Welcome to My Amsterdam Travel Guide!

I never had a desire to visit Amsterdam, or the Netherlands for that matter. Not the slightest inkling. Even though I am 1/6th Dutch I think, or so I am told. But, a job opportunity in Germany as an Art Director, allowed me a few days in Amsterdam before a train would take me to Hamburg. Upon arriving at Centraal Station from Schipol Airport, I exited through the front doors, and was instantly engulfed by everything at once. All of my thoughts for the next 5 minutes were blurred together to form one conclusion:

"I could have been born here."

Amsterdam photo by bcnbits

An ecletic mix of old and new, right and wrong, what is and what could have been. Unblemished freedom and a pure melting pot of everyone. Bicycle Express and the Rare Automobile playing at the corner near you! Trammers, meet the bicyclists; bicyclists meet the bus riders; bus riders meet the mopedders; mopedders meet the pedestrians; pedestrians meet the tourists; tourists meet the drug dealers and prostitutes. Now that everyone has met - GOOD LUCK and HAVE FUN!



The Birth of My Guide to Amsterdam


Ever since my first visit to Amsterdam, I've wanted to interpret the mysteriousness of this place and share it with you. In the last few years I have read many travel books and guides of this historic Dutch city but I feel hardly any of them really capture the experiences of travel. They do a pretty good of showing you where to go, where to eat and what to see in Amsterdam, but not many share actual travel experiences. For example, almost every guidebook will comment on Amsterdam as a "safe city but you still have to be careful." I will write that too. But, I will also elaborate. After all, I was almost mugged in Amsterdam.

In order to write a travel guide, I always thought I had to take out a huge loan and plan a month long trip to Amsterdam just to make sure I see everything - even the habits of the sewer rats in the dark caverns below the articulate cobblestone bricks. It wasn't until my last trip to Amsterdam that I thought: "just because I don't take out a huge loan and plan month long trip doesn't mean I can't write about my second home. It will be my 8th trip to Amsterdam!" So, I continued my thoughts:

I have been to Amsterdam with my friends and family
I've been there all by myself
I have been to Amsterdam while I was sober
I've been there when I was just a little tipsy
I have been to Amsterdam while I was single
I've been there with my beloved girlfriend
I have been to Amsterdam in the best of health
I've been there down and out with the flu
I have been to Amsterdam with an itinerary
I've been there without much of a clue
I have been to Amsterdam when I was naive
I've been there when I was a little more careful
I have been to Amsterdam during my 20's
I've been there in my 30's
I have been to Amsterdam in the dead of winter
I've been there in the middle of summer
I have been to Amsterdam as a tourist
I've been there as if I was a local
I have been to Amsterdam for fun and pleasure
I've been there for some business
I have been to Amsterdam with a camera
I've been there with just my eyes
I have been to Amsterdam with friendly strangers
I've been there when I felt unwelcomed
I've been to Amsterdam in the best of moments
I've been there in the worst
I have to Amsterdam for one reason or another
I've been there with no reason at all
I've been to Amsterdam for several days
and I've been there for months.

...I have been to Amsterdam.

So, without further adieu...Let's Have Fun in Amsterdam!

Cheers,

Johnny Amsterdam