::Shopping::

Amsterdam
There are loads of palaces to shop in the dam. They are open as normal shopping hours. Of course it is expensive compared to any where else. A lot of it is just eye candy, lots of it is trash, but there are lots of bargains to be had.

Markets galore, department store havens to boot, if that's your preference. Wear flat shoes, comfortable clothes and don't forget the cards.

Utrecht
Utrecht is a surprisingly cheeky little place. It has the look and feel of a large village, but still offers as much choice as Amsterdam.
Not a lot of people know that and as a result it is often overlooked. This is not a bad thing. Course if it's tinsel and glitter or seedy and naughty then you should stick to Amsterdam.

It's a student city with a kitsch corner and is more genuinely dutch. Lots of shops, lots of variety so you don't have to stick to the high street. You do have search tho. Utrecht shopping is generally less expensive.

Albert Heijn = Sainsburys. Unfortunately they are everywhere and so conveniently open when you need them. They are slowly learning tho, but as a result they taken over any available shop space in the city centre. Find in them in Central station, Wittewrouwenstraat, Damstraat even open till 20:00 on Sunday. Groenweg has both Nettorama and Aldi, respectable in size and choice. The price and quality isn't bad either.

Chocolate comes from heaven. Heaven is a place with large and generous sheets of chocolate in all colours wedged into wait for it, yes, chocolate cakes. Bond&Smolders have a generous sense of humour, check out there website. As you will see, not much detail in the way of cost, flavours, service, opening times, but they seem to have got the essentials on there!

Normal shopping really most shops are open from 08:00 and close around 18:00.
Thursday - Late night shopping = 8pm some 9pm. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday - Market days, just outside the Hoog Catherijne.
First Sunday of every month the shops are open from noon till 6pm, along with restaurants and pubs. If your looking for fresh bread, spit roast chicken and fresh mint, then Kanaalstraat is a sure place, even on a Sunday.

Ijsselstein
Edah and Albert Heijn are the equivalent supermarkets. Edah is cheaper. As normal shopping 09:00 till 17:00. Esso station open and so is the Macdonalds.