Construction season and other Amsterdam, Netherlands Warning Or Danger Tips

Around the Central Train Station works are in progress.
A new busstation will be build at the North side of the building with a pedestrian area at ground level and a motorway underneath.
Furthermore new metro and (high speed) train tracks are under construction.
The metro works needs digging and the train works need overpasses to be build.

At times expect heavy construction works going on. It's is well planned, but may confilct with your plans at times.

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The Anne Frank House is the most popular tourist attraction of Amsterdam.
No wonder, that during the day long waiting lines grow at the entrance.

So, get up early and be there at 9AM sharp (or visit in the early evening hours).

BTW Anne Frank's real house before her family moved to the Achterhuis hideout is located at the Merwedeplein.

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Website: http://www.annefrankhuis.nl/content.asp?pid=1&lid=1&setlanguage=2

There are separate bicycle roads; these are NO WALKWAYS. On the other hand, Bikes will be everywhere on the walkways.

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Website: http://web.inter.nl.net/users/Paul.Treanor/cycle-list.html

Most of the smaller interconnecting streets are dedicated to bicycles! Please walk on the sidewalks.

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The Amsterdam Trams (public transport streetcars) are great to use, but they travel through some narrow crowded streets too (Leidsestraat, Reguliers Breestraat). So, get customized to look out for tracks and fast trams crossing (when you are crossing the street).

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There are Pickpockets! (also in the public transportation).

In the main shopping streets you are warned (see picture).

The top 5 pickpocket trics:

1) Cover. You will be surrounded by a group to cover the crime, using newspapers, coats etc. to cover the actual happening.

2) Broken glasses. Somebody drops glasses on the ground and steps on it. You will be accused and in the events that follow you will be pick-pocketed.

3) Back-to-Back. Very popular in Hamburger restaurants. While your coat is hanging on your chair and you finally start enjoying your food, the person that sits back-to-back with you starts his search.

4) Stain. Somebody stains your coat and offers to clean it. The moment you give your coat away..... well you get the picture.

5) Peeking at the ATM. Cover the keyboard when you punch in your pincode.

Besides these 5 there were cases people personating as fake policeman and asking for pasports and more.

Be aware!

Recent Amsterdam crimes map

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Phone: 112 (Alarm) or 0900-8844
Website: http://www.politie-amsterdam-amstelland.nl/frameset/
Other Contact: Crime report line: 0800-7000

Amsterdam has a strict and expensive parking control. If you haven't payed your ticket or have parked your car at the wrong spot, you end up with DE WIELKLEM. Removing cost a lot of money and retrieving your car once it has been towed away cost even more!

2008 Update: From January 1, 2009 the parking police will not use the "wielklem" anymore. It was not friendly enough for foreign visitors.

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Website: http://www.naaramsterdam.nl/engels/

In Amsterdam you can buy "vitamin"-pills, smoke hash, go into the RLD, get drunk and more.....

It's up to you; I rather stay healthy.

For your information: the next list indicaties the likelyhood of trouble vs. cause:

1 - Spacecake (Many tourist confuse this with "normal" cake)
2 - Mushrooms (The strong [negative] effects are not well-known to many)
3 - Cannabis/Soft drugs (Overdosis is a likely cause of trouble)
4 - GHB/XTC (Pills are related to dance parties, but sometimes they are used to seduce victims. Keep an eye on your drink in an unfamiliar place!)
5 - Cocaine/Heroine (only in the illegal circuit and always good for trouble)
6 - Alcohol (Dutch beers contain more alcohol than US ones and drinking too much ...)

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Website: http://www.gaylinc.nl/index.php/general-info/12-general-info/34-drugs

If you get in trouble despite all the WARNINGS I gave you, look for Oom Agent (Uncle Policeman). This one is guarding the Dam Square.

And don't cycle at pedestrain areas or walkways!

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Phone: 0900-8844
Website: http://www.politie-amsterdam-amstelland.nl/frameset/get.cfm?id=2017
Other Contact: 112 for emergencies only

You cannot park your bicycle at any spot.

Most shopkeepers have small signs in their window that they will remove your bike (they don't like to get scratches on the glass or worse).

At the Central Station each week a truckload of wrongly parked bicycles is hauled away.

And even at the Chinese Tempel at the Zeedijk your bicycle is not welcome!

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