Amsterdam - Things to see and do

This is Loki wrote:

'Amsterdam canals big for tourists but not for local peoples. They say they dirty and smell of poo'.

I am sorry, I read my post maybe I say this wrong. I mean to say canals smell of poo not the people of Amsterdam. Sorry, not want people to think I am being rude to Amsterdam people.

--
Thank you
Olaf(Loki the whale hunter)

Loki, some good words. Your Dutch spelling is pretty good for a Norwegian person, and your message is cristal clear. Skol.
--
Windmills, just do it.

There is a fellow named Andre Rieu who plays a violin and has popularized the big band sound. He is from Holland and raves about his city Limburgh Maastricht. It may be worth a visit. Again, I toured Amsterdam day and night and enjoyed it, but that was 25 years ago. Was safe and enjoyed the pic taking via film cameras. John
--
HOOAH!

Also,try getting a guide book on Holland. You may enjoy the countryside more. Schevinegin was the beach resort I enjoyed. Some WW2 memories in Holland too. John
--
HOOAH!

Pure nonsense!

I'm not Dutch but I must disagree with you Andre. I lived in Amsterdam on the Herengracht for 10 years - it is a wonderful city. Photo opportunities are around every corner.

David

Andre Bomhof said:

Two days of Amsterdam is enough (arrival/departure)!

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roger tcb said:

Roger the cabin boy.

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Is this a statement or a request?

--
Jim

dh steffi said:

rb49 said:

Always wanted to travel to Amsterdam and surroundings, but...

Would anyone care to comment on Theo van Gogh or Pym Fortyn?

rb

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I did not want to touch on that subject in fear of being overly
negative.
Alas it is true that people showing they are Jewish are certainly
not safe.
--
Windmills, just do it.

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I don't believe either van Gogh or Fortyn were Jewish and I am a Quaker. I'm not sure how one shows s/he is Jewish anyway (unless one is into stereotypes). Perhaps you could enlighten me.

Perhaps I was being oblique. Amsterdam doesn't seen safe... at least not for some of its inhabitants anymore.

rb

rb49 said:

dh steffi said:

rb49 said:

Always wanted to travel to Amsterdam and surroundings, but...

Would anyone care to comment on Theo van Gogh or Pym Fortyn?

rb

Click to expand...

I did not want to touch on that subject in fear of being overly
negative.
Alas it is true that people showing they are Jewish are certainly
not safe.
--
Windmills, just do it.

Click to expand...

I don't believe either van Gogh or Fortyn were Jewish and I am a
Quaker. I'm not sure how one shows s/he is Jewish anyway (unless
one is into stereotypes). Perhaps you could enlighten me.

Perhaps I was being oblique. Amsterdam doesn't seen safe... at
least not for some of its inhabitants anymore.

rb

Click to expand...

I wouldn't pay too much attention to these people. They're obviously very frustrated and have a twisted view.

--
Philip

Amsterdam is a brilliant city.. my favourite so far.. and it's perfectly safe. I've travelled over from the UK 3 times in the last few months and love it. The people are friendly, they all speak English, the food is fantastic, the photography is amazing.. architecture, tulips, the canals (boring after a while), and the people.

I can't understand those who are bagging the drugs and red light district. Lighten up guys and enjoy yourself! I highly recommend BasJoe Coffee Shop on Rusland, also the Radisson SAS hotel on Rusland. Both are a short walk from any attraction within the city.

Treat yourself to a day between coffee shops and smoke a few fat doobies Once you get the munchies, find your nearest KFC or McDonalds without a map and hope that it rains Then stumble back to the hotel.. Now that's what I call a holiday

Have fun.

Oh and take your wideangle if you have one.. I use my Tokina 12-24 when my eyes can focus.

One more thing, if you're into the Red Light District attractions, I suggest you call one from your hotel room (check the tourist catalogue). They're super fast to arrive and are up for anything!

The suggestions are overwhelming. I will have tough decisions to make as there seems to be so much to see. Thanks all again, I'm bringing this thread in my luggage.

egrivel:

I just took a virtual tour of Begijnhof and it looks like nice picture material. I might just follow through with the T-shirt idea. Were planning on going further north than Purmerend, so thanks to you and your wife for the suggestions, maybe I can fit it in the itinerary.

