Amsterdam-A Forward Thinking City

Practically every visitor to Amsterdam will not miss a visit to the Red Light District and the massive array of coffeeshops in that area. Fewer will spend time visiting the local markets or exhibitions of the great Dutch Masters, or MORE IMPORTANTLY, try to absorb and understand the Amsterdam way of life. When every big city in the world is plagued by ever-growing traffic, uncontrolled urban development, urban transport problems, noise, and pollution, the Dutch, in their unique, quiet, yet effective way, teach the rest of us a lesson. They move around with bicycles (what an environmentally-friendly way of transport), they use their trams, and you will see the exhaust-fuming car as a minority mode of transport, at least in the centre of Amsterdam. Their web of canals blends beautifully with the gabled 17- to 18th-century houses, creating an almost surreal image at times of a city that hasn’t changed, yet, as we all know, the small Dutch nation is firmly and constantly in the first division of most developed countries.

Quick Tips:

If you can, sample the Indonesian cuisine of Amsterdam. Check your Rough Guide. Don't miss the experience of a late-morning coffee in a Dutch café next to a canal, listening to music and reading your favourite paper (or book). Don’t miss a guided boat trip around the canals of central Amsterdam. It is a very touristy thing to do but is worth it.

Holland is a country where consumption of small quantities of marijuana and hashish is legal. A lot of visitors in Amsterdam are regular users, but there is a significant number of law-abiding people who would not break the law in their own country who decide to experiment for their first time with dope in Amsterdam. If you sample dope in a coffeeshop and it is your first time, take it VERY easy and slow. If you inhale too much, too quickly, you will experience side effects, which include nausea and/or vomiting, severe lethargy, and partial loss of your mental functions (hence the expression “stoned”).

Best Way To Get Around:

Go around the centre on foot. Most distances in central Amsterdam are less than a couple of kilometres, making your feet a good option of transport. Use their tram, too. It is cheap and reliable and crosses the central Amsterdam in every direction. Stay within a 2km distance from the Central Station, as this will make easier the task to visit whatever is worth visiting in the central area. If you need to go farther afield, study how it can be done using the Dutch transport system. Taxis are generally expensive and most times (during the day) unnecessary, as the Dutch Public network of trains, buses, and trams is very reliable, frequent, and efficient.

FEBO epitomises the marriage of Dutch ingenuity and the fast-food concept. If you want a quick fix of your hunger for a few Euros, the Dutch fast-food chain FEBO is a very good solution. You will never have to queue, no matter how busy it is or appears to be. Snacks are placed in small heated cubicles with glass windows and you take them by entering the correct amount of change in a slot. If you don’t have the correct amount, there is a money-changing machine that will change your money for you. My favourite specialities are the kaasshuffle (almost like a cheesepie with breadcrumps), which is mouth-watering delicious (for €1.20 or about US$1.40), the Nasi, and the Bami (which are like spicy spring rolls) and also cost €1.20. For €1.50 you buy a chicken burger (kipburger) or grillburger, and the chips are sold separately, freshly made by a man behind the serving counter. In other words, for about 5-6 Euros, you can satisfy your hunger instinct in the fastest possible mode.

There is a FEBO on the beginning of Damrak (main road starting from the Central Station and leading to Dam Square). There is another one in the Red Light District (Oudezijds Voorburgwal) and another on Leidsestraat, near Leidseplein Square. They also have a website www.febo.nl for further information. The big MINUS of FEBO is that all the signs in their shops are in Dutch, not allowing the foreign visitor to understand the content and the nature of their snacks, which means a lot of guesswork (and lost profits) for this otherwise outstanding fast-food retailer.

This is an incredibly inexpensive way to respond in the most gratifying way to your appetite for food. Wok Walk is a Dutch chain of Oriental fast food that can easily stand up against the usual Western giants of KFC, Burger King, McDonald's, etc. Meals are served in a square paper carton (which can be used for takeaway as well). Portions are absolutely massive and will satisfy even the most demanding client. You pay €5 for your basic portion of either rice or noodles, then another €1,5 for the accompanying meat (i.e. chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, etc.), and then you ask your favourite sauce as well, which is free of charge (i.e. sweet and sour, black bean, teriyaki, etc.). Try the noodles with chicken and teriyaki sauce!!

