Biggest mistake is going to Amsterdam in the first place… Go to any other city, you’ll have a much better experience without all the tourist bs at a much lower cost.
Thats bs, you wanna go to Amsterdam. Just because of the damn tourists, you will have a great laugh... whores, hobos, coffeeshops... come on, what else do you want.🤣 but yeah ive heard New York shit to, still wanna go there to be honest.
14:00 DON’T rent a bike. Tourists that can’t ride a bike properly in the city center are the number one annoyance of people from Amsterdam. Those tourists endanger everybody’s life. Just walk and buy a day ticket for public transport.
I would say... don't rent a bike in the cities. Feel free to rent a bike elsewhere. Outside the cities there is plenty of room to practice without endangering yourself or the public. If people want to visit places like de Veluwe or Vuursche, it is highly recommended to do so by bycicle.
As a Dutch person, I can tell you that most Dutch people feel like a tourist them self in Amsterdam. It's not really realy Dutch. if you want to experience that, you should definitely visit one of the other cities, you will find that they are very relaxed and you can experience everything much better. The Netherlands has more to offer than Amsterdam alone. Plus besides all those tourists it's easier to have a chat with the locals and you secretly learn a lot more. Brabant where I come from is also very beautiful and has a lot of history and also real Dutch things. It's just what you come for. ;)
I'm Dutch and Amsterdam for me feels as an other country. I've been there often, also outside the center. And outside the center it feels more like a Dutch city. O, the tram etiquette was strange to me too, last time I took a tram. I know trams in The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht and those do not use that 'etiquette'.
A friend of mine recently called Groningen the "better version of Amsterdam," because it's just as beautiful, but doesn't have all the touristy things. Did end up in a shop where everyone exclusively spoke English at some point, but it didn't really bother us that much. (plus, the food there was delicious!)
As a Dutch person I never realised how steep our stairs are, I've always just seen it as normal and got annoyed when stairs in other countries weren't steep.
Voorheen was er geen wetgeving voor maar nu moet een trap aan regels voldoen. Rijksoverheid Hoofdstuk 2 Technische bouwvoorschriften uit het oogpunt van veiligheid › Afdeling 2.5 Trap
@@20kilovolt Previously there was no legislation for this, but now a staircase must comply with rules. National government Chapter 2 Technical building regulations from the point of view of safety › Section 2.5 Stairs
Another common mistake some tourists make is stopping in the middle of the walking paths. Amsterdam is a really busy city with little space between the buildings, and stopping in the middle of the paths means you're clogging up the flow of people. It's a really big annoyance to most Dutch people and you immediately stand out as a tourist. It's better to just take a few steps to the side to allow others to pass you.
Hi there! I was born and raised in Amsterdam (aka Mokum, Moqam is Hebrew for ''place'' or ''city'') and I want to react to some parts of your reaction video. There are ''coffeeshops'' and ''koffiehuizen'' (direct translation coffeehouses). You can get coffee in coffeeshops, but they also sell edibles (cakes only, chocolate or any other form is not allowed), cannabis and hasish. Sometimes the coffeeshop does take away only, in that case they most likely don't sell coffee because you go in and out just to buy something to get high on. This has changed a bit, with corona there was take away only in all shops. In coffeehouses you can get coffee (often also cakes, sandwiches and other drinks are available) and there will be nobody smoking joints inside. Within the city center you can visit ''Koffiehuis de Hoek'' for instance, but i must say coffeeshops are way easier to find then coffeehouses. Charlie is right! There is very potent weed out there but coffeeshops also sell low thc cannabis, so it's not always stronger than at home like the guy in the video said, it's all about what you choose to smoke. I have smoked really good stuff outside of the Netherlands and have seen weak cannabis in coffeeshops in Amsterdam. Also, it's not about how potent the weed/hasish is, it's about how much you take of it. Just like alcohol, whiskey is way stronger than beer, but one whiskey is nothing compared to 15 beers, one puff of strong stuff might not get you as high as 2 joints of weaker stuff. Don't buy drugs on the streets anywhere you go, that does not only count for Amsterdam! People rip you off and you never really know what you get (probably garbage) untill you get it tested at a test location. Be wise kids, don't buy anything off the streets. There was a ''coke dealer'' a couple of years ago who sold heroin as cocaine and people took too much and died. Of course there are some good ones out there, but I would't risk my money (and possibly health). If you