9/30/15 Amsterdam, Netherlands MELKWEG

[BullMoose]

For example, if you buy plane tickets from Lithuania to Belgium two months ahead, the cheapest ones (both ways) are 86$, but the layover is 24 hours.

AKA : if you buy a buy plane ticket for two totally different countries, it's only a one day pay (@10$m wage). Whereas if I want to fly to say, Toronto from Moncton, it's almost 1000$ unless I get it on sale, for 500. Augh.

Edit: Did some searching.

Lithuania to Belgium is 1399 KM @ 86$
Moncton to Toronto is 1182 KM
So it's sort of close.
There is a sale going on in Air Canada, with a 30m layover in Montreal. The sale makes it about 650ish or 1130 not on sale.
By bus, it's 386$

[TMBJon]

Depends on what you consider cheap. For example, if you buy plane tickets from Lithuania to Belgium two months ahead, the cheapest ones (both ways) are 86$, but the layover is 24 hours. If you want shorter layovers (one way trip takes 10 hours), it's 110$. A bus is much quicker, but costs 220$. Personally I think it's expensive, but what do I know, I'm poor . What are the travel costs between adjacent states in USA?

Okay I just did some research for comparison. Lithuania to Belgium is about 1000 miles, the same as Los Angeles to Denver. I just looked up one way flights for both trips (though I've never bought a one way ticket in my life, and I don't know why you would) for December 1 which is two months away:

VNO --> BRU = $83 for the cheapest flight
LAX --> DEN = $89 for the cheapest flight

So basically it's the same thing.

[WHiZZi]

except you fly inside your country while Belgium <--> Lithuania isn't ;-)

Anyway, parking in a city like Amsterdam costs you a big amount of money too. €5,00 per hour is considered as normal, unless you want to park outside the centre and get in by tram or bus.

Anyway, looking forward to see more photos of the gig in Amsterdam. This is a recording I found on youtube where Al is actually outside (beginning of the show):

Youtube


Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wakvNBTAe9o" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If you want to skip the first part, it actually starts at 1:06

[D_D]

I had a VIP ticket for this concert! And yes, I was the one VIP who actually didn't go backstage but went straight to the trainstation. (I didn't know that I was allowed to and yes, I could've followed the rest of the VIP's, but I'm not that ... euhm pro-active / self-assured etc.).

I bought a VIP because the normal tickets were sold out. I could've gone to Brussels, as travelling wise it is almost as far as Amsterdam for me. But the fact that it was in Brussels (where most people speak French), the cost of an international trainticket, including the chances that the international train stops going to Netherlands after a certain time in the evening, therefore getting a hotel room, would be just as expensive made the decision relatively easy.

Arriving at Amsterdam Central Station I decided to save €1,- €2,- and walk to the venue. It didn't seem that hard. And everything went OK, till I took a wrong turn and was too stubborn to check my route description for at least 10-15 minutes. So I arrived about 30 minutes later than anticipated. Therefore missing the first competition. I got my goodies at the desk and went inside. I kinda hid myself in a corner (yes, I'm a real people's person ) and enjoyed the show from there. I had a good time watching the other competitions and used the photobooth for one awful picture .The only thing I missed (and kind of counted on) was something to snack. I thought there would be at least bitterballen or those kinda like bitterballen but then filled with cheese instead of meat. I only had a granola bar with me, which I ate at around 18.30, so after 4 hours I was feeling kinda faint. After the final competition it was almost time for us to go inside, but we still had some time, which I used to visit the bathroom.

I took a seat, euhm, I mean stand (?) on the walkway/balcony-thing for a nice view of the stage.

It was my first time to a Weird Al concert and it was a lot of fun! The crowd was very enthused and sung along with a lot of songs. I haven't seen a crowd so enthusiastic from beginning to end (granted I hardly ever go to concerts but for the ones I did went to it usually took a bit of time for the audience to reach the same level). So that was fun too!
The show was great, lot of energy and I sang along with everything till my throat ached.

Afterwards I waited till the crowds thinned out a bit and took the tram back to Central Station - yeb, this time I took no chances of getting lost in Amsterdam. After getting home I ate something, bounced around for a bit and then slept like a log.

Really hoping that Al and his band will return here again! Maybe this time I might get some of my friends to join me.

[Marc]

I was too stubborn to pay for the one month Melkweg mandatory subscription. What a rip-off! Also, as said above, parking is daylight (or night) robbery.
So I went to Brussels instead. Parking there is not more than €14,90 (I think after 5 hours). But that city is a nightmare to navigate. Also there was a one hour traffic jam around Brussels, but Google guided me though narrow streets to the centre. Still took me an hour, but at least I had the feeling I was moving. (it took me another 10 or so minutes to get into the parking - the entrance is at a street that has a 'do not enter - local traffic only' sign! So I drove in circles until I 'disobeyed' the traffic sign. Typical Belgian!!)

There were only 10 VIP's, so that was nice, we soon became friends. But instead of that crazy subscription needed at the Melkweg, they charged for other mundane things. Another con: the venue is outside the pedestrian area: deserted! I'm so envious that you got to see Al walk on the Leidseplein! Of course it's unlikely he would pull such a stunt on his next tour. Or would he? I don't know any other artist who'd do such a crazy stunt!

As for singing along enthusiastically, I think that's because the strength of Al's songs are his hysterical lyrics! You know the familiar song, but the lyrics give it a twist. You don't go to Al just to listen to his music, although the band is great!

Next time I just might go to Amsterdam. Probably non-VIP, I met the guy, I shoved my camera almost in his face during the concert, so I'm good! I don't know if I would take a hotel or drive home (about 2 hours from Amsterdam). I planned on getting a hotel in Brussels, but apparently you have to book them a year in advance ... I did manage to find a hotel half way between Brussels and Antwerp but it was kinda weird: you could rent a room for only 4 hours (or a full night) and you could park your car out of sight next to your room door ... hmmmm... I wonder how clean the sheets, floors and walls are ..! It was 1:20 hrs to drive home - no traffic jams or speed traps at night. At least not here in Zeeland.

I have put subtitles on 4 of my videos, if you click them and turn on the automatic translation, then you can have some fun reading the lyrics in Dutch or any other language.

[Marc]

http://www.npo.nl/de-wereld-draait-door ... _101375366" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Fast Forward to 19:16

[mellow weasel]

http://www.npo.nl/de-wereld-draait-door ... _101375366

Fast Forward to 19:16

What is really going on here? Without understanding the language it looks a bit random - a guy talks about books, there's an out-of-context mention of Al and a video montage, and then the guy continues talking about books as if nothing happened

[Marc]

You are absolutely right. It's a segment called 'a little minute'. That's all! And just about all coverage of Al in the Netherlands I'm afraid.

[BJ_Sturgeon]

My meager contributions: https://www.facebook.com/stjurgeon/medi ... ploaded=25" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Marc]

Youtube