Don’t Lose Your Family Vacation Photos!

May 18, 2013 By 6 Comments
Ponte Vecchio Overlooking the Arno River

Ponte Vecchio Overlooking the Arno River

In May 2009, we (Rolle, My Mama, Her Friend, & Me) went on a 17 day European Vacation. We started out in London, stayed there for four days then we hired a car to take us to Southampton for the start of our 11-day Mediterranean cruise. The ports of call on the cruise were (in this order) Vigo, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; Gibraltar, UK; Cagliari, Sardinia; Rome, Italy; Pisa & Florence, Italy; Villafranche & Cannes, France; Barcelona, Spain; which is where we disembarked and spent an additional 3 days. During this vacation, I took over 1500 photos, and 300 plus video clips. Just to be “safe” I downloaded the photos at the end of every day to my laptop. The plan was to make informative 3 – 4 minute video postcards for each destination.

When we got home, I put some photos on Facebook, but just a few teaser shots, as I wanted to save the best for my videos. Then one day, the weirdest thing happened, I went to turn on my 10-month new MacBook Pro, and I got this flashing folder symbol, and my computer wouldn’t boot up. After calling Apple Care and going through all of the troubleshooting, I was told I would need to take it into a Mac Store. Since I’m currently residing in Saudi Arabia, I decided to wait until I returned back to the states in November. Up until that time, I tried not to think about my computer. Because every time I did, I felt somewhat nauseous. Immediately upon arrival in the states, that same day, about 3 hours after landing, I take it to the Apple store. They tell me the dreaded words that I was hoping for the past two months I would not hear, “Your hard drive has to be replaced.” ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (that’s me screaming)

They replaced the hard drive, and the ethernet port (this also had died about 2 days before the hard drive), and gave me back the computer along with the damaged hard drive. Being the optimist that I am, I still thought there was some hope. They gave me a card and told me to call Drive Savers. The Apple Genius told me, “They may be able to forensically remove the data, but it will be expensive.” Well what’s considered “expensive?” It’s all relative, right? So, I make the call.

Of course, they cannot give me a quote over the phone. They need to see the hard drive. So, they send me a box to send them the hard drive, and if they were unable to retrieve the data they would send it back at no cost me. I send it in. The next day, I receive a call. The quote I received was a range from $1700 – $2400. Sh*t!! That is expensive. After a few conversations back and forth (over a few days), they offered a price of $1000. I felt desperate, and I was willing to pay $1000.00 to get my stuff off of this hard drive. I told them the photos were the most important thing. About a week goes by, and I receive the dreaded phone call that they could not recover anything. I was pretty much devastated all-over again. Because, even though I was trying not to get my hopes up, inside I was hoping.

The only photos I have from this vacation are the few (about 10 – 20 pics per city) are on FB (Facebook). And since I had uploaded them to FB, they are so compressed that I couldn’t pull them off to make a slide show because it would look horrible. The obvious lesson here is to back up your photos!! So now I back up my photos to an external hard drive and I upload to Dropbox. It doesn’t matter if you have a new computer. Trust me after saving, and spending dang near $2500 for my Mac, to have the hard drive crash beyond repair at 10 months in, is horrible. I would have never thought it. The obvious lesson from this tragic story is to backup your photos.

Following is one of only two photos that I have from being at the Cannes Film Festival:

Terri and Rolle at Cannes Film Festival

Terri and Rolle at Cannes Film Festival

Below are links to the few photos I have from this vacation.

London, England: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=82812&id=544363929&l=f938a3ad56

London2: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=82812&id=544363929&l=f938a3ad56

Vigo, Spain: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=82818&id=544363929&l=dead38f400

Lisbon, Portugal: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=82823&id=544363929&l=e0cc9b9a8c

Gibraltar, UK: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=82825&id=544363929&l=79ce6bfedc
BTW:  Crusing into Gibraltar was awesome, we saw the northern coast of Africa and a pod of dolphins.  This stop was a pleasant surprise.

