Holland: Amsterdam by Bicycle

Amsterdam is the best city in Europe for a bicycle. There are so many bicyclists that they comprise the majority of people moving around. The next largest group is people walking. These people could be locals, in which case they will be looking out for bicycles. The problem with biking in Amsterdam is the tourists who walk across the bike lanes without looking for bicycles.

Where I grew up, there were sidewalks and roads. Mostly, bikes ride on the right edge of the road, perhaps in a specially painted bike lane. If there were any separate bike lanes, the would be on a path going through a wooded area, or college campus. In most cases this separate bike lanes would be shared by walkers, joggers, rollerbladers, bikes and skateboarders.

In Amsterdam bikes get a special lanes all to themselves. If you are on foot and walking in this lane you should always get out of the way of any bicycle coming towards you. There are 3 "lanes of traffic": the sidewalk, the road, and the special bike lane in between which is separated from the sidewalk and road by 2-3" cobblestone medians.

So when crossing the street, a tourist may see this bike lane and simply think it is another sidewalk. I have nearly been hit by a bike this way only once. As a bicycist, I took my mountain bike to Holland with me; it's a good thing it has good brakes, and I never hit anyone.

If you are into riding bicycles and are in reasonable shape, you may find that you ride much faster than the Dutch people. There are two reasons for this: first the Dutch are not usually in a big hurry like Americans, and second their bikes are pieces of crap by our standards.

Holland is a flat country, so 27-speed bikes are not ever needed. Furthermore, the Dutch don't typically have the equivalent of $1000 to shell out for a bike like we do. Last, because there is a serious bike theft problem in Amsterdam, even those who have the money will rarely spend it.

You can rent a Dutch bike at various locations throughout the city. Standard Dutch bikes may remind you of something you parents rode as kids in the 50's. You sit upright, only have 3-4 speeds if any, and slowly pedal your way across the extremely flat county. The average Dutch bike must weigh about 50 pounds, so if you take out a standard rental don't expect to do too many BMX tricks. Perhaps the bikes are so heavy so they can better push through the heavy winds you will encounter in the countryside. Not.

When I took my bike with me, I rode in Amsterdam many times. That was educational, dangerous, and interesting. One of the charms of Amsterdam is that it's such a small place compared to Paris, London or Rome. You can get anywhere in Amsterdam's city center within 15 minutes.

To the south of Amsterdam is the Amsterdamse Bos (Amsterdam Forest). This man-made forest is a product of the post-Depression era in the Netherlands. The Amsterdamse Bos is a wonderful, idyllic place to ride shorter distances. You have to ride south out of Amsterdam past the RAI to get there.

Another time I rode to Durgerdam and back. This was fun, but my Dutch friend I was riding with wanted to stop for beer every 15 minutes or so. Beer and riding don't go together for me, so I hurried him along.

My crowning acheivement on a bicycle was to ride up and down the island of Texel, north of Den Helder between the North Sea and the Waddenzee. I bought my train ticket (one for me and one for the bike, don't forget!) to Den Helder, and rode tothe ferry landing. After a 20 minute ferry ride we arrived at the island.

I rode 80km that day, half in the wind and half out of it. I learned a big lesson that day. When I rode north, I stayed behind the western dike and safely out of the wind. This is the most interesting part of the island, with forests, dunes, a few tourist attractions, and miles of memorable paths to ride on as you head to de Cocksdorp at the northern tip of Texel.

De Cocksdorp has a nice lighthouse, and the town is quaint like the rest of the island. I still had my lesson coming, though.

As I began to ride south down the middle of the island, I no longer had the protection of the dyke to keep the wind off me. I learned that I would rather ride up the steepest hill in California than ride into the Dutch wind. The only relief along the central route was the few farms with huge windbreaks planted of cypress. I would catch my breath as I rode past the hedges, only to dread that point 100 feet ahead where the protection stops and the punishing winds start again.

Why Amsterdam? Shouldn't I go to Paris, London, or Rome?

Why Amsterdam?