really can't resist and still buy stuff on the streets, get it tested first! I don't trust any dealer, even if it's recommended by friends. Test your product! When you visit Amsterdam don't even bother going to the red light district unless you like prostitutes, shady dealers and f'd up tourists. It's not a place where I like to go, fights break out and to me it always had a bad vibe. Prostitutes need clients, they don't need people that just look at their work place. If you still want go there, respect the ladies and don't take pictures! Not because they are working but because they might like to keep it discrete. Also, you don't take pictures of people on the beach in their bikini's because it's kinda pervy, right?! You can take a picture/video of me while working, but yeah, I'm in a different profession. Don't ride bikes if you have no XP points, just like I should not ride a mopet in Bangkok, it's asking for touble! If you decide to ride a bike anyways, learn the rules first! Little pancakes are called ''poffertjes'' 😉 Fun fact, FEBO is short for Ferdinand Bol... the first FEBO was at the Ferdinand Bolstraat in ''de Pijp'' area of Amsterdam. Please put some mustard on that kroket!!! See you guys soon! 😃
Thank you for this comment. I totally agree with everything you just said. And although Amsterdam is different from other cities, you can't erase it from Dutch heritage. It is the capitol of this country for a reason. So much history. What I find hard to believe is that Dutch people are actually scared to go to Amsterdam and fi ride the subway? (born and raised in Amsterdam by Rotterdam and The Hague parents in the 70s).
I'm Dutch, and I absolutely love the passion you have for the Netherlands! I'm a Couchsurfing host, which means I host people from all over the world for free, unfortunately not in the Netherlands as I live abroad... But if you want to visit it is a fantastic way to cut your costs, as you aren't expected to pay anything (but maybe making dinner or giving a guitar lesson or whatever you can offer is always appreciated!) If you play it right you can do a full tour of the netherlands spending very little money!
The I Amsterdam sign at the Rijksmuseum was removed because of the nuisance caused by all the tourists. Imagine a square where there are multiple museums with some of the greatest artworks in the world and all people are there for is that stupid sign... Nowadays tourists in Amsterdam are mostly considered a plague that has to be regulated and dispersed.
I love your video’s. I have been binging your video’s for a few days. You have so much respect for other cultures and countries and I appreciate that so much! I wish you would talk a little more after the video’s where you react to are done, because I can’t get enough! Keep up the good work and all the best to you and your fam!
I have a tip for a next episode of the Netherlands: The cycling network. All across the country there are nodes with numbersigns. With that you can make great cyclingteips across the Netherlands. Especially the part Drenthe in the east is famous for that. There are even more cyclingroads then carroads over there.
There is a very good high end restaurant in Amsterdam, called “de vijf vliegen” ( the five flies), which serves high cuisine food with a traditional dutch touch. It’s worth a visit, because the restaurant is in a very old house and comprises of many small rooms with beautiful antique items
Second time ive watched one of your posts, cos i was thinking of recommending someone to go to amsterdam, where i spent many many weeks. . Love your calmness and your delivery . Crikey you could do voice overs with that voice!
I think the steep stairs is due to lack of space in Amsterdam so they build more in height and less in width. If you go to the neighbour country Belgium where they don’t lack space but have a similar culture, the stairs are less steep.
Some of the steeper stairs in Amsterdam are a lot steeper than what you seem to think. About a sixty degree incline (like the thing you're holding at 7:38 ) is very common, even in pretty modern buildings. With the right combination of circumstances (building from the eighteenth or nineteenth century, toward the cheaper side of the housing market but in an area where square feet are at a premium) that angle might be as steep as eighty degrees.
Interesting to see that the coffeeshop shown was a Bulldog (there's more than one in the 'Dam). It was my first 'legal' experience and is geared towards the British tourists, their merch has a lot of Union Flags on (it's only a 'Jack' when flown from the jack mast of a Royal Navy vessel). However I recommend Rotterdam and Arnhem for a more affordable and friendlier coffeeshop experience. Rotterdam is quite industrial, not as pretty as Amsterdam, but a heluvalot more friendly and affordable. Because I'm a Brit my experience in Arnhem was off the scale, I didn't have to buy a drink all night. Mentioning drinks, if you're smoking they don't let you get drunk, weed and booze don't mix very well so expect the café dudes to tell you to choose one or the other at some point.
