Amsterdam :-(
Feb 25th 2003, 7:19 am
#16
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Amsterdam :-(
I live and work on the water in Amsterdam;
the canals can smell, but it's rare. it happens occasionaly in summer when
there hasn't been enough rain to oxigenate and change the water [it then
gets a bit anaerobic].
crime; very little violent crime. lots of junkies lurking around places that
junkies lurk, but they seem to be relatively well "fed".
there are shops open late, but not all of them.
Mark Holden
Amsterdamhouseboatrentals.com
"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?
the canals can smell, but it's rare. it happens occasionaly in summer when
there hasn't been enough rain to oxigenate and change the water [it then
gets a bit anaerobic].
crime; very little violent crime. lots of junkies lurking around places that
junkies lurk, but they seem to be relatively well "fed".
there are shops open late, but not all of them.
Mark Holden
Amsterdamhouseboatrentals.com
"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?
Feb 25th 2003, 7:30 am
#17
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Amsterdam :-(
Curtis E Carr writes:
>Why should they?
>Nobody starves to death at present because they can't get to a food shop, do
>they?
It's a real pain when you work 9am-6pm (so, taking transport into account,
that means you're effectively unavailable from 8am until 7pm) to find all
the damned supermarkets shut when you need to buy food. There's only so
far you can plan ahead, especially given the minute size of the average
refrigerator that you find in rental accomodation in Amsterdam.
And on Saturdays, the supermarkets in Amsterdam are insanely crowded (as
are the three supermarkets that are open on Sundays). It's ridiculous.
Obviously there's a need for longer trading hours - why doesn't the
government liberalise them?
> 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.
The Netherlands already has laws that prevent workers from being forced to
work more than 40 hours a week, so it's not going to inconvenience any shop
workers by allowing 24x7 trading. It's more likely to create a good number
of jobs for people who are willing to work at night.
Paul.
--
Paul Dwerryhouse
Melbourne, Australia (X) Amsterdam, The Netherlands ( )
>Why should they?
>Nobody starves to death at present because they can't get to a food shop, do
>they?
It's a real pain when you work 9am-6pm (so, taking transport into account,
that means you're effectively unavailable from 8am until 7pm) to find all
the damned supermarkets shut when you need to buy food. There's only so
far you can plan ahead, especially given the minute size of the average
refrigerator that you find in rental accomodation in Amsterdam.
And on Saturdays, the supermarkets in Amsterdam are insanely crowded (as
are the three supermarkets that are open on Sundays). It's ridiculous.
Obviously there's a need for longer trading hours - why doesn't the
government liberalise them?
> 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.
The Netherlands already has laws that prevent workers from being forced to
work more than 40 hours a week, so it's not going to inconvenience any shop
workers by allowing 24x7 trading. It's more likely to create a good number
of jobs for people who are willing to work at night.
Paul.
--
Paul Dwerryhouse
Melbourne, Australia (X) Amsterdam, The Netherlands ( )
Feb 25th 2003, 7:34 am
#18
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Amsterdam :-(
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 never noticed any smell even in summer. They have a system that
flushes them out every night into the sea.
>i was warned to not be downtown after dark because of high crime.
I guess it is sensible to take precautions wherever you are but I
never noticed any problem wandering around on my own downtown after
dark.
>everything seems to close up at 5-6PM.
I have eaten (and had a few beers) after midnight and the rest of the
area was still buzzing. Stores may close but then if I want to
spend all my time shopping, 9 - 5 gives me enough time before I fall
off my feet (including lunch in De Beijenkorf).
>everyone seemd to reek of smoke - and even though smoking was prohibited on
>trains - haha
> everyone still smoked.
That's a european thing. They smoke in trains, in restaurants
between meals, in hotel bedrooms. You can't avoid it (except by
avoiding europe).
>just an overall dissappointment in my experience.
>anyone esle equally dissappointed?
I love Amsterdam. There is so much to do and see. Shop, visit
sights whatever during the day, a nice Indonesian meal or theater or
just wander through the city at night, and then to bed ready to do it
all over again the next day.