Cagliari, Sardinia: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=82826&id=544363929&l=41b29efb0c

Rome, Italy: We LOVED, LOVED, LOVED Rome: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=82842&id=544363929&l=106d4170c2

Pisa & Florence, Italy: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=82845&id=544363929&l=73d4a26188

Barcelona, Spain: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=82871&id=544363929&l=4ca7059693

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My Top 7 Cruise Travel Tips

April 28, 2013 By 11 Comments

I didn’t think I would like a cruise vacation. My thoughts were I don’t want to spend time getting there that I could spend being there. Well…that changed 3 cruises ago.

I like a cruise vacation because I can visit cities I might not go to otherwise. Also, it can be a truly relaxing way to see the world. Some people view a cruise vacation as a lazy vacation.

I’m not a lazy traveler. :) I research and plan every port of call, and search for my best options in regards to tours, places of interest, etc. I’ve found that you typically get a better deal, and experience booking your own tours with local companies versus utilizing the shore excursions offered by the cruise line. For example, on our last cruise around the Mediterranean we had two stops in Italy, one in Pisa and one in Rome. We used Limo In Rome in both ports. Our tour guide was knowledgeable, the tour was private and customized for us. The small Mercedes van was roomy, and our tour guide was able to drive us right up to the sights we wanted to see without us having to walk great distances. The ships excursion was $345 per person, which put you on a tour bus with at least 20 other people. Our tour was 500 Euro ($652 with the current exchange rate) for all 4 of us on our private tour. That was a savings of over $600US. It’s a guarantee ours was a better experience.

So, cruise travel tip #1 is research for local tour companies for a better experience.

Cruise Travel Tip #2)  Bring a power strip.  It’s a guarantee that the cabin will not have enough outlets for you to charge your phones, camera, laptop, iPad, and whatever else you decide to bring that needs power or has to be charged.  In fact,  I typically carry this when I go on vacation because hotels are guilty of not have enough plugs.  But, to be fair, we bring a lot more “need to be charged” stuff with us these days. Also, make sure to check the ships voltage system, you may need to add a converter to the power strip.

Cruise Travel Tip #3)  Shoe Bags.  Yes, I consider myself to be a fashionista, but this is not for shoes.  This is for the bathroom.  Bathrooms on cruise ships do not have enough counter space for your blow-dryer, curling iron, shaver, hair products, lotions, potions, and etc. so the shoe bag will add convenient storage space.  It will store flat in your luggage and hangs over the door.  This is a must bring for something that is virtually taking up no space in your luggage.

Cruise Travel Tip #4)  Unpack immediately upon delivery of luggage, regardless of the duration of the cruise.  It doesn’t matter if the cruise is for only 3 days, unpack those bags and set up your surroundings, then shove that luggage under your bed.  You’ll feel more relaxed once you do.

Cruise Travel Tip #5) Pre-order some celebratory Champagne.  Order it online prior to departure (at least a week out).  It will be waiting in your cabin upon arrival or delivered shortly thereafter.  This is a little splurge that I love.  It’s a way to celebrate the first day of your cruise.  My first few hours on the ship I’m typically sipping on this champagne while unpacking my bags, and wallowing in “first day of vacation” bliss.

 

Cruise Travel Tip #6) Do the formal night.  It’s just fun!  You don’t have to get over the top done.  You can see from our photos below that I’m technically not formally dressed. The formal nights just have a different vibe to them. It seems to make people are more open, relaxed and in a celebratory mood.  I love the formal nights.

Cruise Travel Tip #7)  Bring some zip lock bags.  This is for a variety of reasons.  You can use them to organize what you’ve accumulated in the various ports. For example, on a Caribbean cruise, I collected sand from the beach of all 9 islands I visited. I don’t know what I’m gonna do with that sand, but I have it, just in case. LOL! One of the best uses for these bags is stashing food.  Let’s say you come into port, and you just want to chill out at a beach somewhere.  Go to the buffet and load up your plates.  Then sort it out in the zip lock bags and voila’ you’ve got a picnic lunch.

