Holland Casino in Amsterdam -- Trip Report
Poll
 | 1 vote (5.88%) | ||
| | 1 vote (5.88%) | ||
| | 8 votes (47.05%) | ||
| | 5 votes (29.41%) | ||
| | 2 votes (11.76%) | ||
| No votes (0%) | |||
| | 1 vote (5.88%) | ||
| | 5 votes (29.41%) | ||
| | 1 vote (5.88%) | ||
| | 3 votes (17.64%) |
17 members have voted
August 4th, 2017 at 6:45:10 PM
permalink
I just posted my blog entry on the Holland Casino in Amsterdam. It still probably has a lot of typos as my proofreader is on vacation. If you find any, please PM them to me.
As always, I welcome all questions, comments, and especially corrections.
The question for the poll is what would be your favorite activities in Amsterdam?
As always, I welcome all questions, comments, and especially corrections.
The question for the poll is what would be your favorite activities in Amsterdam?
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
August 4th, 2017 at 7:39:02 PM
permalink
Quote: WizardI just posted my blog entry on the Holland Casino in Amsterdam. It still probably has a lot of typos as my proofreader is on vacation. If you find any, please PM them to me.
As always, I welcome all questions, comments, and especially corrections.
The question for the poll is what would be your favorite activities in Amsterdam?
Wiz,
For your poll, my fav activities are food-related: exploring street food, cheeses, and raw herring! Sorry, it's not on your list, and you had no "Other" selection, but I have many fond memories of Amsterdam and nearby Volendam.
WRT your report, here is a short list of additions to consider - they won't take away from your positive comments, and might even further enhance your report!
Not everyone is as well traveled as you, so perhaps
1. Insert the current exchange rate? insert a map showing WHERE's the Netherlands in Europe?
2. Add a map showing the concentric half rings of canals you talk about
3. Some pix of the casino would be great
I unsuccessfully could not find typos or corrections, but someone else might. Did you send a link of your favorable review to the Holland Casino folk?
Nice report,
LW
Eat real food . . . and you won't need medicine (or a lot less!)
August 4th, 2017 at 8:23:25 PM
permalink
Thanks, good suggestions. I just implemented all three.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
August 4th, 2017 at 9:05:50 PM
permalink
As always I love your travel reports. Where else did you go on this trip? Any other trips upcoming or trips abroad that you'd like to take? I'm jealous of how much you have travelled, they sound like amazing adventures.
You can shear a sheep a hundred times, but you can skin it only once. — Amarillo Slim Preston
August 4th, 2017 at 9:59:55 PM
permalink
Thanks for the report Wizard! I enjoyed it very much. Is public drinking allowed in Amsterdam? I am surprised the casino doesn't provide alcohol for the players, but maybe that is a condition of their licensed monopoly.
What purpose do the semi-circular canals serve? Were they for irrigation, transportation; or defense, like a moat?
What purpose do the semi-circular canals serve? Were they for irrigation, transportation; or defense, like a moat?
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication - Leonardo da Vinci
August 4th, 2017 at 11:20:01 PM
permalink
IMHO, the posting quality just increased 300%.Quote: WizardThanks, good suggestions. I just implemented all three.
Eat real food . . . and you won't need medicine (or a lot less!)
August 5th, 2017 at 1:39:58 AM
permalink
I suppose the prices of a few things may interest some. How do they sell marijuana, I assume by the cigarette? Price? What are the costs in the red light district? Did you try any Dutch East Indian food? Excellent report, thanks for the kind words for the home of my fathers.
When a rock is thrown into a pack of dogs, the one that yells the loudest is the one who got hit.
August 5th, 2017 at 6:49:25 AM
permalink
Nice report. I voted for canal tour, since that's what my wife and I did on our only day ever in Amsterdam, at the end of a trans-Atlantic cruise. We really took a bus tour of the city, with that including a short boat tour on the canal and I would certainly repeat that portion of the visit. I think I only have three comments to offer:
(1) At the end of our visit, I discovered by chance the "other" Holland Casino in Amsterdam, a small one that is located in the airport and which does include table games. I posted a tale of my visit and an image of my souvenir chip in the Casino Chip of the Day thread.
