As an amsterdamian i approve this vid. Except for the first shock. After 17 years living here i have never been chased by a beggar, but thats maybe because i look local and not like a tourist. I‘m big fan btw good vidz
The risk for cops to be called is to big if they harras dutch so they make sure to target English speaking ppl only, if heard stories of foreign friends about it once, never encountered anything myself.
Romeo Nijsse i’ve been working in Amsterdam all my life basically, but Yes there are agressive beggars, not violent tho, but they do ask for more, even while working therez
it means that americans love their popculture and love making joke that refers back to popculture. I think thats very american humor and thats why i loveddd deadpool the film. dutch people, and im dutch, like easy jokes. jokes that take 2 seconds to come up with. also very random humor and indeed sarcasty, dry humor.
Ah yes, dry humour. The best kind of humour in my opinion. And yes I'm Dutch myself. :) When I joke with friends it's almost always dry or sarcastic humour.
Haha ha ha ha ha ha Haha ha ha ha ha ha Haha ha ha ha ha ha Haha ha ha ha ha ha Haha ha ha ha ha ha Haha ha ha ha ha ha Haha ha ha ha ha ha Haha ha ha ha ha ha Haha ha ha ha ha ha Haha ha ha ha ha ha Haha ha ha ha ha ha YOU HAVE TO BE JOKEING EVERY YEAR THE POLICE CAUSE PROBLEMS.
I was in Amsterdam for 4 days in 2016 and had NO ONE , ask me for money . My wife and I walked everywhere around the city and had no one beg for cash . I definitely will go back , loved the city
The central problem in Amsterdam is not just tourism, it's the kind of tourism: bottom-of-the-barrel, binge-drinking, weed-smoking Ozzie backpackers and English stag parties. The sort of people that pee against our churches after going on a beer bike ride. Our office is just a street away from the Red Light District and it can be sheer hell. What you end up is a vicious cycle in which the reputation for pot, hookers and cheap beer attracts people looking for just and only that, which reinforces an already dubious reputation, etc. The rest of the city is a lot more civilized even if Amsterdammers are very good at endlessly milking the same old stereotypes. So no, no one walks in wooden shoes anymore.
Bom Cabedal I walk in wooden shoes from time to time, especially in the garden. Really nice to just quickly slip into them to do something outside, without having to take the effort of properly putting some shoes on.
This kind of thing always annoys me. The RLD has been there for hundreds of years and these areas always attract trouble. So if you are dumb enough (or lucky enough) to live or work there you only have yourself to blame.
As an English guy, I apologise for a lot of Brits, we aren't all arseholes. Unfortunately a lot of Brits give us a bad reputation, no respect for anything. I mean I smoke cannabis, but I don't just go to Amsterdam every year to smoke, I go for the canals, the buildings, the history, the locals, the culture. The tolerated cannabis rules is such a small part of the Netherlands, unfortunately a lot of people go to Amsterdam just for the ease of access of the weed and prostitutes, they act like entitles bellends giving everyone a bad name. Just please remember, we aren't all binge drinking loud Englishmen, this is coming from a 22 year old British male. My apologies.
I visited Amsterdam a few years ago, I went on a trip through Europe with my brother. We were in a small hotel with really small rooms. We checked into the largest room available, which shockingly had 2 full beds and a bathroom in the room, it was expensive, but the tight quarters with my brother was a little uncomfortable. While we were there a group of American tourists came in looking accommodations. They were a group of high school graduates who were taking the school sponsored European tour before going off to college. The group consisted of about 3 teachers, a tour guide, 25 students and 10 or mothers. They were arguing with the hotel about everyone being on the same floor and some needing a personal bathroom. After listening to this for about 10 minutes, my brother and I offered to change rooms to end the conflict. We ended up in a tiny room (which was an additional flight of very steep stairs up) with a one bed and no bathroom for the remaining two nights. I was really frustrated because the group didn't even thank us. When we checked out the hotel owners (a young couple) informed us there would be no charge. I asked if they were sure, the wife told us that they charged the group so much, that it covered our stay. Just goes to show... being nice is usually the way to go.
CaniCat I apologize for our rude countrymen. This is an example of why we make these videos. Americans expect private, en suite rooms but, as you know, that isn't always the norm in the rest of the world. So we try to prepare people so they can be better travelers.
@49jubilee So is german and the germans are WAY worse at English. Its true what Nick says. If most of the media you consume is in english then you are bound to pick it up.
