Getting away from it all in Amsterdam

Soaking up the atmoshpere - I planned to do so much but become addicted to the atmosphere and street life. I ended up spending hours feeling like I was in paradise, just admiring the scenery, strolling, enjoying the buzz from the crowds, and lazing around people watching.

Quick Tips:

Spend time hanging out. Amsterdam is a city with many attractions, but avoid spending a short break rushing from one to another. For it is also a lively city with a wonderful atmosphere, pretty scenery and lots to explore on foot. A few hours just aimless wandering can turn up some real unexpected gems and give you an addiction to the place like nothing else can.

Best Way To Get Around:

Getting around Amsterdam is easy. Even during the busy periods, there is little traffic on the streets, especially compared to my home town in Britain. The network of buses and trams go everywhere, and most meet at Centraal Station. Watch out for the numerous cyclists! I spent a lot of time on foot. The attractive side streets, little traffic and canal sides seem made for walking.

The Hotel is in a wonderful location, on a pretty street. The Concert Hall (Concertbouw) is just opposite, and it s close to the Musuemplein and the Vondelpark. It is outside of the city centre, but tram number 16 stops directly outside. Tourist tram 20 goes by the Concertbouw. There are also numerous buses. All go via Dam Square, Centraal Station and other major sites. I went for a back room to avoid the noise of traffic.

Please note that it is accessed by a long steep, narrow staircase, so it would be unsuitable for people with mobility difficulties. My room was a basic one with shared bathroom. It was kept clean. A good breakfast was served every morning in my room consisting of toast, bread, cheese, eggs and fruit juice. If you like sleeping in, be warned you will have an early wake up call.

The staff is fairly friendly and they speak good English. The hotel is not, however, a place to meet people and socialize, given its small size. There is a small lounge that is shared with reception. If what you want is a hotel room that is simply a base, while you are off out exploring, then it is ideal. If you are looking for a home away from home, then try somewhere with more facilites. I thought it was a VERY good value for the money - my single room (shoulder season) was f95 a night with breakfast (don't ask me to convert that into Euros please). Hotel Bema comes highly recommended therefore, as it is in an excellent location at a good price, and is small and quiet.

The tour cost f25 (that was just before the days of the Euro). The two hour tours were running on Wednesday and Friday evenings at 6.00pm and 8.00pm.

The tour began with drinks and a talk from the multilingual guide about the history of the district and the present conditions. The red light district is in one of the oldest parts of the city. Zeedijk was the playground of the sailors, as they came off ship looking for beer and women. It has kept true to its tradition, though I have been informed that the Zeedijk is a lot tamer these days than it used to be. The red light district got its name from the red lamps the women used to carry as they met the incoming ships. The talk went onto prostitution today. Dutch prostitutes charge more than those who are immigrants in many cases. Prices vary from f50-100 for ten minutes, and men can only come once! There are thousands of tourists to the area a year. The area has one of the lowest crime rates (that suprised me, given the drugs problem as well).

We then went out, viewing the district. We walked along tiny side streets. Some buildings of significance were pointed out - the oldest timber building in the city, a hidden church, and my favourite - a building where someone committed a murder and disposed of the body in the adjacent canal, but the body floated... It was quite busy, and had a lively safe feel to it. To see the girls in the window was quite an eye opener for me. We ended up by a canal, and then the tour ended with a visit to the Musuem of Erotica.

The guide was quite fun, easy to talk to and entertaining. The tour was well conducted and gave a good overview of the area. I felt it was worth the fee.

It would be possible to go on your own though. I was travelling alone and was nervous, not knowing the area. However, if I went again, I would feel confident enough to have a stroll around by myself.

I travelled to Amsterdam with Eurolines. I was a bit concerned about the length of time (12 hours), but I was so in need of a break I was willing to try anything. I found it fine.

The outward journey was the best. I checked in at London Victoria, and the wondered what was coming next. The bus left perfectly on time.

The Dutch driver was funny. 'You've made it to London, let's hope we make it to Amsterdam' he announced as we left the bus station. I give him ten out of ten for his honesty in admitting we may not make it. He then announced he was going to play an adult movie. I caught my breath and looked at the two small children sitting opposite me, and at their mother in front of me. He then said '007'. As we went through the channel tunnel, he chatted to me.

Although it was a long journey, we had frequent stops at service stations. We arrived in Amsterdam 1 and a half hours early. The driver was not done yet with jokes. He warned us to be careful about theft in Amstel station. He had seen it before. Someone puts their bag down, turns away for a few seconds, and it's gone. He added 'though for some of you it would be a good thing. It will save you the bother of carrying it'. He had saved the best joke until last. He directed us to the Metro station to get into central Amsterdam.

The return journey was livened up greatly by a party of scouts. Wonderful free entertainment, without them even trying. Shame about the bad tempered English driver. It was fun and games at Calias - someone had the wrong ID. Someone else disappeared at Dover. Nonetheless, we arrived in London exactly on time.

I am using Eurolines again for my following trip. I would recommend it. I know many people have concerns, but really it is not all that bad!