# Holland - BEWARE



## acctutor (Oct 3, 2009)

Over in Holland at the start of our third week, wonderful country, wonderful people (and I was able to stand within 50 yards of a landing F16 - while waiting for an F35 but thats another story.)

First major problem, we have yet to find a restaurant or camp site that takes a UK credit card - never had that problem before, anywhere in Europe.

In Boxmeer, when second problem, we discovered I had only 2 100 euro notes, and Patsy had just 1 100 euro note in her purse, no chance of a coffee. I know, we can go to the bank and they will change them. RABO bank, charming lady, "sorry - we do not have any money", you are a bank though, oh yes.

Went to SIS bank same result, ABN Ambro same result. Dutch banks do NOT handle money. So when you are getting your euros, don't get too many large denomination notes, or be prepared to grovel to get them changed.

Eventually the help desk in the supermarket changed one to 2 50's, so we could get a coffee.

Other than that, having a wonderful time, at Sint Anthonis heading for Cuijk.

Regards

Bill & Patsy


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

As a matter of interest did you have a prepaid debit card such as Caxtonfx card, if so was this refused as well.Also did you try a UK debit card.Glad to hear you are enjoying the trip.

cabby


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

Many places take Mastercard rather than Visa.

Peter


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

We have used a Post Office mastercard in Holland and Belguim.

Ray.


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## blindwatchertrev (Nov 4, 2011)

Thanks for the heads up. Will be in Holland in 18 days time. I've recently acquired a Halifax Clarity Card specifically for our 6 week continental trip. Also have Fairfx cash card so hopefully this will overcome any similar problems. Will make sure we have small denomination euros. Love this site for these sort of tips. Trev


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## HurricaneSmith (Jul 13, 2007)

acctutor said:


> Over in Holland at the start of our third week, wonderful country, wonderful people (and I was able to stand within 50 yards of a landing F16 - while waiting for an F35 but thats another story.)
> 
> First major problem, we have yet to find a restaurant or camp site that takes a UK credit card - never had that problem before, anywhere in Europe.
> 
> ...


Interesting how different people have different experiences.

I've recently returned from the Netherlands and was pleasantly surprised to find no problem paying with €100 notes. I always apologised as I handed them over, and smiled broadly as each was checked against forgery - I clearly look dodgy! :grin2: But no-one refused a single €100 note proffered.

.


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

Same thing in Germany too! 
Twice we had to find a ATM to draw cash out to pat large bills.


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## Pat-H (Oct 30, 2009)

We regularly go to Holland and don't have issues with our MasterCard debit card. 
Generally draw large notes before we go or at ATMS over there and change them when shopping.


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## Sprinta (Sep 15, 2010)

blindwatchertrev said:


> Thanks for the heads up. Will be in Holland in 18 days time. I've recently acquired a Halifax Clarity Card specifically for our 6 week continental trip. Also have Fairfx cash card so hopefully this will overcome any similar problems. Will make sure we have small denomination euros. Love this site for these sort of tips. Trev


I've just got a Halifax card for the same reason, fed up paying a handling charge every transaction on my usual card. I also always carry cash in several currencies, euro, pound and Swiss franc for small transactions. I've always had card problems of one sort or another and always have a couple of visa and MasterCard just in case one isn't accepted.


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## acctutor (Oct 3, 2009)

Hi,

Up to this year we have never had any problems.

My favourite card to use is the Halifax Clarity (Mastercard), always been fine. We have also tried a Halifax Visa credit card and a Halifax UK debit card, each time refused.

I suppose I could have tried to use the 100 euro, but my natural British reserve (!!!), made me feel guilty.

Trev, if you are anywhere near Gelderland (south of Arnhem and Njmegan), there is a brilliant site at Sint Anthonis, best showers we have ever had, more wildlife in the woods you could want and cycle tracks everywhere. Yesterday we spent an hour watchinbg woodpeckers feeding young in a hollowed out tree, we were only about 20 yards away, and they took no notice.


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## Leffe NL (Jul 14, 2015)

acctutor said:


> Over in Holland at the start of our third week, wonderful country, wonderful people (and I was able to stand within 50 yards of a landing F16 - while waiting for an F35 but thats another story.)
> 
> First major problem, we have yet to find a restaurant or camp site that takes a UK credit card - never had that problem before, anywhere in Europe.
> 
> ...


Sure you had a problem with a credit card and not a Visa debit card?


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## Leffe NL (Jul 14, 2015)

acctutor said:


> Hi,
> 
> Up to this year we have never had any problems.
> 
> ...


Do you have a link to the site, for future use?


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## acctutor (Oct 3, 2009)

Leffe

Yup - defo a credit card

https://www.ardoer.com/en/camping/ullingse-bergen

If you are into planes, Volkel airbase (Now F16 but soon to be F35) is just 8 miles by bike route. You can walk to the fence which is only about 4 foot high and the planes land just over your head.

