h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've won a trip to Amsterdam, nothing fancy, just a return ferry crossing, transfers into the centre, and just 1 day.

When should we go? What should we see and do?

Are there any Amsterdam researchers who fancy a long lunch break?

Lucky you.

There's the Van Gogh museum, if you like that sort of thing.

RF

Lots of cannabis, if you like that sort of thing.

Anne Franks' House.

A655472

There's also a torture museum, and the cannabis museum is really interesting.

I've never made it as far as Anne Frank's house (I run out of time), but it's definitely on my list next time I go there.

Well, what sort of thing would you like? There's the Anne Frank House and Torture Museum as mentioned. Also a Sex Museum, and the National Gallery. And countless art galleries. Hash shops, canal trips, windmills and other stuff.

Congratulations!
I am one day a week in Amsterdam, so who knows. Any idea when you will be there?

The Van Gogh museum might not be the best place if you have only one day, as half of it may be spent waiting outside in the queue.

And bring good walking shoes, there is a lot of digging going on for the new metro line.

Hi Marjin, at the moment we've not booked anything so we're flexible - sounds like some of the 'other' museums might be a good idea . It'll probably be late April/May time.

Which day are you in Amsterdam?

Whoops, Mina, I overlooked your post. Thanks for the link, they look interesting places, they're on the list

April/May time? Then look out for the World Press Photo Awards. Normally shown in the Oudekirk (not even 10 mins from Centraal Station) it is an excellent look at the year in photographs. They also normally show a retrospective look of one particular aspect of the Awards over the past 50 years it has been running. It will probably take a couple of hours to look and read it all.

If you want to go to Van Gogh then get there early. If you decide on Anne Franks then get there late (it stays open to 19:00 but most of the tourists are gone then).

http://www.worldpressphoto.nl says that it runs in the Oudekirk from 25th April to 19th of June.

Well worth a look. Until later....
BCNU - Crescent

Amsterdam is perfect for a day outing, although you could probably spend a week there if you did everything in detail. You can book a guided coach tour at the station - it's a good idea to go on this as soon as you arrive, to get an idea of the place and to see everything from the coach (better view than on foot) so you can decide where you want to go afterwards.

You can even fit a guided canal tour in in one day as well. The rest of the time, you can walk around and try the restaurants and cafés. It's so small you can't get lost, and everything's concentrated in one small area. At least, everything on your list probably. Just wander around the back streets - you can pick up weird clothes or second hand CDs as well as looking at ladies in practically no red satin at three o'clock in the afternoon.

You won't want to come home.

a canal trip can be fun....

one funny thing:
Amsterdam tries get ride off cannabis image, but Dutch airline advertises on Spanish buses with go Amsterdam wit cannabis sign next to it!

Granny, usually I am in Amsterdam every Thursday.
End of April, May seems a good idea, but skip the week of may 2 to May 5, as it is a school holiday and you may drown in kids.
Same for Whitsun.

And next to museums there are may pubs in Amsterdam for a lot of . Even English or Irish ones.

Thanks for the tip Marjin, we'll avoid those dates then Whit is out any way as we'll be entertaining one of the grandchildren.

A Dutch pub is what we're going to be looking for I think.

Someone's told me that gin in Holland is as different to the stuff we get here as guinness is is Ireland is that right?

Gin is the same as in England, Dutch usually never touch it. You can get at least the Beafeater brand.

The real Dutch is called 'jenever' (originally genever>, and it comes in the flavours 'jong' (young, completely clear) and 'oud' (old, slightly yellow and a bit fuller taste).
After a certain age you can ask for a 'jonkie, mijn leeftijd' (young one, my age) and get an old one. Funny barkeepers

There are also special 'proeflokalen' (tasting pubs), where you can buy and try a lot of them.
They should be filled higher than the rim, so you have to bend down and sip before you are allowed to pick up the glass.

I have never been in Ireland, so I don't know about the guinness. But there are a lot of English speaking people in the Irish pubs, so it probably is the same as you get in England.

My one recomendation is to get to grips with the trams straight away. The canal is a great way to get around but the tram is much quicker.

Watch out for the bicycles.

Have a great time.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A832259

PP

I wouldn't bother with the Anne Frank House if I were you. She's never in.

with a certain Llama