Dajaxon

hmmmmm - spoke with several folks who traveled to AMS back in the early 90's
who loved Amsterdam - but failed to talk to anyone with recent experience.

What a dissappointment!

the canals really stink like sewage.
i was warned to not be downtown after dark because of high crime.
everything seems to close up at 5-6PM.
everyone seemd to reek of smoke - and even though smoking was prohibited on
trains - haha
everyone still smoked.

just an overall dissappointment in my experience.

anyone esle equally dissappointed?

Paul Dwerryhouse

"dajaxon" writes:

    >the canals really stink like sewage.

Never noticed that myself.

    >i was warned to not be downtown after dark because of high crime.

Not true. You'd be more at risk in the outer areas.

    >everything seems to close up at 5-6PM.

Yeah, well that's certainly annoying. But the situation is a little better
than other continental European countries I've been to, most notably Germany.

Any chance that NL is going to relax its ridiculous shopping hours in the
near future?


Paul.

--
Paul Dwerryhouse
Melbourne, Australia (X) Amsterdam, The Netherlands ( )

Miguel Cruz

dajaxon wrote:
    > hmmmmm - spoke with several folks who traveled to AMS back in the early
    > 90's who loved Amsterdam - but failed to talk to anyone with recent
    > experience.
    > What a dissappointment!
    > the canals really stink like sewage.

They do? I've never noticed.

    > i was warned to not be downtown after dark because of high crime.

If you were warned not to drink milk because it makes you grow giant purple
horns, is that really saying anything bad about milk? Or about the people
you were taking advice from?

    > everything seems to close up at 5-6PM.

Stores are open later and later - when I was a kid it was a whole lot worse.
Albert Heijn behind the Queen's palace is open until 10pm now. Restaurants
stay open well into the evening. And the bars are open later than in almost
all American cities, including Austin, where you're kvetching from.

You want to see lousy hours, try Germany.

    > everyone seemd to reek of smoke - and even though smoking was prohibited
    > on trains - haha
    > everyone still smoked.

Yes, that is annoying.

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu

Piet De Groot

In article , "dajaxon"
wrote:

    >just an overall dissappointment in my experience.

    >anyone esle equally dissappointed?

Yes indeed.
We are very dissappointed in you.
And you should do something about your moustache,...canals that stink?
Oh dear.




.

Mr Black

Paul Dwerryhouse wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > "dajaxon" writes:
    > >the canals really stink like sewage.
    > Never noticed that myself.

I have, and this was back in 99.


    > >i was warned to not be downtown after dark because of high crime.
    > Not true. You'd be more at risk in the outer areas.

lets face it, downtown or outer rings, they both get dodgey afterdark.
    > >everything seems to close up at 5-6PM.
    > Yeah, well that's certainly annoying. But the situation is a little better
    > than other continental European countries I've been to, most notably
Germany.

Was in Germany no less than a few months ago, it seemed better than other
parts of Europe, still, thats not saying much.
    > Any chance that NL is going to relax its ridiculous shopping hours in the
    > near future?

We can only hope...

MrB.



    > Paul.
    > --
    > Paul Dwerryhouse
    > Melbourne, Australia (X) Amsterdam, The Netherlands ( )

blandess

On Tue, 25 Feb 2003 04:36:08 GMT, "dajaxon" wrote:

    >hmmmmm - spoke with several folks who traveled to AMS back in the early 90's
    >who loved Amsterdam - but failed to talk to anyone with recent experience.
    >What a dissappointment!
    >the canals really stink like sewage.
    >i was warned to not be downtown after dark because of high crime.
    >everything seems to close up at 5-6PM.
    >everyone seemd to reek of smoke - and even though smoking was prohibited on
    >trains - haha
    > everyone still smoked.
    >just an overall dissappointment in my experience.
    >anyone esle equally dissappointed?


I was there for two weeks during new years. The canals didn't smell.
No problems with crime anywhere. shop during the day go to the
attractions at night many are open later than 6. Yes smokers can
actually smoke in many public areas because they don't have the
tobacco nazis telling them they can't, btw I'm a non-smoker and always
have been.

My overall experience was great but then I didn't expect Amsterdam to
be like here at home in the USA, can't wait to go back!!

Curtis E Carr

Mr Black wrote:

    > >
    > > Any chance that NL is going to relax its ridiculous shopping hours in the
    > > near future?
    > We can only hope...

Why should they?
Nobody starves to death at present because they can't get to a food shop, do
they?

Shop workers ahve a life other than standing around all hours, just in case
somebody actually gets up off their arse and makes an effort to go shopping when
it suits them.

CC
--
Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember, an amateur built the ark, professionals built the Titanic.
------------
This post represents the views of the author and does not necessarily
accurately represent the views of my employer.

A.Spencer3

wrote in message
news:0vI6a.233213$tq4.5450@sccrnsc01...
    > My overall experience was great but then I didn't expect Amsterdam to
    > be like here at home in the USA, can't wait to go back!!

Agreed, great place, as long as you don't expect it to be 'Dutch'!

Surreyman

Paul Tauger

"dajaxon" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > hmmmmm - spoke with several folks who traveled to AMS back in the early
90's
    > who loved Amsterdam - but failed to talk to anyone with recent experience.
    > What a dissappointment!
    > the canals really stink like sewage.
    > i was warned to not be downtown after dark because of high crime.
    > everything seems to close up at 5-6PM.
    > everyone seemd to reek of smoke - and even though smoking was prohibited
on
    > trains - haha
    > everyone still smoked.
    > just an overall dissappointment in my experience.
    > anyone esle equally dissappointed?

Um, no.

