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Amsterdam as a stopover on the way to the UK

miss direct

miss direct

misfungled
I'm starting to plan my trip back to the UK in January. It wouldn't cost me much more to have a stopover in Amsterdam. Is this something worth doing, bearing in mind it'll be really cold and I'll be alone? Is there enough to do there to entertain me or would I be better off just getting a direct flight?
 
Where are you coming from?

Amsterdam's a cool place. I think theyve banned weed for non-Dutch people though, which isnt necessarily a bad thing. I've been there many times but dont actually recall much of it due to the the green stuff.
 
I've done it before and it's especially nice if you've been roughing it a bit and are looking forward to a few luxuries like a comfy bed / good food and wine etc. Flying from Katmandhu to Schiphol pretty much guarantees you a lengthy stop at customs, though. Only time I've ever been searched.

Amsterdam's a pretty friendly place, I've found, so I wouldn't worry about being alone. Just find a nice looking bar and you'll find that people chat quite freely. Enough to do? Definitely. Even if the obvious attraction of the coffeeshops doesn't grab you, there's the Van Gogh museum which is pretty much my favourite art gallery in the world, Vondelpark for a nice stroll, a walk through the old bit of the city's always nice (Jordaan, all round there), loads of great restaurants (Indonesian ones, particularly). The red light district's good for a few wtf? moments. Etc etc. Mainly, though, its just a really beautiful city - very green as everyone's on bikes, hardly any cars in the middle, and a nice, slow pace if you want a relaxing weekend / lots of nightlife if you want the total opposite.
 
I'm only coming from Istanbul. I actually really want to do it now. Hopefully I'll be able to find someone to come with me or someone from the UK to meet me. I find I don't really enjoy myself that much alone these days. I don't really like eating in restaurants or drinking alone although I'm fine wandering in the day. I guess daytimes are very short in Amsterdam in January.
 
I love the Dam, there is such a lot to do there that you'll not miss going to the coffee shops. There's the galleries, museums, the canals to wander along, so much to do you'll need a week really. Rent a bike, it's very cycle friendly. The other thing is that the people are very friendly, you'll not have a problem making friends.
 
miss direct said:
I'm only coming from Istanbul. I actually really want to do it now.
Click to expand...

Amsterdam is one of Europe's "great" cities, imo, and deserves rather more than a "stopover", so I'd use the stopover to get a general feel of the place before going back with more time.

You don't say how long you're planning to stopover but when you're leaving Istanbul pack an overnight bag as well as your main suitcase so you can leave your main luggage at the airport (Schipol has luggage lockers in most of the terminals) and just carry a few essentials for a day or two in Amsterdam.

Even if getting stoned in coffee shops isn't your thing there's plenty to do and see. The obvious ones are the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, Vondelpark, take a wander around the red-light area, hire a bike etc. Probably the best Indonesian food in Europe; great cafe and bar culture; good restaurants ....

Go.
 
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gabi said:
Where are you coming from?

Amsterdam's a cool place. I think theyve banned weed for non-Dutch people though, which isnt necessarily a bad thing. I've been there many times but dont actually recall much of it due to the the green stuff.
Click to expand...
Nope. They changed their minds on that.

Spymaster's right, though. Amsterdam's got something for everyone. It's just a very nice place to be (although it's nicer in summer!).
 
littlebabyjesus said:
One of the good things about Amsterdam is that the red-light area is very self-contained, so you know exactly where it is, and can avoid it. The only horrible bit of the city.
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Yep, it's easy to do that too. But it's quite safe, and personally, given it's fame/notoriety I think it's a must see for the first timer. I can fully understand why some may want to give it a miss though.
 
gabi said:
Where are you coming from?

Amsterdam's a cool place. I think theyve banned weed for non-Dutch people though, which isnt necessarily a bad thing. I've been there many times but dont actually recall much of it due to the the green stuff.
Click to expand...
No they haven't, they cancelled it all in favour of nit fucking up the tourist industry. Think they realised that it was fairly daft.
 