Happy Cruising!!

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Girlfriend Getaway Survival Guide

April 6, 2013 By 8 Comments

“I have found out that there ain’t no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them.” – Mark Twain

women fighitng

I have found that this could not be a truer statement.

I love a girlfriend getaway. Girlfriend getaways can be great. It is an opportunity to strengthen and renew bonds of friendship, a time where you can share laughter, stories and uninterrupted time together, away from our everyday lives as working women, mothers, and wives. However, I know I am not the only one who’s had the girlfriend getaway that you couldn’t wait to get away from.

To make sure it’s all good at the end you have to do prep work in the beginning. Prep work is about setting up expectations and boundaries before the deposit is made. This is about knowing who you are and what you can and can not put up with, what you like to do on vacation, and the type of people you like to associate with for an extended period of time. For example, that fun chick who is loud and proud at the parties, may be fun to party with, but not great when she’s up in your room at 2:00AM. Which leads me to tip #1

Tip #1 – Get Your Own Room

This is truly about knowing yourself. If you’re not an extra extravert, get your own room. The only exception to this is if the person you’re sharing with is similar to you in regards to expected boundaries and temperament. I’ve made the mistake on more than one occasion of sharing with people I didn’t know that well. This is not the time to find out that the person you’re sharing a room with gets passive aggressive and angry when they’ve had too much to drink.

Getting your own room is a must do if you’re an introvert. Introverts can be quite social. But after the party is over, they need to go back to their own space, regenerate, and be with their own thoughts. If you are someone who slightly prefers to be curled up on the couch reading a good book over being with a crowd of people, this may apply to you. It certainly applies to me. I come across as very social, and I am. I love to talk and meet new people. But, I need my private space on a daily basis, and I view my space as my sanctuary. Introverts should only share a room with other introverts, if at all.

Tip #2 – Financial Compatibility

This is huge! No one wants to feel broke, and no one wants to feel they’re being judged on how they choose to spend their money. You do not want your friend to feel like crap because you’re shopping up a storm and she had just enough money to get there and pay for the room and food. She may not even understand why she’s started to get semi-bitchy, and it’s basically because she’s feeling inadequate and that causes tension, etc. On the other hand, a person doesn’t want to feel they have to monitor their activities because they have a broke friend. You can see this turning into subconscious resentment. The next thing you know the phone calls and messages get less and less; you know the deal. And, I won’t even mention the implications of lending money to a friend for them to go on vacation. If you can’t immediately see the problem here, I recommend watching an episode of Judge Judy.

If you’re into elegant hotels, your hostel loving friend may judge you because they think you’re wasting money. And, if you’re into hostels your hotel loving friend will not even want to look at the inside of a hostel. It’s about compatibility on multiple levels, but financial compatibility ranks as one of the most important.

Tip #3 – Discuss Expectations

Everyone has something they want to see and do while on a getaway. Everyone in the group should list something they want to see and do. When traveling with a group, everyone may have different expectations for the getaway. Some may want to shop, some may want to lounge by the pool and some may want spa time. Discussing expectations ahead of time insures everyone can spend the getaway doing what they want to do and still be a part of the group.

Be warned. If you have someone in the group that continues to state, “I really don’t care what we do. I just want to getaway and have some fun,” that person is the one who will probably end up being a pain in the ass. This is because now they’re putting responsibility on the trip organizer and the group for their perceived idea of what “fun” is. And, if they’re not having “fun,” they’re complaining. My thoughts are if a person doesn’t have the energy to care about what you do, then why should I?

Tip#4 – Handle Your Own Money

This seems easy enough until someone suggests a group fund for food and drinks. Don’t do it. You do not want to be fighting over money or why the person in charge of the group money is spending it on their own individual coffee and food. It’s uncomplicated enough to split the bill, everyone puts in their money or their card and call it a day. This is why it’s a good idea to carry cash for food and drinks when traveling with a group.