I cannot vouch for it personally, but I gather if you prefer to spend
the day in coffee shops and the evenings in night clubs, saunas,
cinemas whatever, you won't be disappointed in Amsterdam either.
If you find you run out of things to do in Amsterdam, you can always
hop on a train to Haarlem or Leiden or ??? or take one of the many
coach tours - see the cheese market in Alkmaar If you really want
to be impressed, get up early and visit the flower market in
Aalsmeer.
As for dutch cuisine ..... now there's a disappointment
)
Derek
>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 never noticed any smell even in summer. They have a system that
flushes them out every night into the sea.
>i was warned to not be downtown after dark because of high crime.
I guess it is sensible to take precautions wherever you are but I
never noticed any problem wandering around on my own downtown after
dark.
>everything seems to close up at 5-6PM.
I have eaten (and had a few beers) after midnight and the rest of the
area was still buzzing. Stores may close but then if I want to
spend all my time shopping, 9 - 5 gives me enough time before I fall
off my feet (including lunch in De Beijenkorf).
>everyone seemd to reek of smoke - and even though smoking was prohibited on
>trains - haha
> everyone still smoked.
That's a european thing. They smoke in trains, in restaurants
between meals, in hotel bedrooms. You can't avoid it (except by
avoiding europe).
>just an overall dissappointment in my experience.
>anyone esle equally dissappointed?
I love Amsterdam. There is so much to do and see. Shop, visit
sights whatever during the day, a nice Indonesian meal or theater or
just wander through the city at night, and then to bed ready to do it
all over again the next day.
I cannot vouch for it personally, but I gather if you prefer to spend
the day in coffee shops and the evenings in night clubs, saunas,
cinemas whatever, you won't be disappointed in Amsterdam either.
If you find you run out of things to do in Amsterdam, you can always
hop on a train to Haarlem or Leiden or ??? or take one of the many
coach tours - see the cheese market in Alkmaar If you really want
to be impressed, get up early and visit the flower market in
Aalsmeer.
As for dutch cuisine ..... now there's a disappointment
)Derek
Feb 25th 2003, 8:51 am
#19
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Amsterdam :-(
In article ,
[email protected] wrote:
>As for dutch cuisine ..... now there's a disappointment)
No, not really.
That is mainly because we don´t HAVE a Dutch cuisine.
Well...Dutch cuisine is a piece of polder on a platter.
But on the bright side: you can build your own dikes if you like.
There are a few typically Dutch dishes.
"Erwtensoep" which is concrete pea-soup with bits of sausage in it.
"Kroket", a stick of fried erm...bits, in crumbs.
There are a few more but thinking about them means I get these terrible
headaches and an uncontrolable urge to go eat at McDonalds.
[email protected] wrote:
>As for dutch cuisine ..... now there's a disappointment
)No, not really.
That is mainly because we don´t HAVE a Dutch cuisine.
Well...Dutch cuisine is a piece of polder on a platter.
But on the bright side: you can build your own dikes if you like.
There are a few typically Dutch dishes.
"Erwtensoep" which is concrete pea-soup with bits of sausage in it.
"Kroket", a stick of fried erm...bits, in crumbs.
There are a few more but thinking about them means I get these terrible
headaches and an uncontrolable urge to go eat at McDonalds.
Feb 25th 2003, 10:07 am
#20
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Amsterdam :-(
P. de Groot schreef in artikel
...
> In article ,
> [email protected] wrote:
>
> >As for dutch cuisine ..... now there's a disappointment)
>
> No, not really.
> That is mainly because we don´t HAVE a Dutch cuisine.
> Well...Dutch cuisine is a piece of polder on a platter.
>
> But on the bright side: you can build your own dikes if you like.
What's wrong with a good old Dutch stamppot? ;-) Now only try to find a
restaurant that actually serves that stuff. :-)
Regards,
David
...
> In article ,
> [email protected] wrote:
>
> >As for dutch cuisine ..... now there's a disappointment
)>
> No, not really.
> That is mainly because we don´t HAVE a Dutch cuisine.
