TR: Amsterdam-ned if I do!

[Nrthwnd]

DISCLAIMER All of these pix were taken with a Pentax film camera, developed and put on disc, then photo-shopped to bits for the report. There's fuzziness, odd shots, and stuff I still can't figure out! So, please be kind in your critique. A digi-cam is in my future, probably in the new year. But for now, enjoy the ride...

 

~ ~ ~ ~

 

Amsterdam In Five Parts

 

I spent nine days there, but Mom Nature decided to put a heat spell on me (and it). Most uncomfortable from coming outside, to into the hotel which was (also) overheated. But when it was good, I got some needed rest, some good exercise (this area had no benches to sit on!) and the food ain't too bad, too.

 

This First Part shows my journey from the train station (where I arrived from the airport) towards my humble hotel for the duration of my stay.

And opposite GE, my 'regular' afternoon/eve fave drinking establishment, Casa Maria.

Ah, my fave "coffee shop" is still there; The Greenhouse Effect. Mmmm, coffee.

Oh no - we have to go thru here to get to my hotel? Notice I already start to get 'fuzzy'? Red Light District ahead!

Wanted - your jeans!!! (um, okay)

Told you. Actually, one of many franchises here incl. BurgerKing and The Colonel.

Yay - this town is Elissa-friendly!

Lots of bicycles. And I'm sure a few of those are rentals, lol.

I pass by this hotel and bicycle 'mass' every time I visit here.

Ah - Amsterdam's getting a new metro system in.. 2011? Hmmm. Guess various streets will be blocked, etc. for a few years here and there, hmm?

Central Station - with a lot of construction around. What for?...

Edited November 9, 2005 by Nrthwnd

[PhishyBrewer]

Ah, my fave "coffee shop" is still there; The Greenhouse Effect. Mmmm, coffee.

 

The only picture of greens? Come on... what really happened in Amsterdam?

[coasterboi]

My favourate district isnt there im not impressed and i agree pishiy brewer where is the green[Thats just me ]

[Nrthwnd]

My favourate district isnt there im not impressed and i agree pishiy brewer where is the green[Thats just me ]

 

You're too young to know these things, mmm'k?

 

Unfortunately most, if not all, of the coffeeshops in central Am'dam, reeeeally don't like you snapping pix of their 'order boards' and what you buy, etc. And me with my regular old film camera w/flash just wasn't going to cut it, lol. Hence, the need for a digi-cam in my future.

 

Still, I got what I needed, grabbed what snacks and drinks I needed at the grocery store I knew of there, close by. Checked into my hotel and immediately it began to POUR F---ING RAIN for three hours!!!

 

Part Two - The Room & The Rain

 

My room was a simple humble place to sleep, catch some tv, relax and watch a mini-view of Amsterdam's district go by my window. My room had a canal view, and a view pf Am'dam's oldest chruch, Oude Kerk. And right beside it, and around it, the girls selling (renting?) their, um, wares...

 

But the sudden downpour kept me inside most of the day, so here's the first shots of how I spent my first day there... snacking, snapping... and smoking.

Last rain shot. Glad it only lasted my arrival day.

Random shot of my snacks and drinks. Note the potatoe chips - Barbequed Ham??? And yes they did taste like it, too.

One of the many free Pissoirs in the city. When ya gotta go, after all that... drinking, heh heh.

Looking over towards where some of the girls are working.

Not the greatest day for touring yet, hmm?

First view of Oude Kerk with the wet stuff being blown thru the city.

The other end of the room - cozy, huh? And cable TV, my windup battery radio and ever-present water bottle.

What the entrance part of my room looks like, with a nice sink.. and shared shower/bathroom with the other rooms.

Edited November 7, 2005 by Nrthwnd

[Hattuchili]

Great pictures so far, Bill! I can´t wait to see more of that stuff! How many days do you visited Amsterdam?

 

--Sören

[Nrthwnd]

^ Nine days Soren. That included my arrival morning, a Tuesday thru to the Thursday morning of the following week. Which seemed enough, to me.

[SharkTums]

Looks fun!

 

Although I could never do the whole sharing bathrooms thing!!!

 

Can't wait for the rest!

[FlippyTrick09]

PLease tell me you got some hashbrownies!!!! Lol You cant go to Amsterdam withoput getting HashBrownies!!!!