(2) In that post, I included (behind a spoiler button) a photo I took from the boat while on that canal tour. It was taken in a spot where you can see the water passing under seven bridges that cross a straight section of the canal -- very interesting, at least to me. The posted photo may be too small for most people to be able to count those bridges, but I could provide a larger image if folks were interested. (I just tried, and on my Mac it is possible to drag that photo to the desktop and then view it a bit larger. Don't know how it works on other computers.) I have a print of that photo among the many hanging on our condo walls. Right after the spoiler button in that post, I included a paragraph with an amusing comment made by our tour guide.
(3) If you wanted to add another educational tidbit to your blog entry, you might explain (for all of us Stupid Americans) the difference between Holland and The Netherlands.
(1) At the end of our visit, I discovered by chance the "other" Holland Casino in Amsterdam, a small one that is located in the airport and which does include table games. I posted a tale of my visit and an image of my souvenir chip in the Casino Chip of the Day thread.
(2) In that post, I included (behind a spoiler button) a photo I took from the boat while on that canal tour. It was taken in a spot where you can see the water passing under seven bridges that cross a straight section of the canal -- very interesting, at least to me. The posted photo may be too small for most people to be able to count those bridges, but I could provide a larger image if folks were interested. (I just tried, and on my Mac it is possible to drag that photo to the desktop and then view it a bit larger. Don't know how it works on other computers.) I have a print of that photo among the many hanging on our condo walls. Right after the spoiler button in that post, I included a paragraph with an amusing comment made by our tour guide.
(3) If you wanted to add another educational tidbit to your blog entry, you might explain (for all of us Stupid Americans) the difference between Holland and The Netherlands.
August 5th, 2017 at 10:29:19 AM
permalink
Quote: PokerGrinderAs always I love your travel reports. Where else did you go on this trip? Any other trips upcoming or trips abroad that you'd like to take? I'm jealous of how much you have travelled, they sound like amazing adventures.
Thanks for the kind words. This was just a 12-day trip to Amsterdam and Brussels. I wish it could have been longer. By the time you're 52 I think your passports will be more impressive than mine, given your recent tour of Asia.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
August 5th, 2017 at 10:37:00 AM
permalink
Quote: AyecarumbaThanks for the report Wizard! I enjoyed it very much. Is public drinking allowed in Amsterdam? I am surprised the casino doesn't provide alcohol for the players, but maybe that is a condition of their licensed monopoly.
I can't think of anywhere in the world I've seen free drinks in a casino outside of the United States and I've played all over the place. The only reason "free" drinks survive here, in my opinion, is that tipping is expected, so it really isn't free.
Quote:What purpose do the semi-circular canals serve? Were they for irrigation, transportation; or defense, like a moat?
Transportation mainly. The land is so flat there that it made sense to make canals instead of streets. I'm not sure why they did them in semi-circles, now that I think about it. I should have asked the guide of my canal tour. I assume it started with just one ring and they kept adding more as the population expanded.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
August 5th, 2017 at 12:34:27 PM
permalink
Quote: WizardThanks for the kind words. This was just a 12-day trip to Amsterdam and Brussels. I wish it could have been longer. By the time you're 52 I think your passports will be more impressive than mine, given your recent tour of Asia.
That's definitely my goal! How many countries have you been to now? I feel like you are the kind of person that knows this number.
You can shear a sheep a hundred times, but you can skin it only once. — Amarillo Slim Preston
August 5th, 2017 at 12:40:54 PM
permalink
Quote: PokerGrinderThat's definitely my goal! How many countries have you been to now? I feel like you are the kind of person that knows this number.
Only 23 it looks like. However, I don't plan my travels to maximize that number. For example, I've been to China five times. This also doesn't count countries where I only saw the airport.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
August 5th, 2017 at 12:48:10 PM
permalink
23 is smaller than I thought you'd say but still a lot more than I have visited.
