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Photos of Beautiful Amsterdam

October 13, 2010 //  by fiymc

Escalators to the Train Platform from the Airport in Amsterdam
Escalators to the Train Platform from the Airport
Amsterdam Schipol Airport
Inside Amsterdam Schipol Airport

Rooftop Terrace at the Airport
Rooftop Terrace at the Airport
Walking in Amsterdam
Walking in Amsterdam
Crowds at an Amsterdam Market
Crowds at an Amsterdam Market
Cheese in the Amsterdam Market
Cheese at the Market
Fruit at the Market
Fruit at the Market
Special Chocolate at the Market
Special Chocolate at the Market
Famous Amsterdam Dessert
Famous Amsterdam Dessert
Amsterdam Cafes
Amsterdam Cafes
Outdoor Cafes Everywhere
Outdoor Cafes Everywhere
More Amsterdam's Cafes
More Amsterdam's Cafes
The Cycling Culture of Amsterdam
The Cycling Culture of Amsterdam
Amsterdam - The Canal City
Amsterdam - The Canal City
Getting off the Ferry
Getting off the Ferry
Permanent House Boats
Permanent House Boats
Student Housing in Amsterdam
Student Housing at Nooderlicht
Noorderlicht Cafe
Noorderlicht Cafe
Abandoned Submarine
Abandoned Submarine at Nooderlicht
Fast Food Vending Machine in the Train Station
Fast Food Vending Machine in the Train Station
Inside the Tram
Inside the Tram
Downtown Amsterdam
Downtown Amsterdam
Bicycles on a Ferry
Bicycles on a Ferry
Boating the Canals
Boating the Canals
Private Cafe
Private Cafe
Cruising the Canals
Cruising the Canals
Amsterdam Shopping Mall
Amsterdam Shopping Mall
Papa Roach Concert in Amsterdam
Papa Roach Concert in Amsterdam
Jacoby Shaddix of Papa Roach
Jacoby Shaddix of Papa Roach
Bicycles in front of the Train Station
Bicycles in front of the Train Station
More Cafes
More Cafes
Canal Cruise Boat
Canal Cruise Boat
Horse Tours of Amsterdam
Horse Tours of Amsterdam
Amsterdam Tram
Amsterdam Tram
A Train Crossing the Canal
A Train Crossing the Canal

Cafe and Cycling Culture – What is Not to Love?

Amsterdam is one of my favorite cities in the world. There is an energy, openness and culture that is very different than any other city I have been to.
For starters the canals everywhere are beautiful but they also minimize the number of cars and force people to ride bicycles. The narrow roads keep pedestrians and cafes very close, creating a coziness not found in most of the more car centric cities of the world.
Click on the Google Map of Amsterdam below to get a feel for the layout of the center of the city. (The main train station is in the top right hand corner.)
View Map

Cafe Culture

My wife and I are big cafe people. Most of our time is spent relaxing in cafes and people watching. There is no better city in the world for its cafe culture. Every street you go there are multiple cafes with outdoor tables. In some of the more popular areas, the cafes butt up against each other so hundreds of people can gather in close proximity.
Of course, there are the drug coffee shops as well that are as equally prolific as the cafes. I love the fact that the Dutch are open enough to permit soft drug use, but at the same time having thousands of young, stoned travellers probably doesn’t create the greatest atmosphere for a city.
What really amazed us was the English skills of everyone we met. Since US television and movies are all kept in English with subtitles, it seems Dutch get huge amounts of English exposure from childhood. Everyone we talked to said they learned English from television.

Amsterdam Travel Tips

This is definitely a cash country. Traveller’s checks are not widely accepted. The front desk staff at a major hotel didn’t even know what they were. I did manage to cash a couple at the airport but it cost 5 euro per cheque plus a percentage fee. Even credit cards were very difficult to use in many restaurants and shops.
The trains from the airport were a little difficult to use. All trains stop at the same platform and they are not clearly labeled. Look around on the large yellow timetables on the platform to see which train to take. Only the final destination is listed on the trains so you will have to look at all the stops on the timetables to find your correct train. Several passengers including ourselves took the wrong train on our first attempt.
Daily train passes are only a little more than one return trip so buy the daily pass and use the transit system to get around the city.
The ferries behind the main downtown train station are free and are a beautiful ride. We took the Nooderlicht ferry across the canal to a great artist and student area.
Go up to the top floor of the airport for a great roof top terrace and some more restaurants.
The free tourist maps of downtown Amsterdam were terrible. If you can find a good map online, print it off and bring it with you.

Category: Photos, TravelTag: Amsterdam, travel

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Wietske

    October 14, 2010 at 6:19 pm

    Nice to see Amsterdam through your eye’s! I remember the picture made with those guys sitting in the window.. ๐Ÿ˜‰

  2. John

    October 14, 2010 at 7:02 pm

    Hey Wietske,
    Those are all Motoko’s eyes. I don’t think I have the patience to be a photographer. ๐Ÿ™‚ We sent you a postcard, did you get it?

  3. Wietske

    October 14, 2010 at 10:01 pm

    Haha.. I love taking pictures, just got myself a fancy camera. Now all I need is a travelplan for NYE. Then I got some days off.
    Thats so cool!! I love mail! But no.. didn’t get it (yet?)

  4. Mr Twenty Twenty

    October 16, 2010 at 2:19 am

    Way cool!
    You just helped me decide to put Amsterdam toward the top of my bucket list.
    Thanks!
    Mr Twenty Twenty

  5. John

    October 16, 2010 at 8:08 am

    Thanks for the comment!
    Amsterdam is definitely a must see city. There are many beautiful cities in Europe, but I would say that Amsterdam is definitely in the top 3 for the culture and atmosphere of the downtown core.

  6. wietske

    October 16, 2010 at 6:05 pm

    John just got your postcard today! What a coincedence.. Thanks for that!! I love it.
    Do you know where you guys are gonna be for NYE? Still looking for a nice place to visit since I got myself a week off ๐Ÿ˜‰

  7. Corporate Photographer

    October 24, 2010 at 1:14 pm

    I spent a really nice Easter in Amsterdam, and loved looking at these shots. The canals made it for me, loved all the little bridges. Grant

  8. JONSIE

    January 7, 2011 at 6:29 am

    I loved your shots! Really great, i must agree with Mr Twenty Twenty that Amsterdam just made top 3 places I want to visit in 2011! Where did you stay whilest you were there? I was thinking of getting my own place and renting something. Do you know anybody who did that? What do you think of these studios in the dam? Any good? Know it?

  9. John

    January 7, 2011 at 12:30 pm

    Thanks for the comment. We couchsurfed in Amsterdam so I can’t give any accommodation recommendations, but the center is definitely the place to be.

Trackbacks

  1. Photos of Amsterdam Coffeeshops (Drug cafes) | JetSetCitizen.com says:
    December 9, 2011 at 3:50 am

    […] are some more photos of Amsterdam, definitely one of my favourite cities in the […]

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