Amsterdam Slutwalk.

Amsterdam Slutwalk.

Surprise, surprise. Another celebration and parade in Amsterdam! Forget Smart & Sexy, it’s all about slut!

Over a month ago we reported on the Smart & Sexy parade. This time around, it is the amsterdam Slutwalk. Over 700 participants filled the cobblestone streets to bring awareness and a plead to stop sexual violence.

Here we have not one, but two photos of the week from the same photographer.

photo by: Sebastiaan ter Burg

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I never thought I would have to try and imagine an Amsterdam without the coffeeshop experience. It’s like trying to imagine the country of Ireland banning Guiness Beer to all tourists; or the city of London, allowing only those who grew up with pound sterling in their pocket, to enter the front door. The object of your desire will still be there to tempt you, but you won’t be able to obtain it. Not without consequences at least. By the end of this year, it will be illegal for tourists to visit Amsterdam coffeeshops. And, it will be illegal for Dutch citizens to visit the cannabis coffee shops unless they have acquired a yearly membership to the ‘private club.’

Or will it be illegal?

The news about the ‘Dutch coffeeshop ban’ first hit last week and even received some press in the mainstream media outlets. Besides the proposed ban and the implementation of a ‘Weed pass’ –  or yearly membership for Dutch locals – the details are few and unclear. I just chatted with a Dutch friend, Marco, who has lived his entire life in Amsterdam. He ‘finds it hard to believe the Dutch government would go as far as banning the coffeeshops to tourists.’ He also mentioned there is ‘another political party that may try and step in.’ But even he was unclear on the situation and seemed to be starving for more details.

I talked with another friend, Dave, an American who frequents Amsterdam about 3 times a year. He is currently on the ground in Amsterdam and has been there for almost 2 months now. He mentioned ‘he has no idea what’s up but no one here gives a ‘bleep.’ Amsterdam at its finest.

Without concrete information, rumors are running rampant. Some suggest the Mayor of Amsterdam may have the key to make the final decisions, overriding any desire by the far right wing government and some say more details will be revealed later this month. But until more details are revealed, we may not really know the extent of this ban.

Or, if it will really happen.

photo by: p_guedes

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Did you forget your camera?

This photo was taken in the cozy Jordaan district of Amsterdam at a street side flea market. You will also find many small and interesting boutiques scattered throughout this area of Amsterdam.

photo by: teodozjusz

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Many of you may have already heard that the Dutch government plans on banning cannabis coffeeshops to tourists,  in Amsterdam and the rest of the Netherlands, by the end of the year. While this may come as a surprise to some, this right wing government has been ‘cleaning’ up Amsterdam for some time. In fact, a number of brothels in the red light district have been shut down over the past several years.

How much this affects tourism in Amsterdam remains to be seen but some say there are tens of thousands of tourists who visit the famous Amsterdam coffeeshops every week. If this is the case, it may be a huge burden on tourism. Dutch citizens would be allowed to use the coffeeshops on a membership basis.

photo by: Terrazzo

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The sky outside.

It’s a special day when your window seat features a sky like this. This photo was taken at the London Luton Airport while en route to Amsterdam.

Photo by: jordanmerrick

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Smart & Sexy Parade.

One thing I love about Amsterdam is that it never ceases to surprise me. You can travel to this eclectic dutch city a handful of times and each time see something different and unexpected that it is only exclusive to Amsterdam.

For example, imagine if you were stumbling around the cobble stoned sidewalks on the 21st of April – a Friday. If you were, you may have been been surprised by a festive friendly mob in the streets. This friendly mob was the Smart & Sexy parade, featuring hundreds of women who live in Amsterdam and wanted to celebrate the ‘qualities of a woman.’

Most of the time when I travel to amsterdam, I do quite a bit of research and have a good idea of what to expect and what events will be going on while I am there. Still, this city never ceases to amaze me and I always run into something that I didn’t expect. The unexpected is one thing that makes amsterdam so special.

Photo by: rondeboom

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Colorful miniature Amsterdam bicycles.

This time we have an assortment of colorful Amsterdam bicycles but these are miniature. These miniature bicycles were found in an Amsterdam boutique.

Photo by: luca.sartoni

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Amsterdam Map.

I rarely ever bring a map of Amsterdam. Mostly because, free maps are everywhere. Sometimes you can find a map stapled inside a touristy Amsterdam travel brochure. I usually end up tearing out the map and tossing the brochure. I then fold the map and place it in my pocket, where it lasts just long enough before it starts falling apart at the folded seams. These Amsterdam maps are nice because they are easy to read and show the main points of interest such as museums, canals, etc.

Now that I have an iPhone, a map is one less thing I worry about. It’s a different experience since I am able to measure distances more accurately, get directions, find additional information a paper map doesn’t provide, etc. For example, if I wanted to travel from the Anne Frank house to Hotel Hegra, I will be able to find the shortest route and  know how long it should take.

This technology is great and all but is there such thing as too much convenience? One of the great things about Amsterdam is how the city is laid out. A maze of side streets and canals which encourages exploration and allows the traveler to “get lost.” Not in the sense that you can’t find your way back to the hotel, but in a sense that you feel like you are “discovering.” With a map, especially one that is so technology advanced as the one on my iPhone, it may be a little difficult to “get lost” in Amsterdam. This can be a drawback, especially since, some of my best experiences was when I had no destination or map at all – I was just exploring and “discovering.”

As with anything, there is a place and time for everything. I will always have my map of Amsterdam in my pocket, but I will also make an effort not to pull it out – unless I absolutely need it.

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Even though it is smack dab in the middle of the Amsterdam winter, you can still enjoy a beautiful sunset. Just don’t expect it often. Usually, the winter weather in Amsterdam is cool and mild. And can get a little dark and dreary at times. But its nothing that a shot of good ol’ Genever (Dutch Gin – also spelled Jenever) or a cup of european coffee can’t make you forget about.

If you travel to Amsterdam during this time of year, it usually starts getting dark around 5 pm. Be sure to get up early during this time to enjoy as much of the daylight as you can. During the summer, though, it sometimes doesn’t start getting dark until after 10pm!

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The summer, of course. Right?

Not so fast. While it may seem that the best time to visit Amsterdam would be the summer, there are several reasons why the winter is a viable competitor. For one,  there are less tourists that travel to Amsterdam in the winter than the summer, mainly because of the cold and wet weather. Less tourists mean shorter lines when visiting the big Amsterdam attractions.

Another reason why the winter may be a better choice is because its cheaper to travel. Since there are less tourists in Amsterdam during this time of year, you will find deals on hotels and airline tickets to holland. During the summer, airline tickets to Amsterdam and hotel rooms can be quite a bit more expensive.

But wouldn’t a vacation to Amsterdam be that much better if it was during the warmer weather of Summer. Possibly. Then again, I went to Amsterdam in the middle of July for two weeks and it rained almost every day. Sure, the weather was warmer, but it was subpar at best.

I like to travel to Amsterdam during all seasons of the year. But, I have to admit, some of my best memories take place during the winter. The times that I remember most are when the weather is frickin’ cold, but I am toasty warm –  sippin’ on a shot of Jenever or a cup of cocoa –  in an Amsterdam brown cafe.

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