K4rp:

egrivel said:

I could recommend you to go to Den Haag/Scheveningen and enjoy the beach, the nature and the pier there.

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My wife would love this destination. I think we will try to fit De hoge veluwe on our itinerary as you are the second poster to recommend this place and their Web site confirms your recommendations. Thanks for your other suggestions.

Straight arrow:

Thanks for the Madurodam suggestion, it looks "cute" and the idea of a mini Amsterdam is a good flash and I can see the practical side but I wonder if this is the kind of place where tourists buses are lined up at the door.

This is Loki:

Thanks for your particular take on Holland. When I started this thread, I wasn't expecting the opinion of a local fisherman. Wishes of good fishing on your trawler!

Runner 101:

Thanks for sharing. From the positive feedback, we are thinking of including Schevinegin/Den Haag. Did I mention it, my wife loves the ocean (don't they all?).

Maverick01,

1) Visit Amsterdam/The Netherlands after 1 may 2007. We have summertime (CET +1 instead of CET) then and the weather will be friendlier most of the time. You will also see flowers in the cities and leafs at the trees which makes the cities look prettier

2) Visit and climb one or more towers. I Amsterdam you can climb the Westertoren, Oude Kerk or Zuidertoren. You can take wonderful pictures from these towers.

3) Avoid eye contact with beggars or give them 1 euro or less. Now and then i meet beggars who beg for money for a place to sleep. Usually they are drug addicts. If you make eye contact and refuse to give money they might be aggressive. Also be careful for your wallet. Put it away in a place where thiefs cannot grab it without you knowing it.

4) If you don't have much experience with bikes rent a ladies bike. Men bikes have a crossbar. It's easier to get off a ladies bike (and you will do that a lot if you want to make picteres).

5) Visit one of the open air markets in Amsterdam. Dutch open air markets are unique.

6) Make a walk along the beach (Scheveningen) and have dinner in one of the restaurants at the beach. When it gets dark you can visit one of the restaurants/bars at the beach. The atmosphere is very relaxed at these places and the sea air will do you good. Sometimes there is live music at these places.

7) Visit one or more brown cafes. The interior is interesting and the atmosphere is relaxed. Many brown cafes have live music in the evening (mostly weekends)

I hope you will have a great time in The Netherlands. I live in Groningen (north). If you want to have an impression of an average city (though beautiful in my eyes) in the Netherlands come visit my site.

http://northernlight.smugmug.com/gallery/1454668

http://northernlight.smugmug.com/gallery/1782544

http://northernlight.smugmug.com/gallery/2075562

http://northernlight.smugmug.com/gallery/1599823

Greetings,

Gert-Jan

-
http://northernlight.smugmug.com/

Flashlight said:

rb49 said:

dh steffi said:

rb49 said:

Always wanted to travel to Amsterdam and surroundings, but...

Would anyone care to comment on Theo van Gogh or Pym Fortyn?

rb

Click to expand...

I did not want to touch on that subject in fear of being overly
negative.
Alas it is true that people showing they are Jewish are certainly
not safe.
--
Windmills, just do it.

Click to expand...

I don't believe either van Gogh or Fortyn were Jewish and I am a
Quaker. I'm not sure how one shows s/he is Jewish anyway (unless
one is into stereotypes). Perhaps you could enlighten me.

Perhaps I was being oblique. Amsterdam doesn't seen safe... at
least not for some of its inhabitants anymore.

rb

Click to expand...

I wouldn't pay too much attention to these people. They're
obviously very frustrated and have a twisted view.

--
Philip

Click to expand...

Frustrated and twisted, not a nice way to describe someone who gives an honest, objective opinion. Put on your purple glasses and declare there is no hunger, poverty, injustice and crime in the world.
--
Windmills, just do it.

My wife and I visited Amsterdam last year with our baby daughter and absolutely loved the place, so much so that we are planning a return trip this year.

Obviously, like any other city, there are places to avoid. However, the canals, the people and the general feel of the place were something special. There is a terrific open air market and an excellent floating chinese restaurant. The Anne Frank House is a must as well, although beware of the queues.