Subtitling is out of poverty .. dubbing is far more expensive ... that's why Germans are less familiar with the English language than Dutch and Belgian people. And someone told me Portugal has no overdubbing aswel .. that's why the Portugese speak English very well for a latin country
Catalin Ancuta - Visited last year and didn’t see one. We enjoyed a thoroughly brilliant time away and won’t hesitate to come back for more food, culture and very welcome change of scene.
I was there in 2006 during the World Cup and didn’t encounter a single beggar. I live in Calgary Canada and I would have be begged at at least 20+ times in the same time length
1. Begging is actually forbidden in Amsterdam and a lot of other municipalities. On trains too (where they will try to sell you tissues). Do not give them money. Ignore them. These are eastern European gangs and they all work together. And if they are being annoying alert police or the city watch (the latter are basically a police-light without guns). 8. Building lean over because back in the day that was the best method to prevent stone erosion from rain ;) Also, there is much more to Amsterdam than just the city centre, and more to the Netherlands than Amsterdam. Enkhuizen, Hoorn, Alkmaar, Delft, Haarlem and Leiden are beautiful 17th century cities as well, and all close to each other.
That's not the reason, because from the buildings that sway into a direction or whatever, they usually have extremely crooked windows and floors that are not flat or leveled anymore. Buildings sway over in multiple directions because of soil movement their foundation is built on and/or the woodwork of the house "working". Some of those houses are there since 1600 or 1700 and they were probably upright at the time they were built but have shifted position partly over time. There are homes from the same period that are perfectly upright and I'm pretty sure that they were unable to build buildings leaning over that way at that time. Also, I let my imagination run wild at this point, but I can imagine how building a house like that was not approved off during the golden age in which the city centre was shaped, because if your house was not built upright, it would (most probably) degrade your status as an honest man of trade (which was what most of the homes around the canals were built for, tradesmen).
They were build at a slight angle for the hoisting of goods, although most have started leaning more and more over the years because of the pylons settling down into the muddy ground thus exacerbating the lean.
I took the family to Amsterdam last year and it was amazing. It's funny though, I never had problems with beggars. I didn't notice any. Brussels had far more beggars when I was there. You are right about the bikes (and mopeds). They are far more dangerous than cars or trams. We skipped the red light district and the pot cafes altogether, so I can't comment on those. I'm an innocent guy, so I don't even know what pot smells like. My wife was a high school teacher, so she knows exactly what it smells like. The Rijksmuseum had a great electronic children's tour that led them through some highlights and kept boredom away for the younger ones. There were many other great museums too, and the kids had a great time at Nemo - the science centre. EVERYONE should see the Anne Frank house. The line was long but it was completely worth it We did pretty well for accommodation and stayed at a hostel/hotel hybrid right next to the Sloterdijk train station. It was a quick tram or bus ride to the downtown. We had a huge room that slept six for a reasonable price. I expected it to be noisy but it was very quiet. Thanks for the great video.
Mark Small You were lucky. I had 2 times I visited Amsterdam that people came begging and the second time it was an aggressive beggar as Mark said. They won't leave you and follow you until you give money.
I love it when tourists don't understand the cyclists culture we have here. We have bike lanes, they are obviously for bikes. When you're a pedestrian and you think you can just cross a bike lane and expect people to stop for you, you're sadly mistaken. You also can't just walk on a bike lane, which I've seen tourists do so many times. There are of course bike lanes you can cross, in the quiet areas and you'll notice that generally those bike lanes aren't clearly separated from a road (barrier in between). What I told my American born wife when she first visited The Netherlands is to treat bike lanes like a highway, but for cyclists. Cyclists are also very protected by the law. If a car hits a cyclists because the cyclist ran a red light, the fault will be initially always be put on the driver of the car until it is proven that it wasn't the drivers fault. We use our bikes to get around, to get to work, not for a relaxing ride around town.
@@DFandV If they follow you around, see if you can find a police person, or any other type of official, that you can report them to. If you're near the trainstation, walk into the train station. If they still follow you, tell a train station employee what is happening. The train company has direct contact with the police. The thing is, begging is illegal in The Netherlands. They can sit around with a cup, they can also play music for money, but actively begging is illegal. So you are absolutely in your right to report them, as it shouldn't happen. If you can't find any official, you can call the national police number 0900 8844, or if you're being put in immediate danger 112 (don't abuse this number, it's like 911). If you feel the people around you might be nice and safe, sometimes it can also help to simply yell out "This beggar is harassing me! Won't leave me alone! Help!" Most Dutch people don't take kindly to harassing beggars and will likely tell the beggar to buzz off. If you want to appear Dutch yourself, you could tell the beggar "rot op", which means buzz off, or if you want to be a tad more polite "ga weg", which means go away (but then you need to master the Dutch hard g sound). I hope these bits of advise may help you in the future.