There is a Wok Walk branch on Leidsestraat, near Leidseplein Square. There is another one on a vertical road off Damrak. As you come from the Central Station, pass the Easy Internet café, turn on the first right, and walk pass the junction with Nieuwendijk and Wok Walk is on your right, next to a coffeeshop!!

Shabu Shabu is near Leidseplein, which is full of restaurants, fast food, and take away outlets. The problem is that on busy Friday and Saturday evenings, even the fast food outlets can take up to half an hour to serve you.Shabu Shabu comes in very handy, with a relatively fast and efficient service, basically decent tasting food, and very very reasonable prices. And, of course, you have the pleasure of sitting and being served properly , in an ambient and pleasant atmosphere, rather than queueing forever in a fast food. The three dishes that stand out are the "eat as much as you can" buffet for €16.50, the Day's menu , with two main courses for €9.95, and the one dish "tourist menu" for just €6.95 (see photos 3 and 4 below).The Shabu Shabu is conveniently located next to Aero Hotel, close to the intersection of Kerkstraat and Leidsestraat, about 200m from Leidseplein

Axum is a no nonsense African, Ethiopian to be specific, eatery at Grachtengordel South. It is located at Utrechtsesdwarsstraat 85-87, which is the first parallel south of Prinsengracht, and off Utrechtsestraat (access from Central Station with trams No 4 and No 25, travel time 5 minutes. Also served by trams 6,7 and 10).

The restaurant’s name derives from Axum , one of the most important civilisation centres of the ancient world. Axum restaurant is run by the charming and hospitable Mrs. Belaynesh Tareke, who interchanges roles, from Chef, to waitress, and restaurant manager.

The menu is real authentic Ethiopian cuisine, with memorable flavours and respect for the tradition. Mrs Tareke encourages the clientele to eat using their hands rather than fork and knife, although she will happily provide the necessary, should you find yourself reluctant to venture the African way. The ambiance of the restaurant is also tastefully Ethiopian, with attention paid to the detail and all decoration has Ethiopian themes.

The restaurant is extremely price competitive and portions (as can be seen on photo no 1) are massive.

I highly recommend KITFO , which is mince beef meat, cooked with herbs and spices, served with a side dish of Ethiopian "cottage" and the large Ethiopian flat bread, and a combination of lentils, salad, red sauce, and vegetables (photo no 1). The dish costs only €12, and the size of it would feed two persons, rather than one. Also tasty was YEBEG WOT, for €11, which is lamb with spices and herbs, and served with the same combination of flat bread, vegetables, etc.

Telephone numbers for reservations (Axum is relatively small and can easily fill up on weekends) are 0206228389 and 0621614257. Email is tareke@casema.nl

In Amsterdam, you are spoiled for choice of a cafeteria (NOT a coffee shop) to enjoy your Saturday or Sunday morning. I recommend De Koffie Salon not only for its decent Italian-styled coffees, but also for the artistic decoration and layout of the interior. The seating is ideal both for a leisured enjoyment of your coffee and newspaper, and a nice conversation with your friends or partners. This being an Amsterdam cafeteria, you should not miss your Stroopwafel to accompany your coffee (world-famous Dutch Biscuits that you place on top of your cup). I prefer the Hoenig (Honey) variety. The artistic decoration is completed with photographs of Hollywood actors on the wall enjoying a cup of coffee, and enhances the image of the place. De Koffie Salon is located at 130 Utrechtsestraat , immediately after the intersection with Prinsengracht, going south. This cafeteria is for non-smokers

Cafe van Leeuwen fulfills the traditional concept of a Dutch Bistro/Cafe. If you are there before 11:30am then you can enjoy your coffee, your newspaper, the romantic canal views of Keizergracht and RELAX. The top floor is far better from that aspect, as it is quieter and the canal view is so much better (see photos 2 and 3). If you come 11:30 you can order the super delicious omelets of Cafe van Leeuwen, which are an absolute bargain grab for €6.75 (March 2006). The omelets are absolutely MASSIVE, and equal a full main-course meal, and the cook makes no economy on the amount of cheese and ham he throws in. Cafe van Leeuwen is on the corner of Utrechtsestraat and Keizergracht canal, and easily accessed on foot from Rembrandtplein (start of Utrechtsestraat) or via trams 4 and 25 that stop in front of it. The staff is youthful, enthusiastic, and helpful.