> Well...Dutch cuisine is a piece of polder on a platter.
>
> But on the bright side: you can build your own dikes if you like.
What's wrong with a good old Dutch stamppot? ;-) Now only try to find a
restaurant that actually serves that stuff. :-)
Regards,
David
Feb 25th 2003, 12:13 pm
#21
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Amsterdam :-(
>What's wrong with a good old Dutch stamppot? ;-) Now only try to find a
>restaurant that actually serves that stuff. :-)
hehe the one thing I would like to try is olliebollen but I am told
only dutch people are capable of eating them ;o) I think I will
give the licorice drops a miss too. On the other hand why I am
never offered chocolate bits with my hotel breakfast? I thought they
were mandatory in Netherlands.
One of the meals I remember vividly was a portion of flaamse frites
whilst shuffling down Damrak on Queens day (without mayonnaise of
course). Delicious.
My most memorable meals have been taken at Tempoe Doeloe Indonesian
Restaurant in Utrechtsstraat. They do a rijstafel to die for.
For quick after midnight sustenance, it's hard to beat pizza and
several litre glasses of Heineken.
Aaarrrggghhh I want to go back to Amsterdam - now!
Derek
>restaurant that actually serves that stuff. :-)
hehe the one thing I would like to try is olliebollen but I am told
only dutch people are capable of eating them ;o) I think I will
give the licorice drops a miss too. On the other hand why I am
never offered chocolate bits with my hotel breakfast? I thought they
were mandatory in Netherlands.
One of the meals I remember vividly was a portion of flaamse frites
whilst shuffling down Damrak on Queens day (without mayonnaise of
course). Delicious.
My most memorable meals have been taken at Tempoe Doeloe Indonesian
Restaurant in Utrechtsstraat. They do a rijstafel to die for.
For quick after midnight sustenance, it's hard to beat pizza and
several litre glasses of Heineken.
Aaarrrggghhh I want to go back to Amsterdam - now!
Derek
Feb 25th 2003, 12:39 pm
#22
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Amsterdam :-(
On Tue, 25 Feb 2003 20:34:05 +0000, Derek McBryde
wrote:
>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 never noticed any smell even in summer. They have a system that
>flushes them out every night into the sea.
>>i was warned to not be downtown after dark because of high crime.
>I guess it is sensible to take precautions wherever you are but I
>never noticed any problem wandering around on my own downtown after
>dark.
Having been to Holland, and Amsterdam, many times, and some 70+ other
countries, the only place I've *ever* been subjected to a "crime
against the person", as they say, was when I was on business in
Holland at Amsterdam Central train station at 6.15 in the morning,
waiting for a train to Utrecht. I was basically mugged by a couple of
guys who ran off with my briefcase.
Much safer downtown at night, IME :-)
Brian
wrote:
>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 never noticed any smell even in summer. They have a system that
>flushes them out every night into the sea.
>>i was warned to not be downtown after dark because of high crime.
>I guess it is sensible to take precautions wherever you are but I
>never noticed any problem wandering around on my own downtown after
>dark.
Having been to Holland, and Amsterdam, many times, and some 70+ other
countries, the only place I've *ever* been subjected to a "crime
against the person", as they say, was when I was on business in
Holland at Amsterdam Central train station at 6.15 in the morning,
waiting for a train to Utrecht. I was basically mugged by a couple of
guys who ran off with my briefcase.
Much safer downtown at night, IME :-)
Brian
Feb 25th 2003, 1:23 pm
#23
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Amsterdam :-(
"Miguel Cruz" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Your preferences are not the world's.
And neither are yours. Nobody owes you 24-hour shopping.
news:[email protected]...
> Your preferences are not the world's.
And neither are yours. Nobody owes you 24-hour shopping.
Feb 25th 2003, 1:33 pm
#24
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Amsterdam :-(
"MM" writes:
>And neither are yours. Nobody owes you 24-hour shopping.
Yeah, but if you don't like 24 hour shopping, you just don't have to frequent
them outside your approved hours.
We don't have that freedom to shop at our preferred times.