[Nrthwnd]

PLease tell me you got some hashbrownies!!!! Lol You cant go to Amsterdam withoput getting HashBrownies!!!!

 

Um - don't have to go to Amsterdam for them desserts. Remember where I live, hmm?

[FlippyTrick09]

Lol o0o0o I gethcya........

 

 

 

 

(actually that went right over my head)

[CP_fan_boy]

In my 8th grade health class, I learned that Amsterdam has the highest STD rate in the world due to legalized prostitution.

[Teddymonster]

In my 8th grade health class, I learned that Amsterdam has the highest STD rate in the world due to legalized prostitution.

 

Depending on which part of the country you are from, I am going to bet on that one being a load of crap. Especially if you learned it in a middle school health class. Just FYI, don't look any further than the RED WHITE AND BLUE for the country (and major city) with the highest STD rate.

 

 

BTW...Bill, your pics look great, even if they're not digital. I'm glad you had a good time in Amsterdam. Just hope you didn't get in trouble in U.S. Customs.

[Nrthwnd]

Just hope you didn't get in trouble in U.S. Customs.

 

There was no US Customs to deal with. Hah. I flew directly from Vancouver to Amsterdam via KLM. Did Canadian customs back home. Of course, I had absolutely nothing to hide, nor had I "anything on my person," that would even remotely suggest....

 

...well, I know what I can do in one place, I can't 'bring over' to another. So I just, um, 'forgot things' back at my hotel room?

 

[Nrthwnd]

Part Three - Sunnier Days Ahead

 

After the first day (actually a couple) of pretty lousy, windy weather, it all stopped just as suddenly as it had started. So, time to get out of the hotel, look around, stroll along the canals and enjoy the impending fall season.

 

Amsterdam is fairly easy to get around, once you know your landmarks, shops and your handy, trusty MAP, lol. But sometimes, you can get into an awful stress-induced panic (first time for me in 2002) where you find yourself somehow circling round and round... Not fun. The best thing to do, is once you've found a good easy route to get from points A to B, stick with it, and don't change too much, unless... well, see above, heh heh. (o:

 

Here's a few more pix showing some more window views as well as a few local shots.

 

Then - Part Four will give you a BONUS of some "non-random" pix, i.e a Carnival setup and The Amsterdam Dungeon.

A typical 'street scene' when one is down here in the oldest section of the city. Lots of stairs (and exercise) to climb between floors - no wonder most Dutch are so lean and healthy-looking!

Same canal, other direction view. And a crossing bridge.

One of the many canal views you see thru-out Amsterdam. Simple, calm, NOT to swim in, LOL! And there's Oude kerk on the right of it.

I have yet to look this up, but this ornate building with the date "1516" marked there at the top of it, is apparently an Important Building. Out of my hotel window (left bldg, behind tree, second window above door?) I constantly saw peeps stopping with t

My trusty old map of the city - this is the original 2002 one I first picked up here. Too many things marked on it, to toss it, y'know?

Thought this was a rather interesting straight-forward use of two primary colors, LOL. Hmmm. (A no-no for me, I can admit.)

And there beside the church, the girls get their windows and 'working areas' ready for another day...

Ah, the old church Oude Kerk looks much better in sunlight, doesn't it?

Definitely sunlight coming thru my hotel window there.

[SharkTums]

Maybe the Anne Frank House?

 

Just a guess, haven't been there in like 15 years!

[PhishyBrewer]

GREEN?

[Nrthwnd]

Maybe the Anne Frank House?

 

Just a guess, haven't been there in like 15 years!

 

No, the Anne Frank house is farther south of where I was, and is totally enclosed with another actual building around it! Not to mention, huge lineups to tour thru it.

 

No, this is something else. Next fall, when I return, I am definitely going to find out about this house - I really think it has to do with it having so much ornate filigree and stuff on it. Or not. Who knows?

 

But thanks for suggesting.

[Nrthwnd]

Part Four - Carnival Rides & Amsterdam Dungeon

 

First of all, you need to check out the photos I picked up from wooshmagazine.com and posted in another thread, to see what some of the interior track set up is/was like:

 

http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19427&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=

 

 

That done, altho this stuff IS more of the other categories (Coasters,ThemePks, etc) I decided to keep it all together, since it IS all part of my trip. Hope that makes sense here? If not.... what-ever.

