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Re: Anyone been to Amsterdam?
No, always wanted to go. Would love to check it out, for the pot cafes mostly. FWIW I heard the red light district is interesting to walk down, window shop, when it's all the local dutch girls. But after you start seeing the russian & ukranian & latvian girls, and realize they're probably either involved in some sort of sex trafficking, or it's their only way of making any money, it gets pretty depressing quick.
Re: Anyone been to Amsterdam?
I'd suggest you don't waste your time in the coffeeshops 
The nicest thing about Amsterdam is just walking around and taking in the beautiful architecture lined along the canals. Anne Franks house is definitely worth a visit, as is the local zoo, and Vondelpark. Canal Cruises and Madame Tussauds not so much.
To be honest just get your smoke and get out there to see what you discover. Don't bother planning or having a schedule as that will go straight out the window when you get there anyway 
Buy a tram pass that allows you to hop on/off whenever you want as it'll save you a fortune.
Avoid "Febo" (food vendor), and be extra careful about where you're walking as the bikes/trams can just come out of nowhere.
Try to get a hotel in Dam Square ("Die Port Van Cleve" is nice if you can get a good deal on the price). If the hotel you're booking is miles away from Centraal, RLD etc then it's a buzzkill having to get a tram/taxi at the end of the night, but Dam Square is within walking distance and a nice area. You're pretty much guaranteed to gravitate towards the RLD when it gets dark, me and Krystal did every night unintentionally lol, just follow the stampede of tourists and you'll end up there.
Re: Anyone been to Amsterdam?
I went for a couple of days when I went through Europe.
Obviously the coffee shops are fun and walking thru the red light district at night was a real eye opener. Windows after windows of girls trying to coax you in for their services. Different streets/alley ways with different offerings, fat girls, skinny girls, Scandinavian girls etc etc. Classic. It seemed like you couldn't walk more than a few meters without some Rustafarian trying to sell you any drug under the sun.
I remember going into one of the sex shops and noticed some old dude who looked about 70 thumbing thru DVDs. After he moved away I noticed that the genre he was looking thru was animal porn. I then saw him about 5 minutes later out on the street with a shopping bag and he must have bought a few of them. Lol
Cliche things you could do are go to the Heinekin factory. Maybe visit Anne Frank museum where she and her family hid from the Nazis. Oh yeah gotta go to a sex show for a laugh too. I only had a couple of days there so didn't see as much as I would have liked.
Edit- yeah a canal cruise was cool.
Re: Anyone been to Amsterdam?
No, always wanted to go. Would love to check it out, for the pot cafes mostly. FWIW I heard the red light district is interesting to walk down, window shop, when it's all the local dutch girls. But after you start seeing the russian & ukranian & latvian girls, and realize they're probably either involved in some sort of sex trafficking, or it's their only way of making any money, it gets pretty depressing quick.
It's not so depressing once you find out how much they're making...In contrast to countries where prostitution is illegal those girls don't get beat by their pimps and they get to keep most of the money themselves. They also have less STD's than normal dutch citizens. They easily make a $1000 a day.
Try and find coffee shops a bit outside the core. Better prices and better product. (Never carry more than 5 grams, that's the legal limit) And this is an important rule, if somebody asks you to buy something else on the street, don't even acknowledge them. Just go about your business as if you don't even see them and they'll leave you alone. If you engage them in any kind of conversation, including telling them a polite "no" they can get pretty pissed.
Other than that you have the dutch version of Madame Tussaud and a decent Zoo you can visit. If you're into art there's the Guggenheim museum. Also when you're walking in the streets, watch your fucking step! Cars drive EVERYWHERE, and they drive fast. There's also designated bicycling lanes in every road where people drive at a decent speed. The pedestrian lanes also have some rules to follow, mostly outside of the city, anyways keep to the right at all times. They're allowed to drive Vespas and stuff on those lanes, so don't stray and keep to the right.
If you find a shop that sells them, definitely try the mushrooms! If you're a beginner go for the "Mexican" and eat half a pack. Should give you a relaxing psychedelic high.
Re: Anyone been to Amsterdam?
Thanks for the info. Not gonna sit in the cafes all day. I like to smoke and explore so that is what I will prolly do. Def wanna try the mushrooms. I've dabbled in LSD and Shrooms before so I know the deal. Will look into a hotel near where you said Will. I am not a good drunk navigator so close to the action is my plan. Might be a solo trip if my friends can't get off work. Been wanting to go for years so I will not mind. I can make friends just about anywhere.
Re: Anyone been to Amsterdam?
Might be a solo trip if my friends can't get off work. Been wanting to go for years so I will not mind. I can make friends just about anywhere.
A friend of mine who I've been to Amsterdam with was skyping me earlier tonight and happened to say that he'd been on a solo trip to the Dam earlier in the year. Made it sound pretty awesome... might go back myself and just not tell the missus 
All his comments on the solo trip:
Super last minute thing. Got flight to Brussels for 17 quid, then booked bus. Was in a hostel or on the street, not really a woman thing.
Woke up in a park in Amsterdam at 3am at one point, no idea where I was
Was great
I like my adventures dirty and seedy
Made friends with a humongous black guy - [girlfriend] wouldn't have been into that
Nothing to do with him being black, more that it was 1 am and he was screaming and shouting in the street
Ha ha
I remember sitting outside the Bulldog with a huge spliff, and some American couple asked me where to get weed/how to buy it.
I mentioned that they were standing outside the most famous coffee shop in the world...
I loved it. I think the biggest thing to think about is how you actually cope on your own.
I'm fine making conversation by myself and mostly despise human contact, so it was great.
That said, in a weird way it makes you more gregarious as well
I was a lot more willing to speak to strangers and strike up conversation.
Certainly don't have to talk to people, but it's no bother when your both sitting in a cafe smoking for example
Makes striking up conversation easier. Tbh though, I did just wander about in a haze most of the time
Not sure how many European members Evo actually has but a meetup in Amsterdam would be cool
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