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We spend a lot of our Amsterdam time away from our hotel and the coffee shops. We go to museums, gardens, parks, other towns, and so forth. Netherlands is so rich in all of these resources. We even spend time just walking the street gawping at buildings, cars not available in the US, canalscapes, people, and cats. When Mrs. SH takes a nap at the hotel, I am likely to go and take a little walk about, maybe visiting a CS, or just looking at the city. But even away from the hotel and shops we like to have a smoke. We sit by the canals, or in the park. We have a favorite spot at the Hortus Botanicus, behind one of the buildings, our backs to a building, faces to a street (which one, I don't know) with the sun in our faces. On a sunny day, even if it's cold, the Vondelpark, the Museumplain, by the Stopera, Dam Square (we prefer the Palace to the monument), and the spot by the Multatuli Memorial are all favorites. We even have a favorite place to smoke at Keukenhof. Especially when I'm alone, I like to smoke one just walking along the street. I try not to do it on the busiest streets as I do not wish to offend anyone.

One time we were in Enkhuizen and were sitting in a little park near a small boat harbor. It was a beautiful evening, nice and warm, and we sat on a bench eating bread and cheese, drinking tea from my thermos, and having a lovely smoke while waiting to take the train back to A'dam. One couple, of the many who passed us with friendly greetings, harrumphed and remarked aloud we should "grow up." That has been the only untoward comment we ever received smoking in public.

One day, many years ago, Mrs. SH was in the hotel feeling ill, and I was out walking the streets to let her rest. It was sunny and warm as I proceeded south through the RLD heading for the Bluebird and the hotel. The sun was high in the sky as I reached Damstraat, and I came to a halt, closed my eyes and let the sun beat on my face. Wonderful, I thought, great time to have a joint. I was standing outside the flow of traffic, so I took a nice one out of my hat and fired it up, enjoying the sun and the smoke. I opened my eyes to see two of Amsterdam's finest standing next to me. I smiled and remarked it was a beautiful day, hoping they weren't offended. They made an obviously false unhappy face, then smiled, shook their heads, and walked away laughing.

One Friday night we boarded a train in Utrecht, heading back to Amsterdam. As we looked for a seat we entered a car of young kids heading into town for a big evening. The smell of weed was delightful, if somewhat overwhelming. The air was thick with smoke and people were rolling joints for the evening. The conductor was in that very car punching tickets, and didn't say a word. That was the only time I ever smoked on a train. We had a great conversation with some of the kids.

Where do you smoke when away from the hotel and the CS's? Ever been hassled? Ever had someone join you?

My wife and I have smoked in Vondelpark, but that's it in public. It's not that we wouldn't if the opportunity seemed appropriate, but we are both very cautious to not perpetuate any negative stereotypes of Americans. We are quite happy to smoke either in the coffeeshops or our apartment before then venturing outdoors. If we find ourselves enjoying the weather and feel the urge to catch a buzz, a safe designated area is surely close by where we can enjoy our lifestyle without agitating others who may not agree with my choices. That's the beauty of Amsterdam.

public smoking is great. this really is more fun than anything else to me. especially during summer there is nothing better!

I smoke in public with complete discretion. This is because im sure most natives dont want one of their 2 days off down the park with their family ruined by my smoke. Just be considerate and i didnt have any problems.

it is not much of a deal. in my hometown we did it all the time. people usually laugh more at you instead of being offended. children is another story of course...

It's weird. I feel more out of place and rude smoking in the streets of Amsterdam than in Montreal. It also seems to be more tolerated by the average person walking by at home than the Amsterdam locals who think of me as a stupid rude tourist.

Kacey420 wrote:It's weird. I feel more out of place and rude smoking in the streets of Amsterdam than in Montreal. It also seems to be more tolerated by the average person walking by at home than the Amsterdam locals who think of me as a stupid rude tourist.

yeh i can relate to that....because your allowed to smoke weed in coffeeshops i kind of feel like im just taking the piss by smoking on the street...especially when i see people smoking on the street and theres kids going by....its just not needed when you can relax in a shop...