So, there you have it, my suggestions for staying friends after the getaway.

Happy Travels and Good Luck!! :)

 

*Please note: photo is courtesy of  © Rob Byron

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[VIDEO] Travel Tip: How To Eat Healthy While Traveling

July 26, 2012 By 10 Comments

Check out this video with myself and Emily, the Tofu Hunter.  We talk about the best way to eat healthy while on the road.  You can check out her other healthy food tips and vegetarian restaurant reviews at: http://tofuhunter.blogspot.com/

YouTube Preview Image

 

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How To Make Trip Advisor Work For You

August 21, 2011 By 2 Comments

Can you trust what you read on Trip Advisor?

I’ve read much and I’ve heard much about the validity of the reviews on Trip Advisor.  There are some who think the good ratings are paid reviews and there are some who think the bad reviews are just disgruntled customers.  I think Trip Advisor is an excellent travel planning tool.  It’s just one of many tools that I use when I’m planning a trip to a destination in which I’m unfamiliar.

So, how do I use Trip Advisor?

The first thing I use it for is to see the hotels in the city I’m researching that are within my price range and that are within the ratings range that I need.  At this point, I’m not concerned about the best price.  I’m researching my options.  For example, I will do a search on hotels in Amsterdam that have ratings of 4 – 5 stars as the hotel rating category, not in the customer rating category.  From there I narrow it down by location, and its proximity to the sites I’m there to see.  If you use trip advisor for this purpose alone, it’s a time saver.  In my opinion, unless you’re going for 6 star and above luxury, Trip Advisor is the best travel aggregator for this purpose.

At this point I have a handful of candidates.  So I start to read the reviews.  I don’t read the 5 star reviews. I read the 2 – 4 star customer ratings.  I read these ratings and I listen to what the reviewer is really saying.  Some of these reviews are people giving their opinion versus actually reviewing the hotel.  What’s the difference?  The difference is what they complain about.  For example, if someone rates a hotel a 3 because it isn’t close to the beach.  That is not really rating the hotel.  If they had done their research, they would have known that beforehand.  That differs from giving a low rating because the carpet smells of mold, and their housekeeping practices are poor. I’ve seen reviewers give poor ratings because they felt the hotel should have offered more onsite activities.  Since I’m not looking for the hotel to entertain me, this wouldn’t be a deal breaker.  On the other hand, if I read the same complaint about a hotel by various reviewers, and then the same thing on other sites, then that hotel is immediately dropped from the running.

After I’ve read the reviews, and I have narrowed it down to just a few hotels, I will then cross-reference reviews and recommendations with other sites.

Once this process is completed I visit the actual website of the hotel(s) I’m interested in and from there I make a decision.  It’s at this point that price comes into play.   How someone may decide to play this is individual.  For me, I love fabulous hotels.  When I’ve been hanging out all day pounding the pavement, standing in tourist attraction lines, etc. I like to come back to a spacious room, with a quiet pleasant ambiance, and a nice, hopefully deep tub. :)

Trip Advisor can be an excellent resource for travel information.  However, in the end, you have to do your research and take responsibility for your choices.  That means, don’t expect one website do all of your travel planning.

 

 

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5 Things I Love About Stockholm

August 1, 2011 By 11 Comments

Stockholm is the first European city that I visited.  In fact, I got my first passport, 15 years ago, in order to take that trip.  I love this city.  It’s one of my favorite European capitals.  There are quite a few reasons why I love Stockholm, and why I keep wanting to come back.  I’ve decided to share  just a few of them.  In no particular order is a list of 5 of my favorite things that I love about Stockholm.   It’s no wonder the reason that brought me to Sweden in the first place, makes my top 5 list of things I love about Stockholm.

