The Netherlands Post Office and Schiphol - end of 2009 visit

27 June 2009

Went down to the lobby leaving B still in bed (she sleeps a lot), and got a taxi to the main PO with my package. Most taxi drivers wear a coat and tie. This one had jeans and a jacket but no tie maybe because it was Saturday. But he took the package from me and put it into the taxi for me.

Golden Tulip Hotel

I picked a roll of tape up and was busily taping over all the masking tape which was all the hotel had while I waited for my number (everyplace here seems to have the little machines that dispense numbers like in the Department of Motor Vehicles). When I got to the desk the man asked me if I had filled out a form, which I had not. He weighted the package and it was 5.15 kg. He said to the states that would cost €60, but that if I took the 0.15 kg out, it would be only 30. I said that the package was already taped, but he said 'no problem' and undid everything I had done. I took the maps of Amsterdam out, and hey presto, now we are down to 4.99 kg. He got his little tape machine and we taped it back up.

I also filled out the declaration form as "own" items. Actually it had a dress, a pair of shoes stuffed with clean underwear, a bathing suit, two English conversion plugs and the rest was travel literature. Originally when my suitcase was weighed at Dulles, it was 21 kg, and when I weighed it to go to Copenhagen today it was only 19 kg (42 lbs), so that means that before I mailed the package it was 24 kg or about 52 lbs which is one kg or 2+ lbs over what is allowed by SAS. The whole thing (including the tape) cost €34

The taxi man was standing outside and when he saw me at the top of steps starting to hobble down to the street, he went and got the taxi from where he had parked (not much parking in Amsterdam and way more cars than in 1950), and backed it up to the door. The taxi ride was €17 as he had waited 20 minutes.

I went up to the room and got repacked and we checked out at about 11:45. We left our suitcases and went out to the previous restaurant and had lunch.


Granddaughter eating soup


Sandwich


Sandwich at lunch


Water at lunch

Finished lunch and went back in to the hotel.

Hotel lobby

We had flown from Dulles to Copenhagen where we embarked on the cruise. So now we had to get back to Copenhagen for our return flight tomorrow

The shuttle was to come at 1335, so we got our suitcases out and were waiting when a taxi driver came for us. I was expecting a van, but it was a taxi. The driver came in and then left and went back to the taxi, so we followed with our luggage. The bellman asked me if I needed help, and I said I thought we'd be OK (it wasn't far), but he evidently didn't believe me, because he grabbed B's bag (giving her a heart attack because she didn't know he was going to do that), and took both my bags and took them to the taxi and gave the taxi driver a talking to (I think - as it was in Dutch) for not helping.

The driver went toward the Central Station so I asked him if we weren't going to the airport and found that he had someone else to pick up first. Where are they going to sit - it was a regular taxi and not a big van. He said he would do the best he could but they were busy so they sent a taxi. He went to a Hilton that was out in the boondocks.

When we got there, I took my computer and sat in the front seat, but the man and his wife that were waiting were NOT pleased to share the taxi, so there were multiple conversations about it both on the phone (I guess to the dispatcher) and with the man of the couple. I of course didn't care when we got to the airport as our plane didn't leave until 1800, so we had plenty of time.

The hotel told me that the shuttle would be €14.7 each but the driver said €30, so I gave him € 30 that I had saved from my euros. B and I found the SAS desk and checked our bags, and walked to the Assistance desk and got a wheelchair for her to push.

Then we shopped (B bought herself some perfume) and we went to Burger King before we went to the gate.


B waiting at the gate

We got Whoppers and King Nuggets and my granddaughter got a coke.

Burger King etc


Burger king



Meal ticket

There were other places to eat. Before you go through passport control, in addition to Burger King there is:

AH to go
Cafe Rembrandt


Cafe chocolate


Airport food

Cupcake Chic
Dakota's Restaurant
Dutch & Delicious
Grand Cafe Plaza
Happy Seafood
Hello Goodbye Bar
Hema Food Counter
Juggle Juice Bar
La Place Express
Multiviaal
Pizza Per Tutti!

Hot Wok and Pizza

Pronto ice cream bar
Segafredo
Starbucks
Touch Down
Vlaamse Frites

At the gate, another lady was there on a cart (the ones that they zip around the airport in, and they took our wheelchairs down to the door of the plane (on a VERY long ramp) so we could get on first. The other lady had trouble walking down the aisle of the plane. B said she wanted to sit by the window, although she didn't have her camera out and couldn't take pictures and the flight was less than 2 hours. So we did that. We had been given 25 A and C and there was no seat B so we were together.

Flying to Copenhagen

They sold snacks and drinks, but B just drank the coke she had bought in the airport.

Granddaughter with her drink