I am dutch and go to Amsterdam to feel like I am in another country🤣🤣 if you want to visit and experience the TRUE dutch culture visit utrecht, groningen, leeuwarden,maastricht(has an airport), eindhoven(has an airport) or amersfoort or any small city
Dutch food is so very different, you have the farmhouse kitchen, the snacks, the refined kitchen. Over the years, Dutch cuisine has been significantly influenced by all the new Mediterranean ,Asian and Oriental dishes and by the new herbs and vegetables that are now produced here in greenhouses and on the land. It is no longer compared with the Dutch kitchen of the 50s and 60s of the last century because of all the new products that were not known at the time
Man you should check out 's-Hertogenbosch the capitol of brabant. The have build over the canals and you can do a tour under the city you go with a boat under the city and the church. Love from s-Hertogenbosch
As someone else mentioned in the comments: Stairs: Previously there was no legislation for this, but now a staircase must comply with rules. National government Chapter 2 Technical building regulations from the point of view of safety › Section 2.5 Stairs
You should visit my hometown Deventer! It's a really beautiful old and cozy city in the east of the Netherlands. Especially in the winter, it looks like a fairytale town in the snow 😍. And in the summer Deventer has a lot of cool events like Deventer op Stelten and the biggest bookmarket of Europe! Would love to see you here someday! 😊
@4:55 Good tip. There are many other beautiful cities and places to visit in The Netherlands. You can do a city trip by train. There is also an "unlimited" ticket which allows you to travel a whole day paying 1 price. (If you plan to travel a lot in one day, this is the ticket you want to have.) (NS dagkaart)
I have seen a couple of your videos now, and I am wondering why you are not living over here yet? You know more about my country than I do XD You will love it :)
hey charlie, the fact that every time you see delfts blauw you have to mention your grandma has some of them and your so proud of it thats so great man your a great character !!! en als je dit kan lezen dan ben je al op de goede weg ;)
16:40 The stupidest reason, really. Some politicians claimed 'I Amsterdam" was a “symbol of increasing individualism.” and thought that wasn't a good thing...
Personally, I thought it was just some ugly tourist attraction that was messing up the historic style of the place. It was placed as part of a tourism marketing campaign. The reason it was removed because it was eventually a symbol of mass tourism. Although one politician also mentioned increasing individualism that is not the argument that convinced the council. To me the sign fit in the same tradition as spending tax money to sell Amsterdam houses to foreign investors and trying to rebrand Zandvoort to Amsterdam Beach. It was never there for the locals, it was there so some people could quickly make more money.
@19:48 Going to FEBA is a great mistake. Often the snacks aren't fresh anymore, sitting in a small box full of bacteria. Go to a local snackbar where they fry it up freshly for you. Oh and if you gonna eat a kroket, try some mustard with it!
No weekend deals but for sure affordable shops to look out for not far from the centre. And Amsterdam is quiet compared to the time before covid, so at the moment there are less tourists. I think also because of restrictions in other countries, flying here might be too much hassle
3:35 I haven’t been to Michigan, but what you see a lot in Amsterdam is Americans with pale faces in or in front of coffeeshops because they are used to smoking pure and don’t understand the stuff that’s grown here is pure thc after years and years of crossbreeding the best plants.
I just recently went to TwitchCon in Amsterdam to meet up with people from the community I'm in and being from the Netherlands, every time we had some snacks, bitterballen or kroketje, the first thing I told everyone immediately was 'don't bite into them, the inside is SCORCHING hot!'. So yeh. they are delicious, but please, let them cool off.
What they said about dutch weed being strong is def. true. Snoop Dogg for example was taken to the hospital for making that same mistake with "nederwiet". Always order something mellow and get something strong on the side to experience the difference safely. Sidenote.. the shops located on tourist heavy routes are configured to do just that these days in the Netherlands, and wont sell the strong stuff anymore (even if you ask for it). Mainly because soo many tourist cant handle it and end up in a hospital. If you do want to experience it, go for the shops not located on tourist routes.