Amsterdam is the Venice of the North. With canals, culture, museums, and a great social energy of tolerance and artistic expression, Amsterdam is a cozy place to be. This is even more true of the rest of Holland, and from Amsterdam you can reach most destinations within 2 hours on the train.

My first trip to Europe was at the company expense in 2005. I liked Amsterdam so much that when I was in New York that October and quit my California-based software SE job by telephone, I flew directly to Europe for a "post-quitting" vacation.

Then in February, 2008 I found an airline fare I couldn't refuse: $407 round trip, with taxes for a direct, nonstop flight between San Francisco and Schipol, Amsterdam. I went back 3 times after that, doing anything from vacationing, looking for a job, and visiting museums.

On my 2005 and 2008 trips I also visited Luxembourg, which is a great place to go for a day or two. After seeing a few countries, I would rate Holland to be the friendliest place of the places I went, followed by Switzerland, Spain, Austria, Germany, Belgium(Walloon), France, and Luxembourg. Luxembourg is a tough place if you don't speak Luxembourgian, German, or French. The Dutch are much more accommodating.

Shouldn't I go to Paris, London, or Rome?

Yes, you should! After Amsterdam! Although, maybe you should go first. You are going to like Amsterdam so much that you may feel empty in any other city, only wanting to get on the plane the next day to return to your temporary home in Amsterdam.

Holland is by far the place where the most friendly, helpful, English speaking people live. Most Dutch also speak English, and English is generally well accepted. Just remember that the Dutch speak English, not American, so there still may be some misunderstandings.

When most people think of Europe, images of London and Paris are the first likely to enter the mind. Although it has a thriving tourist business, Amsterdam is an often overlook tourist destination. With a population between 700,000 and 800,000, you can see how it might be a little cozier than London with 8 million inhabitants. In Amsterdam you can walk most of the city in one day, and there is also an excellent tram system.

London, with its rich history, is obviously the dominant cultural influence on America if there is such a thing. We Americans may think our 200+ year history is a long one, but to Europe that was yesterday. They have been making babies and cutting down trees much longer than us. When you go to London you can see some really old things.

London is also nice because English and American are not so different that we can't understand each other, so you are saved the trouble of learning a foreign language or the pitfalls of going to a country where they don't understand you.

Paris is renowned for its romantic atmosphere, and is also a place where they understand what you say but pretend not to. Please don't misunderstand me -- famous Parisian rudeness is only a myth, which I am currently capitalizing on. Later, I shall dispel the myth by explaining how your increased humility can lead to a much more enjoyable experience.

For now, let's move to another slightly less popular tourist destination -- Amsterdam. Most all Dutch people under the age of 35 received 4-6 years of English teaching in school. English has pervaded the Dutch society so much that it is the official language of business and tourism, while Dutch is reserved for the locals -- after all most people who are not from Holland will probably have a hard time learning the language.

Holland has everything -- relaxed times, helpful natives, history, beauty, and lots of really cozy places to hang out in. Because the Dutch often don't have the money and the consumer lifestyle that we Americans have become accustomed to, they have to know how to have fun by hanging out with humans, not electronic toys and such.

Holland: City Walk through Leiden

In the young Rembrandt's footsteps

Rembrandt van Rijn was born in Leiden and lived here for the first 26 years of his life. They were important years; in school he came to know the Classical writers, he decided to become a painter and took an apprenticeship, first in Leiden, then in Amsterdam, and thereafter he established himself as an independent painter in Leiden. In his Leiden studio many masterpieces were created. Rembrandt and Leiden: a search for the roots of a great inhabitant.

The route starts at Leiden railway-station.

As you leave the station, walk straight ahead along the stationsweg and enter the Steenstraat. At the end of this street, walk along by the water, following the turning to the right. You are now walking along the Galgewater, where the historic harbour is situated. Following this road you will come to the one-time Stadstimmerwerf (the Town Carpenter's Yard), built in 1612.

Rembrandt, who lived on the opposite side of the water, undoubtedly admired this building, A housing complex for old people has now been established in the Stadstimmerwerf. You will find an reconstruction of Rembrandt's studio in the former painter's workshop.