 

I actually did this all on (gasp) Halloween Day too! Altho for the life of me I couldn't figure out why the carnival stayed set up on Monday, since nobody I asked there, really knew what Monday was, for most North Americans. But the whole set-up was dismantled on Tuesday. So, "somebody knew," heh heh.

 

Bunch of rides crammed together in Dam Square, in front of the Royal Palace. Quite bizarre to walk around and thru. Didn't do anything but the Ghoster Coaster ride, a pretty lame (IMHO) tracked double car spook house ride. Best parts were the uphill spiral inside, the sudden air hisses on our hair in two places, and a "live talent" with a chainsaw at the end exit of the indoor part. Also, they tried a cool green (there ya are, Wally ) laser light shot at us as we 'declined' back downhill into the bldg. from our little outdoor second floor track part. For 3.50 euros a ride..... well, um, ok, I did it. I'll admit it.

 

And the Amsterdam Dungeon with it's Demon Drop end-ride (coaster part) was interesting to me now, in comparison to the Ghoster Coaster, that it was basically a same set-up ride thru attraction, with parts to view and 'unexpected movement' to occur - only the track and car and electronics/computering were more high-end? - and all for a more expensive ride. 17.50 euros.

 

:shock:

 

Now, the Dungeon also throws in a pretty substantial "live show tour" from the beginning of your trip down, down, down into the bowels of Amsterdam history with scenes, environments and pretty good live talent moving you along and thru this multi-media attraction.

 

And with my little "Group of Five" (two girls from LA named I-kid-you-not OMG Alicia and... Elissa; Brit cpl./guy with skinhead mohawk;... and moi from Canada), we actually had a pretty good time thru it all, volunteering for everything they put us thru - I was espesically proud of my skills at helping "demo" torture instruments ...

 

The 'Demon Drop' coaster was okay. The total darkness effect of inside the church felt like what I remember Orig.Space Mtn. in DL was like, when the windows allowed light into it., You could sort-of see stuff, but nothing distinct. Like it was still being built.

 

The lift was actually an true elevator lift to higher track. Which you can see in a couple of the woosh pix. That lift is also right beside where we ended on the turntable for a back-and-forth media experience (big front screen has Demon wailing, in Dutch, we turn to organ that lights up and wails in discords). I think the turntable is just to help cut a corner in the church space being used there.

 

The track route was basically a high circle/spiralling out to the drop, then diving back under the upper track for another oval, back to the unload point. Then the car is rolled to the loading spot, after being elevated a bit. And the cycle repeats.

 

Then you are off it, and either off to the bathroom, and/or the gift shop which starts with your "On-Ride Photo"Booth, pic taken just as your car... dropped. 8)

 

I intend to re-vist it every year I get to Amsterdam, as I found out they have extra rooms available for more add-ons to the history attraction part of it. Which will be more fun if I can get a good group together like I did this first time, lol.

 

Unfortunately, I was not allowed to take pix in the entire building, and honestly, with my Pentax? Pix wouldn't have worked even with 400 film and non-flash used. So, enjoy what pix I could get there and enjoy this part.

 

(Part Five to end it all, in a bit here.)

I think, tho, I DO like this pic of the two, the best. Shows my 'character acting' abilities, don't you think???

Back of holder, also front of souvenir program. And yes - more GREEN, Wally!!!

And there I am in my Theme Park Review t-shirt, looking like I am still not sure what a coaster is doing in a church, LOL. Me and Brit.guy must have bonded in the main tour, cause we seem to have the same expression when the drop... happens. Sorry Wally,

Here's the cover of the on-ride photo holder. Check out this GREEN, Wally!

And whoosh!!! Here's the haul from my 17.50 Euros experience in the Amsterdam Underbelly, ac ac ac! I actually blew over 50 Euros, with two pix, a t-shirt, coffee mug, souvenir program. What a rube I am, lol.

There it is - see it? - behind the construction for the new metro system? - there it is! Amsterdam Dungeon. Not much visual help if you were on the other side of the street, lol.

