on the other side and slow down and turn your head to see what happened? Yeah.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Will you have any children with you?

Yes, 2 teens - which is why I included all these day trips with canal rides, climbing a windmill, cheese making demo

One is also into photography - she was busy taking pictures of kites and buildings when we went to see the cherry blossoms while we were enjoying the flowers.

This reminds me of my mother. Traveling with her meant WORK. If she had paid to take us somewhere, we were going to see every single thing there was to see. Your teens have the rest of their lives to visit places.

Except OP is visiting everything from the OUTSIDE only.

I think that's what feels off putting as someone who's lived in one of those locations. It feels like someone trying to perform a visit. Like those people who methodically check off rides at Disney while their kids melt down.

Sit at a Cafe, have an aperol spritz and watch people on the canals. Or something. But this whole rushing around to take photos outside of places you don't even bother to go into? It's weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And when we plan a trip to Italy, I will be going to Pisa too - just for that photo op.

That's... weird.

What's more weird is you being triggered by another person's interests. I bet you have never traveled to either Netherlands or Belgium but like to give your opinion on every topic.

You seem to be one of those who would tell tourists who come to the Tidal Basin to sit by the Lincoln Memorial all day instead of walking around AND taking pictures next to all the different monuments in DC. Or better yet, you could guide tourists to NE DC to get a real feel.

Since Pisa is not on my list this time, I promise you I will do a pose hugging a windmill

Honestly, I don’t care what you do. I can still find all of your trip planning and trip priorities to be weird.

Tourists should visit the Mall! And take photos! If you’re near Pisa, go for it! Just so you know, it’s a leaning tower surrounded by heaps of tourists and trashy souvenir shops in the middle of a super strange town covered in trash and graffiti. I would not go out of the way to go there so you can get a photo for your holiday card.

And not to get into a pissing contest, but since for some reason you want to go there, yes I’ve been to Netherlands and Belgium and about 84 other countries.

Then stop clicking on this thread to respond and sock puppet.

And just so YOU know, I do know the place around Pisa is trashy because I have friends who have been there and I still choose to go there.

Get a damn life.

It's funny you think just one person is put off by your Instagram heavy vacation and is posting the concerns. It's not.

It's funny there are so many crazies here who feel the need to harp on and on about someone else's decision to spend on what they like.

It's also funny that a trip with day trips that include what we may enjoy are called Instagram heavy vacations because you don't like the same thing as I do.

Do you even know what Giethoorn is about or Zaanse Schans and Marken are about? Research before you spout off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Will you have any children with you?

Yes, 2 teens - which is why I included all these day trips with canal rides, climbing a windmill, cheese making demo

One is also into photography - she was busy taking pictures of kites and buildings when we went to see the cherry blossoms while we were enjoying the flowers.

This reminds me of my mother. Traveling with her meant WORK. If she had paid to take us somewhere, we were going to see every single thing there was to see. Your teens have the rest of their lives to visit places.

Except OP is visiting everything from the OUTSIDE only.

I think that's what feels off putting as someone who's lived in one of those locations. It feels like someone trying to perform a visit. Like those people who methodically check off rides at Disney while their kids melt down.

Sit at a Cafe, have an aperol spritz and watch people on the canals. Or something. But this whole rushing around to take photos outside of places you don't even bother to go into? It's weird.

Good morning lovely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And when we plan a trip to Italy, I will be going to Pisa too - just for that photo op.

That's... weird.

What's more weird is you being triggered by another person's interests. I bet you have never traveled to either Netherlands or Belgium but like to give your opinion on every topic.

You seem to be one of those who would tell tourists who come to the Tidal Basin to sit by the Lincoln Memorial all day instead of walking around AND taking pictures next to all the different monuments in DC. Or better yet, you could guide tourists to NE DC to get a real feel.

Since Pisa is not on my list this time, I promise you I will do a pose hugging a windmill

Honestly, I don’t care what you do. I can still find all of your trip planning and trip priorities to be weird.

