Amsterdam

We were excited at the prospect of venturing into the Netherlands but at the same time wished we could have spent a few more days in Berlin - or even Germany for that matter. It took a couple of train changes to find the Berlin bus station and here we said goodbye to Pascal, who was going to fly to Amsterdam and meet us the next day.


Our Eurolines bus in Berlin

The bus was scheduled to leave Berlin at 7.30pm and arrive in Amsterdam at 6am. It was a night ride, so we were able to sleep most of the way, stopping only to get off briefly in Magdeburg and Hannover. For some reason, the bus arrived in Amsterdam 1 and a half hours early (4.30am) - before the bus station had even opened! A whole crowd of us waited patiently till 5am when the station opened, got inside and tried to get some sleep until public transport finally started about 6am.


Amsterdam at 4.30am

We were lucky enough to be able to stay with our dutch friend Cindy. Cindy had a perfect little flat in the middle of Amsterdam, just near the Albert Cuypmarket.



Candice and Cindy


Albert Cuypmarket, a Dutch experience!


Pickled herring - traditional Dutch food


Dutch fast food - the kroket!

As in London and Berlin, we did the free walking tour offered in Amsterdam by New Europe Tours. We highly recommend it!



Outside the Palace in Dam Square


I don't think we can talk about Amsterdam without mentioning the Red Light District. Amsterdam has a reputation for being a very liberal city - mainly because of its decriminilised soft drug stance and the fact that street prostitution is legal. The Amsterdam policy is that if prostution is regulated, it will be safer for everyone, especially the girls. Whether or not this is true in reality remains to be seen as that doesn't necessarily prevent the illegal trafficking of sex-slaves. It's true that prostitution is legal in many other places around the world (including Australia for that matter) but the famous Red Light District in Amsterdam (it's actually officially called this) has been this way for centuries, remember it used to be the busiest port in Europe! Due to complaints from other EU member countries, the Dutch government has tried to reduce the number of "ladies of the night" in Amsterdam by buying out many of the "windows" but this hasn't reduced the number of curious tourists that come to gawk at the spectacle everyday.

And no, we didn't take any pictures. Just in case you were wondering.


This anonymous sculpture suddenly appeared one day on the ground. The council decided to keep it.


Like Venice, Amsterdam has an intricate system of canals running through the city


World's first corporation: Former offices of the Dutch East India Trading Company


The Marihuana & Hemp Museum


This was one of the funniest (and possibly dumbest) things we've ever seen. A mobile bar powered by drunk Australians who are actually cycling at the same time as they drink!!


Like all good cities, Amsterdam has a tram network


Char Sau Fan (pork rice) at a Chinese restaurant in Amsterdam


Candice wolfing it down


Dutch McDonalds! Not too shabby.


You will never see this sign anywhere else in the world


Pascal and I (Nat) out at night


Amsterdam Ninjas

Although Amsterdam seems synonymous with marijuana usage these days, the fact is very few Dutch people actually smoke it - it's mainly the tourists who come to use. New Zealand actually has the highest amount of weed smokers per capita! The Dutch government is also cracking down on the number of "Coffee Shops" (yes, that's what they're called) in the city, again at the request of other EU member countries.

For the discerning traveller, Amsterdam also has many famous attactions not associated with vice. Take the Van Gogh Museum for instance.

We also made sure we visited the Anne Frank House, now a museum dedicated to Anne Frank and her family who hid here during the Second World War as the Nazis cracked down on Jews. If you haven't heard about Anne Frank, I suggest you do a google search right away - we're not going to say anymore except you can see the random video comment we left after we saw the house here: http://annefrank_engels.bitmove.tv:80/bitmove/annefrank_engels/index.jsp?uid=3151FDDB6C1976BCDF122892A23A78E8&format=wmv .

By day, Amsterdam is beautiful. Like Uppsala, there are bicycles everywhere. In fact, Amsterdam probably has the highest rate of bicycles usage per capita of any capital in the world. This makes walking dangerous.


Museum plains


In Vondelpark


A cool drum act in Vondelpark


The random drunk Italian guy in the background was singing out of tune


Church of St Nicholas (Sint Nicolaaskerk)

Overall, Amsterdam (with a population of less than a million) was a very enjoyable city. More people speak English here than any other European non English-speaking country - we even met an English girl who'd lived in Holland for two years and hadn't bothered learning any Dutch! They certainly give the Scandinavians a run for their money!

For more pictures of Amsterdam, visit http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=54444&l=a7bf5&id=681501850