The cars in sets of two. I was in the back car of my set and led the yelling and screaming charge thru-out most of the ride and out on the second outdoor part. i think we actually brought in some more customers for the ops, from the way we scrEEEEEEEEEmed

Ghoster Coaster! All for the amaaaaazing price of ... 3.50 Euros???

I forget what the swingy thing there is called - I know most of you do - but there was a mini-version of that for a 3 Euro ride. And there's The Palace for ya.

Here's the Carnival collection, with the Royal Palace (out of view to the left there), in Dam Square. Big ferris wheel, and...? Well, it was a tight bunch of'em, lol.

Halloween Day was a really nice day to start this special tour, but clouds did come in from time to time and really darken the skies. Almost rain, but never did.

[cfc]

Funny stuff--you're quite the head case, which explains the last picture.

 

My brother and I checked out the Edinburgh Dungeon and thought it was a hoot. The best part is the end where your a poor McDonald trapped in a wee house in Glencoe when the Campbells and their pals, the British, set it afire. Pretty bizarre when your family is the monster in a "haunted attraction."

 

Chuck "Don't look at me--I wasn't at Glencoe" Campbell

[Nrthwnd]

^ I might check out the London Dungeons, before doing the UK Tour next June. At least out of five "Dungeon Credits"... I'll then have two, hah!

 

[blackcurrent]

That hotel room sucks......

[Nrthwnd]

Part Five - The End of It All

 

After Halloween and the Am'dam Dungeon visit, the weather appeared to 'clean itself up' and cool down to a more comfortable temp.

 

I stuck close to the hotel (and my ^ sucky room, lol), found a couple of nice places to eat w/reasonable prices (NOT an easy thing to find here), and got out for a couple more days of walking around, taking in the new time period (yes, they set their clocks back too) and fall weather fast approaching there.

 

I will be back. I will re-visit The Dungeon and see what's new there. And for the sake of Phishybrewer, I will continue the quest for "something that's green". Next year...

 

And if anybody here wonders how you find Amsterdam's "working girls" - it's all in the lighting. RED lighting. 'Nite girls. See ya next year... (o:

The night (Nov.02) before leaving for home. The church always looked beautiful at night, out my window.

This was actually taken after I got back from The Dungeon, but I thought it'd be a better part of the end of my TR here. In my new Demon Drop t-shirt, too. Enjoying my 'sucky room' for a few more days.

um, The Fifth gate at WDW? (wink) Actually, just by the church and the boobyart.

Booby-art. Set into the cobblestone pathway around Oude Kerk, the old church. And "locked down" as we can see, lol. Lest sombody try to steal a booby or two.

"And now for something completely different..." (o: This one's for you, Robb. Decisons, decisions. Which style and color to choose?... (This was on the way back from the monument.)

This is the Homomonument, built in the mid-90s, to commemorate those gays who were also 'eliminated' during the Nazis reign of terror. It's actually one of three triangles here - the other two are up past the taxis and form another "triangle" with this

One of several 'art pieces' found here and there thru-out the city. I liked this one. Not sure why. Art is in the eye of...

There were always groups of people, wandering thru the District - and I started wondering what a group of 50 would look like (i.e the # on the UK Tour in June?). This is the best I found, and then, my eyes (and the camera) started fuzzy-ing up at the pros

[Teddymonster]

Just hope you didn't get in trouble in U.S. Customs.

 

There was no US Customs to deal with. Hah. I flew directly from Vancouver to Amsterdam via KLM. Did Canadian customs back home. Of course, I had absolutely nothing to hide, nor had I "anything on my person," that would even remotely suggest....

 

...well, I know what I can do in one place, I can't 'bring over' to another. So I just, um, 'forgot things' back at my hotel room?

 

 

OMG...I feel like such an ignunt ass. Poor Bill was all alone on the ride!!! This is an outrage! At least your beheading pic came out nicely!

[Nrthwnd]

^ That's okay, TM. Sometimes we feel like the "little brother" that keeps kicking Big Brother's shins from time to time.

[Louise]

Great pictures Bill, nice to see you seemed to enjoy yourself, I know you were a little apprehensive about travelling alone for the first time in so long. Wow, you're a total souvenir fiend! If you can spend 50 Euros at just one attraction, how much are you going to spend in your ten days in the UK?!