Tourists should visit the Mall! And take photos! If you’re near Pisa, go for it! Just so you know, it’s a leaning tower surrounded by heaps of tourists and trashy souvenir shops in the middle of a super strange town covered in trash and graffiti. I would not go out of the way to go there so you can get a photo for your holiday card.

And not to get into a pissing contest, but since for some reason you want to go there, yes I’ve been to Netherlands and Belgium and about 84 other countries.

Then stop clicking on this thread to respond and sock puppet.

And just so YOU know, I do know the place around Pisa is trashy because I have friends who have been there and I still choose to go there.

Get a damn life.

You know how you drive on a freeway and see an accident on the other side and slow down and turn your head to see what happened? Yeah.

You know how after you drive by the accident you forget about it and don't turn around? Yeah

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would personally pick two. Either Belgium and Paris, or Netherlands and Belgium.

In Belgium, I vastly preferred Ghent and Bruges to Brussels and would only spend one night in Brussels. Two if flying in and out there, but only one full day. I'd spend a day in Ghent on the way to Bruges and then spend a night or two in Bruges. When you are in Bruges, you can also bike the countryside and the canal so that can be a little day or halfway trip.

Whereas I think two days in Paris is criminal. I'd spent 4-5. One day of general sight seeing/walking, one museum day (Louvre or D'Orsay would be my choice), one day at Versaille, and then at least one more day for whatever you are most interested in -- shopping, the Moulin Rouge, I've always wanted to tour the Opera, there are so many things to do.

I think your Amsterdam itinerary is too packed but 4 days seems reasonable for Amsterdam. If you did Amsterdam and Belgium, I'd add in a day in The Hague.

Thank you! Will check with the family if they want to skip Paris or Belgium.

If we are doing just Belgium and Amsterdam, is Brussels a good place to fly in and out if the tickets are cheaper than Amsterdam - land in Brussels, spend the night there, go to Ghent next day (assuming we can put our luggage in storage somewhere in Ghent), then catch train to Bruges? After Bruges, go to Amsterdam. Come back to Brussels for flight home?

Alternatively, is it better to do a one way ticket, so we can alter our itinerary on our whim - fly into Brussels one way, see Ghent and Bruges and go to Amsterdam. From there if not tired after 4 days, take train to Paris and see what we can and fly out from Paris. If tired, just fly out from Amsterdam.

Any recs on places to stay - I'm budgeting around $300/night but not sure if that is feasible in Amsterdam or Paris - still have to check booking.com after we decide.

I don't mean to be snarky, but I'm kind of confused. You're thinking about which city is cheapest to fly into, staying in $300/night hotels, and simultaneously considering buying last minute transatlantic flight tickets for a family of 4 for the return leg? During a busy tourist season? Either you're doing this on a budget or you have the means to just spend 10k on your return flights on a whim.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And when we plan a trip to Italy, I will be going to Pisa too - just for that photo op.

That's... weird.

What's more weird is you being triggered by another person's interests. I bet you have never traveled to either Netherlands or Belgium but like to give your opinion on every topic.

You seem to be one of those who would tell tourists who come to the Tidal Basin to sit by the Lincoln Memorial all day instead of walking around AND taking pictures next to all the different monuments in DC. Or better yet, you could guide tourists to NE DC to get a real feel.

Since Pisa is not on my list this time, I promise you I will do a pose hugging a windmill

Honestly, I don’t care what you do. I can still find all of your trip planning and trip priorities to be weird.

Tourists should visit the Mall! And take photos! If you’re near Pisa, go for it! Just so you know, it’s a leaning tower surrounded by heaps of tourists and trashy souvenir shops in the middle of a super strange town covered in trash and graffiti. I would not go out of the way to go there so you can get a photo for your holiday card.

And not to get into a pissing contest, but since for some reason you want to go there, yes I’ve been to Netherlands and Belgium and about 84 other countries.

Then stop clicking on this thread to respond and sock puppet.

And just so YOU know, I do know the place around Pisa is trashy because I have friends who have been there and I still choose to go there.

Get a damn life.

It's funny you think just one person is put off by your Instagram heavy vacation and is posting the concerns. It's not.

It's funny there are so many crazies here who feel the need to harp on and on about someone else's decision to spend on what they like.

