Amsterdam

Famous for its tulips, windmills, clogs, canals, bridges, bicycles and coffeeshops. But most of all, however, it is mainly a city of freedom, unbridled life, nightclubs and sex with a joint between your fingers…

It is almost unbelievable that I am going to visit one of the most popular places in Europe for the first time as a stewardess, when my crew control gives me a flight to Amsterdam almost three years later. However, I look forward to the new destination even more. Shortly before landing, the captain scares us that we may have to land in Belgium, as an uncontrolled storm is sweeping across Amsterdam. Fortunately, as we fly over the city, the weather gets better. Just getting to the city from the airport, after total shutdown of public transportation, will be a bit challenging…

Amsterdam and bikes

The capital of the Netherlands, with approximately 800,000 inhabitants, basically stands on the 5 millions wooden piles that keep it above the swamp. Amsterdam’s ingenious canal system, tall & narrow brick houses with large curtain-free windows, colorful houseboats that float on the water, lingerie shops, and streets full of people of all colors and nationalities set the character of Amsterdam. If you stand out from the crowd in your country, in Amsterdam all deviations from the normal disappear in rich variety. However, you always have to stay alert when you walk down the streets, if you do not want a bicycle bell stuck in between your shoulder blades. Crashes with cyclists belong to the most common accidents in Amsterdam and I can relate – as soon as I leave the main station, I almost land on one cyclist. Apart from that Amsterdam is definitely one of the safest cities in Europe. Taxis are expensive, it’s quite complicated to drive a car around the city (Amsterdam’s policy in order to protect the environment don’t support cars inside the city), and the metro is worth using only if you travel from one corner of the city to the other, that’s why everybody ride a bike in Amsterdam – students, managers with ties, cops and even elderly with their shopping bags. If you want to merge in the crowd, rent a bicycle (you can find the biggest bicycle rentals right at the main station and also in downtown) and forget about the umbrellas, although it’s raining here more often than in London. The locals prefer waterproof jackets with hoods and wellington boots…

First class

Luckily, while I take the subway from Schiphol Airport to the main central station, it stops raining, sun is setting down and the combination of the sunset and the last clouds in the sky begins to create an incredible palette of pastel colors. And people say winter is a dull season! Amsterdam is also ideally equipped for coffee breakers, and the café with the most fantastic atmosphere can be found right at the main station. It’s called 1e Klass and once it was a waiting room for first class passengers. I will keep the visit of this café for later on, I want to enjoy the atmosphere of the streets and by foot, no bike. I think, however, that on the way back from the airport to the hotel, I might take Tesla electric taxi. Because taxi companies in Amsterdam also support the environment! From the main entrance of the station, I turn into the first narrow street to the left of the bridge and find myself right in the middle of the most famous and, in my opinion, the most beautiful district of Amsterdam – the Red Light District.

Sinful district

Along with dusk, the charming red lamps light up in the red lights streets around the oldest building in the city – the Oude Kerk Church (heavenly silence in the middle of the oasis of sin). There, behind the window women and men of all ages and weight categories offer special services. Whoever has the money and the taste can come in, the curtains of the chosen window will get closed after you enter in. Whoever has less money can watch at least a peep show and for the others there is at least a tour of various sex shops. Neither during the day nor at night it is a dangerous walk, the surroundings are strictly controlled by security cameras and police. The only thing that might not turn out well is photographing ladies in the windows. This is strictly forbidden! In recent years, however, the Red Lights District is no longer what it used to be. Sex-tourism is in decline, and as part of the Red Lights Fashion project, several typical windows have been taken up by young designers’ studios. But it is still a quarter of the most bizarre museums in the world! For example, I pass by the Hash and Weed Museum, the Kingdom of Condoms, the Museum of Sex, Eroticism and perhaps the largest number of people I see in front of the Museum of Prostitution…