We were in Amsterdam last about two years ago. The canals didn't stink. I
don't know what you mean by "downtown," but we wandered all over the city at
all hours of the night without any trouble whatsoever. And, though some
shops and museums and the like close around 5pm (as they do in most cities),
there were lots of restaurants and clubs to visit at night.

As for "reeeking of smoke," welcome to Europe -- smoking in public places is
not as closely regulated as it is in the US.

Miguel Cruz

Curtis E Carr wrote:
    > Mr Black wrote:
    >>> Any chance that NL is going to relax its ridiculous shopping hours in
    >>> the near future?
    >> We can only hope...
    > Why should they?
    > Nobody starves to death at present because they can't get to a food shop, do
    > they?

No, but it's a needless hassle.

    > Shop workers ahve a life other than standing around all hours, just in
    > case somebody actually gets up off their arse and makes an effort to go
    > shopping when it suits them.

So? Some people are perfectly willing to take those shifts; why not give
them the option? The supermarket in my neighborhood shuts at midnight, which
I find to be a real nuisance (my optimal grocery shopping hour is 3am) and
every night starting at 11:30 it's completely crowded with the people forced
to shop at such an unreasonably early hour.

Your preferences are not the world's.

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu

Miguel Cruz

Mr Black wrote:
    > Paul Dwerryhouse wrote:
    >> "dajaxon" writes:
    >>> i was warned to not be downtown after dark because of high crime.
    >> Not true. You'd be more at risk in the outer areas.
    > lets face it, downtown or outer rings, they both get dodgey afterdark.

I have walked around all corners of the city at all hours more times than
you've written a coherent sentence and have never felt uncomfortable or seen
anything bad happening other than mutually-entered-into fist fights.

There is some crime almost everywhere after dark but that's no reason to be
"disappointed." It's normal.

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu

Jeff A. Finger

In article , "Paul Tauger" wrote:
    >"dajaxon" wrote in message
    >news:[email protected]...
    >> hmmmmm - spoke with several folks who traveled to AMS back in the early
    >90's
    >> who loved Amsterdam - but failed to talk to anyone with recent experience.
    >> What a dissappointment!
Wife and I were in Amsterdam in October. Canals were clean and no smell at
all. Spent a couple nights downtown until very late and never felt
uncomfortable. Lots of clubs open. One of our favorite cities. Plan to go
back and spend more time there.

Jeff

Barbara Vaughan

Curtis E Carr wrote:
    >
    > Mr Black wrote:
    >
    > > >
    > > > Any chance that NL is going to relax its ridiculous shopping hours in the
    > > > near future?
    > >
    > > We can only hope...
    >
    > Why should they?
    > Nobody starves to death at present because they can't get to a food shop, do
    > they?

I used to live and work in Holland and I found it a great inconvenience
that the shops were open mostly during the hours when I was at work. On
the one evening and the Saturday they were so crowded that you risked
getting trampled to death, which might be even more painful than
starving.

Barbara

Markfromsf

[email protected] (Miguel Cruz) wrote in message news:...
    > dajaxon wrote:
    > > hmmmmm - spoke with several folks who traveled to AMS back in the early
    > > 90's who loved Amsterdam - but failed to talk to anyone with recent
    > > experience.
    > >
    > > What a dissappointment!
    > >
    > > the canals really stink like sewage.
    >
    > They do? I've never noticed.
    >
    > > i was warned to not be downtown after dark because of high crime.
    >
    > If you were warned not to drink milk because it makes you grow giant purple
    > horns, is that really saying anything bad about milk? Or about the people
    > you were taking advice from?
    >
    > > everything seems to close up at 5-6PM.
    >
    > Stores are open later and later - when I was a kid it was a whole lot worse.
    > Albert Heijn behind the Queen's palace is open until 10pm now. Restaurants
    > stay open well into the evening. And the bars are open later than in almost
    > all American cities, including Austin, where you're kvetching from.
    >
    > You want to see lousy hours, try Germany.
    >
    > > everyone seemd to reek of smoke - and even though smoking was prohibited
    > > on trains - haha
    > > everyone still smoked.
    >
    > Yes, that is annoying.
    >

I didn't notice a canal smell either, besides, they're flushed every
night.

I think people you talked to were paranoid. I went to a club on
Zeedijk, left around 2:00 AM and never felt threatened for a moment.

I don't mind smoking at all. In fact I find it somewhat refreshing to
see people free to relax with a cigarette in bars and cafes.
Amsterdam is wonderful.

P J Wallace

I've been to Amsterdam every year at least once for the last 20 years.

This is balls.

The canals have never smelt in my experience - the water is regularly
changed.

Yes, more Dutch people smoke than is now usual in the US and some of
them delight in breaking rules. There is as bad a problem with
graffiti, litter and dog-poo as in many other large cities. There are
scruffy parts of the city centre, and some areas where you are more
likely to encounter petty criminals than others, but at least one of
the areas I was warned of when I first went there has been
substantially gentrified. I am regularly out and about after midnight
and have never felt unsafe.

As for the idea that nothing happens after working hours, where the
hell did you go? My problem is that a lot of nightlife seems to keep
Mediterranean hours and not get going until after 10pm.

PJW

On Tue, 25 Feb 2003 04:36:08 GMT, "dajaxon" wrote:

    >hmmmmm - spoke with several folks who traveled to AMS back in the early 90's
    >who loved Amsterdam - but failed to talk to anyone with recent experience.
    >What a dissappointment!
    >the canals really stink like sewage.
    >i was warned to not be downtown after dark because of high crime.
    >everything seems to close up at 5-6PM.
    >everyone seemd to reek of smoke - and even though smoking was prohibited on
    >trains - haha
    > everyone still smoked.
    >just an overall dissappointment in my experience.
    >anyone esle equally dissappointed?