"OH IT WAS SO COLD! BUT I HAD FUN ANYWAY" Amsterdam by Zarasher

Amsterdam, a Popular Place
Amsterdam is city popular with first time travelers. In part, Amsterdam’s popularity comes from low airfares, a great airport with easy train connections to other major European cities, good food, and a cultural environment that attracts young travelers from all over the world.

For most visitors Amsterdam is the only place they visit in the Netherlands, skipping to Paris or Copenhagen without a look at the rest of this interesting country. Many visit Amsterdam because of its party atmosphere (it is one of the few towns in Europe where hotel prices are higher on the weekends than during the week). The town is full of good parties, excellent beer, and if you have a desire to smoke dope, you can do it legally. If so inclined, buy your weed in a "coffee shop", as they are licensed for the transactions and reputed to have good quality product.

While planning your stay in Amsterdam, remember that it is a place for good eating. The city has many Indonesian restaurants offering a “rice table (rijstafel) and is, also, crowded with Argentinean steak houses that serve excellent meals.

Amsterdam has numerous tourist attractions and attempting to see all of them all could while away your time and dollars. Most of the attractions are minor and many are generally uninteresting. Some are unusual (like the Sex Museum and the Erotic Museum (think Red Light District)) but extremely touristy. We focus on just six of the city’s many attractions including two that are “must sees”.

If you have a lot of time, Amsterdam is a great city to walk and doing so reveals more about the heart and soul of the city than you can experience any other way. If you are short on time, stop in the transport ticket office next to the Information Center just outside of the Centraal Station and buy a Nationale Strippen Kaart with 15 strips for approximately six and a half Euros.

Two strips are required for your initial ride and a new strip for each additional zone (have the strips validated on the streetcar or bus).

Most of tourist Amsterdam is found in one zone (ticket validations last one hour).

The Strippen Kaart is usually the most economical way to travel and can be used on buses or trams throughout the country).

Finally, bring or buy an Umbrella; rain seems to be popular in Amsterdam regardless of the season. And believed me I got rained on almost every day of my six day trip