My Profile
Aug052011
Tour/Activity
Brussels Beer Tasting Tour
Brussels, Belgium
My Rating

It's a good tour for someone who is a Belgian beer novice, as you get to try a few traditional beer types. You also get to see quite a few of the city's main areas. Be prepared to do a lot of walking though, as the actual tasting takes place in two bars. Also, the tasting is 6, not 8 beers as described (which is more than plenty, even though it's not full beers)/ also the snacks were very limited, so make sure you have a full lunch before you do this. The tour guide was great/ knowledgeable and entertaining.
Aug042011
Tour/Activity
Ghent and Bruges Day Trip from Brussels
Brussels, Belgium
My Rating

The tour is OK, if you have limited time and don't feel like doing your own planning, but otherwise I would recommend DIY. The 3-star rating is definitely somewhat influenced by how beautiful both cities are. Having the tour run live in 3 languages (English, French and German) is exhausting and recorded commentary would have been much better. It was often hard to hear the tour guide and get a clear understanding of meeting time. It's up to you if you want to eat at the "suggested" lunch restaurant in Bruges - there are lots of other quick options nearby (although the food was good). Do take the optional boat tour in Bruges - it's absolutely lovely. The free time in Bruges, if you do the boat tour, is definitely limited. So again, if you want to do lots of exploring, this tour is probably not for you.
Aug032011
Tour/Activity
Brussels Chocolate Walking Tour and Workshop
Brussels, Belgium
My Rating

Fun tour to do if you are a chocoholic like I am. I would say it was less walking tour, more chocolate tasting and chocolate workshop (although the pouring rain might have been a factor). The tastings were great - you get to go to about 6 chocolatiers and get to chose anything you like to taste. The demonstration / workshop was a lot of fun too - you definitely get to appreciate the work that goes into making chocolates. Also, we finished that tour with a refreshing beer at one of the bars just off the Grand Place - it was a nice end to the day.
Aug012011
Tour/Activity
Zaanse Schans Windmills, Marken and Volendam Half-Day Trip from Amsterdam
Amsterdam, Netherlands
My Rating

Nice overview of the region. I know a lot of reviews mention a double-decker bus - maybe I was lucky, but my specific trip was a regular bus, so the group, while large, was manageable. Everything/everyone was on time, so it was great. Zaanse Schans is lovely - you have plenty of time to look around. Volendam is charming. I would say, don't eat at the recommended restaurant - the entire street is lined with restaurants and there are also various food stalls, where you can sample the local food. The time in Volendam and Marken is very limited (especially the latter - Marken is a bit of a waste really), so if you want to spend more time there, do the mid-day departure option, which spends an extra hour there. I did not feel that I was missing out however.
Jul292011
Tour/Activity
Amsterdam Walking Tour
Amsterdam, Netherlands
My Rating

Absolutely wonderful tour. The guide was great and we got to see a lot of Amsterdam. A must do to get acquainted with the city and it's history.


