There and Back Again x 2
Written: Oct 09 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Lots of opportunities for crazy times
Cons: Crazy times can often come up and bite you
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| Rocket1's Full Review: Amsterdam |
Review Topic: Sights & Attractions
Amsterdam for me is two different experiences. Over the course of a 6 week period this past summer, I had the opportunity to visit the city twice. Even though I stayed at the same place and did basically the same things both times, I came away with two distinctly different impressions of the city.
Obviously my first encounter with Amsterdam was full of that great excitement associated with new things. Everything was really nice and incredibly crazy. People were everywhere. The scene was definitely alive and infectious. I wanted to dip a hand into everything there.
My impressions of that first visit consist of a great light that lasted until almost 11:00 at night and wonderful circular canals that made it easy to get anywhere.
We stayed in The International Youth Budget Hotel (telefoon: 020-6242784), which was a really excellent environment. The lounge there was on the second floor and had these huge bays windows looking out on the Leidsegracht canal. Sitting on the couches there we we met a various and interesting assortment of travelers who were always willing share an experience or a round of 2 Gilder Grolsch.
And of course there was the drugs...
As an American Suburban youth, my experience with Marijuana up to that point had been small, abortive, and bad. So of course the legality of weed in Amsterdam appealed to me and I did a rather good job visiting the various coffee shops around and about town. Experiences, which, I would say, contributed mightily to the good vibe surrounding that Amsterdam experience.
I have distinct memories of sitting laid back in the Vincent Van Gogh Museum watching people watch the paintings. It seemed more interesting then to see these masterpieces not in the context of an art book or a poster, but in the context of the place with the other paintings and people there. It was also a whole lot easier then to just stay seated.
After three days of good times, I left for Hungary with the intention of coming back.
And so I did six weeks later. Having roped two friends into meeting me there, I made the same arrangements as before hoping to re-create the same excellent light hearted time. Unfortunately that didn't happen.
Maybe I was just tired of traveling, but the city no longer shined with the same luster as before. All of sudden my good impressions of my first visit seemed like a facade and now on my second time there I was seeing the real city. I didn't feel safe there as I had before. There seemed to be way too many tourists and obnoxious American college students. Smoking weed didn't seem cool anymore and in fact it seemed pretty dumb. I had my first experience of the red-light district and decided that I did not want another one. Doing the tourist stomp grew exceedingly old. After a point it was just not worth waiting in another line.
Even hostel let me down a second time. There were no more interesting travelers to chat with, and two gilder grolsch is no good when your alone. In fact the big windows were closed because it began to rain.
Leaving town on my last day there, a fellow took me aside with an icepick and demanded some "help."
Calling the guys bluff, I managed to walk away from that situation and Amsterdam, and was glad to be out of there.
So my advice is as a tourist go once but not twice see Scandinavia or something instead.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Rocket1
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Location: Norman, Ok
Reviews written: 32
Trusted by: 14 members
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