Street Walking the Red Light District
by kalpesh-upadhyay
In the Red Light Districts of Amsterdam you will find, on any given day, hundreds of girls offering sex for money. Nowhere else on earth are the women so straightforwardly on display, sitting sparingly attired on stools behind windows. Nowhere else except in the other main Dutch cities, because this conspicuous window prostitution is distinct to the Netherlands, as distinct as the habit that many of its residents have for living their lives behind open curtained windows. There are three Red Light Districts in Amsterdam. The main area, the Walletjes, and two minor, Singel and Pijp. Additionally a tippelzone (pick-up area) was (until Nov, 2003) maintained for automobile bound clientele. Utrecht, about 30 minutes by train from Amsterdam has it's canal boat based scene, Den Haag has a spiffy modern shopping mall, Rotterdam does not have an RLD, but numerous clubs and private houses (privehuizen). In many smaller cities you also find the RLDs. These are, of course smaller, but have their charms, as they are less "touristy" and more relaxed. Smaller cities that have RLD’s are, for example, Groningen and Alkmaar. We particularly enjoy Alkmaar, a pleasant little market town with a cosy little Red Light District
Take a boat tour along the...
by Isilyn
Take a boat tour along the river. It was very fun for me, and you receive a broad range of facts and myths about the city itself. This also gives you a good perspective on the life Amsterdam residents live, with their crowded living quarters, boat-houses, and bike-riding traditions. The view of seven bridges in a row from the glass-covered boat 'cruise'.
Central Station
by mvtouring
This is the place to go when you want to know anything about nothing and nothing about everything. You book your accommodation and tours here and ask the people at the VVV anything you wnat and they will gladly oblidge. What alovely crowd. Do not try and sleep here at the station however, they will chase you immediately
History 3 - Colonial times for getting goods
by Pavlik_NL
From Amsterdam canal houses goods and especially spices were transported throughout the continent after being bought or … taken the hard way … from trading places and colonies. At the earliest phase of the colonial empires, The Netherlands had in earthly spreading the largest empire. Only Spain had a bigger absolute portion, but this was solely based in South America. Dutch influenced area’s were few fortresses along the West African coast, Southern Africa (the Kaap-province), Mocca in present Jemen-surroundings, coastal bases along the Indian shores, Ceylon (now-a-days: Sri Lanka), the Dutch Indies (Indonesia), Formosa (Taiwan) and furthest the trading-post “Decima” in Japanese Nagasaki. Westwards we found parts of Brasil, the Dutch Antilles and the surroundings of New Amsterdam (New York). The empire was no match for larger naval powers like England, that was in military sense stronger. Especially when The Netherlands itself became occupied by Napoleon the empire crumbled and fell apart. Trade however kept being a strong point for the Dutch and therefore even in present days The Netherlands are a power to be reckoned with. Now-a-days however Amsterdam sank to the seventh place in the harbour ranking list … still another Dutch town: Rotterdam, took over the first position in this matter.
The New Public Library (OBA)
by pieter_jan_v
The new central location of the Amsterdam Public Library (OBA) openend in July 2007 in a 10 floor building designed by architect Jo Coenen.
It's the biggest library building of the Netherlands.
It's located at the Oosterdokskade 143 - 1011 DL Amsterdam at a 5 minutes walk East of the Central Train Station.
All floors have special corners and seats & sofas for reading comfort. Many of them offer a great lookoff of the Oosterdok and Amsterdam's old city center.
Floor themes:
Basement - Children's corner
Ground floor - Entrance, reception & Toilets + newspapers & magazines + reading café
First floor - Multi media, CD & DVD
Second floor - Novels
Third floor - Travel & history
Fourth floor - Art & Music
Fifth floor - Health + study rooms
Sixth floor Philosophy & Social work
Seventh floor - Theater + La Place restaurant
Computer facilities:
50 Multi media work stations, 110 terminals to explore the collection.
11 print & copy stations.
Telephone: +31-20-5230900
On the top floor is a small terras with a spectacular view over the Oosterdok and the old city center and a big inside restaurant.
Opening hours: 7 days per week 10AM - 10PM
Free entrance
Tarifs 2008:
Membership for 1 year:
0 - 19 yr free
19 - 22 yr € 14,50
23 - 64 yr € 24,00
From 65 yr € 14,50
Surcharge for CD, DVD, CR-Rom and Video € 1,00 per item for maximum 1 week.Garage: 1200 cars and 2000 bicycles
webcam Looking out over the Oosterdok from the top floor.
Sign in with Facebook
Molen De Bloem, Amsterdam, Netherlands 2010
money does not fall out of my ass
city bikers
Nukuhiva - Haarlemmerstraat
