<What I meant is that prostitution should not exist.>

Your opinion only. And this is not the place for that discussion.

RLD is a fact of life in Amsterdam. If you aren't interested in seeing the neighborhood, don't go there. Others may well want to take a look what it's all about.

You can't smmoke in bars. Any sort of soking is illegal.

Not being judgemental Pal, but you do tend to assume everyone is going to Amsterdam for the same reasons you visit the place.

hetismiji2 must be new law.. as you most definitely could smoke pot in some places that sold alcohol in 2011.. as I know people who did do so in fact.. and were not reprimanded .

Berlin has a ton of sights to fill six days but you may want to do some easy day trips - like to Potsdam, very close to Berlin, and Sans Souci Palace and Park - the Prussian Versailles as they call the lavish palace and sprawling neat park. Take the S-Bahn there - about 40 minutes each way:

https://www.google.com/search?q=sans...HUJhD3EQsAQIHg

Another interesting and sobering day trip can go to suburban Sachsenhausen Memorial, the remains of a WW2 concentration camp where ruins of gas chambers are clearly seen and the grim barracks, etc. Lots of trains go there too:

https://www.google.com/search?q=sach...HXwdC8sQsAQIHg

Speaking of trains there is an overnight train link between Amsterdam and Berlin you could take - great experience for many - bring any food and drink aboard (but NOT pot!) - save on a hotel and day time travel time. For lots of info on night trains and European trains in general check www.seat61.com - good info on discounted train tickets between Amsterdam and Berlin available on day or night trains; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Booking early is imperative to guarantee the limited in number discounted ducats. But they are non-changeable and have a hefty refund charge and as sold in limited numbers must be booked in stone weeks ahead of time to guarantee - but savings can be immense.

Berlin is full of outdoor and indoor beer gardens that are a real treat - good beer hall food and those lovely oompah bands belting out beer hall favorites like:

"There is no beer in Heaven
Because we are all here'
Etc.!

http://www.metrolyrics.com/in-heaven...ave-combo.html

Oops got those lyrics wrong - but if you go to a German beer hall or garden with the traditional oompah band you will hear this lovely song at least once if not a lot!

Amsterdam has some of the best clubbing on the continent. But not at Melkweg! That's for the over 40s.

However, if you know when you're going, book tickets while still at home for the many festivals, club sessions, that are on continually throughout the year.

I think it would be good also to leave the beaten track that the hostel set treads (beer, "smoking", wandering around the red light district, going to the Heineken brewery) and go where it's interesting.

A few recommendations (can be googled)

Blijburg
Magneetfestival
Amsterdam Dance Event
Awakenings Festival
Anything happening at NDSM

venues like
De School
Sugarfactory
Bitterzoet
Most things happening at Westergasfabriek
OT301
Tolhuistuin is starting to be good (generally, the "Noord" area, north of IJ is becoming very interesting)
De Nieuwe Anita
Nataraj @ ClubLite

Be aware that tickets sell out fast. Best bet is to follow venues on Facebook so you get alerts to tickets early.

Rotterdam is now the emerging "second" city

Whatever you do, don't "smoke" and ride a bike.


I think the best bits of amsterdam are not around the RLD or in coffeeshops. Electronic Dance Music is exploding right now and Amsterdam is one of the best places for it. Ever innovative, always fresh and with a friendly and accessible network of venues and clubs. Safe too.

A fun day out is to head to Halfweg (nowaday it has its own trainstop) and visit Ruigoord, a hippy enclave hemmed in by encroaching docklands) Its solstice celebrations are rightfully famous, as is its "Landjuweel"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UupjkJaatuU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewIdlmoDnZY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obnx8p9SeAI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uy1gaVjZ9w

PS, don't worry about the language, off the beaten track. Amsterdam is extremely international, so English will be the lingua franca anyway. And you'll have had an Amsterdam vacation truly unlike anyone else's.