You can shear a sheep a hundred times, but you can skin it only once. — Amarillo Slim Preston
August 5th, 2017 at 1:42:44 PM
permalink
Quote: WizardOnly 23 it looks like. However, I don't plan my travels to maximize that number. For example, I've been to China five times. This also doesn't count countries where I only saw the airport.
I would have guessed that number to be higher. I may even have you beat, though the majority would be countries visited while cruising the Caribbean. Now I have to go look. Lol at myself.
Edit: I get 24 if I count USVI and Puerto Rico as outside the US, which they sort of are...22 otherwise. Call it a tie.
You have a lot more interesting ones, I think; one Caribbean country looks a lot like the next. OTOH, China, Australia, New Zealand...not to mention places like Cyprus and The Netherlands. Jealous.
I am counting Iceland though I changed planes there. I had a 4 hour layover, so I hired a taxi and toured Reykjavik for 2 hours. Maybe that's not a fair one, but I did have to go thru Customs again to get in the airplane.
I think Pokergrinder has us both, if not now, then very soon when he does his next Asia tour.
Anybody else got more?
Last edited by: beachbumbabs on Aug 5, 2017
If the House lost every hand, they wouldn't deal the game.
August 5th, 2017 at 1:48:59 PM
permalink
Almost all my countries I've stayed in at least a couple days. Here are some exceptions:
Poland: Been twice. The first visit was about four hours and the second one two two hours. My aunt lives less than a mile from the border with Germany.
Italy: I admit this was a "cross it off the list" country. Traveled by train from Monaco to the closest city in Italy (a short ride), had lunch, and went back.
I spent more time in the Seoul and Manila than both these countries but they were long layovers, so I don't count them.
Poland: Been twice. The first visit was about four hours and the second one two two hours. My aunt lives less than a mile from the border with Germany.
Italy: I admit this was a "cross it off the list" country. Traveled by train from Monaco to the closest city in Italy (a short ride), had lunch, and went back.
I spent more time in the Seoul and Manila than both these countries but they were long layovers, so I don't count them.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
August 5th, 2017 at 3:23:03 PM
permalink
Quote: beachbumbabs
I am counting Iceland though I changed planes there. I had a 4 hour layover, so I hired a taxi and toured Reykjavik for 2 hours. Maybe that's not a fair one, but I did have to go thru Customs again to get in the airplane.
I tend to count the countries if i left the airport grounds.
At my age, a "Life In Prison" sentence is not much of a deterrent.
August 5th, 2017 at 3:57:15 PM
permalink
The counting process can become complicated. Do you count each of the elements of the British Empire as separate countries? How about the various islands around the Atlantic and Caribbean that are affiliated with Spain or Portugal? Are Sicily and Sardinia part of Italy or just "owned" by it? Do you count your own country or just the "foreign" ones?
Anyway, my list is alphabetized below, and you can count it according to whatever rules you prefer.
Might have missed one or two somewhere along the line.
Anyway, my list is alphabetized below, and you can count it according to whatever rules you prefer.
Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Bonaire, Canada, Canary Islands, Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Curaçao, Cyprus, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Gibraltar, Great Britain, Greece, Grenada, Italy, Jamaica, Madeira, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, Panama, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Saint Martin, Sardinia, Sicily, Sint Maarten, Spain, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Turks and Caicos, US, USVI
Might have missed one or two somewhere along the line.
August 5th, 2017 at 4:35:34 PM
permalink
I personally don't consider USVI or Puerto Rico to be separate since they are part of the US. I visited both St. Thomas (USVI) and Puerto Rico as stops on a cruise ship in 2008. Just my opinion which will make less sense later in this post. However another stop on that trip was St Kitts which is its own country. Wiz how do you view Hong Kong and Macau? I view them as two countries separate from china since they both have their own government and currencies.
Depending on your view of what I've said my list is:
Hong Kong
Macau
Malaysia
Singapore
Israel
Canada
USA
St. Kitts
In January I will add Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and India.
Depending on your view of what I've said my list is:
Hong Kong
Macau
Malaysia
Singapore
Israel
Canada
USA
St. Kitts
In January I will add Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and India.
