I’m leaving for Amsterdam on the 1st… I have to be in Germany for a wedding by the fourth, but I’ll be back in A’dam around the 10th and return to Tokyo on the 15th.
What are some good places to visit?
I’m already planning on visiting the Van Gogh museum and the Heineken brewery. Coffee shops - of course. Beyond that, I’m clueless.
Any ideas?
Skip Heinekin; replace with Brouwerij t’Ij-- the beer’s better and it’s built in an old windmillt ot he east of the train station.
There are a few old threads on Amsterdam around, if you feel like searching. As I recall a lot of info usually comes up.
When they tell you the spacecake is strong, believe them.
FEBO (fast food automat chain) will not actually kill you. Cheapest pay-internet is probably Easy Everything in the off hours. Rijksmuseum is good. Many people like the Anne Frank house. You can climb to the top of the tower at the Westerkerk (church). The nautical museum’s kind of cool if you like that sort of thing, actually even if you DON’T usually like that kind of thing-- they’ve reconstructed a clipper-ship, which is nifty. The um. . . lets say 'French fries," are brilliant. Try the oorloog sauce. Pub in the city center called the Wildman has a great beer selection, as does Onder de Ooeivaar (spelling?) out a bit farther south on… . Utrechtsestr. I think. Indonesian’s good. “Authentic Dutch food” at tourist resturaunts should be avoided-- see note on Indonesian. Leidseplein, out towards the Rijksmuseum, is a sort of a night spot-- a bit dodgy but fun. Weed is in fact NOT legal, technically, so be careful, still. Other drugs are generally definitely not legal. Lock your bike very well. Park carefully. Take one of the cheesy boat tours-- they’re really quite interesting. If you need to escape from the city (it’s pretty dense) you can get to Haarlem in 25 minutes or so on the train-- cute town. Watch for trams. There’s a “bakery” (ah, what a pun) on. . . Spui? that makes fine bon-bons and space-cake and it’s a good price-- can’t recall the name. For “coffee” I go to Kandinsky, as I like smaller shops more than the chain coffee shops like Bulldog and Grasshopper of whatever it’s called. Waterlooplein has a fleamarket of “eh” quality-- it’s been taken over by cheesy merchants of crap; for a more local kind of market check out the one on Albertcuypstr., a bit east of the museums.
There’s a start.
Wow. Thanks, capybara. Uhh… It sounds like you know your way around town…
All of your recommendations sound quite agreeable, however, I must visit the Heineken brewery despite your advice otherwise. It’s a pilgrimage of sorts.
I will, however, make the additional tour of Brouwerij - even though I have no idea what it is. Better than Heineken? Sold.
Great tips. Thanks.
Anybody else?
Boom Chicago is very very funny show. The “Real Amsterdam” section of the web site is also a good read.
Enjoy.
Café de Klos does the best ribs I’ve ever, ever, ever eaten, and you get SO MUCH for your money. Superb.
Oh yeah, I must give another shout out for Boom Chicago - I’ve never laughed so hard in my life (it’s done by Americans in English, BTW).
Do be careful if you’re eating cakes made of the local ‘merchandise’ (nudge-nudge) - it can be quite, ahem, intense.
Wear good shoes. The streets are mostly cobblestone…
If you go to a museum or any big attraction, go EARLY. I had no interest in seeing the Anne Frankhuis, and that was before I saw the line-up that stretched for 4 blocks…
Find a little out-of-the-way store that sells Delft blue tiles. They’re indestructable souvenirs, and you may be able to find one that portrays a street you’ve walked down.
Get yourself invited into someone’s home. My great-aunt lives in a place that’s really long (I mean longer than the lot I grew up in in Suburbia), but narrow. And 5 floors high. And rent is locked in for another 60 years…
If you’re in decent shape, rent a bike. That’s how the locals get around, and for my money it’s the best way to see the city. And not just the city; good bike trails extend into the countryside. I took a long ride north of the city on my last visit.
Actually, rent a bike even if you’re out of shape. The country is flat, so no worries.
“Mac Bikes” (if I recall the name correctly) is the biggest bicycle rental outfit. The only downside is they have a big logo on the front of the bike which tags you as a tourist.
Ah, I was going to start this very thread! My parents are going to Amsterdam in a few weeks, and they need advice.