With more than half of its "land" area, and two-thirds of its 16 million inhabitants precariously situated below sea level, Holland is beginning to get a little bit nervous about climate change and rising sea levels. One possible solution to combat the rising tides is floating homes, and there are plans to construct several hundred at Amsterdam's new IJburg waterfront development on the IJsselmeer's southern shore. Constructed from wood and aluminum on a base of polystyrene-filled concrete, the floating homes are an experiment that might pay off some day. You can reach IJburg on the no. 26 tram from Amsterdam Centraal Station.
Planning Your Trip
Duty-free allowances for travelers 17 years and older arriving from countries that are not members of the European Union have changed. Duty-free shopping has been abolished in the EU, therefore standard allowances do not apply to goods bought in EU countries and brought into Belgium, Holland, and Luxembourg. This change only affects travelers who wish to carry in large quantities of things like tobacco or alcohol. For more information on the exact allowances, visit the Netherlands Customs website at www.douane.nl.
The Netherlands Railways' (www.ns.nl) sneltrein or fast train service, which stopped only at decent-sized places on a particular line, has disappeared and an increased InterCity service of faster trains that don't stop at as many places has been introduced. You can still get to smaller places aboard the rail net's slow-coaches, the stoptrein (stop train).
The integration of the new OV-chipkaart public transportation smart card continues. From January 1, 2009, these cards will be the only way to pay for transit in the Netherlands. All other types of paper and plastic tickets and cards -- although valid until the end of 2009 -- will eventually be abolished. For more information, visit Amsterdam's Municipal Transportation Authority's website (www.gvb.nl) and click the "OV-chipkaart" link in the English version.
The Dutch government has postponed until 2009 the possible introduction of a law to ban smoking in restaurants and public spaces, but don't hold your breath waiting for it to happen even then.
Belgium
Brussels
The Brussels Card (www.brusselscard.be) is now available in 24-hour and 48-hour increments, in addition to the classic 72-hour card. Affording free use of public transportation, free admission to 25 city museums and other benefits, the cards come with an accompanying information booklet and cost 20 €, 28 € and 33 €, respectively.
The French chain hotel Sofitel Brussels Europe (Place Jourdan 1; tel. 02/235-5100; www.sofitel.com) has opened in the city's Euro District, where the European Parliament, European Commission, and other gargantuan pieces of the brave new Europe are installed. The hotel has 149 units, a decent restaurant, a bar, and a fitness center.
La Maison Arc en Ciel, or Rainbow House (Rue du Marché-au-Charbon 42; tel. 02/503-5990; www.rainbowhouse.be) is the contact point for the city's gay and lesbian community.
Bruges
This medieval museum of a city goes gaga for Gothic architecture and lala for lace. Now, it's going chacha for chocolate. The city's recently established chocolate museum, Choco Story (Wijnzakstraat 2; tel. 050/61-22-37; www.choco-story.be), is finger-lickin' good. The museum is open daily from 10am to 5pm; admission is 6 € for adults, 5 € for students and seniors, 4 € for children ages 6 to 12, and free for children under 6.
Ghent
The Marriott Ghent Hotel (Korenlei 10; tel. 09/233-9394; www.marriott.com) has opened in a prime canal-side location in the heart of town. The hotel has 150 units, the fine Korenhuis restaurant, and a bar in a 300-year-old cellar. Another new hotel is helping to fill out the city's once limited roster of in-town options. More modestly priced than the Marriott, the modern Ghent River Hotel (Waaistraat 5; tel. 09/266-1010; www.ghent-river-hotel.be) stands on the right bank of the Leie River, which flows through the city.
Ghent's stellar Museum voor Schone Kunsten (www.mskgent.be), a museum that houses the works of Flemish masters from early Flemish Primitives to the 19th-century Symbolists, has re-opened its doors after four years of refurbishment. Located on the edge of the Citadel Park, the museum celebrated its return with a program of special exhibits.
Ostend
In 1992, European Space Agency astronaut Dirk Frimout flew aboard the U.S. space shuttle Atlantis as a part of NASA's "Mission to Planet Earth." Continuing in that spirit, the Belgian former spacefarer is behind Earth Explorer (Fortstraat 128B; tel. 059/70-59-59; www.earthexplorer.be), a hands-on attraction that covers earth, air, fire and water, and should be especially appealing to children.
Liège
The two major Liège museums that have been closed for refurbishment will reopen sometime in 2007. The Musée de la Vie Wallonne or Museum of Walloon Life (Cour des Mineurs; tel. 04/237-90-40) is among Belgium's finest museums. The second museum to reopen is Le Grand Curtius (Quai de Maestricht 8?13; tel. 04/221-94-04), an 18th-century mansion which houses the Musée des Arts Décoratifs at d'Archéologie (Museum of Decorative Arts and Archaeology) and the Musée du Verre (Glass Museum). For more details, visit Liège's website at www.liege.be.
Holland
Amsterdam
Ferry service from the new Waterplein-West dock behind Centraal Station has been extended. Four ferry lines for passengers and two-wheeled vehicles depart from here. In addition, a jetfoil service to the sea coast and an antique touring ferry depart either from Waterplein-West or from a nearby dock.
A good option for budget travelers looking to stay near Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is the Etap Hotel Schiphol (Schipholweg 185, 1171 PK Badhoevedorp; tel. 020/348-3533; www.etaphotel.com). This bare-bones facility, part of a French-owned chain, is anything but luxury -- Etap hotels used to sport a front-door notice saying "You are now entering a luxury-free zone." Rooms can accommodate three (in twin beds and a bunk-bed), and cost just 59 €.
The Centrale Bibliotheek or the Central Library (Prisengracht 587; www.oba.nl), which has an extensive English department, is due to move in July 2007 from its current home to a shiny new building on redeveloped Oosterdokseiland, an island just east of Centraal Station.
The Uitvaartmuseum or the Funeral Museum (www.uitvaartmuseum.nl) will open its doors in 2007 at the Oosterbegraafplaats, a vast cemetery in the east-side Watergraafsmeer district.
It looks like Koninklijk Paleis (www.koninklijkhuis.nl), the Royal Palace on the Dam, will not re-open to visitors until early 2008.
Holland Experience, the kitsch multimedia insight into tourist-level Holland on Waterlooplein, has closed, and it's hard to imagine that the city will suffer greatly from its absence.
One closed attraction that will be sorely missed -- even though its absence is temporary -- is the Scheepvaartmuseum or the Maritime Museum (www.scheepvaartmuseum.nl). The museum, which is housed in a 17th-century building, will be getting a 21st-century refurbishment until sometime in 2009.
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