It's also funny that a trip with day trips that include what we may enjoy are called Instagram heavy vacations because you don't like the same thing as I do.

Do you even know what Giethoorn is about or Zaanse Schans and Marken are about? Research before you spout off.

OP literally started this thread by asking if this itinerary was doable, if it was too ambitious, what they should change or cut and then a bunch of people told them it was too ambitious, days were too long, there’s too much travel and now OP is pissed that everyone didn’t think this itinerary was a great idea.

[Anonymous]

Reminder to myself - Don't feed the troll. Au revoir.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And when we plan a trip to Italy, I will be going to Pisa too - just for that photo op.

That's... weird.

What's more weird is you being triggered by another person's interests. I bet you have never traveled to either Netherlands or Belgium but like to give your opinion on every topic.

You seem to be one of those who would tell tourists who come to the Tidal Basin to sit by the Lincoln Memorial all day instead of walking around AND taking pictures next to all the different monuments in DC. Or better yet, you could guide tourists to NE DC to get a real feel.

Since Pisa is not on my list this time, I promise you I will do a pose hugging a windmill

Honestly, I don’t care what you do. I can still find all of your trip planning and trip priorities to be weird.

Tourists should visit the Mall! And take photos! If you’re near Pisa, go for it! Just so you know, it’s a leaning tower surrounded by heaps of tourists and trashy souvenir shops in the middle of a super strange town covered in trash and graffiti. I would not go out of the way to go there so you can get a photo for your holiday card.

And not to get into a pissing contest, but since for some reason you want to go there, yes I’ve been to Netherlands and Belgium and about 84 other countries.

Then stop clicking on this thread to respond and sock puppet.

And just so YOU know, I do know the place around Pisa is trashy because I have friends who have been there and I still choose to go there.

Get a damn life.

It's funny you think just one person is put off by your Instagram heavy vacation and is posting the concerns. It's not.

It's funny there are so many crazies here who feel the need to harp on and on about someone else's decision to spend on what they like.

It's also funny that a trip with day trips that include what we may enjoy are called Instagram heavy vacations because you don't like the same thing as I do.

Do you even know what Giethoorn is about or Zaanse Schans and Marken are about? Research before you spout off.

OP literally started this thread by asking if this itinerary was doable, if it was too ambitious, what they should change or cut and then a bunch of people told them it was too ambitious, days were too long, there’s too much travel and now OP is pissed that everyone didn’t think this itinerary was a great idea.

And also people aren't just being mean, we're trying to save OP from having a miserable trip. The itinerary here will result in everyone being frustrated and overtired and you'll miss out on the things that are actually unique and fun about the countries you are in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And when we plan a trip to Italy, I will be going to Pisa too - just for that photo op.

That's... weird.

What's more weird is you being triggered by another person's interests. I bet you have never traveled to either Netherlands or Belgium but like to give your opinion on every topic.

You seem to be one of those who would tell tourists who come to the Tidal Basin to sit by the Lincoln Memorial all day instead of walking around AND taking pictures next to all the different monuments in DC. Or better yet, you could guide tourists to NE DC to get a real feel.

Since Pisa is not on my list this time, I promise you I will do a pose hugging a windmill

Honestly, I don’t care what you do. I can still find all of your trip planning and trip priorities to be weird.

Tourists should visit the Mall! And take photos! If you’re near Pisa, go for it! Just so you know, it’s a leaning tower surrounded by heaps of tourists and trashy souvenir shops in the middle of a super strange town covered in trash and graffiti. I would not go out of the way to go there so you can get a photo for your holiday card.

And not to get into a pissing contest, but since for some reason you want to go there, yes I’ve been to Netherlands and Belgium and about 84 other countries.

Then stop clicking on this thread to respond and sock puppet.

And just so YOU know, I do know the place around Pisa is trashy because I have friends who have been there and I still choose to go there.

Get a damn life.

It's funny you think just one person is put off by your Instagram heavy vacation and is posting the concerns. It's not.

It's funny there are so many crazies here who feel the need to harp on and on about someone else's decision to spend on what they like.