Charlie, my advise is to read everything what we Dutch write to you. We all live in different parts of our beautifu little county. Fact is that the Dutch people are the once who knows best.
When it comes to drug use in Amsterdam, remember this: Using any kind of drugs in public is prohibited. A number of soft drugs are allowed to be bought in the Coffeeshops, and to be used there or at home. Hard drugs are just plain illegal, and when dealing them (or possesing a 'large' amount of it) will get you arrested by the police, and possible getting convicted by court. Having a small amount of harddrugs on you for personal use is still illegal, and you still can get arrested for it, but most of the time you will not facing jailtime for it (although it is still possible depending on the situation)
Netherlands has a lot more to offer then just Amsterdam....try Alkmaar, Groningen, Den Haag or if you like marine vessels go to Den Helder marine museum...
@3:34 I believe that the ganja from the USA is probably the same or maybe even higher quality than in The Netherlands since in some states it is legal to grow it. Ganja is actually illegal in The Netherlands. Most coffeeshops are being tolerated if they stick to a certain set of rules though. ( They have to illegally transport the goods inside the coffeeshop though,ain't that weird?)🤣
There at least 40 or 50 different kinds and they all have a different THC level. So no they are not all the same. Far from Most shop have a menu with the whole selection they sell. Amsterdam is overflowing with tourists in the tourist season. So much that the people who live there complaining It is the last place you will experience Dutch life. I live in a tourist place as well and it is not always enjoyable.
Yup. As a German who lives near the dutch border and has visited dozens of times and thus has a good outsider experience myself, Amsterdam is by far the worst city to experience the Netherlands in. Especially the inner city where most sights are, it feels like some kind of tourist playground at times instead of a Dutch city. So many weird people too. And even if you go to NL to smoke weed, there are many better cities for it than Amsterdam. I personally like Den Haag a lot
Hey man, great video! I've been enjoying your videos a lot. The channel of the originl video also has a similar "Dont do's" in Portugal that i would recommend watching since i would love for you to get a touch of portuguese culture. Keep up the great videos glab you are trying to make it a living. imma show you to all my friends and family and tell them to support you
The Netherlands is a well thought out country with a well thought out community. People noticed that having the sign in the center promotes mass tourism in Amsterdam, making people only see the touristic places. They moved the sign to less known attractions that deserve more eyeballs
As a Dutch person, i know we have a lot of types of weed you'll probably find very hard to find in different countries. There's hundreds of different types of weed and believe me that if you are asking for the strongest you'll definitely get some strong shit, especially if your looking in coffeeshops in Amsterdam.
When your going to another city dont buy tickets for the public transport (ov) but buy a day ticket if your visiting for a day because that will cost lesser money most of the times.
A Kroket is a snack! Not regular Dutch food. The same goes for "stroopwafels"These are common sweets. Staple food here are potatoes, vegetables,meat, ice, pasta,s etc
The stairs in Amsterdam are very steep. If you look at the houses, they are leaning forward on purpose, and you'll see a pulley attached at attic level. I've seen many things hoisted out of the windows by pulley and rope because it didn't fit through the stairway. Not only couches and washing machines but also coffins with neighbors who died. It's always a good time to place your bets if the thing hoisted down is going to swing through the lower level windows 🤣
they took the I Amsterdam sign out of city centre cause of the annoyance of the hordes of tourists that crouds the side and the live of the locals are hindered by them, the sign at the Rijksmuseum was in the part of the city where are most of the consulates so its a security issue also. they moved the signs out to the airport (1) and the North of the town (reached with a free ferry) where there is less hindrance
No promotion of it but hey... 'When in Rome' as the saying goes. 😁 But one thing you don't do in Amsterdam is sign the guest book in Anne Frank's attic with 'Anne was a great girl, I hope she would have been a Belieber'
16:42 I am Amsterdam is gone because the city council of GroenLinks no longer contrive the encouragement of tourism necessary, she (Femke Roosma) thought it was busy enough. The inhabitants and tourists of the Netherlands found this change disappointing. here is a video on this matter ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-yNPkkIjVNzw.html .
