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Name: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Good Points: Very friendly, colourful, efficient and cheap public transport
Bad Points: The same as any big city - watch out for pick-pockets in crowds
Review: Amsterdam is a city for every taste and age - unfortunately, a lot of people are put off visiting, especially with children, worried that they will be assailed by the Red Light area and the drugs scene. Not so - the Red Light District is in a very specific area of the city which can easily be avoided, the trams don't run through it and you needn't know it's there.

The cannabis smoking is restricted to Coffee Houses which are well-titled and although you can't avid the smell as you walk past, there is no harassment from inside. Even the many stag parties that flood to Amsterdam are not as offensive as in any British city, tending to be quietly stoned rather than loudly drunk.

Amsterdam is beautiful, the people are friendly and love practising their impeccable English, the public transport system is excellent and cheap.

As you arrive at the airport, the train station is literally just outside and a cheap, regular and direct double-decker train whisks you to Central Station, where all the trams converge. You can obtain a tram bus for the length of your visit just across the road from the station in a Tourist Info Centre decorated from floor to ceiling in Delft tiles.

The trams will get you nearly everywhere, connections are well-marked and each stop tells you the time of the next tram. But if you prefer a walk, the city is completely flat and you have a lovely stroll down any of the any canals, finding your own favourite cafes or bakeries, for wonderful coffee and pastries or a ham and cheese sandwich far removed from our own version, or an almond croissant or a apple cake.....

One of the few places the trams don't reach is NEMO, an amazing children's hands-on science museum, with a fantastic roof area for views across the vast harbour. To get here you need one of the numerous canal bus operators, but you couldn't leave without such a trip anyway! Plantage Zoo is great for children too, even if you don't like zoos, with several adventure play areas.

Some of my favourite places are the Albert Cuyper market, where the colour and abundance of the local produce is proudly displayed (there is a lovely bistro called Bizaar exactly half-way thru).

The two most popular museums are the Van Gogh and the Rijks, next to each other and a must. Leidensplein always has some street entertainment happening and you can tell the type of clientele each bar/restaurant attracts before you commit to entering, I have to confess to not yet getting to the Anne Frank House, but I will do.

The huge supermarket at the back of The Dam is a must, especially the basement off-licence, which is a necessity of you want a bottle in your room, they don't do local 'offies'.

Enjoy a cruise on the canals and soak up the colour and enjoy the architecture and amazing interior design of the flats design, colour and flowers are what the Dutch do best. (There is a brilliant and inexpensive home section at the B&V department store, near the Blomenmarkt)

I could go on - Amsterdam is a city with plenty to do but does it all in a laid back relaxed manner. But watch out for the bicycles - they have absolute right of way, even over pedestrians!
Username: george31 (robin hoods bay, england)
Entry date: 29 Aug 2006
User Rating: stars
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Comment by: james_ryddel on 2007-07-22 20:27:40.
I totally agree with this review, Amsterdam is a great place for a break.
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