Media Markt

This huge two-story megastore located by the Amsterdam Arena has just about everything electronic you could desire. Probably the best selection of stereo equipment in the city, plus TVs, computers, printers, phones, car stereos, major appliances like refrigerators, washing machines, small kitchen appliances and much more.

Good prices and excellent selection make this the place to get those things you really need. They take credit cards, but returning items is quite an experience, as you must go to another entrance, wait in line in a very small room, and then, rather than just refunding your money or offering a replacement, you pretty much must prove that the item is defective or they won’t give you a refund! And yes, they’ll make you take it out of the box and plug it in if necessary and they have workbenches in the back to test it out too…

Convenient access via the metro, Bijlmer station. Or you can park in the Arena parking lot (one of the cheapest in the city).

Fairborn, Ohio

Near Fairborn. The Renaissance Festival. Hippies everywhere you look and lots of stuff about medieval times…. you can buy clothes and different things. It’s a great place to meet people and everyone shares everything.

That being said, it is right next door to one of the world’s largest Air Force Bases, Wright-Patterson field.

Westport, Missouri

Missouri has more then two hippy hangouts (gasp!). Westport’s a very cool place. It has head shops, VW buses, and lots of drugs.

Westport is a section in Kansas City.

Midtown-Westport is an eclectic area, known for the Westport entertainment area, with festive brewpubs, DJ bars and retro-chic diners serving American comfort food. During the day, the scene centers on trendy fashion boutiques. Neighboring Midtown has historic buildings like the Thomas Hart Benton Home, with tours of the painter’s studio and gardens. Trails wind through nearby Roanoke Park, encircled by bluffs.

Makanda, Illinois

It’s way out there among hills in a forrest, but once you set foot on the “sidewalk” of the town square (which is barely anything) you notice the overall atmosphere of art. The place SCREAMS hippie haven!! It’s a calm, peaceful town, it’s creative and close to nature,a favorite for me!!

And nearby is a great collage town,Carbondale,Il. it’s big and booming,but if your in the right part of town you run into some groovy stuff. There’s a wonderous hippie hang out cafè with alot of college kids working there who are into the all natural hippie way of life. There’s local artwork on the walls,alot of food for thought. There’s a vietnam poet who hangs out in the back dining room of the cafè with long hair and a beard,but kind eyes. And the next room toward the back is the ‘Babba Shop’ which is very middle eastern,lots of clothes, prayer shawls, philosophy books…..which i didn’t really get into. But for that type of hippie…it’s prob’ly heaven. LOL behind that is a vintage clothing shop….

Also a great college town is Charleston,Il. There’s a head shop called absolutely 4th street records (on 4th street) and a bar or something called the rabbit hole. And a shop called the Alice Emporium or something like that.

Savannah, Georgia

Savannah is great!

Savannah is known for manicured parks, horse-drawn carriages and antebellum architecture.

There are a few colleges here, including Savannah College of Art & Design, so there is a nice community. They have lots of festivals all year. The weather is nice, especially in spring. It is old & historic. Beautiful houses, churches, apartments. It’s easy to walk around (hard to drive), tons of huge trees, statues. All types of stores, second-hand shops, restaurants, coffeehouses. Lots of movies have been made there, some books. Artists are all over. It’s on the river, a short drive to the ocean. Near the South Carolina border, about 2 hours north of Florida. The people are so nice, & it’s real easy to find something to do. Just walk around, you’ll see people. Liberty Street is the main street w/coffeehouses & good, mellow restaurants. Be sure to get a map, though, because it’s easy to get lost, & avoid “new” Savannah, it’s suburban, like any other town. You can find cheap motels near the interstate, or in the next town south.

Savannah is a beautiful, diverse community. it’s easier to walk than drive around, beautiful “squares” which are little parks in the middle of the roads. there are veggie places, & you can drink in public, on the roads & all. I went to the art school’s sidewalk art fest last year (every April), had so much fun, tons of music, & got to see a free show, laying out on the grass, Emmy Lou Harris. you can see artist, painters, photographers, & writers all over, lots of old bookstores, cemeteries, antique shops, you name it. there is your share of tourist, but it is worth it.

Blokker

The popular Blokker chain of stores can be found in most every shopping district in Holland. They sell a good range of household items, focusing on kitchenware, house cleaning utensils, small electronics, plastic goods, seasonal items, gifts and various sundries.

Check out their weekly flyers for specials.

Prices are good but be prepared for crowded tight aisles jammed packed with merchandise and shoppers.

There’s a big three story Blokker on the Nieuwendyke, but most are smaller neighborhood stores like the photo above.

One of my favorite Blokker’s is on Beethovenstraat, in Amsterdam, it is located in the map below, and also found everywhere through Holland.