12:16 This is not entirely true, when you go for lunch you can go to a cafe or smt and get Dutch dishes, like erwtensoep/tomato soup, tosti's, Dutch sandwiches, omelettes and all that.. You can also go to supermarkets and get broodjes like frikandelbroodje. We Dutchies eat outside a lot, like in the park or smt (if the weather's good). Like all the students will go to get saucijzenbroodjes and all.. Just wanted to add that 'cuz these people are obviously expats as well 😁(no offense) In Amsterdam you can also eat Dutch dishes in restaurants.. BUT we also have a lot of other restaurants obviously. We don't eat stamppot every day 😅 (18:44 that's what I meant) 18:31 The way the trams work the way he's describing depends on the region you're in. Where I from (Zuid-Holland) that's not the case. In my experience I mostly use trams in the Hague region, it doesn't work that way, you can just get in any door.. Just in Amsterdam lol Hope you don't mind the long comment, I just wanna help you since you're so interested. :)
There is more to Amsterdam than most people or other Dutchies think, local from Amsterdam here and I went to many places in the Netherlands, but Amsterdam still remains special to me. It is just that you need to know the right places and time in Amsterdam, then you will see a different side😉 Btw 100% agree on the bike section, ga uit de weg😆
The biggest most famous 'iamsterdam' sign was moved away to other places in 2019 by the new city Mayor because she thought it to be a to much egocentric sign. Well, needless to say most local people didn't like that decision....at all. And the mayor herself as well might i say.
Sins the Rijksmuseum was restauratet for millions of euro's the take the Amsterdam sin away because it was in front of the beautiful Entrance and corridor of the museum. That is also a bikelane.
Always give the frituur voed 3 _5 ? Minutes af te koolen .. you know fresh out the pan its like 170 degrees °C inside .. better kibeling op vrijdag te hebben
Always DOUBLE LOCK your bike, with a chain to a fence, and with the onboard back wheel lock. Always, everywhere. Here recycling stands for stealing a bike because you bike got stolen, some people think...again check out a video about cleaning the canals of Amsterdam, you'll love it.
Always, everywhere in de Randstad. I'm from Eindhoven myself, and my view might be blurred by the 'village feel' we have in our districts, but a single lock is plenty over here.
actually allot of shit comes out of coffeeshops including spice laced stuff, it doesnt matter where you buy it just make sure you get it tested. there are many places that will test it for you
Yeah, I think I know a couple of people who would eat a spacecake there!! 🤣 Amsterdam might be passing a law that prohibits the sale of cannabis to tourists and will only sell to Dutch nationals... Not only are the stairs steep, they are also narrow. Only wide enough for 1 person at a time, usually. If Antiques Roadshow goes to Indiana, maybe you should take your grandma and some of her Delftware to have it appraised? Most can be from $3,000 to $6,000, but some unique pieces can be quite a bit more valuable. Dutchified!! 🤣😂 Plugging his channel there! I'll never forget the woman I saw in a window there in the RLD. I was 18 with a tour but WOW!! NICE!! I hope y'all have tasy Dutch food in Holland, Michigan. I'm JEALOUS!! The German/Dutch restaurant here in Dallas doesn't have Bitterballen or Croquetten. 😭
I get a bit annoyed when people think Dutch cuisine is all about 'stampot' but doesn't include Indonesian, Chinese and other international food. Like every other country we have mixed cuisines and in a lot of other countries these other cuisines will count as part of the main cuisine because they are altered. Like the entire American cuisine also comes from different countries originally but definitely became American cuisine because Americans changed it. Dutch people have been eating international food for a long time, I even know plenty of Dutch people who don't like stampot or even potatoes in general. I think what's really unique is our snacks, cakes, bread and candy... We excel in those things more than regular meals. It would be a mistake to not try any of those. Also please don't think we only eat fried food all the time. We do that when we're out more than in our own homes. It's like a treat. Most people cook their own, more healthy, meals when their at home.
I guess people like to visit New York but there is soo much more than that to see in the US.. So when you visit The Netherlands be sure to Google some info about other cities or places to go, there are tourists companies that drive you to all the nice places in Netherlands or explore by train etc.
They didn't take the signs out, they moved them. Instead of having them in places that are already crowded, they moved them to a little less crowded places. This way only people that actually go for taking the picture or happen to stumble upon them while walking "pf the beaten track" will find them, so you will have a easier time getting your picture. Instead of it being where the whole mob of tourists are walking which means you will never be able to get a good picture unless you want 30 strangers to also be in your picture.
