Amsterdam: City of Sex, Drugs & Canals

Musuems, Damrak (during the day and at night), boat cruisers, coffeeshops, and the Anne Frank House were highlights. The Heineken Brewery (free beers) and exploring the city on the boat cruise were very good, but the cruise was quite pricy. Hiring bicycle is a lot cheaper, but finding the place of attraction is a bit trickier.

Quick Tips:

If your are travelling in winter, make sure your winter jacket is windproof and waterproof. A pair of waterproof pants worn by football players is very handy, as Amsterdam is very wet. As for male public toilets, they are easily found on the street (open-air toilet) – refer to photo. I am unable to currently load photos, though.

Best Way To Get Around:

The place is tidy. The common room has a pool table and a selection of music to play and listen to. The staff is friendly and very helpful. They can advise you where to go and what to do; they even provide a map with the locations of attractions.

The downside is that the stairs are steep; be careful when coming in late at night. And when I was there, the staff had to show me the trick of opening the door. There is no curfew.

Read The Diary of Anne Frank. Then explore and study this house. Re-read the book again after visiting the house. It is amazing; I can't describe it in words. I was in tears when I read the book again when I arrived home. I was thinking about my own upbringing after the race riot in Malaysia in May 13, 1969. I am very fortunate to have lived through the race persecution.

The Heineken is a must for all beer drinkers. The museum lets you experience the modern technology with which this famous beer is brewed and allow you to take a look into the world of Heineken and its history.

Sorry I can't load any pictures because I don't know how to upload digital pictures yet.

Staying at the hotel My Home is perfect. It is so close to the central station and the Red Light District, yet just far enough from the noise at nighttime. Damrak, the Red Light District, is a must-explore place during day and nighttime. During the day, it is busy shopping strip with plenty of things to buy. Eating is not a problem. At nightfall, this area becomes the well-known Red Light District, with plenty of sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll. There are many alleyways leading to seedier part of the area. Be careful and confident.GO WITH THE FLOW OF THE CROWD. If you are offered drugs, just keep walking and ignore the dealers.

It is much safer and better to try them at one of the many coffee shops. "Coffee shop" in this city means coffee shop that lets you enjoy your coffee and the variety of marijuana available legally. So there is no point in buying drugs illegally from the unknown street dealers.

The sex musuem at the Damrak is an experience in itself. It costs only 2.5 euros to enter. You get to see the pictures of all sexual concepts from all different countries and races. There is a giant penis and testicles on the right-hand side of the entrance, where you can sit.

The most valuable thing are the boat cruises along the canal. Just pick one that you like. I prefer the museum boat because it stops at all the museums in Amsterdam. It costs 14 euros and starts at 8:30am and finishes at 9pm. It takes you all over the city via the canal. You get to visit many historical sites without getting lost, such as the Heineken Brewery, Van Gogh Museum, Sheepvaart, Anne Frank Huis, the Jewish Musuem, the flea market, and more, depending on your interests. I think this canal cruise is the best way to explore the city, as you get off at stops and explore the area and get back on the boat every hour or two, depending on your schedule.

Anyway, Amsterdam is such a historical city that you need time to see it, and I am afraid that the longer I stay, I may never leave the place. So if you are on a budget, just do what you have to do and move on; otherwise, you may end up staying there forever.