*  The men are mostly cute and in good physical shape.  This is NOT a criterion for me to love a city.  I’m a married woman. LOL But, not a dead one, so, having good eye candy to look at while spending time on the Tunnelbana (Metro), grabbing some coffee or while out having drinks is an added bonus.  The men also seem to have a greater sense of fashion than the women.  It’s almost as if they’re peacocks showing their feathers.  What else can explain the red pants? (BTW:  These guys didn’t know each other)  :)

Guys in Red Pants

*  They speak English.  This is huge.  Don’t underestimate its ability to ease you into a place.  Some will say that you should always know a few phrases in the local language.  And, I agree.  However, Stockholm is one of those cities in which I find I get better reception and service when I speak “American” right off the bat.  When I do this, I find all my transactions go smoothly.  It’s almost as if I’m forgiven for being a foreigner.  So, if you want to appear courteous you could ask in English, “Do you speak English?” and you will get the standard reply, “Of Course.”

*  The Public Transportation System.   Sweden’s transportation system really cannot be beat.  This system winds its way up and down into the most obscure of locations throughout out Sweden, and conveniently connect to T-Centralen (the main subway/train station in Stockholm).  You’re almost always no more than a 5 minute walk from a metro station when in the city center.  Your pass for the Tunnelbana works for the buses as well.  Unless you’re going into the outlying areas, you will probably never need to get on the bus, and will use the Tunnelbana exclusively.

Fridhemsplan – People Walking with Train

* Simply Put: It’s Beautiful.  Stockholm is set on a series of 14 islands, connected by 57 bridges.  A third of its land is dedicated to green spaces and parks. Its proximity to water, beautiful buildings and lots of green space makes Stockholm one of Europe’s most beautiful capitals.  The architecture is  a mix of 19th century elegance with simple forms, and 20th century functionalism, and it all works together.  The colors of the buildings are vibrant and pleasing; such as in this photo of Jakobs Kyrka  in Kungsträgården.

Jakobs Kyrka in Kungsträgården

Sveriges Riksdag (Swedish Parliament Building)

* The Candy Stores!  There I’ve said it.  I love the GodisCenters, and my favorite candy store is in Hötorget  Metro station.   All over Stockholm there are candy stores.  And they all serve candy packaged and in bulk.  You walk through the door, grab a big plastic spoon and a bag.  I don’t know what it is.  I’ve been in similar “candy” stores in other cities, but the ones in Sweden are the best.  My favs are the chewy caramel Rollo’s in the red and gold wrapping, the sweet and sour pacifiers, the chocolate covered raisins, and the chocolate covered marshmallows.  I usually team these up with some, “I wonder how these taste?” samples.

 

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Have iPad – Will Travel?

June 13, 2011 By 3 Comments

When the first iPad came out, I was one of those who was like, “I’m not getting caught up in the hype.  I’ve got a MacBookPro, and the iPad is just a big iPhone.” Blah, Blah, Blah..

Then one day, while with friends, I tried one.  I played  Angry Birds; I checked my email; updated my Facebook status and from that point on, I knew I had to have one.  As I did the research I learned that a new model was predicted to come out 1st Qtr 2011.  So I waited. Sure enough the predictions came true and I was in line on March 11th enthusiastically anticipating how great I was going feel once I had that gadget in my hands.  This new toy was going to be my new travel companion.  No more carrying my heavier MacBook, or having to take it out at the airport for additional TSA screening.  I could carry it everywhere.

I decided to put my “iPad only” experiment to the test on a 4-week vacation starting from San Diego to Las Vegas to San Diego to Seattle to Santa Rosa to Hawaii to San Diego to Las Vegas.

There are so many features that I love about the iPad; all the different apps, FaceTime, it’s lightweight, and it’s cute.  But cute doesn’t cut it if you want to get any real work done.  The touchscreen keyboard is not conducive to quick typing, and I thought I would just scream each time the screen flipped one way when I needed it to be in another direction.