Proceed along the Groenhazengracht. At the end, turn right onto the Rapenburg.

It was during Rembrandt's lifetime that the Rapenburg developed from being a rather quiet canal to one of the most distinguished canals in the whole of Leiden.

As you continue your walk along the Rapenburg you will come to the site of the Academiegebouw (the Senate Building), principal seat of the University since 1581.

Rembrandt was registered at the University in 1620. It is not certain whether he did this himself or whether the headmaster of the Latijnse School (the Latin School) he attended did it on his behalf. Whatever the case, it was a provisional registration as Rembrandt was only 14 years of age at the time and the customary age for a first-year student was 17 to 18 years. Such an early registration was by no means unusual, however Rembrandt never attended one single lecture; his vocation as artist meant he never even completed his grammar school education.

Proceed across the bridge, the Nonnenburg, and walk straight ahead along the Kloksteeg. You will find yourself on a square called the Pieterskerkplein. Walking around the church to the left you will come to the entrance of the Pierterskerk on the north side. Cross the foot bridge and proceed diagonally to your left to the Municipal Museum De Lakenhal (the Cloth-hall).

The Lakenhal was built during the years 1638-1640. The products of Leiden?s flourishing textile industry were examined and sold here. In 1874 the municipal museum was established in De Lakenhal. The museum possesses an historically important painting of Rembrandt's from 1626, paintings of his teachers Swanenburg and Lastman, and, in addition, paintains of Lievens and other of Rembrandt's contemporaries.

Holland: Historical Walk Through Haarlem

Route description

From the VVV Haarlem, Stationsplein 1, we walk to the Grote Markt via the Kruisweg, Kruisstraat and Barteljorisstraat.

The size of the Grote Markt shows great similarity to Zandt in Bruges: both were used for big tournaments. The Great or Saint Bavo's Church, named after Sint Bavo (who is also the patron saint of the cathedral of Sint Baafs in Ghent), is a Late Gothic cross-shaped basilica with a slimline wooden crossing tower. Under the leadership of Evert Spoorwater, master builder of Antwerp, the transept was built in 1445-1465.

Once we return to the canal, we can admire the fa硤e of the warehouse on our left for a minute. We fold back to the right and pass by the small entrance gate to the Bakenesserhofje, which was founded in 1395 and is therefore the oldest court or almshouses in the Netherlands.

The Bakenesserhofje is open to the public on weekdays from 10.00 to 17.00, but unfortunately not on Sundays and holidays (entrance around the corner: Wijde Appelaarsteeg).
Haarlem has about 20 "hofjes" (courts or almshouses) that can be divided into 3 groups:

• the 'church hofjes': mainly meant for the beguines of the church
  
• the 'foundation hofjes': build by church governments (to help the poor) or by rich people (who wanted their name to live on)
  
• the 'guild hofjes': for the benefit of poor members and the obliging ones (guild are an early form of trade unions)
  

To the right along the Spaarne we find the Teylers Museum, the oldest museum in the Netherlands, of which the interior in itself is a museum piece. At the corner of the Damstraat is The Weighhouse, built in 1595. The facing with blocks of natural stone is unique in Haarlem.

The Weighhouse stands on the corner of the Spaarne and was probably built by Lieven de Key in 1597/98. Via the Spaarne, the Gedempte Oude Gracht and the Groot Heiligland, the walk ends in the Frans Halsmuseum, built as an old men's home by Lieven de Key in 1608. In the museum we find works by master from Haarlem (Goltzius and Van Heemskerck among others and the group portraits of militia companies by Frans Hals. A large part of the permanent collection is stored when there is an exhibition, but the hall filled with gold leather from Mechling always remains unaltered.

Holland: City Walk through Dordrecht

The walk begins at the VVV office and leads you through the 19th century circular expansion to the inner city, where you will come across scores of unusual things: poor-women's almshouses for example, that actually consist of four courtyards, the oldest authentic dwelling in the Netherlands and Father Time, with the hour-glass on his head. Or the little naked boy in the gable of an aristocratic house, the strikingly leaning tower of a house of God and the breathtaking river view with which you are rewarded as you walk unsuspectingly through a city gate.

