Topic: Amsterdam

[arnaldo]

You do not need to book

http://www.amsterdamarena.nl/Tours.htm

No idea if the Winslow sell Belgian beer but it is not that hard to find. If you want to try some different ones then try here

http://cafe-belgique.nl/

Thanks very much. Yea I heard of cafe belgique but there are 20 of us going and it seems quite small, they might turn their noses up if we bounced in

[kavah]

^ great location that, 10 minutes from the station.

[Jack the Red]

Just realised, I'll be over there when we play United! What's the best place to watch the match there? Any "smoker friendly" bars that show the footy, preferably near to Centraal? Cheers.

[kavah]

^ the grasshopper

[DutchRed]

You do not need to book

http://www.amsterdamarena.nl/Tours.htm

No idea if the Winslow sell Belgian beer but it is not that hard to find. If you want to try some different ones then try here

http://cafe-belgique.nl/

The tour doesn't need to be booked, though you might have to wait a bit of time if you'd want an English language tour. Dutch ones depart from like 11 to 5 about every 45 mins. Dunno about Belgian beer for that place, but 9 out of 10 will have at least one of Duvel or Leffe

[DutchRed]

Thanks very much. Yea I heard of cafe belgique but there are 20 of us going and it seems quite small, they might turn their noses up if we bounced in

There's tons of places where you can get decent beer. Be prepared to pay some more than you're used to though.

[DutchRed]

Just realised, I'll be over there when we play United! What's the best place to watch the match there? Any "smoker friendly" bars that show the footy, preferably near to Centraal? Cheers.

Grasshopper is your best bet near the station. If you'd be prepared to have a little walk down the canals you'll end up on Leidseplein, a big famous square with both Dutch and English-orientated bars. You'd be able to watch both our game in one of the pubs and then the Ajax one which follows immediately. Watching an Ajax match at Leidseplein is a big thing. It really is, but I don't know whether you'll have the time mate. Enjoy Amsterdam anyway!

[SamAteTheRedAcid]

I wish i was going to Amsterdam.
Went about 5 years in a row on my birthday every year.
Remember going after the FA Cup Final in 2006, day after I think, I was pissed playing Ring of Fire in the streets at 6AM waking up the poor natives! Also remember last time we went the binmen were on strike, was rubbish everywhere. Then the strike ended and all the binmen had boss massive stereos on dead loud as they started the cleanup!

Then the Mrs. got bored of going and now we've a kid so chances would seem slim of me escaping again. Next year though. Such a great place.

[Jack the Red]

Grasshopper is your best bet near the station. If you'd be prepared to have a little walk down the canals you'll end up on Leidseplein, a big famous square with both Dutch and English-orientated bars. You'd be able to watch both our game in one of the pubs and then the Ajax one which follows immediately. Watching an Ajax match at Leidseplein is a big thing. It really is, but I don't know whether you'll have the time mate. Enjoy Amsterdam anyway!

Nice one, the flight home isn't til 9pm so I might have time to squeeze the Ajax game in.

[DutchRed]

Nice one, the flight home isn't til 9pm so I might have time to squeeze the Ajax game in.

Easy, the train to the airport shouldn't take over 15 mins.

[cloggypop]

Just realised, I'll be over there when we play United! What's the best place to watch the match there? Any "smoker friendly" bars that show the footy, preferably near to Centraal? Cheers.

The match should be on at Susies Saloon. Half the bar is split off for smokers and weed is fine. It has a pool table and is a decent place  to sit out by the canal.

Beer is also half the price of the Grasshopper or Leidseplein.

http://www.susiessaloon.nl/

[Jack the Red]

The match should be on at Susies Saloon. Half the bar is split off for smokers and weed is fine. It has a pool table and is a decent place  to sit out by the canal.

Beer is also half the price of the Grasshopper or Leidseplein.

http://www.susiessaloon.nl/

Brilliant mate, nice one! I'll defo check that place out.

[arnaldo]

The tour doesn't need to be booked, though you might have to wait a bit of time if you'd want an English language tour. Dutch ones depart from like 11 to 5 about every 45 mins. Dunno about Belgian beer for that place, but 9 out of 10 will have at least one of Duvel or Leffe

Thanks mate. To say I'm getting excited is a bit of an understatement

[DutchRed]

Thanks mate. To say I'm getting excited is a bit of an understatement

Understandable. Even I'm still buzzing for every night out in The Dam.

[just Riggins?]