You can shear a sheep a hundred times, but you can skin it only once. — Amarillo Slim Preston
August 5th, 2017 at 4:56:30 PM
permalink
Great article.
That sounds redundant. Or is that first 'machines' supposed to be 'tables'?Quote:Amsterdam has only one large full-blown casino that offers machines as well as slot machines,
I invented a few casino games. Info:
http://www.DaveMillerGaming.com/ —————————————————————————————————————
Superstitions are silly, childish, irrational rituals, born out of fear of the unknown. But how much does it cost to knock on wood? 😁
August 5th, 2017 at 5:02:44 PM
permalink
Quote: DocAre Sicily and Sardinia part of Italy or just "owned" by it?
I thought there was absolutely no doubt those were part of Italy as much as Hawaii is a part of the US. Maybe not the best standard, but they don't have separate representation in the United Nations or Olympics. Are there some rights they don't enjoy the rest of Italy does?
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
August 5th, 2017 at 5:03:35 PM
permalink
Quote: DJTeddyBearThat sounds redundant. Or is that first 'machines' supposed to be 'tables'?
D'oh!
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
August 5th, 2017 at 5:47:19 PM
permalink
Quote: DocThe counting process can become complicated. Do you count each of the elements of the British Empire as separate countries? How about the various islands around the Atlantic and Caribbean that are affiliated with Spain or Portugal? Are Sicily and Sardinia part of Italy or just "owned" by it? Do you count your own country or just the "foreign" ones?
Anyway, my list is alphabetized below, and you can count it according to whatever rules you prefer.Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Bonaire, Canada, Canary Islands, Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Curaçao, Cyprus, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Gibraltar, Great Britain, Greece, Grenada, Italy, Jamaica, Madeira, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, Panama, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Saint Martin, Sardinia, Sicily, Sint Maarten, Spain, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Turks and Caicos, US, USVI
Might have missed one or two somewhere along the line.
Ok Doc I did the leg work on this one. From my research you have visited 31 countries as per your list. Here are the ones that are not independent countries:
Bonaire - Netherlands
Canary Islands - Spain
Cayman Islands - Britain
Gibraltar - Spain
Madeira - Portugal
Puerto Rico - USA
St. Martin and Sint Maarten are the same island with half being under Dutch rule and half being French
Sardinia and Sicily - Italy
Turks and Caicos - Britain
You can shear a sheep a hundred times, but you can skin it only once. — Amarillo Slim Preston
August 5th, 2017 at 7:01:54 PM
permalink
Quote: PokerGrinderGibraltar - Spain
I thought Gibraltar was part of the UK.
Hope Paco finds this thread, he loves this kind of stuff.
Here is my list:
Canada: Lost count
Mexico: Lost count
Costa Rica: 3
Nicaragua: 1
Panama: 1
Argentina: 1
Uruguay: 1
Bahamas: 1
Dominican Republic: 1
Curacao*: 1
Iceland: 1
USSR: 1
Finland: 1
Germany: 2
Poland: 2
France: 1
Italy: 1
Malta: 1
England: 1
Monaco: 1
Netherlands: 1
Belgium: 1
Australia: 2
New Zealand: 1
China (mainland): 5
China (Hong Kong)*: 1
China (Macau)*: 2
South Korea: Airport only
Denmark: Airport only
Philippines: Airport only
* I admit it could be argued this is not an independent country
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
August 5th, 2017 at 8:52:32 PM
permalink
Wiz,
What a great list you have!
The variety of countries is because my dad used to work for the United Nations, and 5 years of my work life was living out of a suitcase for 2 different international airlines.
I was Born in New York, USA
Asia
1. Burma (before it became Myanmar)
2. Hong Kong (before 1997, when it was annexed to China)
3. Indonesia
4. Guam
5. Japan
6. Malaysia
7. Pago Pago
8. Pakistan
9. People's Republic of China
10. Philippines
11. Samoa
12. Singapore
13. South Korea
14. Thailand
15. Taiwan
16. South Vietnam
Europe
17. Belgium
18. France
19. Germany
20. Greece
21. Italy
22. Netherlands
23. Switzerland
24. United Kingdom
25. The Vatican
Middle East
26. Aden
27. Dubai
28. Bahrain
29. Saudi Arabia
30. United Arab Emirates
Africa
31. Ethiopia
32. Kenya
33. Somalia
-----
34. Australia
35. Canada
What a great list you have!
