General warnings, Amsterdam

Amsterdam , and the entire country of course , is well known for it's flower - beautiful tulips and more.
A lot of tourists but flowers or bulbs to plant at their houses.
As far as i know it is not allowed to export flowers and bulbs from the country.
Check it with your Country's costumes first.

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It's always nice to travel with someone whom you can have laughs and fun with! In this case, I have my husband and partner in crime :)

Wherever we go, whatever we are doing, you can be assured you will be entertained.

Funny thing is... this 'mad' side of him only comes out for me... sorry! haha

... is not recommended at all. It's very difficult to find a parkplace and if you're lucky enough to find one, you'll have to pay the price. So, the best thing is to park your car in a parking outside the center and go to A'dam by tube/train. Try to find a "P&R" parking (cf. internet link), it's only 5,50 euros a day and for the price you get 2 metro tickets that you have to use to get the discount (otherwise it's 19 euros)

Like most big cities u could be robbed, drugs are presented by dealers. When u walk they offer you cocaine or other drugs, better to buy inside a good coffeeshop if u are interested in using things

Like in lots of other cities in Holland bikes get stolen, lock ur bike at least with lockers around something.

Coffeeshops in Amsterdam

not forgetting
1. kelly's bar - where she waggles her arse as she serves you, as you drool.
2. The only columbian who here for a Holiday and detests drugs, even though he's brough us 4 sambuca shots each and carries more ££££'s then a lottery winner.
3. Never give your room key to 2 scouse birds who are tripping !!!
4. Dancing - see if you can get ejected at 5am for sleeping on the dance floor.
5. spend 20 quality minutes with a whore only to come out with the line "I was getting my belt back".
6. catcall all those queing to see a sex show - we couldn't afford it..
7. some whores look like models, others look like a bad dream...
8) Avoid giving your Burger King drinks to a space cadet as the chances are high you'll see him later in the RLD where he acts as your new best friend.
9. The sum of Corona + Heineken + Sambuca = very pissed... = sin and Dabauchery which = quality weekend.

I would suggest tourists to avoid the south-eastern part of amsterdam (bijlmer, bijlmermeer, of amsterdam south east) because it's quite unsafe over there, especially at night! Better avoid also the very western part of the city (Slotervaart and Osdorp). In the center I consider it safe everywhere, but like in every city be aware of pickpockets at busy places.

On walking around the Canals, I came across a stall with lovely bunches of Flowers. Some of them I had not seen before, so I took a photo.
There was only myself and the Dutch stall holder, and as he walked past me, he deliberately knocked into me, I guess hoping to ruin my photo. I would like to know what he muttered in Dutch!!

There were no signs saying not to take photos, so I was within my rights, there was no need for his rudeness!!

I feel silly writing this tip, because I got caught, but perhaps it will help somebody else.

On getting onto a Tram late one night, where I usually get the Conductor to stamp my Strippenkart was vacant, and I hadn't done it myself before. A Dutch man was at the machine doing his, I went forward, and he said to me that the machine wasn't working.
I asked "what do I do" he said he didn't know, he couldn't fix the machine, so I sat down.

The next stop, on got a heap of Inspectors, so I was in BIG TROUBLE, even though I had a valid ticket, it hadn't been stamped.
I told them what had happened, they tried the machine (I hadn't done, had taken the man's word for it) and lo and behold, it worked. I didn't know what to say. I felt so silly for not trying it myself, but I didn't expect to be lied to either!!!
Luckily, they let me off with a warning.

This was the ONE & ONLY TIME, that I ever saw Inspectors.

WAS I SET UP? I wonder.............