It's also funny that a trip with day trips that include what we may enjoy are called Instagram heavy vacations because you don't like the same thing as I do.

Do you even know what Giethoorn is about or Zaanse Schans and Marken are about? Research before you spout off.

The irony that someone who has never been to the "DC Art Museum" is posting this is making my day.

[Anonymous]

OP, I think when you (or anyone else) post detailed itineraries like this, people get so hyper focused on how much “stuff” you wrote in each day.

Now I’ve only been to Amsterdam but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with your itinerary. Again, people get too focused on the wall of text. When in reality, you could see that stuff in a day. If I wrote my actual itineraries out, of what we actually did, I’d get blasted too, but the reality is that we didn’t feel rushed.

Nothing wrong with seeing museums from the outside - that’s exactly my plan with the Louvre if I get to Paris. I do not like museums unless the subject matter is truly interesting to me.

[Anonymous]

PP above - just to add - I love that you’re honest with the snobby DCUM crowd who think they’re so cultured by spending gobs of time in crowded museums. Or spend 5 hours sitting at a cafe. How boring!!

I’ve always wanted to see the Louve - from the outside because as a photographer, it’s cool! I am not interested in art museums - at all.

Clearly lots of people on DCUM aren’t photographers and don’t understand why we want to take photos of these places. I enjoy it - sounds like you and your family also enjoys it. There is nothing wrong with that.

And totally with you on the leaning tower of Pisa!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you seeing so many museums from the outside? That doesn’t make any sense to me.

Your day 2 really doesn't make any sense to me. If you want to day trip from Amsterdam instead consider Leiden or Den Haag (maybe 45 min on the train).

This is so OP can tell people they went to the museum when asked. OP DGAF about museums. I think the whole itinerary is nuts, but, I am a deep dive traveller.

OP here. I love when random people on DCUM get triggered by what other people like. How nice that you like to deep dive in one place. Unfortunately I don't have that inclination.

Sorry, not sorry that I want a photo op in a place well known like the Louvre, while at the same time actually spending time doing other things that interest me.

And when we plan a trip to Italy, I will be going to Pisa too - just for that photo op.

If you want the holding up the leaning tower of Pisa photo op, you should definitely look to get the finger on top of the Eiffel Tower photo op from the Trocadero across the river.

I didn’t know people traveled like this after their early 20s. Instagram culture has come for us all, it seems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Will you have any children with you?

Yes, 2 teens - which is why I included all these day trips with canal rides, climbing a windmill, cheese making demo

One is also into photography - she was busy taking pictures of kites and buildings when we went to see the cherry blossoms while we were enjoying the flowers.

This reminds me of my mother. Traveling with her meant WORK. If she had paid to take us somewhere, we were going to see every single thing there was to see. Your teens have the rest of their lives to visit places.

Except OP is visiting everything from the OUTSIDE only.

I think that's what feels off putting as someone who's lived in one of those locations. It feels like someone trying to perform a visit. Like those people who methodically check off rides at Disney while their kids melt down.

Sit at a Cafe, have an aperol spritz and watch people on the canals. Or something. But this whole rushing around to take photos outside of places you don't even bother to go into? It's weird.

Some of the most interesting photos are taken in relatively uninteresting places. It's all about having a "seeing eye". Taking photos that look the same as those taken by millions of others isn't that exciting. You can take amazing photos in a supermarket carpark.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Will you have any children with you?

Yes, 2 teens - which is why I included all these day trips with canal rides, climbing a windmill, cheese making demo

One is also into photography - she was busy taking pictures of kites and buildings when we went to see the cherry blossoms while we were enjoying the flowers.

This reminds me of my mother. Traveling with her meant WORK. If she had paid to take us somewhere, we were going to see every single thing there was to see. Your teens have the rest of their lives to visit places.

Sorry your mother didn't take your interests to heart and this is triggering you. You really do need therapy if it bothers you after all these years that you go on and on at a random stranger on the internet.

You don't know what my kids like or don't like.

I don't need therapy. I didn't do this to my kids though. Do you know what your kids like?

I'm on vacation at the moment and the places we visited today never appear on DCUM. I got some great photos.