The Hague

Strolling and eating. We stayed on Molenstraat, a quaint small pedestrian-only street with lots of stores, food stores, and restaurants. What a nice break from crowded Amsterdam.

Quick Tips:

Netherlands is generally more expensive than other European countries. I actually spent more money here than other cities, even though I was staying with a friend. Museum admissions are almost on par with New York prices, as is the shopping. There are some really hip places to window-shop. This is also a good place for day trips to Rotterdam and Delft. Trains run every half to full hour from both HS and CS stations. Also, every speaks english in the Netherlands, so no need to bring your phrase book!

Best Way To Get Around:

There are convenient trams that run complex routes around the city. If you decide to stay within the Old Town center, then walking is your best bet, since most of the streets are closed to cars anyway. There are no cabs on the streets, you must call one. However, they arrive very quickly, within 5 minutes.

This Indonesian restaurant opened its first branch years ago in Amsterdam. My first visit was about five years ago and it was good. Authentic with a million dishes filling up the table. Well, now they have a branch in The Hague and the food is just as good if not better. For 4 adults, we ordered one Rijstt. Kantjil (meaning the small dishes composing of curries and stews, vegetables, pickles, rice, bread etc) as well as 2 extra entree's (shrimp wrapped in leave and lamb satay) With beer, the bill came out to be around $85. I highly recommend pigging out at this restaurant at least once. By the way, kids are also welcomed...my friends brought their 2 year old and there was one other table with two toddlers.

This is more like a pub/tavern, but the difference is the creative menu. My friends took me here for my first meal, lunch on a Friday afternoon. Apparently, this is one of their favourites for lunch. I had mustard soup, which sounds wierd but was so good. Not sour nor too spicy, it was a little creamy but light. Then I had a grilled chicken sandwich with avocado, with this great mayonnaise sauce. By the way, the mayo in Europe is different from the US-it's more tangy and creamy, has more taste. It's great for dipping your fries in. And yes, we also had these wonderful fries on the side, for which they give you this mustard/mayo sauce. Very running consistency but oh so good. Definitely try this place. The price is also excellent for those on a budget.

This is a slightly upscale restaurant that attracts the well-dressed, trendy types. The food was inventive. It's not quite Dutch, sort of a fusion style. There is definitely a buzz about the place. It's a very nice place to sit and chat and have a drink with friends if you decide not to stay for dinner.

On my first visit, I stayed close to Prinsesgraat, a street with many cool design-type stores. I bought alot of cool desk accessories and almost bought a pair of really nice glasses. On my second visit this past October, I stayed on Molenstraat, a picturesque street with old buildings and pedestrian-only streets. You are close to the Queen's palace and are right in the center of the old part of town. On weekend mornings, I was woken up by the horse-drawn organ pullling down the street towards the shopping area. These carriages are so much fun to watch, and kids go crazy over them! There are also horse-drawn carriages delivering packages. During Christmas season, they get all dressed up! Hema Department Store-I love this place. The prices are reasonable and they have utilitarian designs, especially in the home department. Simple cotton bedding, kitchen utensils, I bought a ton of cool plastic placemats and a cotton duvet. Be aware that European bed sizes differ-they tend to be shorter and wider than American bed sizes. They also have Hema is Belgium as well. With the exchange rate as it stands, I thought the prices in Belgian francs was slightly lower. While I was there, alot of restoration work was being done within the Old Town center. Blocks of older buildings were being restored and turned into "Galleria" type spaces and up-scale stores are expected to move in by the holiday season.

To get a taxi, try either of these two numbers. 390-7722 or 346-2626. The taxis here are quite luxurious, we were twice in a new Mercedes Benz and twice in a minivan. The drivers are very professional. I tipped about 10%, though my Dutch friends tip less and usually round up the number. After you make the call, the taxi arrives within minutes.