Anyway, there I was standing between the approach lights, on the centre line when an F16 came is for landing. Trouble is, as I was taking photos, I did not notice his landing gear was up. As he approached (less than about 50 feet above me), the bu~~er waited till he was overhead, and then put on full dry power (no afterburner than goodness), and powered off down the runway at about 20 feet until he went vertical at the end and turned round for landing.

I have never heard a noise like it, if you have ever been to an airshow, you know how loud an F16 is at 200 yards, this was about 50 feet, it was like being punched in the stomach. I ws paralysed, and could not take another photo until he was half way down the runway. It was exciting, frightening I cannot describe all the emotions. I was still shaking about 5 mins later.

That experience was the best

All the best

Bill & Patsy


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Well - come on then - where are the piccies?!!


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## Sprinta (Sep 15, 2010)

acctutor said:


> Leffe
> 
> Yup - defo a credit card
> 
> ...


I went to the MotoGP at Brno a couple of years ago and they had a Czech airforce jet fly close overhead, who did a vertical ascent over the track - with afterburners on :surprise:

LOUD! luckily for me I was still wearing earplugs from when one of the support races was on


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## blindwatchertrev (Nov 4, 2011)

acctutor said:


> Trev, if you are anywhere near Gelderland (south of Arnhem and Njmegan), there is a brilliant site at Sint Anthonis, best showers we have ever had, more wildlife in the woods you could want and cycle tracks everywhere. Yesterday we spent an hour watchinbg woodpeckers feeding young in a hollowed out tree, we were only about 20 yards away, and they took no notice.


Hi mate, you must be psychic........our first port of call after the overnight ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam is the Arnhem area to take in the operation market garden sites. We are both keen birders so the woods that you mention will fit in very well. We are taking the bikes as well so should get to see the place from a good point of view.
Do you know if Sint Anthonis is an ACSI site, if not what's the rates?
PS. What sort of woodpeckers?
Thanks Trev.


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

"What sort of woodpeckers?"

The sort that peck wood?!!!!!


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## Jean-Luc (Jul 21, 2005)

Sprinta said:


> I've just got a Halifax card for the same reason, fed up paying a handling charge every transaction on my usual card. I also always carry cash in several currencies, euro, pound and Swiss franc for small transactions. I've always had card problems of one sort or another and always have a couple of visa and MasterCard just in case one isn't accepted.


We're just back from The UK and got a handling hit of 2.2% on our Master Card transactions :frown2:
Daughter who works in a bank says a credit card is often the cheapest way to Pay transactions when abroad in a foreign currency area, cheaper than using a debit card and taking cash from a cash machine each can attract a significant 'minimum' charge.


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## lute (May 26, 2016)

Ive had the same problem trying to pay by card at a campsite and a Lidl supermarket in Portugal, only portugies cards excepted, it was just over the border from Spain and I was using a Spanish card. I was directed to a cash machine!
6 weeks ago I was in Eindhoven and had no problem using my Nat West debit card.


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## Sprinta (Sep 15, 2010)

Jean-Luc said:


> We're just back from The UK and got a handling hit of 2.2% on our Master Card transactions :frown2:
> Daughter who works in a bank says a credit card is often the cheapest way to Pay transactions when abroad in a foreign currency area, cheaper than using a debit card and taking cash from a cash machine each can attract a significant 'minimum' charge.


What make of card was that?


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## acctutor (Oct 3, 2009)

Trev - 17 euros - is part of the ardoer group of site. We think it was a lesser spotted woodpecker, red wings about the size of a blackbird. Oh and they have a great restaurant on site

Pippin - would love to upload them - bvut of all the leads I packed, the one I left behind is the one for the Nikon. Will try to buy a new one in Nijmegen today - watch this space.

Regards

Bill ^ Patsy


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

blindwatchertrev said:


> ...our first port of call...is the Arnhem area to take in the operation market garden sites.


SNAP :smile2:

We are doing this too on our way back from Poland and the CR in August. We are also visiting Dunkirk on the way out in july and Colditz immediately after leaving the CR en route to Koln prior to Arnhem :smile2:

Graham :smile2:


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## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

An a similar theme but digressing for Holland..

We were in Kenya on safari and had just gone down the side of the rift valley on to another game reserve when we realise we were running short of money (all of us), so the guide said a few hours down the dirt road was a town with a bank..

Sure enough we came to a town with a bank, the town is what you imagine a town in the middle of nowhere in Africa would look like, except for one thing, the Bank.. It was a Barclays and looked like it had been picked up from any of our major towns and plonked in this ram shackle..

Outside were two shifty looking armed guards with big Kalashnikov rifles, they were immaculate in their uniforms emblazoned with very official looking badges, they eyed us up as all got out of the vehicle and went into the bank which was deserted of customers and had one bored looking bank clerk..

We asked if he could change some travellers cheques and in perfect English said "he could", except he said "sorry we do not have any money, and wont have any for another 4 days".. They should have at least let the guards have a couple of days off!.

So maybe Holland is not that bad after all..:grin2:

ray.


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Is this problem just Holland or in all of the Netherlands?


