I plan to basically backpack around a large part of europe during all of june and i will be staying in amsterdam for approximately one week. i have never been to europe and will just be going with my brother. ive been reading for countless hours many different posts and reviews of coffeeshops and hotels and ive learned a ton but i still feel sort of overwhelmed with everything there is to do. i dont care all that much about quality of the hotel as long as its near alot of the best coffeeshops and my bro and i are each about 6'3" and over 200lbs i dont know if that has any relevance but i thought i should mention it. also i dont want to go to all the touristy places. i guess im asking if anyone has recommendations about hotels and coffeeshops in june (if quality changes?) and how my basic plan sounds?
thanks for any help,
steve
Summer plans 1st time, help??
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Gargantua14
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Step 1. Read and heed what you find HERE. An excellent Amsterdam 101 course.
Welcome Steve,
Firstly I'd recommend going to Dam LAST. Trust me, if you like to smoke weed, you'll end up stoned for a month in Dam rather than seeing more of our wonderful continent
My top recommendation for a hotel would be the Winston on Warmoestraat - right on the edge of the Red Light District, 2 mins from Dam Square on foot and about 5 from Centraal Station. It's cheap and cheerful, clean, friendly and pretty funky thanks to the Art themed rooms and new bar renovations. There's a club attached too, which is great at the weekends. There's dorm rooms (better than you get elsewhere, fine for a big fella, but take earplugs) and private rooms too. Staffed 24hrs, no curfew, and security is good. I've stayed several times, most recently 2 months ago and it's always been good. The bar is a great place to hang out and meet new people from all over the world.
www.winston.nl
Some of my personal favourite coffeeshops for great weed and nice atmosphere are Amnesia, Grey Area, Tweede Kamer, De Dampkring, De Kuil (420 Cafe), Bluebird, Katsu, Stones (your nearest coffeeshop from the Winston, try the Warm Ears hash!), Nes Cafe, Abraxas, Pink Floyd, Rokerij. Most of these are are quite popular with tourists, but avoid the rip-off prices and low quality of the larger chains. Nes Cafe was a new discovery for me last trip, just off Dam Square. Great stock, quality staff, including ACD's very own DC (Dave) and his mad-in-a-good-way colleague Simon. Dave took time out from his day-off pool game to welcome me and have a chat when I told him I was a member here, thanks Dave!
As for the rest of Europe, don't miss Spain - superb culture, food, people, scenery and hash everywhere! Virtually decriminalised for personal amounts too.
Your size won't be too much of a problem, the Dutch are the world's tallest nation, so apart from small staircases etc, you'll be fine.
Anything else? Van Gogh museum and Rijksmuseum if you like art, Anne Frank House, Vondel Park (if it's warm head there for sure), FOAM photo gallery, walking around the Jordaan district aimlessly, Thai food at the Bird on Zeedijk, day trip to Haarlem and the beach...damn I wish I was there now.
Pickpockets are all over town, so keep a close eye on your stuff when you're stoned! be aware a bicycle bell means "get out of the way!!" and accept that you have a 50% chance of death by tram...only kidding. Have a great trip fellow tall guys.
Firstly I'd recommend going to Dam LAST. Trust me, if you like to smoke weed, you'll end up stoned for a month in Dam rather than seeing more of our wonderful continent
My top recommendation for a hotel would be the Winston on Warmoestraat - right on the edge of the Red Light District, 2 mins from Dam Square on foot and about 5 from Centraal Station. It's cheap and cheerful, clean, friendly and pretty funky thanks to the Art themed rooms and new bar renovations. There's a club attached too, which is great at the weekends. There's dorm rooms (better than you get elsewhere, fine for a big fella, but take earplugs) and private rooms too. Staffed 24hrs, no curfew, and security is good. I've stayed several times, most recently 2 months ago and it's always been good. The bar is a great place to hang out and meet new people from all over the world.
www.winston.nl
Some of my personal favourite coffeeshops for great weed and nice atmosphere are Amnesia, Grey Area, Tweede Kamer, De Dampkring, De Kuil (420 Cafe), Bluebird, Katsu, Stones (your nearest coffeeshop from the Winston, try the Warm Ears hash!), Nes Cafe, Abraxas, Pink Floyd, Rokerij. Most of these are are quite popular with tourists, but avoid the rip-off prices and low quality of the larger chains. Nes Cafe was a new discovery for me last trip, just off Dam Square. Great stock, quality staff, including ACD's very own DC (Dave) and his mad-in-a-good-way colleague Simon. Dave took time out from his day-off pool game to welcome me and have a chat when I told him I was a member here, thanks Dave!