This is a very “touristy” thing to do in Amsterdam, yet always worth it. There are a number of operators, mostly near the Central Station and Damrak Road. A Sunday afternoon canal trip from a company on the left of Damrak (as you walk from the Central Station) set me back 6 Euros and lasted a good hour. The boat has a recorded taped description of what you see in Dutch, German, French, and English (in that order). You will pass the usual landmarks of towers and churches, the Shell Tower, the Sea Palace Chinese restaurant, Central Station from the back, the Ann Frankhuis, and numerous bridges and neighbourhoods. As the boat does not make any stops and you are very close to the banks of the canals, it is very difficult to take any truly STILL photographs, unless the boat stops to turn or change direction. At nighttime (as was my case), photography becomes even more difficult. Another type of canal tour is the one with candlelit dinner, but forgive me, for I cannot see the point.  What are you supposed to focus on? The meal? Your partner? or the sights and the canals? (If it is your partner, then it is okay.)

Amsterdam is perhaps the only large city in the world where you can stop a policeman, ask him where you can buy and smoke marijuana, and be given directions where to go. The liberal and tolerant Dutch have a very analytical mind and can be daring and challenging at the same time, as their history proves from the time of Luther to today. While drugs are a problem plaguing most Western societies and capitals and is strongly associated with increased crime, the Dutch try to tackle the problem at its roots. Smoking tobacco and consuming excessive alcohol is harmful for your health, but both are taxed, regulated, and retailed in a controlled mode, allowing Western governments to generate enormous profits, with which they finance the health hazards of both habits. The Dutch coffeeshop is a similar attempt to remove the underground element from the production and retailing of hashish and marijuana and generate profit out of legitimate retail outlets. I have always maintained the view that a drug baron's worse nightmare is not a Western law enforcement agency or Western courts (they have their own ways to deal with them) but a Dutch legislation body and other countries if other Western ones seek copycat examples. Amsterdam is a city of very low crime rates, and despite the influx of dope-seeking tourists from neighbouring countries, there appears to be no serious adverse effect of the liberal Dutch policies. On the contrary, in a controlled manner, the Dutch have converted the retailing of soft drugs into a profitable enterprise.

The Red Light District is another vivid evidence of the Dutch attempting to control and regulate another phenomenon that in many other Western societies remains problematic, and from the legal, tax, and humane aspects, remains poorly managed. Prostitution is treated like a trade, and the merchandise is displayed in the infamous Amsterdam windows/doors. Women from all over the world, in their hundreds, if not thousands (and some transvestites) are selling their bodies in confined spaces away from the higher danger of the street, with cameras monitoring the activities of the punters. Should we accept (by our Western values and morals) poor women from third-world countries being exploited as simple merchandise displayed and sold in Amsterdam’s windows? The answer is surely NO, but until we reach the point where the need for prostitution is eliminated and the supply of punters becomes obsolete, I would rather have these poor prostitutes sitting in the warmth of their cabins and waiting under relative safety for their next client rather than being exposed in the cold of the streets of other Western cities and the lack of safety that is implied by entering the car of a prospective client.

The enhancement of public transport is firm evidence of how eco-friendly Amsterdam is. The trams are favoured methods of locals to go to work and out shopping. At the same time, the sheer number of bicycles around Amsterdam is simply overwhelming and outnumber any other major city in the world. Taxis? Well, they are expensive, but they also come in pedal power form (the concept is taken from Southeast Asia and can be seen in central London during weekends). And in addition you have a reliable train and bus network. If you use the tram, a ticket in the central area will cost you €1.60 Renting a bicycle for a day will cost you about €6, but it gets cheaper if you rent it for more days, and if you plan to stay for a fortnight or more, it may be worth buying a secondhand one.