I can also recommend the town of Haarlem to the west of the city, which is like a mini Amsterdam with its own canals. Just go to Amsterdam Centraal Station and load the bikes into the train and off you go.

But while in Amsterdam - Watch the Trams!!

Enjoy your trip

What do you guys expect? It is a large CITY. Any city on the planet has some cool tourist destinations, and some very seedy spots to avoid.

I have been to Amsterdam 5 times, and I had had the best time of my life - but I am not a tourist - I went there to hang out with my Dutch friends, and they did an incredible job of showing me the real Amsterdam - the beauty, and the beast.

roger tcb said:

Phil. I hear whay you say but there is relevance in what Steffi
says. Amesterdam has a 'quaint' reputation as a tourist
destination but the reality is that some very central parts of it
are actually pretty tough, unlike most of the rest of the country.

Roger the cabin boy.

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--
'87.6% of all statistics are made up on the spot'

ShutterBugin
http://www.exposureproductions.smugmug.com

The squalid atmosphere of the Red light disctrict is surely
very very attractive place for shooting.

However, it is very very dangerous to take pics there, especially the
girls in the window. If you were found by the bouncer,
I am sure you will loose your D80.

Hey David,

If you read my second reply in this post, you'll find
that I was joking, sort of.
My point was that you won't find the real character of
this country in Amsterdam, but in the other special places
I and many others mentioned in this thread.
Are you one of those rare British persons without a
sense of humour?

Cheers,

André

I forgot to add this:



This is hunting lodge st. hubertus.

It's the only building I know that's based on a legend. The layout as seen from above (you can try google maps) is a stag's head. The tower is a cross. The whole building is just... soaked with symbolism and details. It's a big piece of art really.

The advice of visiting an open air market is also great. Apeldoorn happens to have a very big one on saturdays in the center of the city

Good luck planning your trip. Feel free to ask opinions on anything.
--
photo.k4rp.nl

My my my... there has been a lot of activity in this thread since I took a break from it!

The Dutch tend to speak their minds; that is one of the things I appreciate in my Dutch friends. Unfortunately, if the person speaking has an obnoxious personality it can be an unpleasant experience. It's one of the possible down-sides to Dutch forthrightness... dh steffi is the first truly unpleasant Dutch native that I have "met," and I'm just thankful that it was on the Internet and not in person!

It just goes to show that angry, bitter people can be found everywhere. Don't let the fear of encountering one prevent you from enjoying travel to other countries.

MrMojo said:

My my my... there has been a lot of activity in this thread since I
took a break from it!

The Dutch tend to speak their minds; that is one of the things I
appreciate in my Dutch friends. Unfortunately, if the person
speaking has an obnoxious personality it can be an unpleasant
experience. It's one of the possible down-sides to Dutch
forthrightness... dh steffi is the first truly unpleasant Dutch
native that I have "met," and I'm just thankful that it was on the
Internet and not in person!

It just goes to show that angry, bitter people can be found
everywhere. Don't let the fear of encountering one prevent you from
enjoying travel to other countries.

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MrMojo, you have a way with words. You speak like a true Dutchman, putting an 'unpleasant' label on critical voices, the Dutch way of silencing people. Have a look at the history books, and see if you are still so positive about this country with only one moral, i.e. money.

Forget aboiut drugs, fascist football hooligans, dog poop, prostitutes, anti-social behaviour. I do apogize, Amsterdam is heaven, no criticism allowed.
Bitter and angry, nice words to put down an honest opinion. So Dutch,.
--
Windmills, just do it.

MrMojo said:

My my my... there has been a lot of activity in this thread since I
took a break from it!

The Dutch tend to speak their minds; that is one of the things I
appreciate in my Dutch friends. Unfortunately, if the person
speaking has an obnoxious personality it can be an unpleasant
experience. It's one of the possible down-sides to Dutch
forthrightness... dh steffi is the first truly unpleasant Dutch
native that I have "met," and I'm just thankful that it was on the
Internet and not in person!

It just goes to show that angry, bitter people can be found
everywhere. Don't let the fear of encountering one prevent you from
enjoying travel to other countries.

Click to expand...

To be honest Mr Mojo, I dont think anyone had noticed you had gone, but unfortunately you chose to return. As you have nothing relevant to say, this is a pity.