what's the big deal about Amsterdam?

The reason people generally get excited is due to marijuana being legal. Or so I’m told.

Sweet! How have I never heard of this?

my bff went. She loved it. Make sure u visit the awsome red light district

what’s that?

The Red Light District is a sidewalk along a canal near the main train station. About six blocks away. I was there in 1999 and girls would stand in the window with red lights on signaling that they were available for sex. That whole part of town is fucking creepy.

I had a girl pull up her skirt and rub me with her genitals and demand money. I was just walking down the street. The guy she was with made sure I paid. Amsterdam was the worst place in Europe I have ever been to.

I should add that it isn’t all bad. The places tourist don’t go to are really awesome. And I don’t smoke weed. I just wanted to visit the Anne Frank House.. I did visit it and it was really weird.

where all the hookers stand in windows and you can pick which one you want walking by LOL. And a lot more too

wake up! Amsterdam = beer, art, women and pot. Oh ya, and canals….

Amsterdam has lots going for it. I enjoyed my time there; I hope you will, too.
There’s the legal pot – you get it in coffeeshops. Try a space cake! It’s amusing to be surprised when the effects kick in.
The legal prostitution – get it in the Red Light District…but johnpowell is right, it’s kinda creepy.
The canals – just try to avoid them. Impossible!
The bicycles – crazy numbers of them – everywhere!
The museums – Sex! Torture! Van Gogh! Anne Frank! Tulips! Pick your poison; they’re all there.
The typical Holland stuff – windmills (several in the city), tulips (buy bulbs at the Bloemenmarkt), wooden shoes in every tourist shop.
This site covers a lot of the basics. Have a great trip!

The torture museum was pretty interesting… more so than the sex museum in my opinion.

The best thing I did there was make a b-line for the Rijksmuseum the minute I got off the train in the early a.m. Instead of checking out the Nightwatchman, I decided to head down to the basement level. You had to sign in to get into this one giant room that was filled with oil portraits and still lifes from 500 years ago. Amazingly, there was no one down there except me and the security guard and for about an hour I had the whole room to myself, which was blow your mind amazing. This was in 1993, by the way. That being said, Amsterdam has insane art collections owing to their predilection for collecting for hundreds of years.

the entire WORLD should be if only we did not have so many uptight people…

For the pot smoker, visiting Amsterdam is a special privilege. While marijuana is not exactly legal, for the past 30 years smoking has not been regarded as criminal behavior, and excellent supplies of marijuana and hashish are available from the city’s many cannabis coffeeshops at a reasonable price.

http://www.cannabiscup.com/ht/cancup/content.php?bid=8&aid=9

In the first rigorous study comparing marijuana use in the Netherlands and the United States, researchers have found no evidence that decriminalization of marijuana leads to increased drug use. The results suggest that drug policies may have less impact on marijuana use than is currently thought.

http://www.ucsc.edu/currents/03–04/05–03/drug_study.html

Amsterdam drug laws
Dutch narcotic laws divide drugs into two groups – soft drugs and hard drugs. While hard drugs (cocaine, LSD, morphine, heroin) are banned as in other countries, the soft drugs – cannabis in all its forms (marijuana, hashish, hash oil) has been admitted for the personal use only

Coffeeshops
http://www.amsterdam.info/coffeeshops/
Marvel at 95% of Dutch people that speak really good English, German, and maybe even French.

Take a walk through the huge red light district at night. Feel uncomfortable with the women standing behind glass selling themselves, and feel uncomfortable as you see men leave, after their visit. It’s a little weird, but you should go see it. It’s part of Amsterdam. The red light district is safe.

Where to eat

A lot of people think they can do anything in Amsterdam. It’s probably true to a certain extent, but, please, don’t be stupid, and, please, be a good tourist, don’t misbehave. In particular:
Don’t buy drugs from strangers.
Don’t pee in random locations. Find a urinal. There are plenty to choose from.
Don’t get stoned, please. If you do, stay inside until you’re done. If you insist, go to “De Tweede Kamer” coffeeshop, Heisteeg 6.
Don’t get too drunk, please. If you do, stay inside until you’re done.
Don’t walk on the bike paths.
Don’t let your parking meter expire; it’s a costly mistake. In fact, don’t use a car.
http://thomer.com/amsterdam/

Red Light District / De Wallen XXX (132 Reviews – 126 Photos)
Sex Museum (45 Reviews – 37 Photos)
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Netherlands/Provincie_Noord_Holland/Amsterdam-463377/Things_To_Do-Amsterdam-TG-C-1.html

Tour Guides
Here for a brief period of time or looking for help to see everything you want to? A guided tour can help you get your bearings and show you many of the city’s highlights in just a short time. Below are many specialised tour companies that can ensure a pleasant and complete experience in Amsterdam and surroundings.
http://www.amsterdamtourist.nl/en/home/to+do.aspx

http://www.amsterdamhotspots.nl/lounge.html
http://www.amsterdamhotspots.nl/redlights.html

Amsterdam is great for the pot and the Red Light District, but there’s a hell of a lot more, and it’s one of Europe’s great cities. (Although, yeah, the pot (HASH!!! FUN!!) is amazing.)

Best coffee I’ve ever had, great pancakes (Dutch style w/ liquor & ice cream!), amazing and easy bike rides. Great live music scene, socially open culture, and a million and one other reasons.

After living there for about a year I miss it like hell and would love to retire w/ a houseboat on Prinsengracht. (wish me luck!)

One sweet sweet word: m a r i j u a n a

the canals!! the bikes!! there are more bikes in the Netherlands than people.