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Message |
    
amandacat
Citizen
Username: Amandacat
Post Number: 384
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2004 - 2:34 pm: |     |
I'm going to Amsterdam on business this month, and my husband's coming along to play tourist with me on my off time. Any advice on what we should do/see while we are there, restaurants we should eat at, etc? I'll have one full and two half days free to see the sights, and 4 nights worth of dinners to eat with him . . . |
ril
Citizen
Username: Ril
Post Number: 199
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2004 - 3:07 pm: | |
The Rijksmuseum & Van Gogh Museum are musts; a canal boat tour; the Anne Frank House. And of course don't miss the many famous coffeeshops of Amsterdam (De Kuil is a favorite)
restuarants: Kantjil & Tiger (Indonesian), a "brown" cafe such as Het Molenpad; de Belhamel (French/Dutch); Casa di David (Italian); Casa Peru...
www.diningcity.nl lists these and many more.
If you'd like to take a short daytrip, the nearby town of Haarlem is lovely--sort of like Amsterdam in miniature. About 20 minutes from Amsterdam on the train. They have a market in the main square on Saturdays, and Wilma & Albert's restaurant (steak!) alone is worth the trip.
PM me if you need more... |
LibraryLady (ncjanow)
Citizen
Username: Librarylady
Post Number: 1264
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2004 - 3:50 pm: | |
While I'm feeding Ray his cat food, you should be eating Ristaffel(sp) at an Indonesian restuarant. I wish I could go back to The Netherlands if only for the food. Brojies(sp) at Schevinging(gosh I can't spell!) Have a great time.
NC
Nancy Chiller Janow
On a coffee break..or something like it. |
amandacat
Citizen
Username: Amandacat
Post Number: 385
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2004 - 4:03 pm: | |
Eating rijstaffell is already #1 on my list of things to do there, even before the museums! Not that I don't appreciate art, but food definitely comes first . . . |
Michael Janay
Citizen
Username: Childprotect
Post Number: 179
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2004 - 4:17 pm: | |
Space Cakes |
amandacat
Citizen
Username: Amandacat
Post Number: 386
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2004 - 4:29 pm: | |
Michael, I'd never!
But if I did, where would I go? Are there any "coffeeshops" that aren't too skeevy or touristy? |
eliz
Citizen
Username: Eliz
Post Number: 723
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2004 - 5:51 pm: | |
I used to be partial to the Bulldog but that was many years ago... not sure if it's even still there. |
blackcat
Citizen
Username: Blackcat
Post Number: 168
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2004 - 8:00 pm: | |
Pink Floyd...nice english couple owns it...they make "cheese toasties" for the munchies, I guess ;) |
Ina Sheppard
Citizen
Username: Twinsmom
Post Number: 13
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2004 - 8:32 pm: | |
Tempo Doeloe (don't know if the spelling is correct).
The BEST rijstafel--and Thanksgiving-- I ever had. Need to make a reservation a few days in advance.
If you like open markets, the Albertcuypstraad (sp?)market is very fun.
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Frost French
Citizen
Username: Frost
Post Number: 20
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Friday, March 5, 2004 - 12:51 am: | |
You might want to exercise a little caution with the space cakes. Last time I was in Amsterdam, two women I was with in a coffee shop BOTH had grand mal seizures about 10 minutes after ingesting space cakes. The most frightening part was how none of the other patrons or workers reacted to them flopping about on the floor and foaming at the mouth. I had to run outside and get help.
Caveat being that their stuff can be wicked strong for the casual user who is more familiar with U.S. stuff. Also not always pure. |
dano
Citizen
Username: Dano
Post Number: 76
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, March 5, 2004 - 3:06 pm: | |
The Bull Dog!
If I remember I ordered the skunk? but not much after that  |
moose
Citizen
Username: Moose
Post Number: 171
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Friday, March 5, 2004 - 3:26 pm: | |
aaaaah... I remember the Bulldog(s) well.
Menu, please! |
amandacat
Citizen
Username: Amandacat
Post Number: 388
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Friday, March 5, 2004 - 3:37 pm: | |
Can you really call it a vacation if you haven't foamed at the mouth at least once?
Thanks, all, for the feedback, and thanks especially to Ina and Ril for the restaurant recommendations. |
dano
Citizen
Username: Dano
Post Number: 77
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, March 5, 2004 - 4:20 pm: | |
Don't forget the Sex museum and the Torture Museum just down the block from DAM Square! |
harpo
Citizen
Username: Harpo
Post Number: 1319
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Friday, March 5, 2004 - 6:17 pm: | |
Amandacat:
If you want to borrow my maps and guidebooks to Amsterdam, send me a private line. I was there in January, so they're up to date.
Be aware that the Rijksmuseum is undergoing a total renovation and only 400 of the museum's greatest treasures have been moved into a single exhibition space. So if there is a particular object you want to see, send the museum an e-mail before going.
Also, the Stedjelik (the Modern art museum) was closed completely in January and supposedly for the rest of the year. Double check before going.
I highly recommend the boat trip on the canal. Absolutely worth it. And long walks in the canal district for some of the most enjoyable window shopping anywhere.
If you are at all a fan of modern Dutch Constructivist art and architecture, I also recommend dropping into the wonderful cafe at the top of the Metz deparment store for lunch or a snack. (You can also just go up and look.) It was designed by Reitveld. It has a terrific view.
There is an excellent nouvelle Indonesian restaurant in the canal district called Blue Pepper.
http://www.diningcity.com/ams/bluepepper/
Also recommended is the lovely Zuid Zeeland on the lovliest of all canals to my eye, the Herengracht
http://www.diningcity.com/ams/zuidzeeland/en/index.html
Have a great time! Amsterdam is a very beautiful clean city, unusually quiet with all its bicycles. I also hear that nearby Haarlem is nice to visit. I enjoyed my day trip to The Hague, with its terrific Mauritshuis museum (home of the Girl with the Pearl Earring) and its charming Panorama Mesdag. It's about 40 minutes or so by train.
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