Just booked to go on the Megabus for £2.50 return.  There's a camping place 10 mins walk from the coach station which is only 4 euros a night for a pitch so I'm thinking of doing that.  There's a festival called London Calling on while I'm there that my cousins band is playing so I'll check that out, apart from that I've got 3 full days so look forward to reading this thread for recommendations. 

Not a weed smoker though so I won't be doing that 

[DutchRed]

Amsterdam's just brilliant and it's very friendly towards tourists, particularly English-speaking ones.

Given that you apparently will be here in May it's gonna be even better when the weather isn't so shitty.

Things aplenty to do. If the weather is just as shit as it is at the moment, you'd probably do well to visit the museums. We've got a special museum square with a couple of different museums, all well worth a visit and a lot of effort was put in to make it comprehensive in multiple languages too. Another boss thing to do is just stroll around the canals at sunset time, it won't get much better. If the weather is good you might like to just have a little picknick in our beautiful Vondelpark, a fantastic city park. There's plenty of good addresses too for having a decent dinner out in the sun.

Special tip: you can take a special tour through a local beer brewer's place. Don't know whether the tour is any good, but the beer is boss anyway.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/the-netherlands/amsterdam/entertainment-nightlife/other/brouwerij-t-ij

If there's anything you'd like to know please do not hesitate to ask me, either in here or through PM's. Have a lovely time!

[just Riggins?]

Cheers mate, good to hear it's friendly towards English speakers as it's my first time abroad alone so bricking it a bit.  I'll have a read through when I get a chance and send any questions over

[Mad Max]

It was funny when we returned to the Dam Central train station after Utrecht and Eindhoven away and everyone just went left outside the train station.

[JerseyKloppite]

Cheers mate, good to hear it's friendly towards English speakers as it's my first time abroad alone so bricking it a bit.  I'll have a read through when I get a chance and send any questions over

I lived there for 6 months and I'd never lived abroad for any period of time before. Was such an easy place to live even though I spoke no Dutch.

[Hollywood Balls]

P&O are doing a half price ticket from hull if you can get up there - party on the ferry!

[DutchRed]

I lived there for 6 months and I'd never lived abroad for any period of time before. Was such an easy place to live even though I spoke no Dutch.

We won't even let you. It's just about ultimate Dutchness to cut off any foreigner having a crack at our language and just switch the conversation to English.. We actively discourage anybody from learning the language.

[Chakan]

We won't even let you. It's just about ultimate Dutchness to cut off any foreigner having a crack at our language and just switch the conversation to English.. We actively discourage anybody from learning the language.

Got on quite well with the people there, spoke Afrikaans so could understand at least the just of the conversation. Been a long time since I was back there, need to put it on my plans to visit again.

[DutchRed]

Got on quite well with the people there, spoke Afrikaans so could understand at least the just of the conversation. Been a long time since I was back there, need to put it on my plans to visit again.

Haha, Afrikaans is indeed some Dutch-inspired language but it's slightly more poetic.

It's quite common for UK people to come over here the first time they're abroad.

[Chakan]

Haha, Afrikaans is indeed some Dutch-inspired language but it's slightly more poetic.

It's quite common for UK people to come over here the first time they're abroad.

Afrikaans is more poetic? First i've heard, Afrikaans to me is more guttural, least to my ears. Dutch sounds more melodic. I got ripped off by some dutch girl when I spoke Afrikaans to her, told me I was speaking kinder-taal (kinner-taal? Child speak). Had a good laugh.

[DutchRed]

Afrikaans is more poetic? First i've heard, Afrikaans to me is more guttural, least to my ears. Dutch sounds more melodic. I got ripped off by some dutch girl when I spoke Afrikaans to her, told me I was speaking kinder-taal. Had a good laugh.

Afrikaans as spoken in South Africa has some right peaches of words, a number of them are plain hilarious.

To turnwalk = to make use of a toilet
Camel-horse = Giraffe
'Scarcely a pair of trousers' = bra
To shag = to hit, knock
A wank = a while

This kind of stuff.

Dutch is a strange language to hear. It's quite melodic and friendly-sounding, though it's extremely strange to hear. I can't imagine that it's a pleasure to hear Dutch people discussing stuff.

[Chakan]

Afrikaans as spoken in South Africa has some right peaches of words, a number of them are plain hilarious.

Dutch is a strange language to hear. It's quite melodic and friendly-sounding, though it's extremely strange to hear. I can't imagine that it's a pleasure to hear Dutch people discussing stuff.

