Amsterdam basics

The usual (Rijksmusuem, Van Gogh, Anne Frank, red light district), walking around in the cold, and pub crawling at night

Quick Tips:

- Leidseplein is under construction (3/25/01), so keep that in mind if you're planning to go.

- Be cautious, not paranoid, at Centraal Station.

- Keep an open mind when seeing the city. It is full of tourists (and locals) from all over the world and not everyone will be to your liking. Just remember you might not appear friendly to them, either. So get to know someone before you judge them.

- BOOK EARLY! To find a decent price, book your room at least one month in advace. -Have fun by finding places where the locals hang out, they are very friendly!

Best Way To Get Around:

Take the trams and your feet, my friends. Renting a bike can be fun, but make sure it has a couple of locks on it. If you are driving, park it in a suburb and take the train in.

Located a block away from Leidseplein, but in a relatively quiet location with a nice canal view. Room was small, but had shower/toilet, phone, and a TV if that matters. The room was clean and the building is secure. There is a soda machine downstairs that also has Heineken for f2.50 (US$1.00) which is a bargain. The desk staff is friendly and has all the tourist brochures available if needed.

To get there from Leidseplein... Walk behind the Irish pub and past the white drawbridge (Milkweg club) on your left and the police station on your right. You''ll see the Hotel De Lantaerne sign to your left across the canal.

You've heard it all and I can only hope to put a little perspective on the matter. By all means you should visit the place, but don't expect an all out party going on. You'll get a good chuckle out of seeing the gals in their windows staring you straight in the eye trying to lure you in. You can spend about an hour in this area without getting bored. In addition to the gals in the windows there are numerous 'coffee shops' in the area and street dealers. Ignore the street dealers and they should leave you alone. Amsterdam is actually very safe and the Red Light District is probably safer than most US cities.

Pop into a coffee shop if your so inclined and indulge in smoking without worrying about being busted by the man. You can legally carry 5 grams on your person, but wash your clothes before returning home as some countries aren't so forgiving.

One final thought....... Keep an open mind! They have a common sense approach to all this. The Netherlands may allow prostitution and soft drugs, but they also keep it off the street. You won't find street walkers a common site in Amsterdam as you do in many US cities. And if you compare the Netherlands with the USA (with our "War on Drugs") you'll find the per capita rate of hard drug users is much lower in the Netherlands.

Every person in the world has been touched by her diary and this is a 'must see' if there ever was one. Briefly, you walk from room to room and then walk through the door behind the bookshelf to the secret annex. The rooms are left as they were, but there is not much to see in them aside from some photos and a few knick-knacks. In some of the rooms, there are video monitors throughout the tour that tell the story of Anne and her family. I think the house is more of a pilgrimage rather than informative. While you are in the house, notice that is very quiet and gives one pause to reflect on the terror that ran across Europe. Being there tugs on your emotions and you might want to bring some tissues with you.

After the tour, there is an interesting interactive exhibit that allows you to see in more detail information about the people and house itself.

Advice - If at all possible, get there very early or late in the day as the line stretches a block or two during the day. And for the same reason, try to visit on a weekday rather than the weekend.