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Stanner - you are a naughty Boer!


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

pippin said:


> Stanner - you are a naughty Boer!


It would be nice if admin were to correct the forum section name. :wink2:


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## acctutor (Oct 3, 2009)

Bought a lead and here is the photo.

Looking at it, he DID have the landing gear down, but he must have lifted the gear as he was clean as he went down the runway.

The photo is taken with the lens at minimum zoom, you can almost read the name of the pilot on the side!!!

This will be enlarged and put up on the study wall

Regards to all

Bill & Patsy (Now near Cuijk, off tomorrow to near Eindhoven)


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## TheNomad (Aug 12, 2013)

Easy peasy to change any high denomination note at any supermarket by buying a few euros worth of food and handing it over in payment even the self-scan tills take biggies. We find Mastercard accepted all over mainland Europe. Visa rather less so.


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## HurricaneSmith (Jul 13, 2007)

Stanner said:


> It would be nice if admin were to correct the forum section name. :wink2:


Many thanks @MHFAdmin. That was fast. :smile2:

.


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

HurricaneSmith said:


> Many thanks @*MHFAdmin*. That was fast. :smile2:


Wasn't it just? :wink2:


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Blame it on the time difference!


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## IanA (Oct 30, 2010)

The Dutch use Maestro for most of their cards - not something that we in the UK use that much, although a couple of banks have this type of card. We took a FairFX Euro card with us, which was accepted in all restaurants but not shops or a garden centre. Shops normally have a cash machine very close by, but I had to go to the bank for the garden centre.
Be careful when trying to use unstaffed petrol stations - we had a 50% hit rate.

One issue I had with the FairFX card was topping it up - OK and free if you top up online in pounds, but my bank charged me a fee when I specified the number of Euros once - lesson learnt. There is a 1.5Euro charge for cash withdrawals from the card, but that is cheaper than even Nationwide, although normal payments (where accepted) by Nationwide credit cards are free.


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## Pat-H (Oct 30, 2009)

We normally work with cash as its easier. But our Debit card works fine in most places we've used it.


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## Jamsieboy (Jan 14, 2011)

Just tried to buy goods on Aldi in Sluis Holland. I offered a Caxton pre-load MasterCard- no sir we do not accept MasterCard issued in the UK!!
I would have left the shopping in the trolley but my wife is a more forgiving soul and we paid in cash!
Strange because15 Miles away in Brugge Aldi accepted the card no
Problem


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Jamsieboy said:


> Just tried to buy goods on Aldi in Sluis Holland. I offered a Caxton pre-load MasterCard- no sir we do not accept MasterCard issued in the UK!!
> I would have left the shopping in the trolley but my wife is a more forgiving soul and we paid in cash!
> Strange because15 Miles away in Brugge Aldi accepted the card no
> Problem


Different country = different banking system.

PS Sluis is in Zeeland, not in either of the Hollands. :wink2:


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## Jamsieboy (Jan 14, 2011)

Stanner
I know it is a different country but the decision to accept or reject is I understand a company one and it is the same Aldi!
I should have said Netherlands not Holland but my autocorrect keeps changing it to Bletherlands hence use of Holland!


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

No it isn't a company decision, all card payments are made through a card company/bank and card companies/banks in different countries work completely differently and the decision as to which/what cards to accept is made by whosoever handles their card payments.

I use a local Co-op for shopping and the Co-op owned but separately managed filling station for diesel. About a year ago the shop changed their card handler (and the card readers), but not the filling station. The filling station still accepts my Amex card, but the shop no longer accepts it. 
That is just across a car park, not across a national boundary.

PS Do what I've done and turn auto correct off.


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

It's not just in the different cantons, départements and countries of €urope that there are anomalies.

For ages we could use our credit cards in Lidl stores south of Aberystwyth but not the one in Aberystwyth or North Wales.

Weird - but now well into the C21st they all accept "touch-and-go" cards.

Well, for me it is certainly touch and go if I have enough funds!


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

pippin said:


> Blame it on the time difference!


NO NO NO....its the EU I tell you...the EU!!!!....damn your eyes >

Graham :grin2:


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## Pat-H (Oct 30, 2009)

GMJ said:


> NO NO NO....its the EU I tell you...the EU!!!!....damn your eyes >
> 
> Graham :grin2:


And I bet you were served by a foreigner in those Aldis. Probably Dutch.
If we can just escape the EU everywhere will be British....


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

Pat-H said:


> And I bet you were served by a foreigner in those Aldis. Probably Dutch.
> If we can just escape the EU everywhere will be British....


Yes...these foreigners get everywhere...even in their own country! Over there, taking their own jobs...WHERE WILL IT END?????????????

Graham >


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Vote Leave?

No more Lidl & Aldi stores?

Nose, face, cut, spite - rearrange!


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Pat-H said:


> And I bet you were served by a foreigner in those Aldis. Probably Dutch.
> If we can just escape the EU everywhere will be British....


Gord Bless 'er.


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