25/11/09 - just spent 10 minutes reading a review and then cannot find a button to rate it! Where ha...
25/11/09 - just spent 10 minutes reading a review and then cannot find a button to rate it! Where have they gone!
Member since:14.06.2007
Reviews:37
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Quickly on the heels of our trip to Mexico (thanks to all who read/rated/commented) it was a friend's 40th birthday and six of us (three couples) had booked at the last minute to go to Amsterdam for the weekend. I had heard lots of stories, especially surrounding the Red Light District & smoking cannabis, although had also heard that Amsterdam was much more than this and it should not be judged on rumours. Yeah right! So with a semi open mind the six of us flew out from Manchester on the evening of 19 October.
***Booking***
Whilst I was not involved with the booking everything was booked online (I am not going to list the many thousands of web sites here - just do a google search) and we flew with KLM for £130 return and booked two nights Bed & Breakfast at the Delta Hotel (www.delta-hotel.com) which cost 40 euros per person per night but there was one catch - we were all in the same room. Oh well, it was last minute and we were friends! You can fly to Amsterdam from almost every main UK airport.
After a very eventful check in at Manchester, eventful because they had overbooked the flights and too many people had turned up but we somehow wangled our way onto the flight and we arrived at Schiphol Airport after an hours flight. We were very quickly through immigration and collected our bags. We had decided to get the train into the City as our hotel was located close to Central Station. This was a very easy exercise and tickets were purchased from a machine, which was in English and cost 6.20 euros pp weekend return. The train station is actually underneath the entrance to the airport (it actually feels as though the airport has been added on to the train station) and all directions are in English, very easy to find and run every 20 minutes or so and take 20 minutes to get into the City. What is amazing about the train service here compared to the UK is that they take the most obvious things and utilise them to make the service better. For example, lots more carriages and double deckertrains. Why on earth we cannot adopt something like this in the UK is beyond me but I suppose that's for another review.
***Hotel***
Upon leaving Central Station you simply arrive in the middle of a bustling City and this was 10pm. It was absolutely packed everywhere but you never
felt claustrophobic because the streets are wide open spaces. The hotel was a five minute walk away and very easy to find as it was located on Damrak 42/43 which is a main street from the station down to Dam Square (and Amsterdam's main street). Hotel was 3 star and very basic but in a superb location, welcoming staff and was basically what we expected. Our room was large and whilst not designed for six single beds fitted them in easily. If you want quality then this is not the hotel for you. If you want good accommodation at a cheap price then it is highly recommended. Check in was efficient, it was really laid back and it never once pretended to be something that it wasn't. The staff were excellent in making recommendations of places to go.
There is a wide range of accommodation available from hostels to top class hotels and so it can cater for your every need.
Similarly, there are lots of places to eat from top class meals to basic fare. I would urge you to try a Dutch Pancake house and get a mixture of fillings. Delicious!!!
There are numerous options the least popular of which appears to be a taxi as these are over priced and unless you are in a rush not necessary. Bikes are the standard transport given it is flat and the city (and country) caters for cyclists by providing bike lanes. Bikes can be hired for 10 euros per day, including insurance. You can also walk. It is not a big city and you could walk from one end to the other in an hour. Buses are ten a penny and trams are very popular costing 1.60 euros per strip or buy 15 strips for 6.40 - a typical journey take two strips.
You just have to be very careful when walking around the street/crossing the road. Dodging cars is the least of your worries. You also have to avoid cyclists (many of which did not seem to have any brakes), swerve from buses and check both ways twice for trams. Coming from Manchester then I am used to the tram dodging so it was like home from home.
The transport we used most however, was the Canal Bus which is a company that operates boats around the canal system in a continuous cycle (there are lots of different companies). Typically the boats are hop on/off with three different canal routes calling at 14 different strategic stops around the city. We had pre booked this for a weekend pass costing £18 pp (www.viator.com) and named "Amsterdam Canal Bus Hop On Hop Off Pass". When booked you are emailed a voucher and you take this to the kiosk outside Central Station (actually a canal stop named Central Station East) and they swap this for tickets for the canal bus (boat). It is then just a matter of getting on the boat and either staying on and viewing the sites or alternatively getting off at whatever stop you want. You also get a map and a timetable with the ticket so you know exactly when departures are from every stop en route.
This was fantastic way of getting around and seeing the city but be warned - if you do not plan your day ahead then you will end up missing out on places you desperately want to see as there is no way you will see everything even in two days. Also, the canal bus can get very full and given they are every 40 minutes or so you need to be queueing up around 15 minutes before it is due in.
If you plan ahead then you can also pre book tickets for certain attractions and obtain a discount whereby if you decided to go somewhere on the last minute you will pay full price. Discounts are available for the following: Amsterdam Historical Museum, Scheppvaarrtmuseum, Heineken Experience, Madame Tussauds, Hard Rock Café, McDonalds, Jewish Historical Museum, Gassan Diamonds, Holland International Rondvart, Holland Casino, Wagamamas. It is such a shame however, that they lump discounts for superb museums with money off a Big Mac - what is the world coming to?
We pre booked the Heineken Experience which meant we got entry for 5 euros (instead of 11 - included as part of the £18 ticket cost.) which included the tour, three free beers and a souvenir on departure - well worth the money. This was a great couple of hours and whilst they do not brew beer there anymore it is a lasting shrine to the Heineken empire. The museum is well laid out, easy to find and has some excellent interactive tours in it which actually enable you to email yourself with some videos/photos for when you get home (or email your friends at work)!
We also got off at the Leidseplein so we could have a walk around there (mainly bars and restaurants) although the Rijksmuseum (was shut) and Van Gogh Museum are only ten minutes walk away. We then walked
Pictures of Amsterdam in general
Delta Hotel
from here all the way back to our hotel and just sampling the atmosphere of the city on the way back.