Thanks to everyone for the tips. Quick question about the clubs listed above. I was told by a few people that the one club that I had to check out was Melkweg. What makes you say that it's for people in their forties and up? From the musical lineups I've seen, it looks like most of the events would be more interesting to people my age.

My personal opinion is that what's on at Melkweg is second rate, and not quite as on point as what's happening at De School for instance. Things are more exciting at the venues I listed. The line-ups better, the visual design way better, the entire experience. At Melkweg: lots of hiphop, Popschool, which is basically amateur night. The only thing in the january agenda where I might want to go is 50Hurtz, the Dubstep thing. Other than that: bands. Can be had anywhere. Oh, and HipHop.

I've been to some great nights at Melkweg, but it's slipped behind. They publicize it a lot to tourists, who think it's great, also because it's at Leidseplein. But there's so, so much more. And better.

Oh, and one bar recommendation, but don't tell them I told you: DIEP on Nieuwezijds voorburgwal, just off Dam Square. It and its next door neighbour BEP are owned by the same guy. Laid back place, everyone welcome, meals at BEP are great, they have hilarious bingo nights.

Fail to see how one needs to satisfy curiosity about a place where women are displayed as if they were animals in a zoo. It's true this is legal in Amsterdam - but one doesn't have to look at it.

And there are similar areas in any city. I would be very surprised if many 18 year olds have not seen prostitutes in the less pleasant areas of their own towns - and not been particularly enthralled.

Sort of like making a visit to the town dump because you are curious.

Quick question about the clubs listed above. I was told by a few people that the one club that I had to check out was Melkweg. What makes you say that it's for people in their forties and up?>

total ignorance - relatively few folks there IME anyway are older than their 20s and if the concert is cool with younger folks like you found they will dominate. Ignore that comment - totally inaccurate as these images will tell you:

https://www.google.com/search?q=melk...w=1745&bih=868

after all it is a city-owned youth centre.

https://www.google.com/search?q=para...w=1745&bih=868

The Paradiso - a few blocks from the Melkweg in the Leidesplein area is a pure concert hall and gets I believe really big name bands from all over and the crowd is 20s or younger IME of seeing folk swarming into the place.

You a man Suze ?
Just curious.
Maybe not actually.

Oh PalenQ, you sometimes infuriating, yet also weirdly endearing geezer!

Hahaha. Sorry.

<You a man Suze ?>

No. Female. Why?

There was nothing wrong with Suzes comment, I agree with it actually.. and neither of us is a man.


Whathello was inferring you must be a man to make such a statement.
Which , if one has ever walked through the area.. is a silly statement as I have seen just as many women as men walking through.. tourists mostly looky looing.. or simply on their way to other areas.. no need to cut a wide berth around the area unless easily offended.

Whether someone things legal prostitution is right or wrong is not the point.. in the Nederlands it is..

You think I must be a man to support a women's legal right to do what she wants with her own body?

<<What I meant is that prostitution should not exist.>>

Uh, good luck with that one, Whathello.

Yes I do.
Can't imagine a woman backing it, one way or another.
One bit or whole of it. And can't be mate with a man who thinks prostitution is ok, far less goes to prostitutes.

You can call me Don Quichotte. But I'm devastated to see you don't understand.

Actually no, I don't care. But I don't understand.
Just cannot understand that anybody can not say that prositution is wrong, plain wrong, irregardless of it being legal or not (is it legal or is tolerated ?).

I think it was legal to kill one's slaves in US if the slave ran away, no ? Was it ok ? You tell me.

Won't make me lose sleep. And it is not travel-related.
But what in this thread is...

Ridiculous analogy...

Prostitution is a woman's choice and right.

Killing a slave was certainly not the slave's idea.

And it's Don Quixote.

'Prostitution is a woman's choice and right.'

Really ? In how many cases ? 0,01% ? Hiding behind an excuse to do nothing. Next you'll say the world has always been so. Prostitution is not a women's choice, it is human trafficiking - same as slavery.

I'm sure there were a lot of nice people in southern plantations speaking like you 150 years ago.