With the painters of the Golden Age the view of Dordrecht was favourite. And the view of Dordrecht by the Dordrecht painter Aelbert Cuyp inspired the English painter William Turner to paint an almost identical town view. The walk takes about two hours. With a visit to monuments and museums along the route you can easily make it a complete day out. VVV and Secrets of Holland lead the way.

When we now cross Mazelaarsbrug, we are standing in front of the Grote of Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk [Great Church or Church of Our Lady]. Here we have a magnificent view of the more than 2 metres out of plumb leaning tower. At the foot is the "Rotterdamhuis". This house, which originally stood in Rotterdam and had to be removed, was taken apart brick for brick and built up again here.

Grote of Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk

The church and its tower have a rich history. It was founded, at least the chapel which preceded it was founded, in the year 1064. The building of the church began in the third quarter of the 12th century. There are reports of work on the tower in 1285. The church was burnt down completely in the great city fire in 1457 but the tower was largely saved. The rebuilding was soon begun.

According to the design the tower should have had a steeple, but this plan was later abandoned. This, entirely in stone vaulted cruciform basilica, was built in the Brabant Gothic style. The church has a triple-naved ship with side chapels, a transept and a choir aisle. In the Lady Choir, with 15th century stellar vault, a wall painting depicts the legend of St. Sura. This saint was said to have given the order to build the church. In the Lady Choir water colours of the vaulting rosettes are displayed.

The interior is well worth a visit. The 16th century choir stalls with Renaissance style wood carvings are renowned. Other special things are the Rococo pulpit with baptism screen in Baroque style (1756), the brass choir screen (completed in 1744), the organ (1671/1859) and a number of windows, interesting because of the depictions, including the St. Elizabeth's flood, the fire in the Grote Kerk and the 'Dordtse Synode'. In the shop in the church a brochure with a description of the church is on sale, in addition to a large number of souvenirs, picture postcards and books.

We walk via Pottenkade alongside the church.

We have now come to one of the gates which gave access to the city: de Groothoofdspoort [gate at the city's main jetty].

Groothoofdspoort

De Groothoofdspoort was originally built between 1440 and 1450. In 1617/1618 a new Renaissance gate was built around the old late Gothic gate. In the passageway through the gate, the vaulted roof is a reminder of the late Gothic construction. In 1692 the tower was replaced by a dome.

We are now standing on the "land side" of the gate and see the coat of arms of Dordrecht, held by two griffins. This is the work of Gillis Huppe.When we walk through the gate we are standing at the meeting point of three rivers: Oude Maas [Old Meuse], Noord and Merwede. Here we can enjoy the magnificent river view. We are also standing on a piece of historic ground. This was where the passengers whose destination was Dordrecht came ashore: Maximilian of Austria, the counts, stadholders of Holland, Philip II and many others.

On this "water side" of the gate we see the relief figure of the Virgin or patroness of the city of Dordrecht. She is seated in an enclosure (which symbolises her unmarried state on one hand and on the other hand refers to the impossibility of capturing the city of Dordrecht because it is surrounded by water), with the arms of Dordrecht in one hand and a palm branch in the other. Around her are shown the coats of arms of Dutch cities which stood in relation to Dordrecht.

We now walk to the left along the water. On our left we see a number of beautifully restored buildings. We cross the Damiatebrug. This double cast iron bridge was built to the design of the city master builder Itz. Enjoy the view of the Groothoofdspoort (right) and the harbour (left) with the Grote Kerk [Great Church] in the background. On the bridge we look back for a moment to the warehouses on Kuipershaven [Coopers harbour]. The most eye-catching building is no. 17-18 (anno 1658) with its neck-gable or spout-gable.

Secrets of Holland: Dordrecht, Schiedam, Delft, Haarlem, Gouda and Leiden

In the Dutch marshes of the sixteenth century a miracle took place. Despite a lack of materials and swampy conditions merchants managed to amass their fortunes. Trade turned out to be a gold mine.