Well, I guess I'm going to have to clarify certain points of my original posting of this thread and address some points made in response. Perhaps I should apologize to those people who might not know some of the places I mentioned in my post. The Vondel Park is, of course, the big park past the Leidseplein, and near the Stadhouderskade. It's sort of famous for the number of folks who go there to smoke and party on a sunny day. Though we've been to the park on such days over the years, our usual smoke in the park is anything but a public affair. There's an entrance to the park that leads into the neighborhood near the museums that is hardly used after the morning commuting hours. We love to sit on a bench over there, all by ourselves, and have a cup of tea and a smoke. We hardly ever see another person at that spot. Alternatively we sit in the middle of one of the lawns and have a smoke without anyone noticing at all.

The Museumplein is much the same. We like to sit on the benches at the far side, away from the museums, where we hardly ever see anyone, or in the middle of the lawn away from the walks. It's amazing how little attention is paid to 2 old people smoking a cigarette and having tea and a picnic in the park. The canals are also the same sort of hide in plain sight situation. We find a quiet spot in a low traffic area, sit on the canal wall with our thermos of tea. No one pays us any attention. We get friendly waves from boaters, but that's about it.

The little square with the Multatuli statue is another thing completely. On any given sunny day you can see an endless succession of young people, I call them kids but they're in their 20's, and they're all taking the sun and a little smoke. There is a similar number of people who smoke over by the Stopera. There's a number of people smoking at the monument in the Damplein, but we get less attention when we smoke over by the palace. We've only done it once or twice in 17 years, and it was mostly to take the sun.

The Hortus Botanicus, a real gem of a place, might as well be a desert island for all of the people who go there. Our spot is in a public area, no trespassing where we shouldn't be, but is out of the the flow of traffic. We've never seen anyone go there. Nor have we ever seen anyone pass near us on the street.

When I am smoking while walking the streets, I do not mean I'm walking down the Damrak, or the Kalverstraat. I might have a few hits while walking the Prinsengracht at 21:00, or along the outer reaches of the Stadhouderskade during the day. There's an old song that says "it ain't what you do, it's the way what you do it."

I agree that no person should get in another's face about smoke. I don't smoke where I'm likely to encounter or be confronted by other people, whether they smoke or not. I wouldn't fire up anywhere near a playground, a neighborhood full of people, or children of any sort. The same would be true if I smoked tobacco. I think this is called using a little discretion. a little consideration. Indeed, Sir Niall used these very terms. I use this same discretion and consideration for others when I smoke away from my home in the good ole' USofA, and the penalty here can be a lot greater than grumbles from some offended locals. Still, I try my boy scout best not to be seen, or noticed by others.

Let me give a kind word of advice to all those out there worried about the prejudice against and stereotypes of Americans we encounter in Netherlands, and other parts of the world. You cannot do a single bleeding thing to stop it or alter it at all. Nothing. That's what prejudice and stereotyping are all about. They're not forms of rational argument where evidence can be shown, and considered and the outcome decided on a fair and equitable basis. Not a bit of it. Those people who harbor these sordid little opinions wouldn't be impressed if you walked on the water down the center of the Keisersgraacht surrounded by angels blowing trumpets. They're a bunch of stupid gits. You can only show by your good example that you, and you alone, are a good, kind, considerate, and loving human being.

Peace and love to all.

I live here and smoke here in public lots and I've never received a rude word or look. A couple of times in the Vondelpark I've had people come up and sit with me and join me. I thought this was kind of weird, but it's all good fun really.

The reason people don't like the tourists here isn't because of them smoking weed, it's because tourists are annoying to locals in big groups in any city. Personally, I like them. But then I'm not Dutch.

When weed is available from shops it just becomes part of everyday life. It's no big deal, but being stoned in the middle of the day in Amsterdam, you're most likely a tourist. And lots of Amsterdammers have had bad experiences with tourists (i.e. big groups of stonned and drunk British people yelling and taking up the sidewalk), so they're kind of fed up with them, so that's probably going to be the majority of the abuse or bad will you'll get. It has less to do with whether people think smoking is morally wrong, in fact Dutch society is less into 'morally right/morally wrong' than lots of countries, in my opinion. And I think that's just great.

And I don't mean to start an argument here, but just to give you a slightly different perspective - a lot of anti-US sentiment in Europe is actually held on a political basis, rather than a dislike of the actual people. I mean, I'm the same, the US's various policies (i.e. not a proper welfare system, privatized health care system, large gun and smoking lobbies, xenophobic immigration policies, involvement in other people's wars, support of Israel etc etc) are really really at odds with that the majority of people here believe in, at a really basic, ideological level. And the reason that people focus this feeling of political ill will towards the US in particular is because they're huge and their dirty laundry is brought in front of the whole world every day.