The variety of countries is because my dad used to work for the United Nations, and 5 years of my work life was living out of a suitcase for 2 different international airlines.
I was Born in New York, USA
Asia
1. Burma (before it became Myanmar)
2. Hong Kong (before 1997, when it was annexed to China)
3. Indonesia
4. Guam
5. Japan
6. Malaysia
7. Pago Pago
8. Pakistan
9. People's Republic of China
10. Philippines
11. Samoa
12. Singapore
13. South Korea
14. Thailand
15. Taiwan
16. South Vietnam
Europe
17. Belgium
18. France
19. Germany
20. Greece
21. Italy
22. Netherlands
23. Switzerland
24. United Kingdom
25. The Vatican
Middle East
26. Aden
27. Dubai
28. Bahrain
29. Saudi Arabia
30. United Arab Emirates
Africa
31. Ethiopia
32. Kenya
33. Somalia
-----
34. Australia
35. Canada
Eat real food . . . and you won't need medicine (or a lot less!)
August 5th, 2017 at 10:56:40 PM
permalink
Yup, Gibraltar be owned by U.K.!
When a rock is thrown into a pack of dogs, the one that yells the loudest is the one who got hit.
August 6th, 2017 at 1:00:45 AM
permalink
Quote: DeMangoYup, Gibraltar be owned by U.K.!
My bad.
I guess Lostwages wins for most countries.
You can shear a sheep a hundred times, but you can skin it only once. — Amarillo Slim Preston
August 6th, 2017 at 10:03:00 AM
permalink
As I said, it is a complicated matter. Part of my point was that visiting remote/separated elements of a country is quite different from visiting the main part of that country. Do folks who visit Guam really feel as if they have been to the United States? I don’t know.Quote: PokerGrinderOk Doc I did the leg work on this one. From my research you have visited 31 countries as per your list. Here are the ones that are not independent countries:
Bonaire - Netherlands
Canary Islands - Spain
Cayman Islands - Britain
Gibraltar - Spain
Madeira - Portugal
Puerto Rico - USA
St. Martin and Sint Maarten are the same island with half being under Dutch rule and half being French
Sardinia and Sicily - Italy
Turks and Caicos - Britain
I think the same issues could exist in other places. For example, I think that visiting Saint Martin is quite a different thing from visiting France, but it may well not be the same as visiting a completely different country. I didn't get my passport stamped there, so I don't know whether it would have said "France" or not.
On the other hand, according to the ever-reliable Wikipedia, “On 10 October 2010, Sint Maarten became a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, making it a constitutional equal partner with Aruba, Curaçao, and the Netherlands proper.” I think that qualifies it as a country that I visited, noting that you appear to have allowed Aruba and Curaçao as “independents” from my list while rejecting Sint Maarten.
I also have difficulty with the idea of a place being a genuine part of a country and not using the currency of that country. For examples, Bonaire uses the U.S. Dollar, as does Turks and Caicos, while Gibraltar has its own currency (the Gibraltar Pound), and the Cayman Islands use the Cayman Islands dollar. Complicated, I think.
August 6th, 2017 at 10:23:35 AM
permalink
I've been to Canada and here (USA). Pretty boring.
DUHHIIIIIIIII HEARD THAT!
August 6th, 2017 at 11:05:22 AM
permalink
August 7th, 2017 at 9:25:28 AM
permalink
LostWages, I'd be interested to hear about Saudi Arabia sometime.
Doc, I agree. I've been to Curacao and to Amsterdam and while it could be argued they are the same country, they feel nothing alike. I could not detect one Dutch thing in Curacao, like a windmill or wooden shoes, anywhere. From what I hear, the language, papiamento, has deviated quite a bit from the original Dutch, I would consider the connection, at best, in name only.
