"Amsterdam.... Here's some tips from 13... " a Amsterdam Travel Page by PeteP51D

I'll be adding soon to this page on a regular basis as I review my notes and gather & scan some photos from my first 13 visits to Amsterdam. The 14th will be 1/22/04 so stay tuned. I work for an airline and fly "space available, so I tend to travel in the off season when the flights are less full. That means Europe after the summer, or south to the palm trees after spring break 'till Holloween. So if nothing else, bring QUALITY thermal underwear bottoms and a Polartec scarf to tame the wet & cold. More on this later. As "excitableone" points out, avoid your BRITE WHITE sneakers if you want to blend in somewhat and not shout "TOURIST". But by all means bring a comfortable pair of walking shoes 'cause you'll be doing a lot of it. . Colors of black, brown, & grey seem to be universal city camoflage & leather jackets (black/brown) seem to be the norm.You don't have to go total "Matrix" on yourself, but you get the picture. By all means see the hustle & bustle of the Red Light District & have some laughs there, but also explore the quieter areas around the Jordanwith its dreamy canals & south of the Heineken factory to get the real local feel of Amsterdam. If a bar or pub looks cool or inviting, by all means stop in for a drink or a bite. If you're mellow/friendly, more often than not you can strike up a conversation with the barperson & the locals. Go ahead & show your International Relation skills by asking what's up with their Dutch gin "Jenever" & buy the 1st round for someone at the bar. Someone will instruct you in the proper method of drinking it. At which point some other local will say that that is all wrong and then show you the correct way to do it, and so on.... You'll be surprised how quickly the party builds momentum from there! But remember, if you're not sure, ASK 1st before sparking up that bomber spliff you bought earlier. Not every place allows weed. ( see "excitableone"'s notes from the canal boat tour.) With living space in Holland/Europe being at a premium, folks use their neighborhood pubs & coffeeshops as extended living rooms where friends meet friends & socialize. With 100's of such places, there are as many different vibes as there are people out there. From BRIGHT CHROME & glass techno-modern cool, to laid-back dark wood & reggae mellow. Like any good guest to someone's home, just show a little respect & basic manners & you'll be singing in Dutch & closing the place down with your new Dutch friends before you know it!
...(more to come. Stay tuned..!)