As for the rest of Europe, don't miss Spain - superb culture, food, people, scenery and hash everywhere! Virtually decriminalised for personal amounts too.
Your size won't be too much of a problem, the Dutch are the world's tallest nation, so apart from small staircases etc, you'll be fine.
Anything else? Van Gogh museum and Rijksmuseum if you like art, Anne Frank House, Vondel Park (if it's warm head there for sure), FOAM photo gallery, walking around the Jordaan district aimlessly, Thai food at the Bird on Zeedijk, day trip to Haarlem and the beach...damn I wish I was there now.
Pickpockets are all over town, so keep a close eye on your stuff when you're stoned! be aware a bicycle bell means "get out of the way!!" and accept that you have a 50% chance of death by tram...only kidding. Have a great trip fellow tall guys.
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Gargantua14
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Check Hotel Aspen, cheap, clean, basic, no breakfast, great location, perfect if all you need is a nice place to sleep. Amnesia and Gray Area C/S are a block away.Gargantua14 wrote: id prefer about E80 or less. i dont plan on being in there all that much
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Gargantua14
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sirphobose
- Posts: 112
- Joined: Tue 6th Feb 2007 04:53 pm
- Location: upper echelons
haven't a massive amount of knowledge about hotels but http://www.hotels.nl has always done me proud insomuch as info, price and an easy to use website, (smoker friendly info is lacking here) although some of the more regular posters/ amdam visitors will be able to help on that front 
as for my experience with protein; a rare dutch steak is one which has had the conept of fire briefly explained to it and no more than a millisecond visit to the griddle! so if blood ain't your thing i'd err on the side of caution!!
enjoy you're trip round europe!!
as for my experience with protein; a rare dutch steak is one which has had the conept of fire briefly explained to it and no more than a millisecond visit to the griddle! so if blood ain't your thing i'd err on the side of caution!!
enjoy you're trip round europe!!
"Change down, man. Find your neutral space."
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roy munson
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Wed 22nd Nov 2006 10:43 pm
- Location: US
I just got done backpacking for a month across Europe. Second, the guy that said stop in Amsterdam last. Read this board for suggestions and heed advice of regular posters. (You'll know who's opinions to trust and respect). If you don't care where you stay, then stay at the Flying Pig its right down by the Red Light as it is a party hostel. If you want a place to chill then look to other options as its a huge party hostel.
I was in Amsterdam for about 4 days, a week is great, the longer the better! My favorite coffee shop is the 420 cafe. Being from the states I appreciate this cafe for feeling just like a real bar. The best weed by far was from the Grey Area, you must stop here and get the Grey Haze and whatever else the budtender suggests, and do ask for budtenders suggestions because they know whats good. Other good coffee shops I visited were Amnesia, and Pink Floyds.
Check out Trip Advisor, and Hostel World for reviews of locations and don't just spend your time in coffee shops in Amsterdam. Its a great city and there's a lot more to do than coffee shops. Get stoned, and get your ass out there and site see. If you have any questions about cool places outside of Amsterdam send me a message I went to Spain, France, Italy, Czech Republic, Hungary, Belgium, Amsterdam, and Germany. Don't worry about getting too stoned. Buy the best pot and smoke a little to start with. Shit, your in Amsterdam have a good time!
I was in Amsterdam for about 4 days, a week is great, the longer the better! My favorite coffee shop is the 420 cafe. Being from the states I appreciate this cafe for feeling just like a real bar. The best weed by far was from the Grey Area, you must stop here and get the Grey Haze and whatever else the budtender suggests, and do ask for budtenders suggestions because they know whats good. Other good coffee shops I visited were Amnesia, and Pink Floyds.
Check out Trip Advisor, and Hostel World for reviews of locations and don't just spend your time in coffee shops in Amsterdam. Its a great city and there's a lot more to do than coffee shops. Get stoned, and get your ass out there and site see. If you have any questions about cool places outside of Amsterdam send me a message I went to Spain, France, Italy, Czech Republic, Hungary, Belgium, Amsterdam, and Germany. Don't worry about getting too stoned. Buy the best pot and smoke a little to start with. Shit, your in Amsterdam have a good time!
protein
The following restaurants are on my "TO DO" list; usually I eat more cheese than meat while in Amsterdam; I cannot vouch for any of these from personal experience, sorry; they are the recommendations of others which I have compiled for personal reference (in no particular order).