Go to the shops and the markets! Parks are parks the world over ime, the market at Waterlooplein used to be ace(not been for about 6 yrs), if you like fantasy stuff go here :D It's kinda straight down from the train station and turn left when you get to the square.(Damstraat)

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/preview/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x47c609c754bbf761:0x7086485d14f5c2da!2m5!2m2!1i80!2i80!3m1!2i100!3m1!7e1!4shttps://plus.google.com/108534200417423856135/photos?hl=en&socfid=web:lu:kp:placepageimage&socpid=1!5schimera fantasy shop amsterdam netherlands - Google Search&sa=X&ei=vceAUvXiM4Wf0QXnxIHYAQ&ved=0CI0BEKIqMA0
 
I wouldn't worry about being on your own, it's a great city for that. January can be a great time to come as their are less tourists and you an get some magical weather with frozen canals and frost covered trees and snow. It could also rain for the duration of your visit of course.
 
Don't do what I did once when I was there on my own. Bloke asked me for fag. I gave him one, and he gave me a microdot of acid in return, which I promptly swallowed. Cue several hours lost by the canals after joining an anti-racism march I'd stumbled on, which took me into a bit of the city I didn't know, and throwing my map in the bin because I couldn't make sense of it.

It didn't help that tourists kept asking me directions. This happens to me every time I go to Holland. I look Dutch, apparently, so Dutch people talk to me in Dutch and are sometimes put out when I don't understand, and I always get asked directions by tourists.
 
Here is a cool way to spend an afternoon in Amsterdam if you are on your todd or in a group, it's kind of a loop and there are loads of places to stop on the way as they take your fancy so it can take 2 or 10 hours to do. See a bit of Amsterdam that's very cool and a bit off the beaten track:

With your back to central station go hard left and walk along the Oosterdokskade to the Nemo Science building whose roof you can climb onto, for nowt and have a great view back over Amsterdam. Cool house boats around there too.

Come down now and walk past the maritime museum heading along the Oosterkerk making for the Ij Brewery located in an old windmill. If it's not Sunday head from here to the Dappermart, a big street market and located in the most diverse part of Amsterdam.

Make your way to the Javaplein and get the 14 tram back into Amsterdam. It takes you back past the zoo (which is not obvious from the street "did I just see a fucking monkey in that park???? - best say nothing"), Waterlooplein, Rembrandtplein and right into Dam Square where you should get off.
 
I love the dam. Mainly because of the weed, but it is a nice slice of Europe. Sad that it's becoming more like Everytown with each passing year.
 
Well I've booked my flight from Istanbul to Amsterdam for the middle of January. Haven't booked anywhere to stay yet. Had a quick look on air bnb and found a few all right looking places. I'm thinking of coming back to the UK with ferry and train. I can get all the way to Cambridge for 45 euros. Has anyone done that?
 
miss direct said:
Well I've booked my flight from Istanbul to Amsterdam for the middle of January. Haven't booked anywhere to stay yet. Had a quick look on air bnb and found a few all right looking places. I'm thinking of coming back to the UK with ferry and train. I can get all the way to Cambridge for 45 euros. Has anyone done that?
Click to expand...
I've not done it but I heard its a really good laugh. Also known as the "disco boat"
 
miss direct said:
Well I've booked my flight from Istanbul to Amsterdam for the middle of January. Haven't booked anywhere to stay yet. Had a quick look on air bnb and found a few all right looking places. I'm thinking of coming back to the UK with ferry and train. I can get all the way to Cambridge for 45 euros. Has anyone done that?
Click to expand...

Yup, but don't remember much about it ;)

Proper recomendations. The Riiksmuseum is now fully open again https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en
Rembrandt's gaff http://www.rembrandthuis.nl/
Hermitage http://www.hermitage.nl/en/
Dam Museum itself http://www.amsterdammuseum.nl/en
sex http://www.amsterdam.info/museums/sex-museum/
or Van Gogh http://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/vgm/index.jsp

Most of these places would take up a day or more on their own.
 
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