Owing to the economic prosperity the cities flourished. The merchants built beautiful mansions, the interiors of which they also paid a lot of attention to. They commissioned painters to make their portraits, and the famous Dutch School developed. Rembrandt van Rijn, Johannes Vermeer and Frans Hals, to name but a few, belonged to this school. Potteries found a ready market for their products. This period of prosperity became known as the Golden Age.

Today, the fruits of this renowned past are still reaped in the cities of Dordrecht, Schiedam, Delft, Haarlem, Gouda and Leiden, in particular. Their numerous monuments and museums bear witness to this era of prosperity. Small wonder then, that in these six cities the past is still cherished under the name Secrets of Holland.

Delft, famous thanks to stolen porcelain

A plate, a beautiful vase... When people say Delft, the first thing that comes in mind is Delftware. And for good reason. This typical pottery is still important to Delft today. And all this because of a sea battle in the Far East.

Town trivia. Steal only if it's worth it

Between 1647 and 1665, China was plagued with civil wars. This made it impossible for VOC merchants to obtain porcelain and to meet the enormous demand. Delft's potters seized the opportunity and immediately started making pottery with very authentic looking chinese designs. This plate is now on display at the Museum Lambert van Meerten.

Suggestions

• Municipal Museum Lambert van Meerten
  A delftware museum housed in a 19th century manor
  


• Municipal Museum het Prinsenhof
  Former residence of William of Orange: paintings, pottery, House of Orange Exihibition.
  


• Museum Paul T鴡r van Elven
  Period rooms and art collection of this 19th century painter.
  


• De Koninklijke
  Porcelyne Fles
  A 17th century earthenware factory, with tours and a shop.
  


• The New church
  A 14th century Late Gothic cruciform basilica with the tomb of William of Orange.
  


• The Old Church
  Built from c.1200 onwards, in various styles. Tomb of Johannes Vermeer.
  


• Dutch Army Museum
  A captivating overview of Dutch military history, including the Eighty Years' War.
  

Dordrecht, Holland's historical port

Look, that's where the ships from Bordeaux used to arrive... And, there, the rafts with the Rhine wood! Although the cranes and carts have been replaced by cosy little shops and terraces, it is easy to imagine how lively this port of Holland used to be.

Town trivia. Salmon as a staple food

The rivers not only brought Dordrecht trade, but also an abundance of fish, and salmon in particular. There was so much salmon in the area that wealthy families would feed their servants salmon every day. They became so tired of salmon that they insisted on not having to eat salmon every day... Once a staple food, salmon is now a delicacy which yopu will be able to enjoy in one of the stylish Dordrecht restaurants.

Suggestions

• Het Hof
  Featuring the States Hall where, in 1572, William of Orange organizeed the resistance against the Spanish rulers. It is the birthplace of the Netherlands as an independant nation.
  


• Dordrechts museum
  Featuring a special collection of Dutch paintings, drawings and prints from the 17th century until the present.
  


• Mr. Simon van Gijn Museum
  An 18th century manor with period rooms, a period kitchen, collections of glassware, pottery, paintings, ship models, and antique toys.
  


• The Great Church
  This Late Gothic cruciform church, with its typical tower and beautiful choir stalls, was rebuilt after the great fire of 1457.
  


• Groothoofd
  This gate offers a unique view of the busy river junction with lively terraces on the quays.
  

Haarlem, a city of flowers for centuries

Narcissus, daffodils, geraniums- getting to know Haarlem means getting to know flowers. Wi th its phenomenal St. Bavo Cathedral and splendid architecture, this provincial capital is traditionally famous for its flowers. Haarlem is also where the painter Frans Hals spent most of his life.

Town trivia.When art was just a tool.

Merchants would make drawings depicting the flower inside the bulb. That is why we now have thousands of magnificent drawings of blooming tulips. These have been bound in so-called 'flower books' of which 17th century specimens are on display at the Frans Hals Museum. The Teyler Museum owns 18th and 19th century flower books from all parts of Europe. But flowers were also used for decoration, e.g.on this money chest at the Frans Hals Museum.

Suggestions

• Frans Hals Museum
  A unique collection of paintings by Frans Hals and his contemporaries. An annual flower exhibition.
  