But that said, I have US friends and I'm not rude to people just because they're from another country. That's a stupid thing to do. And you're probably fully aware of all that stuff I just said, but thought I'd put that out there anyway

I agree with you, MtheM, that US politics is the reason for much of the resentment against Americans the world over. I would ask people to realize an important fact about those politics. George F*%^8# Bush actually lost the first election, and won the second by the slimmest of majorities. Enough of that majority persists to block much of what the new administration is trying to accomplish. We really are working on it.

I also agree with you on the particular issues you enumerate. You can see what a position I'm in living here. I've spent my life opposing the Viet Nam war, supporting civil rights for racial minorities and people with sexual orientations different from mine, resisting the Iraq and Afghan wars, and opposing the corporate influence so shaping lives and politics in this country. I've spent most of my life on the back benches fighting to be heard.

Most ordinary people in NL and, especially in the shops, are never really going to see those powerful 'Merkins who are really responsible for our problems.

Peace and love to all.

SeniorHippies,
What a nice thread this is turnig out to be. Anticipating my own trip back to Amsterdam, I look forward to exploring some of the places you suggest. (Especially Hortus Botanicus)
When steering this thread down the path of the "perception of Americans", I simply wished to state my own personal thoughts on why I try to keep toking to a designated "safe spot". Without question, I share your sentiments on getting out and exploring the city v. only seeing the inside of cofeeshops. I do however wish to disagree with you on one issue however. I feel, as I am suprised you do not given your resume of fighting for the rights of many, that each person can in fact change the perception many others hold of Americans. I believe that by being fairly easily recognizable, we each are viewed as a representative of this nation. When individuals travel abroad, and act boorish or carry with them a sense of self-entitlement, they ony perpetuate said perceptions. By acting courteous and respectful while abroad, we may not change the perception itself, but rather stand out as an exception to the generality.
I do not condemn you for your behaviors, as you have stated clearly that you are aware of your surroundings and courteous when smoking outdoors. I simply wanted to take the opportunity to state to those discussing such a topic, that I feel such awareness is essential in attempting to slowly change the negative stereotypes we have been saddled with.

SeniorHippies wrote:I agree with you, MtheM, that US politics is the reason for much of the resentment against Americans the world over. I would ask people to realize an important fact about those politics. George F*%^8# Bush actually lost the first election, and won the second by the slimmest of majorities. Enough of that majority persists to block much of what the new administration is trying to accomplish. We really are working on it.

I also agree with you on the particular issues you enumerate. You can see what a position I'm in living here. I've spent my life opposing the Viet Nam war, supporting civil rights for racial minorities and people with sexual orientations different from mine, resisting the Iraq and Afghan wars, and opposing the corporate influence so shaping lives and politics in this country. I've spent most of my life on the back benches fighting to be heard.

Most ordinary people in NL and, especially in the shops, are never really going to see those powerful 'Merkins who are really responsible for our problems.

Peace and love to all.

This is an interesting thread! I do think that we as Americans are always representing the US. SeniorHippy, the average person in Amsterdam does interact with Americans quite often. We are all over the city as tourists, residents, business-people, not to mention US TV and movies which continue to dominate. Therefore, every interaction with a local is a chance to mold their opinion.

I do think its just too convenient to blame the 'important 'mericans, when there is a large part of our country (Bush did win a second term) who are small-minded, racist, anti-European, etc. Europeans are not stupid, they know this segment of the US exists and I find it very hard to explain how they can hold certain views. My point is there is a large segment of the US population whose views I find terrifying (its one of the reasons I left the US). So, for me, its not quite accurate to simply blame the political class for the poor reputation of the United States in Europe.

As for smoking in public, I do try to avoid it for a number of reasons (some personal, I just don't like it). But for me it perpetuates a stereotype that Americans (or Brits) come to Amsterdam to only smoke cannabis. I hate that stereotype but it does have some basis in truth.....

MikeD. wrote:SeniorHippies,
, that each person can in fact change the perception many others hold of Americans. .

maybe, but it only takes one to destroy the efforts of many

well said Sir