Going to Amsterdam tomorow.

Chop Logic

I'll be staying there for about a week with my freind. We'll be staying with a couple that lives there that he's family freinds with.

What should I see/do? Obviously we'll be doing the touristy stuff, seeing the tulips, going to the museums, but I was wondering if there was anything in paticular you guys would reccomend? I'm very into art, graffiti, street art, punk, jazz, but really anything someone would want to reccomend we'll look into doing.

Thanks., we're both 17 by the way.

Jinn

smoke
eat breakfast at Barney's
gawk at hookers
keep your head on a swivel... you'll probably still get nailed at least twice by bikes but you might avoid death by tram

Callius

take a bunch of mushrooms and go to the Dali museum.

lunaris

They're 17. Coffee shops ID at the door.

So... I'd highly recommend eating Wok to Walk. It's a chain Wok restaurant in a'dam and it's tits. You tell them the components of your wok... they wok it up then you walk away with it, delighted. I'd recommend Rijksmuseum and of course the Van Gogh museum. Check out the Red Light District but don't talk to anyone who starts up a conversation with you... because they're just going to sell you miscellaneous powders that likely aren't even drugs.

Rent a bike and go around Vondel Park.

Go on a canal tour if that's your thing.

But you should find a way to try the local herbs.

Wootloops

I was in Amsterdam for about a week this time last year. It was a great time and a real fun experience.

First thing's first - walk around the town, get to know it. Don't bring any camera's and don't wear any jewelery (watches, etc) in the downtown district. Not to say anything will happen, but it's best to just avoid the possibility - there are plenty of pickpockets and such in the area, along with other...shadier individuals. Also, as Lunaris said, don't talk to anybody who isn't a whore. They're either looking to set you up for a pickpocket, trying to sell you something or they're just fucked up in the head.

The "cafe's", in my experience, didn't ID at all. Just walk in, be relaxed (don't act giddy or gigglish - dead give away) and get what you came to get. Don't linger. As for the real Cafe's, there are some real relaxing ones just outside of the Red Light District. Order a beer and some pancakes and just chill - that's one of my favorite memories of Amsterdam believe it or not.

Be sure to rent a bike, if you know how to ride a bike well. If you don't you'll:
A) Get mocked relentlessly,
likely be run over by other motorists
and C) Run into the many MANY crotch high poles.

Take a ride through town and the surrounding areas - theres a great bike rental place right off the train station with their own routes and what not - and see the sights / windmills. It's pretty fun.

I know what you're wondering about now - the whore's. To be honest, it's pretty scary when you show up and see women in the windows waving you over. Not scary in a 'AHHH' way, but more so in a 'Eep, this is uncomfortable' way. If you DO find a girl you really like, just take a breath and go on over. She's human too, and it's perfectly accepted over there - you aren't being a sleezeball and more over they aren't going to ask your age (unless you really look young). Ask what she charges, how long (generally 15 minutes) and what is included - don't be shy, I mean she bones people for a living, she won't be apalled or embarassed to discuss terms and neither should you. You're probably looking at 60-80 Euro for a S&F, generally, though it may increase or decrease depending on the girl - sometimes there's more than one girl. As far as tipping goes - it isn't necessary, but it is appreciated. In short, just treat the girl right - pay, and get out of there when you're done.

Now that that's out of the way, just enjoy what the city has to offer. The Heineken Brewery is a MUST see (it puts the fucking Guinness storehouse-propoganda musuem to shame), as is a Rice tafel experience - it's essentially many indonesian meals for one reasonable price. I enjoyed it, if only for the experience. Do a quick google of Rice tafel places in Amsterdam and hit one up if you're bored, I doubt you'll regret it.

Honestly, you only really need 3-4 days in Amsterdam - after that I'd reccomend going to Haarlem and seeing the more rural life. Theres alot of good restaurants there too (Indian especially) and an AMAZING Waffle place near the train station in Haarlem. I don't recall the name, but it's in Rick Steve's guide for Amsterdam. Also, if you're into music, they have some awesome street performers in Haarlem - electric guitarists and the like. I'm not much for music, but it was pretty cool.

So... I'd highly recommend eating Wok to Walk.

Seconded. There's one also in NYC, but I ate at the Wok to Walk in Amsterdam and it's fucking made of WIN.

That's about all I have, I guess. In short: Take a bike tour/ride in and around Amsterdam / See the Heineken Brewery / Go to Haarlem and eat real Waffles.

Enjoy your trip man! Hope this helped and wasn't too late.

Doc

Callius wrote: »

take a bunch of mushrooms and go to the Dali museum.

"Oh shit! The walls aren't melting!"

The-Pimp

Smoke some weed, go see the Anne Frank annex...preferably not in that particular order...

Wulf

Oh and avoid the goddamn frita sauce. ITS MAYONNAISE YOU CRAZY EUROS! That aside, like was said earlier, don't even look at people who are on the street waving at you. At the least they are trying to bum some money off you, and at the worst... well. Anyway, when I went, I visited Utrecht (really nice buildings there!), Hague (neat city), Rotterdam and of course Amsterdam. I do have to say that Schiphol Airport was the nicest airport I ever had to sleep overnight in (while waiting on my friends to get there from Reykjavík, which is a good place to have a layover unless like me they somehow forget to put that day layover on your tickets ). Most of all, do what you think would be fun!

RNEMESiS42

The drinking age is 16 over there, so enjoying a beer won't be a problem.

saint2e

Ann Frank house is by far the most powerful experience I've had in a museum. Seriously, it drains you emotionally. It's really sad, but it's really moving. Definitely do not pass that up.

As well, seconded for the Heineken museum. It's really awesome, and you get 3 beers with your tour. Score!

My best memories of Amsterdam were picking up some pre-rolled spliffs from a cafe (Amsterdam was the first time I smoked Weed, so I went with the easilest option), some wine from a liquor store, and chillin' in one of the parks. Very relaxing.

Chop Logic

Thanks a lot guys, I wrote most of this stuff down. I'll let you know how it went.

Thanks again.

TexiKen

There's the Dutch Resistance Museum which is right across the street from the main entrance to the Amsterdam Zoo. Pretty cool and was only 3 euros when I went.

The Rijksmuseum was in renovation when I went, and the big draw was about the Night Watch Painting by Rembrandt. It was all this stuff about what Rembrandt really meant with the painting and was pretty cool. It should be completely renovated now.

I stayed over in Oosterpark when I was there, and that was a very arab heavy/non assimilated part of town, now that I think about it. It wasn't a very tourist friendly part of town, or at least "first time ever in Europe" touristy spot. Vondel Park is the better place to go.

Also, Amersfoort was a nice place to visit for a day, kind of the place full of commuters to Amsterdam for work during the week. Saw a tennis tournament there.

The van Gogh museum was a waste of 10 euros, IMO.

Narian

What's the legal age to enter the cafés?

Chen

It's too bad you can't stay for another week, because April 30th is Queen's Day which is a national holiday and is consequently the most chaotic day to be in Amsterdam. There are live concerts being given, tons of flea markets to behold and the beer consumption is through the roof. You just have to experience it.

It's not all fun, especially when it comes to travel, but Queen's Day truly has a unique atmosphere you don't get anywhere else in the world.