• Vleeshal
  Located in the main square, this Butcher's Hall is now the annexe of the Frans Hals Museum.
  


• The Great Church or the Saint Bavo Cathedral
  An impressive Late Gothic Church.
  


• Teylers Museum
  The oldest museum in the Netherlands, featuring a special collection of drawings by Dutch and Italian masters. Until September 20th the museum garden is dedicated to the Naturalia exhibition.
  


• Historical Museum South Kennemerland
  A spectacular audiovisual presentation of the history of Haarlem and its flower girls.
  

Gouda, a fairytale town where pictures tell a story


Gouda is famous for its fairytale town hall and its lively cheese markets. But also for its church, St. Janskerk, with its stained-glass windows depicting the history of Holland.

Town trivia. Unique altar pieces

During the Fury of 1566, Gouda's citizens not only saved the stained-glass windows, but also the altar pieces from St. Janskerk and other churches. These special 16th century works of art are on display at the nearby Catharina Gasthuis Museum.

They include the central panel of a triptych, The Adoration of the shepherds of Dirk Barendsz. It is surrounded by Dutch masters and Dutch impressionists.

Suggestions

• The Town Hall
  A precious example of Late Gothic architecture. Unique 17th century tapestries in wedding hall.
  


• The Gouda Windows
  Dozens of 16th century stained-glass windows inside St. Janskerk.
  


• Catharina Gasthuis Museum
  Paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries, Dutch and French Impressionists, and modern art.
  


• Museum De Moriaan
  An 18th century tobacco shop, famous Gouda pottery, and the history of the Gouda clay pipe.
  


• The Weigh House
  Formerly used to weigh cheese, this building now houses a cheese museum.
  


• Resistance Museum
  A fascinating collection and a delightful, enclosed sculpture garden.
  


• Pipe Museum Adrie Moerings
  See how traditional Gouda clay pipes are made.
  

Leiden, a museum town thanks to heroism

'Here's a knife. Go ahead and eat me.' These are legendary words spoken by the mayor of Leiden to his starving citizins in 1574 when they were about to surrender to the Spanish. His heroic behaviour kept them alive, resulting in the Relief of Leiden. To express his appreciation, William of Orange gave the town its university, thereby laying the foundation for Leiden to become a museum town.

Town trivia. Hutspot at Lammenschans

To end the siege by the Spanish, the Prince of Orange gave orders to open the dikes. When the water approached Leiden on 2 October 1574, the Spanish fled en masse. A boy named Cornelis Joppenszoon sneaked through the gates to Lammenschans to see if they had really left. All he found was a smouldering fire with a stew of carrots, onions and meat simmering on top. This hutspot has since been associated with Leiden ever since. The relief of Leiden is celebrated each year on October 2nd and 3rd all over the city.

Suggestions

• National Museum of Antiquities
  Brilliant collections from Egypt, the near East, Greece, Rome and The Netherlands. Special exhibition 'Who's Afraid of Ancient Blue?' until December 31st, 54 colossal ancient statues are exhibited in an azure decor.
  


• Municipal Museum De Lakenhal
  A historical building featuring the history of the textile industry and a special collection of Dutch masters.
  


• Museum of the Pilgrim Fathers
  A small museum entirely dedicated to the Pilgrim Fathers. Read more about the pilgrims in Leiden on the Municipal Archive site.
  


• Museum Boerhaave
  A museum of natural history and medical science. The exhibition 'Steam, Steel and Scholars' (until May 3rd) gives an impression of the changing landscape of science in the Netherlands, as well as of the drastic changes which science and technology brought about in Dutch society. The period covered is roughly from Napoleon until the outbreak of the First World War.
  


• Botanical Garden
  Special plants have been cultivated here for 400 years.
  


• Museum Naturalis
  A museum featuring fossils that are millions of years old, two dinosaurs, and other prehistorical animals.
  

Schiedam, a town of windmills and distilleries

Almost every type of gin consumed worldwide has its origin in Schiedam. Numerous distilleries and gigantic windmills have given the baroque center its unique character. Have a drink in Schiedam and absorb its rich history.


