|
|
|
07-11-2006, 08:48 AM
|
|||
|
|||
If you are in Amsterdam this weekend (July 14-16), go to the Dance Valley festival - it is a huge party for electronic dance music (techno and trance) with 70-100,000 people. It is amazing, I go every year.
As a previous poster noted, avoid Leidesplein and Rembrantplein, and also the restaurants along Dam between Centraal Station and Dam Square. They are touristy and expensive. Amsterdam has some great styles of food that are tough to get around here, especially Indonesian and various types of African and Carribean cuisine. I would not leave Amsterdam without bringing home a box of Stroopwafel (syrup wafers, yum!). Amsterdam is a great city to walk around in, so you're pretty much guaranteed to spot something good during your travels. A great thing to do is to take a canal cruise. I like to take the wine-and-cheese tour which leaves every evening from Spui (pronounced "Spow") right near Cafe Luxomberg. It's a lot of fun. Right near the Spui port is the upstairs pancake house ("pannenkoekenhuis") which is right above the 3D hologram museum where they sell all sorts of crazy holograms. They make great crepes. The best museum in Amsterdam is the Rijksmuseum - it is a good time to go because it is Rembrandt's 400th birthday, so they are doing spectacular exhibits in his honor. The Rijksmuseum has a great collection of Vermeer and Rembrandt (especially "Night Watch" my favorite). The van Gogh musuem is nearby there - it is expensive but it is worth seeing. There is also the annefrankhuis, the house where Anne Frank lived where her and her family were hiding from the Nazis. There are other specialized museums (sex, erotic, torture) which you can skip unless you're curious or into those things. The Dutch take their bicycles very seriously, and because the Netherlands is so flat it makes for very easy scenic bike rides. I would avoid bike tours inside Amsterdam - you'll see what I mean when you get there. There is too much traffic, between pedestrians, cars, bikes and trams it is tough for non-natives to get around. But you should definitely do a day trip on bike outside of the city. Note that in Amsterdam the locals ride bikes that are black and the rented bikes for the tourists are either red or have really big logos from the rental shop so that you can know who to avoid as they are careening towards you at high speed. Spend an evening in Vondelpark. If you like beer, try the Heineken brewery, which shows you the history of the beer and you get some beer tastings and a cool mug at the end of the tour. They have some strange exhibits at the end, like a room devoted to how the heinekin brand is marketed around the world, or a relaxation couch with a video screen you can control for some reason. The weirdness is definitely part of the reason to go. Try some french fries with the vlamse mayo (not my cup of tea but everyone else i know loves it) or some dutch cigars at P.C.G. Heijanus on Rokin. The staff there can also help point you in the direction of a nice restaurant. Above all else, have a great time, get lost and return often!    
|
|
07-11-2006, 01:00 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Okay this is a MUST when you are in Amsterdam... all over town they have stands where they sell "Belgian Frites" which are the BEST chips/french fries I have ever had. They are just amazing. And if you are adventurous then you need to try "Orlog" it may sound strange (fried onions, mayo, and a peanut sauce), but it is worth the try and very good. My favorite stand was near the blumenmarkt, and there was a wonderful ice cream parlor near by as well.
|
 |
| Thread Tools | |
| Display Modes | |
|
|
Linear Mode
