Only in Amsterdam

Amsterdam has it all!

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The Jordaan from a hotel room Photo - Amsterdam, Netherlands

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I've been lucky enough to have visited Amsterdam three or four times to get the measure of the city. I struggle to find anywhere else that has the sheer diversity of Amsterdam.Old world charm? Yes, just wander along one of those canal streets lined with old grand town houses just on the edge of the city centre and you will see old world charm in spades. I like it that the original loading hooks to lift goods from the boats into these old merchant houses are still there and still often used to carry items of furniture in and out of apartments.A wild night out? Heh, the centre of Amsterdam has enough night life, sleaze and excitement to keep anyone happy. Every visitor to Amsterdam sho...Read More

I've been lucky enough to have visited Amsterdam three or four times to get the measure of the city. I struggle to find anywhere else that has the sheer diversity of Amsterdam.
Old world charm? Yes, just wander along one of those canal streets lined with old grand town houses just on the edge of the city centre and you will see old world charm in spades. I like it that the original loading hooks to lift goods from the boats into these old merchant houses are still there and still often used to carry items of furniture in and out of apartments.

A wild night out? Heh, the centre of Amsterdam has enough night life, sleaze and excitement to keep anyone happy. Every visitor to Amsterdam should gawp at the lit windows occupied by scantily clad working girls, although my tip is to wander past late afternoon/early evening just as things are starting; it is a lot quieter and less threatening feeling. I do find the night life in Amsterdam city centre all a little too brash and tacky for my tastes, and be warned there are plenty of scammers hanging around looking for that little too drunk kid to take advantage of, but if it's your thing to go wild you will find it.

I was proud that I didn't look too old or boring not to be offered a whole range of drugs by the dealers on the street (they often hand round on or near the bridges if you are looking).

Dear reader, I didn't inhale.

Culture? While Rembrandt isn't my taste personally, there are plenty of famous and expensive paintings to look at in the Rijksmuseum. There is also Rembrandt's house to look at with a reconstruction of his workshop. I prefer Van Gogh, and the Van Gogh museum is a must see for me. I'm always fascinated with his painting style, and marvel at how so few thick brush strokes can create a painting that is so intricate.

A quiet night out? I'm of an age where I prefer to sink a few beers in quiet and quaint surroundings. The brown cafes of Amsterdam are where I head for – traditional townhouses selling beers with basic wooden tables and knick knacks collected over the years. The Jordaan area is my favourite area for hotel accommodation although it isn't cheap; it is close to the city centre and a good part of town to find brown cafes and jazz bars.

A nice meal? I actually find the Dutch traditional food a little too stodgy and boring, but I love the Indonesian, Thai and Senegal restaurants around the place. The Dutch were a great trading nation and these long held experiences make it a great melting pot for good ethnic food.

Wacky Amsterdam? Amsterdam is also home to the weird and wonderful and it seems to be a city where your habits or hobbies can be put into a career.

Collect handbags? Love cats? Why not form a successful museum around your obsession? In my collection of reviews I concentrate on weird attractions and have just picked out four of many. One joy of Amsterdam is to wander into something you did not expect. Spot something a little left field on your travels and dive in.
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House of Bols

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Attraction | "Welcome to the Hose of Bols"

House of Bols Photo - House of Bols, Amsterdam, Netherlands

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Where else can you encounter a long line of different fragrance bottles filled with different Bols liqueur flavourings and have a chance of guessing which is which? The House of Bols explores the history of the manufacturer of Bols, founded in 1575.For those that don't know, Bols is (usually) fruity and a staple of many a cocktail.The House of Bols museum also offers a whole display explaining the ergonomics of the bottle, and how useful it is to cocktail waiters across the world, as well as a display of those famous China KLM Houses offered to business class travellers and filled with Bols.In such an expensive city, entrance to the House of Bols at 11.50 Euro each ...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on February 4, 2012

House of Bols
Paulus Potterstraat 14
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland 1070
+31205708575

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Electric Ladyland - the First Museum of Fluorescent Art

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Attraction | "Are you Experienced? - A must see Amsterdam Museum"

Amsterdam Bikes Photo - Electric Ladyland - the First Museum of Fluorescent Art, Amsterdam, Netherlands

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Near the Anne Frank House, Electric Ladyland is a complete contrast and a shining example of a completely different era. Electric Ladyland is named after a Jimi Hendix album, and the creation of a lovely hippy couple in late middle age. On the ground floor is an art gallery containing paintings for sale that glow in the dark and have a distinct hippy bent. I didn't find the paintings to be particularly good or to my taste, but perhaps you will think differently. Downstairs in the cellar is the museum's domain; the curator is an American man who might just have had one acid trip too many. One half of his museum is devoted to a wild coloured large paper-mache fluorescent sculpture, where vis...Read More

Near the Anne Frank House, Electric Ladyland is a complete contrast and a shining example of a completely different era. Electric Ladyland is named after a Jimi Hendix album, and the creation of a lovely hippy couple in late middle age. On the ground floor is an art gallery containing paintings for sale that glow in the dark and have a distinct hippy bent. I didn't find the paintings to be particularly good or to my taste, but perhaps you will think differently.