Town trivia.Hats off for the Nolet Family

Wealthy distillers built stately manors opposite their distilleries and warehouses so that they could supervise the work. The story goes that old Mrs. Nolet would sit by the window of her manor (Lange Haven 65) every day. Employees of the Nolet distillery had to take their hats off when passing by. If not, they were punished. Two strikes meant suspension, three strikes meant dismissal! This policy proved to be successful, since out of the five Schiedam distilleries, Nolet's is the only one left. Their gin is known as Ketel 1. Hats off for the Nolet family!

Suggestions

• De Nieuwe Palmboom
  (Dutch Grinding Windmill Museum)
  This windmill still grinds rye and malt for distilleries and shows the history and meaning of Schiedam's windmills.
  


• De Gekroonde Brandersketel
  (Dutch Spirits Museum)
  In a lively manner, this museum tells you all about the making of Schiedam gin... and lets you taste it, too!
  


• De Noordmolen
  One of the five fully-intact windmills of Schiedam, it is now a restaurant.
  


• Schiedam Municipal Museum
  Housed in an elegant baroque building, it features artwork and objects from Schiedam's rich history, as well as Dutch post-war art, including CoBrA, pop-art and abstract expressionism.
  

Amsterdam Coffeeshops - Marijuana as a "soft drug"

Coffeeshops are legal, legitimized businesses only in Amsterdam. The coffeeshops in the rest of Holland are still operating without official government license-- instead the government turns their head when it comes to law enforcement.

Don't get me wrong, there are still coffeeshops throughout Holland, including in the border towns like Maastricht, Nijmegen, and Roosendaal.. These can make for a nice stop on the train ride out of Holland, but I don't recommend you take any with you out of Holland.

The regulation of coffeeshops is strictly up to the local town council. The council will regulate such things as location and hours of operations.

Some towns have coffeeshops out in the open near the tourist areas. Other towns do not allow a sign saying "coffeeshop", you have to find it yourself. In Almere, there are no coffeeshops -- only delivery services. All this in interesting, but for now let's focus on the Amsterdam coffeeshop scene.

Before 1995 there were over 550 coffeeshops in Amsterdam. Back then, coffeeshops were illegal but tolerated businesses. Many of them were blurring the line between hard and soft drugs, irking the Dutch more and more.

Some Background -- Job Security in Europe

Then in 1995 something interesting happened. Before I tell the story, let me set up some backgroundEurope is a place where the workers have real job security. You just can't get fired from your job like in America . I am saying this to demonstrate that once a legitimate licensed business is established, the government will find it nearly impossible to shut it down. Closing businesses puts people out of work, and that is bad for family. The Dutch goverment is much more family oriented than we are here.

Another thing to see about the Dutch government is that just because they have a law doesn't mean they enfore it. In America everything tends to be black and white with the police -- not so in Holland.

For example, even in Amsterdam there is still a law against smoking pot -- but two police told me that it is completely unenforced. These same two police officers went on to tell me that it's OK to blatantly smoke pot in the streets, even in front of kids. But that is a different story.

Back to the Story How Coffeeshops Became Legitimate Businesses in Amsterdam

As I said, until 1995 coffeeshops were illegal but tolerated.

The Dutch first allowed coffeeshops to create a separation between soft and hard drugs. Unfortunately it did not work perfectly. First allowed in the early 70's, but the 1990's coffeeshops had degenerated into a front business for cocaine dealers and other nasty types.

So in 1995, more than 200 of 550 coffeeshops in Amsterdam were busted and closed. Because they were never legitimized businesses, they were seen as criminal operations and the closure was implemented.

Left behind were the 300-350 coffeeshops that the Dutch determined were still tolerable. A licensing board was setup and these remaining businesses were licensed and legitimized.

Then the number of licences was frozen. You can not get a new license to open a new coffeeshop. The owners of exisiting coffeeshops must love this, bless their little capitalist hearts.

The only way to get a coffeeshop now is to buy an existing one. You cannot just buy the license, you must buy the whole business. Also, if I understand correctly, you cannot move the business to a new location.