Breakfast buffets:
NH City Centre Spuistraat (I had a great buffet at NH Rijnhotel in Arnhem for 15,- EUR), Marriott, Renaissance (probably not so cheap), American Hotel Leidseplein, ***Molly Malone's (several mentions, must be good) Oudezijds Kolk 9, Tel 020 624 11 50
Dinner (check menus in windows before entering):
lo Stivale d'Oro; Amstelstraat 49 - Italian, on the Amstel near Rembrandtplein
...
Ter Restaurant Steakhouse, Oude Doelenstraat 18; Tel 020 774 68 29
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Nachtwacht restaurant, meat; Thorbeckeplein at Reguliersdwarsstraat, features Baco the cat; steak - near Rembrandtplein, 3-4 doors away from Coco's Outback (ok to smoke @ Coco's)
http://www.de-nachtwacht.nl
...
Toro Dorado - steak
http://www.torodorado.com/
alternative: Gauchos is right next door Leidseplein? steak
...
Cafe de Klos
Kerkstraat 41; Tel 020 625 37 30
"No confirmed carnivore could fail to be impressed"
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Canaletto - steak
Hobbemastraat 10
Open 11:00-23:00
...
in Haarlem: a short train ride away:
Wilma and Albert's--Haarlem BEST STEAK IN NEDERLAND; this seems to be a universal consensus
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I have purchased whey protein powder here (very pricey, about 40,- EUR), in the Oud-West, believe it was on west side of Bilderdijkstraat near corner at Kinkerstraat:
Spax Sportvoeding, Bilderdijkstraat 102
Usually I bring along my own whey: Isopure Zero Carb and/or ProBlend 55.
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I have worked out at the following gyms (English is spoken; facilities are described on websites); both offer daily rates:
Squash City (route map on website)
Address: Ketelmakersstraat 6
Tel (0) 20 626 78 83
http://www.squashcity.nl/index2-en.shtml
Splash - A Bigger Splash Healthclub
Looiersgracht 26 (corner at Prinsengracht)
Tel (0) 20 624 84 04
http://www.splashhealthclubs.nl/index.p ... language=2
My favourite coffeeshop is Siberie; Brouwersgracht 11, west of the Singel, south side. Enjoy your trip!
Sly
Breakfast buffets:
NH City Centre Spuistraat (I had a great buffet at NH Rijnhotel in Arnhem for 15,- EUR), Marriott, Renaissance (probably not so cheap), American Hotel Leidseplein, ***Molly Malone's (several mentions, must be good) Oudezijds Kolk 9, Tel 020 624 11 50
Dinner (check menus in windows before entering):
lo Stivale d'Oro; Amstelstraat 49 - Italian, on the Amstel near Rembrandtplein
...
Ter Restaurant Steakhouse, Oude Doelenstraat 18; Tel 020 774 68 29
...
Nachtwacht restaurant, meat; Thorbeckeplein at Reguliersdwarsstraat, features Baco the cat; steak - near Rembrandtplein, 3-4 doors away from Coco's Outback (ok to smoke @ Coco's)
http://www.de-nachtwacht.nl
...
Toro Dorado - steak
http://www.torodorado.com/
alternative: Gauchos is right next door Leidseplein? steak
...
Cafe de Klos
Kerkstraat 41; Tel 020 625 37 30
"No confirmed carnivore could fail to be impressed"
...
Canaletto - steak
Hobbemastraat 10
Open 11:00-23:00
...
in Haarlem: a short train ride away:
Wilma and Albert's--Haarlem BEST STEAK IN NEDERLAND; this seems to be a universal consensus
===
I have purchased whey protein powder here (very pricey, about 40,- EUR), in the Oud-West, believe it was on west side of Bilderdijkstraat near corner at Kinkerstraat:
Spax Sportvoeding, Bilderdijkstraat 102
Usually I bring along my own whey: Isopure Zero Carb and/or ProBlend 55.
===
I have worked out at the following gyms (English is spoken; facilities are described on websites); both offer daily rates:
Squash City (route map on website)
Address: Ketelmakersstraat 6
Tel (0) 20 626 78 83
http://www.squashcity.nl/index2-en.shtml
Splash - A Bigger Splash Healthclub
Looiersgracht 26 (corner at Prinsengracht)
Tel (0) 20 624 84 04
http://www.splashhealthclubs.nl/index.p ... language=2
My favourite coffeeshop is Siberie; Brouwersgracht 11, west of the Singel, south side. Enjoy your trip!
Sly