
Amsterdam in the Netherlands as it was before 2012
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All photos on
this website by Adam Wojtanek
Here's more
information and advise for a pleasant stay in Amsterdam. I should
explain that I'm not recommending taking drugs or coming
in contact with prostitutes or anyone else. My aim is to
information those who may decide to indulge in such
activity of some of the hazards or dangers involved. The
reader should also be aware that there may be many other
things to look out for that I may have failed to mention
in this short article. So, utmost care should be taken
when one decides to indulge in the many liberties
Amsterdam or any other such place in the world may have
to offer. And please remember that because of
international pressures mainly from the USA and its
allies in the UN, cannabis is formally illegal around the
world, and users are allowed to posses only a couple
grams of the herb in the Netherlands. But in spite of
that, cannabis is tolerated and taxed in the coffeeshops
and smart shops. The coffeeshops, smart shops and other
such businesses pay about 52% tax on their earnings (You
thought your taxes are too high?). One can walk into any
coffeeshop and order a coffee, a joint or both in
Amsterdam. Though I do recommend purchasing some loose
stuff and rolling your own because some of the prerolled
joints may be packed with other substances or may have
little if any weed in them. When the first popular
coffeeshops opened in Rotterdam in the 1960s they sold
potent Moroccan hash. So, users used to mix the hash with
tobacco and roll them into joints. So if one has kicked
nicotine addiction then one could easily get back on it
in the process. Fortunately, the mixing of tobacco with
weed in coffeeshops was banned in 2008. So, a coffeeshop
is a great place to visit for coffee, tea or some herb.
And hey, what would a visit to Amsterdam be without a
visit to a coffeeshop? The coffeeshops are one of the
most recognizable embodiment of Freedom that Amsterdam
has always symbolized. I believe hat is something all
Amsterdamers should be proud of. Otherwise the city would
not attract as many tourists as it has, would not be so
dynamic, and it would probably become as boring as many
other place of the world. There is a large selection of weed and hash in coffeeshops. So if you visit one, ask to see the menu before ordering. You should also remember that unlike the stuff you're used to back home the stuff they sell in A'dam is of high quality and can really kick-ass. Some is listed as "hydro" meaning that it was grown hydroponically and other as "bio" meaning it was grown in soil or organically. And also don't forget to ask about the percentage of Sattiva and Indica in the weed because that makes difference in the high you'll get. Whatever you do, do not buy anything on the streets because you will probably get ripped off at the least. In spite of such easy access to cannabis products, "studies have shown that the average use of it in Holland is lower compared to most surrounding countries." (from: "Prohibition open to be challenged" by J.S. Van Der Stad, Summer 2008) Amsterdam is
also more tolerant of gays and lesbians then many other
cities in the world. There are many gay and lesbian bars
in A'dam. But the community is smaller and not as well
organized or wide spread as in some American cities such
as Chicago, San Francisco or New York. I've been told
that the popular cruising areas are Vondelpark by the
rose garden after dusk and the wooded Nieuwe Meer area in
the southwest of the city. Amsterdam also has very
liberal prostitution laws. However, caution is strongly
advised in terms of personal safety particularly on
Paardenstraat where there are many male hustlers. There
are also new boutiques being opened in buildings owned by
one of the city's leading developers in the Red Light
district where one could buy a gift for the Wife after
visiting a prostitute next door You should
also remember that space cakes, cookies or bonbons
containing weed or hash sold in some places kick in after
a few hours. So don't hesitate to ask the staff how many
you should eat. And do not eat more then recommended
because they are very powerful and the high you get on
those is almost like on LSD. Some unknowing tourists
sometimes overdose and later are found lying around
wasted on pavements giving Amsterdam a bad name. Also,
remember that no one under 18 is allowed to enter
coffeeshops, and IDs are checked. The cannabis products
sold in gift shops and grocery stores have little THC content and are a lot safer to use because
they won't make one high. The above
article was written for a carefree tourist that would be
spending time more intensively then the rest. It's for a
tourist with a higher profile that may attract
pickpockets and other types that tend to prey on careless
tourists. So please use your common sense when traveling
anywhere around the world and your trip should turn out
to be a memorable one.
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The Royal Palace (Koninklijk Paleis) on The Dam Square
Dutch Royal House (Het Koninklijk Huis)
![]() That's me at the Dam Square in Amsterdam. The Dam Square was the 1960s hippie center of the world. It still is a popular meeting place in Amsterdam. In the background, Grand Hotel Krasnopolsky established in 1866 by a Polish immigrant. Click here to see it on Google Maps. |
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