Coffeeshops & weed

When the sun is completely hidden behind the horizon, I get lost in one of the cross streets and few minutes later I cannot resist the display of full Belgian waffles and pancakes with strawberries, chocolate and whipped cream and so I enter in one of the tempting patissserie for a chocolate fondue. If I hadmy boyfriend with me, we would certainly be in one of the well-known coffeeshops, but I keep this experience for our holiday in Europe, which we are planning in April. Who is looking for a great nightlife during their vacation, Amsterdam is the right city. In its center of many music clubs, pubs, brothels and of course unmistakable coffeeshops, where you can light your joint. Amsterdam coffeeshops sell marihuana, but no more than 5g per person. And although the Dutch government has often threatened the public with prohibition of selling weed to foreign tourists, nothing has changed so far. Individual coffeeshops differ from each other and what they have in common is that they do not sell alcohol. One of the oldest coffeeshops in Amserdam – Bulldog solved this problem by opening a beer pub next door – the Bulldog pub (of course they over real Dutch Heineken), so during the evening you can move from one place to another depending on what you want. The best known coffeeshops are – Barney’s, Rokerij, Global Chillage, Pink Floyd, De Kroon, Abraxas and Homegrown Fantasy. I promise that next time together with my boyfriend will try as many of them as possible and then I let you know which one was the best. 🙂 In addition to coffeeshops there are also so-called smartshops that do not sell any illegal products, only nutritional supplements, such as the legal alternative to herbal ecstasy. But I do not know how they categorize Crazy mushrooms shops, which I just pass by…

Note that although Marihuana is allowed in small quantities in the Netherlands, it must not be smoked anywhere else than in designated places like a coffeeshop. On the contrary, smoking of classic tobacco cigarettes are not allowed in hospitalities and public places…

Shopping in style

I go back to the Central station by walking down the parallel streets of Rokin, Kalverstaat and Spuistraat… The kilometer-long pedestrian zone Nieuwedijk-Kalverstaat, not far from the main station, is great for classy shopping. Here you will also find the famous American Book Center. In the streets of Damrak and Rokin you will find many tea shops and spiritual shops. For luxury, you should go to Pieter Cornelisz Hoofsstraat, famously called P.C., where the most expensive brands and haute couture boutiques have their place. All major shopping centers can be found around Dam Square, the heart of Amsterdam. Right here is the Royal Palace, Stock Exchange, Madame Taussand Museum, New Church, National Memorial to World War II victims and the most famous hotel in the city – Krasnopolsky. Dam Square is a place of national celebrations and demonstrations. And on weekdays especially the central meeting point of all pigeons. 🙂

City of museums

I keep exploring of the rest of the city for the next morning. Next day I head more to the right from the main station, passing by the Anne Frank Museum (which I keep for another time) through De Negen Straatjes – nine steep streets between the city’s largest canals, until I show up at Muntplein and the Flower Market, where you usually come across a lot of tulips during the season. The original plan was to go around one of the oldest cinemas in Europe – the Tuschinski Theater on Leidseplein and then to the southern part of the city, to the former hippie community park – the Vondelpark, where you can also find several remarkable museums – the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’s Stedelijk Museum Art Museum, Diamond Museum or Museum of the Famous Artist without a Ear – Vincent Van Gogh. There are also many vintage and antique shops. However, when my boyfriend admits on the phone that he does not know who Van Gogh is, I mischievously leave an educational tour of the museums for our common holiday. 🙂 Anyway, museum tickets are better to buy in advance online, because queues are really long. I continue to Rembrandt Square with many traditional Dutch pubs with live music, nightclubs and the gay community. But here you can also come across several respected diamond shops…

Canals and bridges

I came across the stand with haring sandwiches, which is a typical Dutch delicacy, and continue to the most famous Skinny Bridge, which opens every 20 minutes to allow larger ships to sail underneath. The bridge is really very skinny and even when it starts to open, it does not heat me up. However, it is recommended that the various sub-districts of Amsterdam should be visited by boat. For example, the Museumboot is a popular cruise that will cost you around 15 Euros per person and take you around all the major attractions of the city, with a ticket to the museums included. Hmmm, maybe next time… When I finally get close to the Rembrandt Museum, the house where the artist really lived and worked, a proper rain shower starts pouring. I put the hood on my head, put my camera in my pocket and run back to the main station… The preparatory tour of the city is over, now I know what I can look forward to in April!

Tip:

The best French fries in the city with genuine Dutch mayonnaise – a specialty that made it to movie Pulp Fiction is served at Vleminckx in St. Voetboogstraat 31-33.