I am old school, in that I like to hold my books, so reading books on the iPad book reader is a new experience and one I did not like too much. I found the glare and back lighting to be a distraction

I purchased my laptop because of its portability.   I also purchased the iPad for the very same reason, but not only is the iPad not just a smaller computer but it I had less functionality, less efficiency, and the one window at a time set up is not really good for longer term, regular daily usage.

Do I regret that I purchased it?  Absolutely not.  I’ve actually found it to be a more useful tool while at home.  On numerous occasions I’ve needed to look something up and I was not in my office, but my iPad was right there.  And, If I’m going away for a few days or an extended weekend vacation, the iPad is a great carry along.   However, if I plan to be anywhere more than 5 days, I need my notebook.

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Road Trippin’: Rules For Being Shotgun

June 1, 2011 By 3 Comments

 

Road trip season is fast approaching.  Summer isn’t even here, and I’ve been on three road trips already, which is why I’ve decided to put up a list of “rules” for the person who ends up being “Shotgun.”

In my family, I’m the driver.  I don’t mind, as I like to drive.. But, just because you’re not driving doesn’t mean you get to sit there all brain dead, looking out the window like you’re watching a moving picture (you know I’ve had to say this – LOL).  The role of Shotgun comes with some responsibilities.

So…

Read Up and Learn!

Rule #1: She who handles the steering wheel makes the rules, and therefore also has final veto power in all things regarding the road trip.

Rule #2: Shotgun serves at the pleasure of the Driver and is expected to assist in any way possible that aids the driver, be it by study of the sacred travelling scrolls of Thomas Bros or by programming of a GPS-device.  If the driver says, “ke

ep an eye out for Highway 123,” you keep an eye out.

Rule #3: Shotgun is charged with entertaining the Driver with light hearted conversation, clever wit and a constant rotation of music through XM Radio, FM radio, CD’s, iPod, etc. Particular care must be taken that the music selection does not stray far from the Driver’s particular taste.

Rule #4: The Shotgun must maintain a constant supply of snacks and drinks and be prepared to satiate the thirst and “munchies” of the Driver at a moment’s notice.

Rule #5: Per Driver’s dictation, the Shotgun must type and send out the necessary Tweets or FB status updates (ie. road side photos, cute or unusual signs, etc) for the Driver.

Rule #6: The Shotgun ALWAYS pumps the gas.  Period.

Happy & Safe Road Trippin’!!

 

 

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The Power of Twitter

May 25, 2011 By 2 Comments

On Sunday, May 22nd we checked in at Aria hotel in Las Vegas for an overnight stay.  We had driven in from San Diego (a 5 hour trip) for the Billboard Music Awards.  My stay at Aria was less than pleasant.   After having to change rooms, and the key card not working,  and after talking to two different hotel employees; I was still in the hall waiting for someone to let me in our room.  So, in my frustration I took to Twitter.  Well…Guess what?  By the end of the following day, I heard back from someone on their management team.  I received both an email and a phone call.  I was offered a night’s stay.  However, for me it’s probably a little too late.  I only mentioned the problem with the key card  in this post (as that is what started my TweetRant), however there were problems with housekeeping, and the power and water went out as well.  If they had made some type of conciliatory gesture during my stay, my feelings would be different.   I believe the only reason I heard back was because I took to Twitter.  I started Tweeting my location right after checking into hotel (who knew my FourSquare check-in would start the perfect timeline), while still in the lobby area.  Following are the Tweets that lead to Aria reaching out to me:

BlkChickOnTour BCOT
I’m at ARIA Resort & Casino (3730 S Las Vegas Blvd, at Harmon Ave, Las Vegas) w/ 8 others http://4sq.com/mDBELE

BlkChickOnTour BCOT
So far I’m so unimpressed with @AriaLV still unable to get into room almost 30mins after checkin. Waiting outside room door. 22 May

BlkChickOnTour BCOT
@AriaLV front desk mgr was sending security to let us in our room, 10mins I’m still waiting Roland decided to walk back down to the lobby.22 May

BlkChickOnTour BCOT
@AriaLV huge disappointment. Mgr no real help and not even a free drink offered for the complete hassle. Will never stay @AriaLV. #vegas 22 May

BlkChickOnTour BCOT
@AriaLV is still an effing JOKE!!! There is now no power or water going to our room. But, guess what…they’re sorry. This is not good. 23 May

AriaLV ARIA Resort & Casino
@BlkChickOnTour I am very sorry to hear about the issues you have been facing. Can u please tell me what name ur reservation is under?