Still Some Criminals Out There

Yes there are still at least a few coffeeshops where cocaine and other hard drugs may be available. Even with the changes in 1995 you still pretty much have to be heavily involved with drug distribution to successfully own the average Dutch coffeeshop.

The tourist spots like the Grasshopper and the Bulldog may manage to survive legiitimately off their profits from marijuana sales and bar sales, but most of the coffeeshops remain nice places to hang out that just happen to be owned by crooks.

How it Works in Practice

While you can go into a coffeeshop and purchase up to 30 grams for personal use, you are not supposed to carry more than a few grams on you in Amsterdam. At the same time the person who grows a few pounds and sells it to the coffeeshop is breaking the law.

Now, for a minute, look at this from the coffeeshop owners point of view. They are not totally open operations. It is still bad etiquette to call a coffeeshop and ask them overly specific questions. Legally, a coffeeshop can only keep 500 grams in stock, and if you get really technical I think there is a law that puts the limit at 30. Even the 500 gram limit is not reality-based for the high volume coffeeshops, therefore many of those must keep more than the legally allowed amount of pot on premises.

The Amsterdam police have "soft drug specialists" who go around and check the coffeeshops. If a shop has too much pot they pay a fine. I don't think the pot gets confiscated, but I don't know for sure. Because only a small amount of resource is applied to this end, I consider the enforcement of the 500 gram limit to be a lottery system to see whose wrist gets slapped when. Amsterdam certainly has more resources available to do stricter checks, so I think they have worked a certain level of tolerance into the system -- they may not bother you much but you'll never be allowed to forget that the government is in control of the coffeeshop market in Amsterdam.

Because of the potential for hard drugs to creep into the retail soft drug coffeeshop, the police still tap phone lines and pay other sorts of attention to coffeeshops. Just like with the IRS in America, the government can get them at tax time, somehow matching reported income with expected or estimated levels of sales to safeguard against illegal operations. This is one way of trying to keep out the organized criminals from the soft drug market.

Smart Shops

As the coffeeshops were the neato illegitimate venture of the 1970's, now SMART SHOPS are the 1990's equivalent. You can buy all kinds of hallucinogenic herbs, AS WELL as real live magic mushroom's from stores called SMART SHOPS.

Holland has a huge problem with a vast percentage of kids using ecstacy and other mind-bending drugs. Where will this go in the future?

The Cannabis Cup

Every year The Cannabis Cup is held in Amsterdam during the American holiday of Thanksgiving. For those who read High Times, this event is advertised well in advance, with package offers covering flights, hotels, and event tickets. I never went to it, but basically this event serves 2 purposes: first to allow the best growers to compete for awards, second to allow stoned tourists a pot-intensive vacation.

This is not just about who grows the best bud -- political activism is rampant. There are seminars and displays about the benefits of industrial hemp and medicinal marijuana. Conpiracy theorists abound telling each other stories of governmental domination and urban myth. Growers hold formal and informal sessions passing along their growing techniques.

If you recently discovered that The Emperor Wears No Clothes or you thought Reefer Madness was a fine piece of cinematography wrapped around a compelling story, then the Cannabis Cup may be for you. Excluding travel, the ticket for the 4-5 day event costs roughly $200 and up. Don't quote me. If you can stand flying in economy class and maybe making a connection or two, then you should buy the whole tour package. I personally think 10+ hours flying in tourist class is a bad experience. At the very minimum you need to bring your own food and lots of water.

As I said, I have never been to the Cannabis Cup. I took a different viewpoint: sure, I like to smoke pot in Amsterdam, but exclusive of the Cannabis Cup, there are 350 coffeeshops in town to sell pot. Maybe I'll go next time, but during my time in Europe I preferred to be a tourist. I can sit with my buddies and get stoned anytime -- while in Europe I reommend seeing as much art, history, and culture as possible.

Culture is the most important thing to study. The Dutch national museum, the Rijksmuseum, is a short tram ride from anywhere in Amsterdam. It was taken over by the Nazi's in WWII, and it houses some incredible artwork. Go there.