Who's in Amsterdam? Need some quick advice

[papaver]

From my experience, Belgium is really tame compared to the Netherlands. Perhaps it has something to do with Protestant vs. Catholic, but whatever, they'll be more than fine in Belgium. I hope they are having a wonderful time. What a great experience for them! You are fantastic parents to encourage them and help them make a trip like that happen.

Ehum, if you compare Amsterdam to Belgium, then yes maybe you're right. But Amsterdam isn't really the Netherlands... It's like saying New York is the US. It is, but not really.

Hey Mr Silver, advice your kids to come to Leuven (near Brussels) they are going to love it. It's a small university city that is really cool to hang out, and not dangerous at all. It's really focused to the younger crowds, so they'll fit right in. They just have to be careful with their bikes. Antwerp will be their thing too, I'm sure.



@ Tulip: boy it's time you come back to Belgium for a week or so. I'll show you around a bit. You won't call it tame any longer.

[Mr. Bloom]

I'll send them text messages now (isn't technology grand!)

RM: Being a SilverKid isn't the best gig:

• you have to put up with SilverParents
• If you go to Europe without said SilverParents, so do it with your own money!
• You have to check in with SilverDad at least two or three times a day so he won't worry (and who cried as he was putting them on the plane)

But on a more serious note, they have done a great job planning this trip and it seems that they're being responsible and safe (which I would expect)

[tulip]

Papaver, I've never been to Amsterdam, only to Zeeland, which is very rural and beautiful, if a bit chilly in July. But the house I stayed in was, in it's former incarnation, a *ahem* house of ill repute. It still had mirrors on the ceiling, although it had been purchased from the madam for a more conventional life as a family vacation house a few years prior to my trip. So that's my extremely limited perspective of rural NL!

As for Belgium, I'd love to come and visit and get your grand tour. I've only been once, to Bruges. I enjoyed it very much. That was nearly 20 years ago.

Mr. Silver, they sound like good and responsible kiddos. I'm sure they will do the right thing.

[papaver]

Papaver, I've never been to Amsterdam, only to Zeeland, which is very rural and beautiful, if a bit chilly in July. But the house I stayed in was, in it's former incarnation, a *ahem* house of ill repute. It still had mirrors on the ceiling, although it had been purchased from the madam for a more conventional life as a family vacation house a few years prior to my trip. So that's my extremely limited perspective of rural NL!

As for Belgium, I'd love to come and visit and get your grand tour. I've only been once, to Bruges. I enjoyed it very much. That was nearly 20 years ago.

Mr. Silver, they sound like good and responsible kiddos. I'm sure they will do the right thing.

The house of ill repute...LOL... I've stayed in one of those too, and there was a kind of plastic covering the matras , but that was in Amsterdam (in the Van Ostade hotel, I believe it was.... just kidding MrSilver )

Bruges is gorgeous, but very very boring at night. Nothing happens there. Ghent has much more to offer.

As for MrSilver's kids... believe me, they will have the time of their lives travelling through Europe!

[Grog]

Bruges is gorgeous, but very very boring at night. Nothing happens there. Ghent has much more to offer.

That's what you think until you've seen the movie (simply titled Bruges).

Check it out if you don't mind a quirky sense of humour.

[papaver]

That's what you think until you've seen the movie (simply titled Bruges).

Check it out if you don't mind a quirky sense of humour.

I've seen it.

[tulip]

Bruges is gorgeous, but very very boring at night. Nothing happens there. Ghent has much more to offer.

I'm a morning person, not a night owl, so Bruges sounds right to me. Is Ghent mostly francophone? Could one get by in most of Belgium with only French? I've not made much headway into Flemish, I just end up with a sore throat .

[papaver]

I'm a morning person, not a night owl, so Bruges sounds right to me. Is Ghent mostly francophone? Could one get by in most of Belgium with only French? I've not made much headway into Flemish, I just end up with a sore throat .

that sore throat thing is a typical Dutch as spoken in the Netherlands, we don't do that one. Ghent is dutch speaking. But most people speak English very well.

[shootingstar]

Bruges is gorgeous, but very very boring at night. Nothing happens there.

Papaver, my dearie wouldn't have known about the boring nightlife in Bruges this year -he was busy skyping with me evenings when he was there, as well as skyping each evening, all across Netherlands and Belgium this spring.

The internet can be great tool for maintaining family relationships.

[papaver]

Papaver, my dearie wouldn't have known about the boring nightlife in Bruges this year -he was busy skyping with me evenings when he was there, as well as skyping each evening, all across Netherlands and Belgium this spring.

The internet can be great tool for maintaining family relationships.

And relationships in general, especially the long distance ones...

[Mr. Bloom]

They're doing great! They updated their blog today with pics.

SilverDaughter is mature...but I can tell SilverSon is really growing up here.

He saw the movie and wanted to go to Brugges, but I think they changes their plans. One more day traveling around Amsterdam and then they're heading to Paris, then Frankfurt...the SilverSon comes home and SilverDaughter stays another six weeks....

Sees the pics, I see how responsible they're being and I'm getting more peace with them being there.

[Grog]

[*]You have to check in with SilverDad at least two or three times a day so he won't worry (and who cried as he was putting them on the plane )

That's funny!

I think I sometimes wished I had SilverDad when I was younger. When traveling on my own I call my parents once or twice a week, and they say: "Hmmm, so why are you calling again?" I'm past 30 now, but it was the same when I was 17.

They're not bad parents, and they love me lots, they're just NOT worriers at all.

My husband on the other hand "has" to call/text/email his parents/sister every day and sometimes twice a day when we're on the road. Needless to say, it drives me crazy! His parents *are* silver.

This being said, I have NO concern whatsoever about your kids and their safety. I'm sure they've been raised to be autonomous young adults. Don't worry too much about them!