Downstairs in the cellar is the museum's domain; the curator is an American man who might just have had one acid trip too many. One half of his museum is devoted to a wild coloured large paper-mache fluorescent sculpture, where visitors are invited to sit and gaze at the wonders within. The structure has a representation of the Himalayas, the source of the Ganges, a 24 km long glacier (yes, really!), earth, sky and heaven. There are little crystals and silver statues of Shiva dotted around in the sculpture for you to spot. If you can get into it, the experience isn't as bad as you might imagine (no sniggering at the back).

The second part of the exhibition is actually very educational as our guide shows a number of different naturally occurring fluorescent rocks. On our visit to the museum some years ago, he explained how he used to visit family in the US yearly with an empty suitcase, and bring back one full of new rock discoveries! One rock that particularly fascinated me is one that once broken open to the light has a different fluorescence colour to its virgin state. It will never to return to its original state. He has a rock at the original and altered state. How weird is that?

You also get to see a small exhibition into the uses of fluorescence in art, marketing and industry. My trip was with a couple of scientists, and our man certainly knew his stuff and answered their questions well.
Entrance to the Electric Ladyland Museum is 5 Euros and a visit lasts about an hour. As you are in the cellar, it's not one of those places you can just sneak out of.

I found the whole experience absolutely fascinating; not least for the energy, effort and honest interest in the subject from our host. If you are after a strange but very Amsterdam experience there is no better. Read Less

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on February 4, 2012

Electric Ladyland - the First Museum of Fluorescent Art
Tweede Leliedwarsstraat 5
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland 015
0031 020 4203776

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Museum of Bags and Purses (Tassenmuseum Hendrikje)

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Attraction | "Amsterdam Museum of Handbags and Purses"

Handbags Galore! Photo - Museum of Bags and Purses (Tassenmuseum Hendrikje), Amsterdam, Netherlands

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After the experience at Cat Cabinet, the Amsterdam Museum of Handbags and Purses is a distinctly professional affair, but perhaps again, it is only in Amsterdam where a fixation on handbag collecting can be turned into an attraction. The museum contains the personal collection of over 4000 bags collected over 35 years.Although I'm comfortable with my sexuality, the thought of visiting a handbag museum didn't exactly fill me with deep joy. I've spent long enough being dragged round handbag shops by my beloved to be too enamoured by the idea. However, the Museum of Handbags and Purses is the place to find out about the history of the bag; in its early days the bag was attached...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on February 4, 2012

Museum of Bags and Purses (Tassenmuseum Hendrikje)
Herengracht 573
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland 1017
31-0-20-524-6452

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Kattenkabinet

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Attraction | "A Catty Experience"

KattenKabinet Photo - Kattenkabinet, Amsterdam, Netherlands

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Ever imagined you had a dotty old aunt holed up with her cats in a fantastic but slowly crumbling canal house in Amsterdam? A visit to Cat Cabinet (KattenKabinet) makes it all too real!The entrance fee of 6 Euros allows access to a floor of a somewhat run down private home dating from the 1600s. The main traditional attraction is the large collection of cat sculpture and art. The rooms are styled as they might be 100 or so years ago. I particularly enjoyed the 100 year old art nouveaux cat posters of Theophile Steinlen, and the impressionist work of Russian Nicolas Tarkoff. The walls are full of posters, sketches and paintings, and you will recognise some of the names of the ar...Read More

Ever imagined you had a dotty old aunt holed up with her cats in a fantastic but slowly crumbling canal house in Amsterdam? A visit to Cat Cabinet (KattenKabinet) makes it all too real!

The entrance fee of 6 Euros allows access to a floor of a somewhat run down private home dating from the 1600s. The main traditional attraction is the large collection of cat sculpture and art. The rooms are styled as they might be 100 or so years ago.

I particularly enjoyed the 100 year old art nouveaux cat posters of Theophile Steinlen, and the impressionist work of Russian Nicolas Tarkoff. The walls are full of posters, sketches and paintings, and you will recognise some of the names of the artists, although the most famous, such as Picasso are represented by line drawings rather than major pieces of art.

However, the real stars of the show must be the family's cats living in the home. The friendly cats are allowed to wander round the museum and can often be found dozing on top of the radiators in the grand dining room. We found three or four cats dotted around the rooms.

Traditional art isn't the only cat themed items in the museum and I particularly liked the cat theme of an old style pin ball machine with cat shaped bumpers on the play field. Cool or what?

Unfortunately, Cat Cabinet does smell a little "catty", and I spotted a favourite place for the cats to do their business on an overlong curtain in one of the rooms. The museum can be seen in 30-45 minutes allowing for some quality cat time too.

Downstairs in Cat Cabinet is a small shop selling reproduction cat poster prints (and those with plenty of spare wall space can buy all 49 for 98 Euros if they wish!). One particularly friendly sole had to be prized off my shoulders before we could leave, to the great amusement of other visitors in the shop.

Cat Cabinet is one of those "only in Amsterdam" attractions, but a fun place to visit.
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Member Rating 4 out of 5 on February 4, 2012

Kattenkabinet
Herengracht 497
Amsterdam, Netherlands 1017 BT
+31 20 626 53 78

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