BlkChickOnTour BCOT
@AriaLV Terri Lundberg 23 May

AriaLV ARIA Resort & Casino
@BlkChickOnTour Thank you very much. I have sent all of your information to our Management team and they should be in touch soon. 23 May

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Amsterdam: Coffeeshop Tour

November 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment

It’s been several years since my first visit to Amsterdam.  And this trip, I was back with a vengence.  I fly through Schilphol about 2 – 3 times a year.  So lately I’ve only been able to go into Amsterdam’s city center during my 6 hour layover (6 hours in Amsterdam).  Not wanting to waste any time, immediately upon getting settled into my room I was out the door to go to Barney’s for an espresso and some coffee ;-) .  It was 8:30AM.

I did my research before I left home and knew which coffeeshops I wanted to hit up.  Along with the couple of new one’s I wanted to check out, I went by two old favoirties.  Here’s what I found:

Barney’s Coffeeshop: I like Barney’s.  Their selection contained award winning varieties and the employees were knowledgeable. They made a few excellent recommendations.  The atmosphere is clean (including the restrooms), with a nice decor, and modern wood paneled walls.  The seating was several bar type tables up against the wall, each with 4 bar stools, and a television in the wall next to the bar.  The music is slamming through the speakers.  Food isn’t served in the coffeeshop, just beverages.  My drink of choice is always a double espresso, which they promptly served up.  However, if you want to eat, Barney’s has a restaurant across the street from the Coffeeshop that serves up both food, and alcohol.  With the exception of cigars and cigarettes, smoking is allowed in the restaurant.  Barney’s is now my favorite coffeeshop in Amsterdam.

Baba’s: Located on Warmoesstraat in the Red-light district, Baba’s was at one time, my go to spot (until I discovered Barney’s).  The staff is friendly, the selection good, and the Indian inspired decor creates a relaxed chilled vibe.  My only complaint is that this place gets packed, and the seating arrangements can make it feel cramped.  The upshot is that they’re located on the outskirts of the Red-Light district and is a quick easy walk from Centraal Station should you be in Amsterdam on an extended layover.

Sheeba’s: This was the first coffeeshop I visited when I first came to Amsterdam in 2001.  During that trip it became my go to spot.  I went back to Sheeba’s for the first time during this trip. Wow.  What a difference 9 years make.  Same name, different owners maybe?  I don’t know but before it was set up like a nice chill coffee lounge, and now it has the appearance of a low end dive bar, that’s dark, with hard wooden black painted planks as benches.  The selection wasn’t bad.  But, with coffeshops in abundance, a lot of time it’s about the vibe a place has, and I wasn’t feeling the vibe at Sheeba’s.   This was a disappointment and it has been knocked off my go to list.

The Greenhouse: The Greenhouse is one of the most popular coffeeshops in Amsterdam.  Besides the fact that they’ve won numerous Cannibis Cup awards, they’ve had the celebrity clientele, and the photos are on the wall to prove it, with Snoop Dogg’s photo almost front and center.  It goes without saying that the product is top quality.  The biggest drawback for me was that it’s located in the heart of the red light district.  The red light district attracts the bachelor party, college backpackers, and weekend party crowd.   Unless you want to be around that kind of energy, I would avoid this place in the evening hours, especially in the summer.

So…that’s my take on my Coffeeshop Tour.  There were two other coffeeshops I wanted to check out but I was busy  and just didn’t get around to it.  Amsterdam is more than just the coffeeshops ;)  Until next time…..

Safe Travels!!

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