Oh Afrikaans can be hilarious at times. Go to Benoni  (well actually don't) the lines people come up will make anyone laugh. The phrases that people string together are fantastic.

When dutch people have a conversation it sounds very interesting to me, although if they talk too fast I tend to lose what they are saying.

[JerseyKloppite]

We won't even let you. It's just about ultimate Dutchness to cut off any foreigner having a crack at our language and just switch the conversation to English.. We actively discourage anybody from learning the language.

So true. Always in supermarkets and restaurants.

And my landlord. Who, excitingly, was Danny Muller, former Ajax / Barce footballer.

[Stubbins]

Cheers mate, good to hear it's friendly towards English speakers as it's my first time abroad alone so bricking it a bit.  I'll have a read through when I get a chance and send any questions over

The only time the residents seem to be less than friendly is if you're walking and you stray into the cycle lane. Then you know about it!

[DutchRed]

It's better than people who come over here, never ever cycled before in their life and then they combine renting a bike with making use of our lenient laws concerning certain herbal products. That generally doesn't end up too well.

[Rafas_Barmy_Army]

P&O are doing a half price ticket from hull if you can get up there - party on the ferry!

First time I went over we drove up to Hull and got the ferry to Rotterdam then a coach from Rotterdam to Amsterdam. Had an absolute riot on the boat, late bar and a casino went down rather well.
The only thing I didn't like was that we only really got one proper day in Amsterdam, too much to try and fit in to one day.

[just Riggins?]

Might go with this for accommodation - http://www.campingzeeburg.nl/

Only 4euros a night and a ten min walk from the coach station, anyone know much about it/the area?

[DutchRed]

Ain't really got much of a clue about the camping, though by the looks of it it's sound.

The Zeeburg area is one of my favourite parts of the town really. You're surrounded by water and nature, so when the weather is bright you'll enjoy it. It's easy going into town too, the tram stops about five minutes from the camping. So it's pretty much up to you what you do. If you plan on going out though, you won't find much joy in this particular part of the town, you'll have to get into town. Maybe it'd be clever to rent a bike for getting back to the camping because nightbuses can be a bit of a pain and taxi drivers are generally robbing bastards.

 And, in all honesty, you won't get any cheaper accomodation. I'd say you've got a decent spec with that one.

[Hollywood Balls]

First time I went over we drove up to Hull and got the ferry to Rotterdam then a coach from Rotterdam to Amsterdam. Had an absolute riot on the boat, late bar and a casino went down rather well.
The only thing I didn't like was that we only really got one proper day in Amsterdam, too much to try and fit in to one day.

For a ten quid supplement you can come back a day later 

[AriGold]

4 of us going next Friday-Sunday, staying in the hotel doelen. Anyone know if it that's any good? Can't wait now, some good stories in here! Is there lots of places to watch the footy? We play Southampton on the Saturday, late kick off.

[DutchRed]

Doelen is part of a big hotel chain who hold quite a high standard really. Don't expect a royal suite, but given some of the horror places over here you'll be fine.

Places to watch the game are aplenty. I think you should actually find one near the hotel, but if you want to be sure you should go to the Satellite bar on Leidseplein, a ten-minute walk from where you stay. They show every game on the planet.

Oh and mate, if you snatch the chance, go to Leidseplein again the following day. Ajax play Feyenoord and that's quite a big, big thing over here as you might know.

[AriGold]

Thanks mate! Just checked that Ajax game and it kicks off at half 1, our flight is at 4 so not sure we'll make it

[DutchRed]

Thanks mate! Just checked that Ajax game and it kicks off at half 1, our flight is at 4 so not sure we'll make it

Probably not no. That's a shame, but enjoy the trip all the same

[Rafas_Barmy_Army]

For a ten quid supplement you can come back a day later 

Bloody hell! That's what you get for letting other people organise things! Will keep that in mind now, nice one

[barnseysbarmyarmy]

The missus gave me the all clear for my annual return to an old stomping ground. Can't wait... I find it's just best to walk everywhere and discover your own little joints, if you'll excuse the pun.

[arnaldo]

Came back at the start of the week and just about recovering. What a place. Just going to say one thing- if you are going to stay anywhere stay at st Christopher's at the winston. The place has an incredible bar doing lots of great offers such as two jamesons, absolut, jack for €6, jugs of jupiler for €13 etc. At night the place is pumping