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Cultural tips |
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Dining Out
Amsterdam is a real dining out city, with a restaurant or eating establishment on nearly every street corner, you are never far from a place to get something to eat. Amsterdam is a really a haven for lovers of food and eating but getting a good breakfast is still a nightmare.
No matter what your heart desires Amsterdam will have it, all over the city you’ll find restaurants offering authentic food from all over the world as well as several places offering a range of traditional Dutch food, some are very famous like the "The vijf Vliegen" or The Dorrius were reservations are a must
Most restaurants do not cater for the breakfast trade but many do Lunch and all do dinner. Lunch is usually between 12.00 noon and three o’clock, and dinner between six and ten o’clock in the evening. Kitchens close around 10pm to 11.00pm.
There are hundreds of places offering food of all sorts from all around the world no matter what type of food you are after, you’ll find them all in Amsterdam
this Amsterdam Resturant quide is a good way to find what you are looking for.
Vegetarians are fairly well catered for also places like ‘De Kas’ restaurant, where the ingredients used are home grown in their own biological garden and Green Planet, a great place with good food and great prices. 
If you fancy Italian cuisine, the best in Amsterdam is ??????? and family run by a husband and wife team and their son you should certainly visit this place, fresh is the word here, fresh pasta, great pizza. Packed every night from 5pm to 11pm,
Reservations are accepted but you can also just arrive if you can get in that is.
You can sit in the bar across the street and watch for a table to come free.
Another more upmarket place is "Gusto's" on Kloveniersburgwal, number 7 (No Pizza here) but very nice food. No reservations needed.
A place with a difference is the famous Supper Club, a great place to go for dinner with a difference. Dinner lying down anyone ?? yes a place where you have eat you meal while sitting or even lying down on huge long white mattresses.
The show and dinner start 8pm sharp (ouch!). Anything can happen at Supper club and usually does. Something to tell the grand children about maybe!.
When dinner's over, the restaurant turns into a night club with Europe's top DJ’s banging out the best tracks.
‘Nomads’ one of the in places to be seen, Asian restaurant with great food. Reservations a must.
It your looking for a romantic dinner , check out the lovers dinner cruise. Enjoy a candle lit meal while sailing around the Amsterdam canals. Check www.lovers.nl for more information and to make a reservation.
Others places worth noting are Jamie Olivers " Restaurant Fifteen" and "Resturant Christopher".
Pancakes Anyone?
You cannot come to Amsterdam and not get some pancakes. For a quickie, head to "Rene's on Damstraat and get their mini Pancakes , delious.
For a sit down meal type pancake visit Mr Pancake (Meneer Pannekoek), we think the best in town even if most of the guide books don't. Eat Shit millions of guide books can't be wrong (or can they).
While many kitchens close at ten maximum 11pm you’ll still be able to find cafes and snack bars around the city open till around 1-3am. Amsterdam is NOT a late night city when it comes to food and drink. Most places close quite early compared to some other cities.
A new food appearing all over the city is Wok to Walk and now many copies like wok to go, wok n' Walk and a few others. Rice or noodles and you choose what sauce you want it cooked in. All cooked in front
Nightlife
If you would like to meet the local Amsterdammers, visit one of the many "brown cafes", brown from smoking (soon to be banned in July 2008). Most famous one is "De Hoppe" on the Spui with saw dust on the floor.
Amsterdam is known for its crazy nightlife, with it's many bars and grand cafes as well as the new Escape cafe next door to the famous Escape Club is well worth a visit.
After the bars start winding down people head for the nightclubs , the most famous ones being the ‘Paradiso’ and the ‘Melkweg’ both around the Leidseplein square area. Both have live music and host many of the world's top bands.
Other top clubs in Amsterdam are
Supper Club http://www.supperclub.nl
Club Panama http://www.panama.nl
Club NL http://www.clubnl.nl/NL.asp
Jimmy Woo's http://www.amsterdamhotspots.nl/club.html#jimmywoo
Escape Club
Amsterdam's most famous club, maybe not the best but the biggest. Usual bouncer shit applies, No trainers, No male groups. Not easy for males alone to get in. Ask a girl in the line if you can go in with her.
CoffeeShops
A coffee shop in Amsterdam not only sells a cup of coffee but also a place which sells Cannabis and hash, weed, soft drugs, which is legal-ish in the Netherlands although you have to be over 18 years old to even enter a coffeeshop and ID is required and will be asked for it you look young.
We recommend BasJoe coffeeshop at Kloveniersburgwal number 62. A great coffeeshop run by brothers James and Leonardo, drop in and you'll be back again and again.
Enjoying Amsterdam
Amsterdam is a very safe city and much safer that many other European cities, but just like in any other major city you should be careful of pickpockets and look after your belongings.
Amsterdam is not a totally free city and is becoming less and less free as the days go by. Drinking Alcohol in the street is forbidden, if you’re caught urinating anywhere other than the free public toilet you will be fined on the spot 50 euros.
Cycling a bike without a light on it gets you a Euro 38 fine. All money making schemes by the city council.
When exploring the city by bike, make sure you use the bicycle lanes all over the city. Avoid cycling on the pavements / foot paths and always make sure you have working lights back and front if cycling at night and you will need at least two good locks to avoid your bike going missing at soon as you park it.
When visiting the red light district, remember that it is not really allowed to take photos of the girls, of course many people do and many times I have seen girls running after people who have taken their photo but on you tube there are many pictures and videos to view.
Buying any drugs on the street is 95% of the time a waste of your money at best and at worst you might die. If you must buy some look out for the "crack heads" around the top of the red-light district around "Febo" fast food joint. Ask them and they will get you good stuff.
If you are approached by dealers on the streets you are for sure getting ripped off, chances of getting real drugs are zero and you also risk the added danger of being robbed as soon as you take your money out to pay for the fake drugs. If you must go and buy never go on your own.
Once you use your head and do not act like a Wally / thick you should have a wonderful stay in Amsterdam.
Once you have been to Amsterdam you will certainly want to come back again and again and again. It's one of the cities which just grab you and won't let go.
Enjoy your stay in wonderful Amsterdam.
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