Actually, today the mayor of Amsterdam, Eberhard van der Laan, gets buried after losing his battle against cancer last week :(. I'm not very fond of Amsterdam myself for the obvious reasons, but I'm proud of the city being the Dutch capital, and of its people, its unique culture, and of what their mayor has achieved there during his time in office. So tourists: enjoy Amsterdam, enjoy the 'shocks', but don't forget: Amsterdam is more than just that! ;)
No, Amsterdam is our capital, den Haag is where the government is seated. It kind of goes like this: Rotterdam earns the money, den Haag divides it, Amsterdam spends it... (there’s a bit of Dutch sarcasm for ya) :D
Many years ago I was a tour director travelling all over Europe for English speaking tourists, mainly Australians and Americans. Our last destination was Amsterdam and after that to Calais for the end of the tour. The UK police would DISSECT our coach when they asked our final destination and that Amsterdam was the answer. I REALLY had to stress to my group, do whatever you want in Amsterdam but please, DON'T BRING ANY "SPECIAL SOUVENIRS" WITH YOU. :D
With my tour company, usually the last destination was Paris, so when you get to Calais they would say "oh, ok, you can go". When you say "Amsterdam" ohhh they dissect your coach, even the engine compartment. Funny. It was always a bit of a weird moment because if someone did not behave, they would certainly ask me and the driver some questions. :D So I really stressed it with my group, "what you do in Amsterdam, stays in Amsterdam" :D
My biggest shock about Amsterdam is the hatred that many Dutch people have for their own capital. It's always a juxtaposition of 'this is better than that' and vice versa. Why can't you just leave things be and accept that Amsterdam simply is the most interesting place for tourists to go to? Why the envy? Yes, some parts (only Damrak/Warmoe-area) are what Chersonissos is to Crete, but if you base your whole opinion on a very small part of the city it's not really saying anything. If you think you know Amsterdam, you don't. To me, as a resident, it's such a small town with many urban areas with their own style and culture. I have lived everywhere in the Netherlands and I don't understand all this negativity. Be happy with this diversity! Enjoy your country and discover some more of Amsterdam than what you are being told and sold. Really, it's worth it. Maybe learn a thing or two from Mark Wolters? He has more nuance about the city than most my fellow countrymen here. Pitty.
There is a lot of unfounded hatred (the whole 010 vs 020 thing, to name one), but Amsterdammers often don't make it easy for themselves by almost ignoring there is a world outside the city. The irony is that is see most of this behavior stemming from adoptive Amsterdammers who were born elsewhere in the country. A bit like how the most fundamentalist zealots are always the converted ones.
Amsterdam is awesome. And I agree with the costs of accommodation. I recommend Cities like Leiden. We stayed at the Holiday Inn in Leiden für a fraction of the costs that Hotels in AMS charged. The train ride was between 30-50 minutes and costs about 10 Euros. That was reasonable and we had a great time.
My "shocks" in Amsterdam: 1. You can't drive into the city with a car (won't find an affordable parking lot) 2. People smoking pot on the streets and the amounts of pot in one place, that would bring you to jail immediately in germany, even if smoking pot in germany is accepted 3. The rivers everywhere, it is so beautiful 4. The windows of the houses are so big! You can look into everyone's living room, but nobody does. 5. Alcohol is most of the time taboo in coffee shops 6. So much yummy and colourful streetfood!
Stayed in Amsterdam for 4 days last august and I have had few encounters with beggars, and when i did, they were usually just sitting or kneeling in the corner but definitely not aggressive at all.
Dear mr. Wolters, I've said it before and will keep on doing so....Amsterdam is not the best/prettiest city in the Netherlands. You should really visit some other places. Maastricht, Den Bosch, Nijmegen, Arnhem, Zutphen, Rotterdam, Groningen and the list goes on....
We have been to other cities and will make videos on those. But, Amsterdam is a very touristy city so we need to make sure people are prepared for it. 😉😉
Good point. And as a first-timer into the country, it wouldn't make much sense to go somewhere else. My mixed feelings about Amsterdam aside, it does have the greatest concentration of Dutch culture by far.