Doc, I agree. I've been to Curacao and to Amsterdam and while it could be argued they are the same country, they feel nothing alike. I could not detect one Dutch thing in Curacao, like a windmill or wooden shoes, anywhere. From what I hear, the language, papiamento, has deviated quite a bit from the original Dutch, I would consider the connection, at best, in name only.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
August 7th, 2017 at 10:02:44 AM
permalink
Quote: WizardI could not detect one Dutch thing in Curacao, like a windmill or wooden shoes, anywhere.
Interesting choice of an example.... We have a curio cabinet in our condo, the contents of which include a number of trinkets my wife has picked up along our travels. The photos below show a pair of ceramic miniatures of wooden shoes. These are decorated with images of windmills and are marked as "Delfts Holland", though my wife marked that she picked them up in Curaçao in 2009. In the cabinet, they serve as a storage place for a single 10 cent coin (that's 0.10 florin), from our visit to Aruba on the same trip.
August 7th, 2017 at 12:06:52 PM
permalink
My uncle had an antique shop in Delft. Love that town. Six days older than dirt. Worth your while for a day trip.
When a rock is thrown into a pack of dogs, the one that yells the loudest is the one who got hit.
August 7th, 2017 at 12:22:38 PM
permalink
Quote: CalderYou guys need scratch-off maps:
Amazon link
That looks cool, I might have to get one. When I sent this to my sister who travels a lot too she sent me back a picture of one she has on her wall. She bought it in Geneva.
You can shear a sheep a hundred times, but you can skin it only once. — Amarillo Slim Preston
August 7th, 2017 at 5:32:18 PM
permalink
Quote: WizLostWages, I'd be interested to hear about Saudi Arabia sometime.
My travel to Saudi Arabia has a few small memories. Certainly open gambling, liquor, and socializing with the opposite sex was as forbidden then as it is today.
Got to visit for a 2-night stay at a fine hotel (forget the name) near the airport at Riyadh in 1982 and enjoyed only one brief "window tour" - that was fine with me, with outdoor temp in excess of 110 in the shade! Memories: when I checked in my room, I always collect hotel stationery - this one had my name printed in gold foil (?) on the note pad (I wonder if that practice continues today). The parts of town we saw were impeccably clean, always lots of armed soldiers on patrol, women always in burka - note the differences in degrees of head covering below
Mostly, this is what I recall seeing:
The extreme opposite of the burka memory was strolling through the gold souk (market) - stall upon stall of gold in every type and shape you could imagine! Bargaining is part of the charm!
Should you consider travel, I would only do so with a friend familiar with the culture and the town.
Eat real food . . . and you won't need medicine (or a lot less!)
August 7th, 2017 at 5:40:55 PM
permalink
Quote: DocThe photos below show a pair of ceramic miniatures of wooden shoes...
Well, you proved me wrong there. I guess I just didn't seem any of them on my visit to Curacao.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
August 7th, 2017 at 5:48:40 PM
permalink
Quote: LostWagesMy travel to Saudi Arabia has a few small memories. Certainly open gambling, liquor, and socializing with the opposite sex was as forbidden then as it is today.
Thanks. I find countries that are not very open to tourism the most interesting, for some reason. It is sort of on my bucket list to sneak into Mecca.
I know a guy here who used to work for the Air Force base in Saudi Arabia. He echoes the same things about not having access to any of the "sinful" vices. He told a story that when he first got there some other soldiers were showing him around on one of his days off. He was evidently in a bad mood and said angrily "%$#@ M-------d." (I don't even dare spell out the name in an open forum). He then said his fellow soldiers suddenly flipped into warfare mode as they were very afraid for what would happen next. Fortunately, no locals heard him and nothing happened. However, he got a strict lecturing that he could have received the death penalty for that outburst.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
August 8th, 2017 at 6:17:42 AM
permalink
Quote: PokerGrinderGibraltar - Spain
Deleted.
August 8th, 2017 at 7:18:30 AM
permalink
Quote: Wizard
Quote:What purpose do the semi-circular canals serve? Were they for irrigation, transportation; or defense, like a moat?