The day we left we visited the Sex Museum as it was only 100 yards from our hotel (not to be confused with the Erotica Museum in the RLD although they are very similar) and which was 3 euro entry fee and covered four floors and has the full history of sex including artifacts and photographs going back to the 1800s. It is simply like an everyday museum but devoted to sex. There is nothing seedy about it at all.
We did try to visit Anne Frank's house although the queues were round the block.
With the benefit of hindsight we simply did not have enough time to see everything and two days is way too short to see the wonders this city has to offer.
I have hardly scratched the surface in terms of what you can see. There are museums and art galleries a plenty, beautiful architecture, flea market, ArtisZoo, Rembrandt's House amongst many other things.
***Red Light District***
Given it was late Friday night when we arrived then sightseeing of the usual variety was not an option but given we were adjacent to the Red Light District (RLD) then we could hardly ignore it and there is no point. The RLD is not particularly big and straddles several canals and is just a hive of activity and full of shops, bars, cafes, restaurants, sex shops, sex theatres, coffee-houses etc. It is eminently clear that this is a very popular tourist attraction and the vast majority of people there are treating it as such. Whilst it is tacky with its red lights, velvet curtains and performers giving you a peek of their assets to entice you in, I would not describe it as seedy. In fact it is more of a tourist attraction than the epicenter of the oldest occupation in the world. I never once felt threatened, embarrassed, intimated or that I couldn't look anyone in the eye. The RLD doesn't offer up any apology for the way it is and there is no way that it should. When you are there it's an in your face place and if you are offended by this then you can quickly leave or avoid the area altogether. It's probably not a place you would want to take your kids after dark though!
In a way, the bizarre thing about it is that a brothel will be stood cheek by jowl with a 600 year old church and a canal side café and it all looks completely normal. Whilst the ladies are trying to tempt you in from behind the glass you are not at any time pestered by anyone in the street promoting their wares or insisting you come into this bar or that one. You are very much left to your own devices.
We also went to see a sex show which is surreal given it just felt completely normal - like going to the theatre.
***Drug Scene***
Similarly, drugs, namely cannabis, are rife and perfectly legal as long as they are smoked in a licensed coffee-house. These establishments are highly regulated and are everywhere. Again, this is part of Amsterdam that you cannot ignore and that Amsterdam has no wish to hide. In fact I get the feeling that the city is proud of the legal drug scene. Whilst other countries like the US/UK waste billions on an unending war on drugs, Amsterdam opened it's doors on the basis it is more of a health issue than a criminal one. At least this way they can control and regulate it and who says they are wrong? However, there appears to have been some pressure from the politically correct brigade at the EU resulting in coffee-shops no longer being able to sell alcohol from 1 April 2007 which is no bad thing. You can though get a lovely latte!!
Whilst you can choose whether or not to go into a coffee-shop you do not have much choice over the smell that they emit and you cannot fail to notice it if you are walking past.
In terms of the places themselves they are generally small, quite dark and intimidating looking places although we went in seven/eight over the weekend and once in the staff are very friendly, you do not have to smoke any drugs if you don't want to although you do have to buy a coffee or soft drink. The drugs themselves are sold in a café style menu with various options on offer from a straight joint to a gram. The staff will advise you on what everything is and also roll it for you if you like. They are very open to bemused questioning from tourists.
Don't confuse coffee-shop with coffee shop either - the one word or hyphenated version sells drugs, coffee & space cakes. Coffee shops sell coffee and pastries.
If you do decide to go to Amsterdam then I would urge you to visit one just for the experience. It is part of the real Amsterdam. Don't just ignore it.
***Conclusion**
Was it what I expected? I would have to say no because whilst I tried to keep an open mind when the words sex and drugs are joined you get a very stereotypical feeling and view but I could not have been more wrong.
Amsterdam is a very cosmopolitan city that has something for everyone, is easy to get around, has plenty to see and do and allows you to experience the sex and drugs quite legally if you so desire. It has nothing to hide and does not offer any excuses for what is on show - what you see is largely what you get.
It is a very laid back, relaxed city in which I felt completely safe and at ease and at no times did I detect any under current of tension which is something that I cannot say for many cities in the UK.
It has lots of attractions for the most discerning of travelers including galleries, museums and wonderful architecture.
To anyone considering Amsterdam for a short break, I would say go for it. Don't pre judge what it may be like or come to some pre conceived conclusion on what to expect because you could very well be wrong.
After all, it's not just sex, drugs & rock n roll you know!
***Tips***
• Try and spend more than two days there • Pre plan and book the sights you want to see and spread these over a couple of days. • Do visit the Red Light District • Do go into a coffee-house • Do take a canal trip
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I have often wondered what it was like now I know! I think I could have fun there! E again! xx
bluejules 20.01.2008 13:11
Great review, I went to Amsterdam with my parents a few years ago. I really enjoyed the canal boat trip and we went early so managed to get into Anne Frank's house which was a moving and interesting experience. Jules x
rosierozi 09.01.2008 21:03
great review.
my m8 always does a 'dutch dash' where you get the ferry from Hull,its really cheap too.
Never been myself,but i'd definately like to smoke some weed legally.
x
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Advantages: fantastic location, good breakfast, friendly and helpful staff, comfy bed, some character Disadvantages: rooms could be bigger, a bit shabby, breakfast not included
Advantages: Great location at Damrak square, inexpensive for a "5-star" hotel Disadvantages: Old-fashioned interieur & run-down furniture, no goodwill when complaining about bad room condition
Nov 28th, 2007
exceptional by (46%):
very helpful by (54%):