--
Paul Dwerryhouse
Melbourne, Australia (X) Amsterdam, The Netherlands ( )
>And neither are yours. Nobody owes you 24-hour shopping.
Yeah, but if you don't like 24 hour shopping, you just don't have to frequent
them outside your approved hours.
We don't have that freedom to shop at our preferred times.
--
Paul Dwerryhouse
Melbourne, Australia (X) Amsterdam, The Netherlands ( )
Feb 25th 2003, 2:21 pm
#25
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Amsterdam :-(
MM wrote:
> "Miguel Cruz" wrote:
>> Your preferences are not the world's.
> And neither are yours. Nobody owes you 24-hour shopping.
Quite so. And I wouldn't presume to force any store to provide it.
Forbidding them from doing so even if they want to, on the other hand, is
going a bit far.
miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu
> "Miguel Cruz" wrote:
>> Your preferences are not the world's.
> And neither are yours. Nobody owes you 24-hour shopping.
Quite so. And I wouldn't presume to force any store to provide it.
Forbidding them from doing so even if they want to, on the other hand, is
going a bit far.
miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu
Feb 25th 2003, 3:26 pm
#26
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Amsterdam :-(
"dajaxon" wrote in message news:...
> 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?
By the way, where the hell is downtown Amsterdam?
> 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?
By the way, where the hell is downtown Amsterdam?
Feb 25th 2003, 5:54 pm
#27
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Amsterdam :-(
markfromsf wrote:
> By the way, where the hell is downtown Amsterdam?
Centrum?
miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu
> By the way, where the hell is downtown Amsterdam?
Centrum?
miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu
Feb 25th 2003, 6:36 pm
#28
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Amsterdam :-(
[email protected] (Miguel Cruz) writes:
>markfromsf wrote:
>> By the way, where the hell is downtown Amsterdam?
>Centrum?
From WordNet (r) 1.7.1 (July 2002) [wn]:
downtown
adj : of or located in the lower part of a town especially the
business center; "downtown Manhattan"; "delinquents
roaming the downtown streets" [ant: {uptown}]
I guess, from that description, "downtown" Amsterdam could be the Bijlmer,
Amsterdam Noord or Amsterdam West
--
Paul Dwerryhouse
Melbourne, Australia (X) Amsterdam, The Netherlands ( )
>markfromsf wrote:
>> By the way, where the hell is downtown Amsterdam?
>Centrum?
From WordNet (r) 1.7.1 (July 2002) [wn]:
downtown
adj : of or located in the lower part of a town especially the
business center; "downtown Manhattan"; "delinquents
roaming the downtown streets" [ant: {uptown}]
I guess, from that description, "downtown" Amsterdam could be the Bijlmer,
Amsterdam Noord or Amsterdam West
--
Paul Dwerryhouse
Melbourne, Australia (X) Amsterdam, The Netherlands ( )
Feb 25th 2003, 8:10 pm
#29
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Amsterdam :-(
Paul Dwerryhouse writes:
> And on Saturdays, the supermarkets in Amsterdam are insanely crowded (as
> are the three supermarkets that are open on Sundays). It's ridiculous.
> Obviously there's a need for longer trading hours - why doesn't the
> government liberalise them?
Because it wouldn't be gezellig :-)
--
-- Chris, in 24 hour Edinburgh...
> And on Saturdays, the supermarkets in Amsterdam are insanely crowded (as
> are the three supermarkets that are open on Sundays). It's ridiculous.
> Obviously there's a need for longer trading hours - why doesn't the
> government liberalise them?
Because it wouldn't be gezellig :-)
--
-- Chris, in 24 hour Edinburgh...
Feb 25th 2003, 11:10 pm
#30
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Amsterdam :-(
> There are a few typically Dutch dishes.
> "Erwtensoep" which is concrete pea-soup with bits of sausage in it.
OK, I give up. How do you pronounce 'Erwtensoep'???
---
DFM
> "Erwtensoep" which is concrete pea-soup with bits of sausage in it.
OK, I give up. How do you pronounce 'Erwtensoep'???
---
DFM