Transportation mainly. The land is so flat there that it made sense to make canals instead of streets. I'm not sure why they did them in semi-circles, now that I think about it. I should have asked the guide of my canal tour. I assume it started with just one ring and they kept adding more as the population expanded.
Since no one has yet commented on this, I'll provide a lesson from my 1940 edition of Van Loon's Geography: The Story of the World. Hendrik Willem van Loon remains Holland's most famous geographer, and his is the only geography book ever to sell over 1 million copies. (His many other books are also fascinating reads, even today.)
Quote: Van Loon's GeographyThe word "Netherlands", which is only used on very official occasions, means exactly what it implies, a combination of "low" localities situated from two to sixteen feet below the level of the sea. ... A great many of those canals are really drainage ditches, for one-quarter of the kingdom's territory is no land at all, in the usual sense of the word, but merely a piece of the bottom of the sea reclaimed from the fishes... .
He continues to describe how swampy lakes were turned into "polders," by building a dike around them. On the outside of the dike you dig a wide, deep canal that connects to the nearest river. You then construct windmills on top of the dikes with pumps (or small gasoline engines) to do the rest.
Quote: Van Loon's GeographyWhen all the water has been pumped out of the lake ... you dig a number of parallel ditches across your new "polder" and, provided you keep your pumping mills ... pumping all the time, these canals will take care of the necessary drainage.
Canals are all part of the national drainage system for a country built on land taken from the North Sea.
August 8th, 2017 at 11:42:02 AM
permalink
Quote: WizThanks. I find countries that are not very open to tourism the most interesting, for some reason. It is sort of on my bucket list to sneak into Mecca.
Wiz,
Since you mentioned your KTB (Kick The Bucket) list, perhaps you would consider starting a poll or discussion thread along the lines of What are your top 7 KTB items? I wouldn't mind starting it, but the thread will definitely get more reading appeal if it had your name on it. Also, you are more intimately familiar with your membership.
In the meantime, here's some food for thoughts to add to your "Mecca" search:
1. View Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations, Season 4, Episode 16.
"Danya Alhamrani was chosen to show off her hometown of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to Tony. They explore the cuisine, culture and heritage of Saudi Arabia that few Westerners have ever seen." Try Netflix, YouTube or The Travel Channel. If you have the time and attention, you can also search for blogs of travelers.
2. Consider reading "The KIngdom" by Robert Lacey. I recommend read vs watching the movie or listening to cassette tape. https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Lacey-Kingdom-Arabia-American/dp/B004T37Y4O/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=EFCJHGYT9GZK7PY7SQ83
3. If you do go, See if a friend can bring you to observe the annual Hajj (pilgrimage). You would look swell in an Ihram (plain, long white robe). Be sure to get validated visa for the Hajj! http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/hajj-2016-date-when-is-it-mecca-who-goes-is-it-safe-islam-muslims-stampede-2015-a7209676.html
Eat real food . . . and you won't need medicine (or a lot less!)
August 8th, 2017 at 12:22:36 PM
permalink
Quote: WizardIt is sort of on my bucket list to sneak into Mecca.
Wiz,
Pay attention to your buddy. Saudi's don't play around.
A friend of mine taught architecture at a Saudi university, along with several other "Western" nationals teaching various subjects. The non-Saudi's lived in their own, separate compound with zero opportunity to socialize with the (all male) student body outside class. Seems one of the British families had a still that fit into a closet, so they all had plenty of liquor. I don't recall him ever saying the Saudi's discovered it, but he did say this:
One day an American faculty member said or did something that somehow caused offense. Early that evening Saudi police served papers informing the family it had to depart the kingdom within the next 24 hours. Period. There was no explanation. My friend said the faculty member, his wife, and their children were on a plane the next afternoon. He and other American families had to pack up the family possessions and get them shipped to the family back in the United States.
Go ahead and try to sneak into Mecca. Especially during the hajj. You'll probably stand out like an elephant at a goat conference. Maybe they'll only cut off both your hands, because it's just your first offense. Listen to your buddy, OK?
