I Amsterdam

In the past months I visited Amsterdam twice. My first visit to Amsterdam in mid -September left me with mixed feelings, second one at the end of October allowed me to see it in a completely different perspective. Maybe Amsterdam is not my favourite European city but for sure it’s worth a while if you have a free weekend.

First of all - Amsterdam has way more to offer than just the popular coffee shops and sex industry . It's normal that each place has its 'thing' that differentiates it from others. Paris has the Eiffel tower, Rome has the Colosseum meanwhile Amsterdam has weed and prostitutes. Nevertheless, there is much more…

Central Station Amsterdam

When I flew into Amsterdam for the first time I was amazed that everything is so well organized there. Straight from the airport I took a train to the central station (the ride was around 20 minutes plus the train had wifi which was pretty much enough to make my day :) ). I walked out of the central station to find the city in rain but I decided to walk to my hotel by foot - it was only a 15 minute walk down Damrak - the main street with shops and restaurants. One of the things I realized first was that people in the city seemed extremely chilled out. Maybe it's a Dutch thing but I assume that the coffee shops at each corner might explain it all :). Random people would smile at you or ask if you need help with finding a place. It's probably obvious for most - but just to avoid misunderstanding: You can't buy coffee in the Dutch coffee shops so don't be mistaken. Coffee shops are places in which you can legally buy and smoke marihuana :) 

I was lucky enough to have my hotel right next to the Dam Square: pretty much the center of all attractions –it’s a perfect place to stay if you don’t want to bother with any transportation: you can get everywhere by foot from there. Around the square itself you can find the Royal Palace, Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum (I’ve been to the one in London so I haven’t checked that one out) and the National Monument (a white stone pillar designed to memorialize the victims of World War II.)

I left my luggage behind and went for a walk to learn one important thing : everything in Amsterdam looks exactly the same. There is always a channel, a little bridge, brick houses with white windows and hundreds of bicycles. I got lost a few times so I ended up buying a map and turning into a 100% tourist - if you don't have a lot of time I advise you to get a map asap because it takes a while before you learn where you are and how to get to places. 

Dutch Frikadel

In the evening I got a chance to meet with my friends from New Zealand: we had waffles with chocolate and brownies - they were absolutely amazing and beat all the other fast food that you can get in Amsterdam (even the french-fries with mayo - which by the way is not mayo but something called fritesause - for me: same thing). Don't miss the waffles in Amsterdam!! When I'm on the food topic - the other thing you should try is the Dutch snack called Frikadel. It is deep fried minced meat - I refused to try it for a long time and finally had one on the airport on my way back - I must admit: it is awesome!

Red Light District 

We wandered around to see the red light district which is very close to the central station. To be honest seeing the red light district was extremely interesting for me, because of the contrasts that make you wonder : where is the borderline that should not be crossed. You look left you see the naked girls (all ages, races), you look right there is a church,  in between there is a kindergarten. The whole picture is both amusing and shocking - especially that in most European countries you just wouldn't get away with that. It was only until my second trip that I was told that most of these girls are being kept in Amsterdam against their will. I did some reading and found out that almost 80% of the girls are being forced to work as prostitutes and are often abused by criminal gangsters. Knowing this, seriously changes your perception  of this place...

During my first stay in Amsterdam I managed to see the famous "I amsterdam" letters (they are so crowded all the time that getting a decent photo is pretty much impossible), I went to the popular cheese tasting (you just go into any cheese store and you can try all sorts of products there) and to the Heineken Experience. 

Heineken Experience 

I honestly hate beer but visiting Heineken was a fun experience, so I assume that beer lovers have a blast there. The whole tour can take from 60 minutes to a few hours depending on how much you want to see, read and do. During the visit you learn about the history of Heineken, about the methods and ingredients of brewing, you do a small ride, play different games, watch movies and most important for most - you get to drink you beer during the tasting. 

Players Bar 

I've spent the evening with my Australian friend. It is quite surprising, but in Amsterdam it is way easier to find a coffee shop (you don't even have to look for one) than a nice bar. We ended up drinking in Players - one of the few looking decent + having vodka shots with redbull for 18 euro's - woooaaa! We also tried to explore some of Amsterdam's nightlife but after waiting for an hour
in the line to Winston Kingdom for a Cheeky Monday drum&bass club we decided it's not worth it. The party was way too crazy to survive long inside. 

Ferris Wheel at Dam Square

The second time I flew to Amsterdam knowing what to expect. The channels, the little bridge, the brick houses with the white windows and hundreds of bicycles. But this time I really loved Amsterdam. Maybe it was the sunny weather (end of October 20 degrees!), maybe I just felt more 'at home' and less like a 'tourist'. The Dam Square was transformed into a Carnival with ah huge ferris wheel and loads of other attractions. It was so colourful and magical :) 

Condomeria 

During my second stay I've spent one night in the Flying Pig Hostel - I think the best place to stay if you are looking for a budget night. It's very clean and has a nice bar at the entrance where you can meet people or party with the rest of the backpackers. Other nights I've spent in an apartment rented by my friend right next to the Sloterdijk train station (one stop from the central station). If you are spending a few days in Amsterdam and want to stay in some really cool apartments you should definitely check these out! 

When you are walking down to the central station from the Dam Square look right and search for the Condomeria shop. Its exposition is quite amusing and definitly brings your attention. It's  good place to buy funny souvenirs for you friends :)

Sunshine, hundreds of people on their bikes, enthusiastic tourist, friends. All this added up to made it perfect, a city you actually want to move to. 

If you need any help, advice, if you have any questions - let me know :)