I'm not trying to kill your buzzes, but from reading these posts, it seems that the main reason people go to Amsterdam is for weed. Jeeeeez, there is so much more to the city than that. Here, this is the answer to all your questions: Stop in a coffee shop, buy some pot, smoke it. Its better than what you can get from the stoner who lives next door..cool! After you wake up, try this: Go to Kinderdijk and see the cool windmills and canals. Stop in a little Dutch village and just hang out. Talk to some locals, they are very friendly. Ride a bike to the Nordsee. (Train to Haarlem, rent a bike and head Northeast until you see a giant body of water, can't miss it) Rent a bike and tool around a small village. Believe me, its a blast. Talk to some locals while you're at it. Get to know people and try to talk about something other than pot. There's a lot more to the Dutch people than their liberal drug laws. Go to a store and try to find Dutch Pokeman cards for your neices and nephews(or whatever the newest thing is for the kids) . They'll think your the cat's ass when you bring them home. Take a train to some town that you've never heard of and walk the pedestrian shopping areas and take it in. Meet some locals, like the guy from CNN said, "They're friendly and they don't bite" Hit a local pub thats not in your tour books or 'they place to be' or a place the hipsters told you to go. Just see what you can find on your own and go with it. Check out a youth soccer (voetbal, fusbal, futbol) match. If you are from the USA, be in awe at the skills of 10 year olds. You'll think to yourself, "I gotta get me some skills" I"m not trying to be a prude. I have nothing against the coffee shops, but there is a lot more to Holland than coffee shops.
Well duh thats the main reason people come to this city as tourists. People go on vacation to experience new things so if that is their intent who are you to judge them? You cant force culture,thats something you have to decide on your own. That and the fact that this is a "Hip" forum which would imply as well that people come here to discuss these sort of topics which they likely couldnt as in depth as they would at other Amsterdam forums. and not to mention you asume that thats all that the people who come to these forums do when they go to Holland.
yeah rpecker what i am going to do the secound half (whole july)of my travel is pretty much what you described. just going by my self to random direction and small towns trying to get to know some locals and sleeping in the tent.
Not really. I've been there three times and had a blast each time. I went to a couple of coffee shops, but they were way down on my list of highlights (no pun intended). I would disagree with that. That is where the stereotype of Amsterdam comes in. I'd compare that way of thinking to the people who think of Chicago as "Al Capone, BANG BANG!" Americans especially should take it all in. The architecture, the canals, museums, churches, Ann Frank Huis, the people, the Dutch villages which are a short train ride away. I'm not saying avoid the coffee shops and I realize this is a 'hip guide' and not a Froder's site. But I'm just saying there is a lot more to to the Netherlands than just coffee shops.
Youve actually been and still think Amsterdam's a country like so many others do? How very Bruce Willis of you.
I must defend my fellow countryman, Bruce Willis, against your unwarranted scathing attack! Nah, but I see your point. Americans often have very little knowledge of the world outside of USA. Not ALL Americans, but there are quite a few who think like "Goldangit, 'merka's the best! Now go back to your own country you commie foreigner!" I'm sure Pugsly is aware of Nederland as a country, and probably just made a mistake. Now if he had been talking about Luxumbourg........
Well your point is true, there is more to do in amsterdam than get high. The fact that you felt you needed to make that point after reading about 20 posts on this site is lame. Just because thats the information most requested on this site, you should not assume that the people requesting it are only going for that now should you? Perhaps they learned all there is to learn about the anne frank house, canal tours, windmills, and tulips on frommers? Sounds like you just want to have the people on this board have an experience more similar to yours. Its ok pecker, you still fit in / belong / and have a place without an army BTW I'm just busting balls so do jump down my throat
And this is probably one of the few sites that you can get solid info on coffeeshops, whereas other sites are pretty much "coffee shops sell weed" and thats it, so I can see why there is so many questions about it. It just gets a little disappointing, seeing this stereotype being so strongly reinforced I guess, when I see that as the bulk of the posts. Like I said before, "Chicago, Al Capone, BANG BANG!" is what a lot of visitors say about Chicago and that gets old too. Its good to see people are enjoying themselves, though. And Holland would be a good place to be this summer, especially on June 11, 16, and 21.... wear your oranje. (World Cup will be happening)
When someone asks you 'How do you like Amsterdam' and you answer 'Its a very cool country', then youre just plain stupid, Bruce Willis or not. I know plenty of Americans, and i know not all are like that, i didnt mean it as an attack on all of you or anything. Just the ones who think its a country or we as a country are a city in Denmark/Slovakia/Estonia etc. (yes ive heard people claim all those things).
When you say Chigago i think Oprah, but maybe thats just me then? Im so looking forward to the World Cup, really pissed off i cant be there in Germany.
Chicago makes me think of the Smashing Pumpkins....my favorite rock band of all time Oh the Metro.......
me likey the weit and hasj. Where is Kinderdijk? Do you mean Zaanse Schans? Nordsee? Huh? do you mean the Nordzee(North sea) the beach at Zandvoort. That would be west of Haarlem. Sounds like you know your stuff.
Oh No, Not Oprah! I thought Michael Jordan took over from Al Capone, but to hear that it is Oprah.... ahhhhh. Yeah, they were good. I actually saw them at the Lounge Axe a couple of times before they were famous...(I hate when people say that, so I"m making fun of myself, aye.) Right, Caberet Metro... best rock joint in Chicago. Anyone from out of town should make a point of going there. Chicago had a cool 'music scene' in the 80s and 90s, I guess. Naked Raygun, 11th Dream Day, Liz Phair, Drovers. The only guy still around from that time is Ike Reilly, who used to front the Eisenhowers, and I guess Liz Phair, too. I believe it. That is a good example of how Americans view the world, which is a damn shame, y'know.
Kinderdijk takes a little bit of work to get to. You have to start in Rotterdam and take about a half hour/45 minute bus ride from one of the train stations. I would try to tell you which one, but a) I don't recall, and b) I'd probably get you lost. It'd be best to check the website to get real directions. http://www.kinderdijk.nl/ For anyone who hasn't heard of Kinderdijk, it has about 20 windmills and several canals. You've probably seen photos of it when you see all the windmills in a row. Its a nice, quiet place, too, although there can be tourists scampering aound. People live in the windmills and I believe during the summers on certain Saturdays they operate the windmills. (Maybe someone else can clarify that) Nordsee.... me trying to act like I know a few words in Dutch. Yes, the Nordzee or North Sea. And yes, you can reach Zanvoort by biking from Haarlem, which is a nice town in itself. Its a nice ride through the countryside to get there.
and don't forget about red red meat! BTW to the other poster, if accurate, the passport reference is genious!
Dont worry, the other dude's got it wrong too. Its Noordzee, not Nordsee/zee. I personally dont really care for Zandvoort, Bloemendaal and Noordwijk are nicer.