Sheesh, why don't you consider doing something less dangerous. Go pet a lion or something.
August 8th, 2017 at 12:39:34 PM
permalink
But it's a different country, you have to go through customs from Spain. It also hosts quite a lot of online gambling sites. It had one casino but I've not been in it as it was closed (during the day).Quote: DeMangoYup, Gibraltar be owned by U.K.!
fwiw I've been to 29 countries, but most are in Europe.
August 8th, 2017 at 1:24:08 PM
permalink
Quote: LuckyPhow
Go ahead and try to sneak into Mecca. Especially during the hajj. You'll probably stand out like an elephant at a goat conference.
Plenty of white people do the hadj each year, the clothes are for rent. Wiz would fit right in...
August 8th, 2017 at 5:02:37 PM
permalink
Quote: LostWagesSince you mentioned your KTB (Kick The Bucket) list, perhaps you would consider starting a poll or discussion thread along the lines of What are your top 7 KTB items? I wouldn't mind starting it, but the thread will definitely get more reading appeal if it had your name on it. Also, you are more intimately familiar with your membership.
Thanks for your interest in it. I don't actually have one in writing but there is definitely a mental one. The Mecca idea isn't firmly on it. To be honest, I'm sure I would think better of the idea if I ever got so far as making plans. I also put a high value on honesty and don't want to lie to anybody about my religious beliefs. Wearing the garb would part of the fun. I actually have a set that I was going to wear to a halloween party but I think the party got called of or something because I never ended up going. This was a while ago.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
August 8th, 2017 at 9:35:37 PM
permalink
Quote: LostWages
I can only imagine how bad that place smells.
August 8th, 2017 at 9:48:35 PM
permalink
I have never been to Mecca. However, I have visited several mosques in the Muslim world, including large ones like the Muhammad Ali and the Ibn Tulun mosques in Cairo and the Hassan II mosque in Casablanca. I have never noticed smells to be a problem there. They are beautiful facilities.
August 8th, 2017 at 10:45:54 PM
permalink
Who is allowed to walk the small circle nearest the "black box" vs. the longer orbit on the outer ring?
Would it be harder to get into Mecca or the "altar room" of the LDS Temple in Salt Lake City?
Would it be harder to get into Mecca or the "altar room" of the LDS Temple in Salt Lake City?
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication - Leonardo da Vinci
August 9th, 2017 at 9:24:14 AM
permalink
Quote: AyecarumbaWould it be harder to get into Mecca or the "altar room" of the LDS Temple in Salt Lake City?
The Altar Room I'm sure would be much harder. You have to show papers that you are a member of the good church in good standing, one requirement of which is tithing. As I understand it, there is no paperwork or examination to get into Mecca. If you stand out, I've heard you might get questioned, so the key would be to just blend in.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
August 9th, 2017 at 10:05:59 AM
permalink
I love Amsterdam, the quality of their food was an unexpected surprise. Not necessarily Dutch food, but they're as international as any US city, which tends to improve the local cuisine. Plus, every single person speaks pretty intelligible English.
My personal rule is to never go to a country that I'm not guaranteed a fair trial. Wanting to go to Mecca makes me think you're crazy, but it's your life.
My personal rule is to never go to a country that I'm not guaranteed a fair trial. Wanting to go to Mecca makes me think you're crazy, but it's your life.
Its - Possessive; It's - "It is" / "It has"; There - Location; Their - Possessive; They're - "They are"
August 9th, 2017 at 11:01:26 AM
permalink
Quote: WizAs I understand it, there is no paperwork or examination to get into Mecca.
This should add to the adventure, if you build up both the courage and interest to pursue a Mecca trip.
Are there exceptions? None that I could find. However, of the 15 known non-Muslims who got into Mecca, here's how one person did it.
http://www.wnd.com/2015/03/the-story-of-a-non-muslim-eyewitness-in-mecca/
Caveat But having myself traveled to a lot of "strict" places, I tend to agree with Ahiromu.
Eat real food . . . and you won't need medicine (or a lot less!)