I think he's exaggerating on the "taking photo's will end up in violence" take imho.. What they usually do is instantly call the police who will intercept you so they can take away the footage and it doesn't need to end up in violence. This actually happened to a classmate of mine in uni :)
It's fine to walk on bicycle paths when there's no pedestrian paths available. Which won't be the case in cities. Outside the cities there are a lot of roads with protected/separated bicycle paths where pedestrian walkways are not. Do keep in mind you are a guest on that path though, don't be clogging the full width like a karen.
ah I'd like to say: good report thanks! .... nice Ajax clock in the backdrop! and good vid... specially the opening with the coffee shops!! so true, so many (American) tourists still think it's a place to get coffee! Confession: years ago on the street somewhere I was asked for a suggestion where to get good coffee... so I sent them to a coffee shop gngngngng I know I know... sorry, sorry... it was a bit wicked... lol but oh Charlie, you are so right: Netherlands is more than just Amsterdam... people coming to visit this country should attempt to visit so many other places, even beyond Leiden, Utrecht, Haarlem... they could see Vlissingen, Hoorn, Groningen, Arnhem, Maastricht, Den Bosch, Den Haag, Rotterdam +100
Do not underestimate the amount of THC in dutch coffeeshop weed. Do NOT think, 'I can handle it, I smoked a lot of weed prior.' I have tons of stories of tourists who made the same mistake and ended up having a very bad day.
They're just moving the "I amsterdam" signs around. Probably because otherwise, in time, they will be overrun by tourists. :") ps: I have never heard of this tram exit etiquette ?? Except for the fact the front doors are IN. The rest is in and out ? Same with the bus. ?
Sorry but when you visit Holland, do go to the coffeeshop, visit one of the redlight district in the city, visit a windmill, stick a finger in a "dijk" and keep Holland safe, buy a tulip and enjoy your stay :) enjoy being a tourist
Those guys are right: Amsterdam is not the only place to go. It still is the most beautiful place In the Netherlands, though. I was born on the Leliegracht. I lived the largest period of my life elsewhere but I still remember how beautiful my birthplace was. (without tourists). :)
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Spencer_Tunick_Amsterdam_plus.jpg This is the place my grandfather tried to jump over the canal. You can see the canal is a bit narrower there. He failed and landed in the middle of the water. As far as I know I never saw naked women there. But in those times we hadn't coffee shops either.
When I was 6 or 7 we were sitting outside at "de gracht" (the canal) It was a hot and humid day. Suddenly there came a guy with a "bakfiets" (cargo bike) over the Herengracht bridge with an enormous speed. Probably his brakes didn't function anymore. So he immediately drove into The Leliegracht and started screaming "I can't swim, I can't swim!" My grand dad walked over to him reached out his hand an said: "Just stand up", and the guy did, the water just came to his middle. He was put in our shower (just installed in 1952 or 3) He got some dry clothes, the cargo bike was fished out of the canal and he went home happy. Those were the days at the edge of the Jordaan, in 1954? Whatever! This story tells you Amsterdam was a beautiful city in the fifties!
Your view of coffeeshops is halfway correct. Essentially it IS kind of a cafè or alcohol bar, just that you're allowed to buy and smoke weed there. It basically operates as a weed-bar.
Originally they did not sell alcohol, and many still don't. To sell alcohol you need a permit, so it was cheaper not too. It is how it came by its name 'coffeeshop'.
@@SatumangoTheGreat They are, but they've just always used loopholes. The rules are that you cannot sell alcohol in a coffeeshop itself. So in many coffeeshops, you buy your weed and just go to the next door, which then legally is a "bar" and not a coffeeshop anymore, so they can sell alcohol there. Cremers in Den Haag for example. Really stupid law. Imo coffeeshops should all be able to sell alcohol.
you do realize that much of the 'softdrugs sold over the counter is considered hard drugs in the UK . The Levels of THC in some sort of weeds is overboard
The most common mistake i see is tourist going to the Buldog coffeeshop just about any other coffeeshop is a better choice. All my smoking friends say it's fantastic there... If your famous or actually whenever a camera is pointing at them. Because their quality is usually made for tourists.. below standard quality.