I highly recommend the ibis hotel right beside the Central Station. Convenient location with tram terminus and canal tour boats right in front. Also it has elevators so no worry from falling down stairs. Walkable distance to major attractions too.
If you're coming for Amsterdam, I would suggest to look for a hotel room in Almere, it's much cheaper there.. It's about 30km away from Amsterdam but the train connection between these 2 cities are amazing. Plus, from around 2020, Almere has the Floriade, which display all the amazing flower beds that the Netherlands has to offer!
My Dutch friend told me Almere was the most boring town on earth and one day I had to go there and she was telling the truth. Truly awful place. And why on earth would you pay to travel 30km and waste time for a cheaper hotel???
Hi Wolter! As a dutchie I would strongly advise you to visit Rotterdam and The Hague. Amsterdam is great but it sometimes is a little bit to much of a theme park. Rotterdam and The Hague are fantastic cities so if you are close send a message and I would be happy to show you around!
I was born in Amsterdam in 1956, I live in Amsterdam, I work in Amsterdam ( red light district) And I hope I die in Amsterdam Amsterdam is the best place to be
I have been watching your recordings' for a while , this is my first comment . I like the honesty of the recordings, as good as Rick is ,he sugar coats things. You basically tell it the way things are.
So I was in Amsterdam last week and got conned :). Here is what happened. So we were in the Museum Square (Rijkwik Museum) and waiting to catch a tram to centraal station. We didn’t get the day passes that day and so we were trying to get a ticket from the kiosk in the tram/bus stop. There was an earlier group trying to get and we saw a gentlemen (with jacket and tie) trying to help. So once the group left we tried our luck but for some reason the credit card didn’t work. This gentlemen (who looked nice) tried to help and then offered us 2 Day passes (looked new) for the same cost. We were excited and got in the tram with him. We paid 12 Euros for 2 and then he got down in the next stop. We were so happy that he was friendly and all but just to realise that the tickets were expired ones :). When we tried to checkout in tram it was beeping. The driver was a good guy and let us out :). So be careful and buy tickets only from the station or the kiosk.
a few tips to go in the netherlands: Eastern-part (1-1,5 hour from Amsterdam): - Hanzesteden (this are a couple of old citys and villages around the river IJsel with are realy nice to visit). For Example go to Deventer, Zwolle, Zutphen, Kampen, Elburg, Hattem with are realy close together so you can do them in 2-4 days. [province: Overijsel, Gelderland] - Also Nijmegen (one of the olthest citys in the Netherlands, with infleunce from Rome is nice to visit) [Province: Gelderland] - Go to Giethoorn (little village build of canals like Venice, but a lot of Chinees tourist) [province: Overijsel] In the Northen-part (1,5 - 3hour from Amsterdam) - Visit the city of Groningen [province: Groningen] - Visit the little villages of Friesland (like sneek for example) by boot [province: Friesland] - if you really like being on your one take the boot from Harlingen and go to one of the Duth islands, like Terschelling [province: Friesland] Soutern-part (1,5 - 3 hour from Amsterdam) - Explore the hills from Limburg and stop to taste a beer at the Hertog Jan fabric in Aken. Enjoy the surroundings of Limburg [province: Limburg] - Visit Breda [province: Noord-Brabant] - Go to the cost en beaches of Zeeland and visit Middelburg and Vlissingen, also go to Antwerp (just over the border with Belgium) [province: Zeeland] Western-part (30min - 1,5 hour from Amsterdam): - Visit all studentcitys like Utrecht [province: Utrecht], Leiden, Delft [province: Zuid-Holland] - Eat some cheese in Gouda on the cheesemarket [province: Zuid-Holland] - Visit the harbor of Rotterdam and the modern buildings [province: Zuid-Holland] - Take a look at the palice of the Dutch King and the Governent building, as also the international court in Den-Haag (or The Hageu) [province: Zuid-Holland] - Go to Haarlem and Volendam [province: Noord-Holland] And no not everybody speaks perfect English, so I am sorry for a few faults here and there
Mark!! I watched all of your Berlin videos last October as I was getting ready to visit Germany - now I'm bingeing all your Netherlands/France videos in anticipation of my summer trip. Love your energy and all the advice! I also have a really bad flying fear and you videos help me look forward to travel instead of dreading it. Cheers from Toronto!
I laughed my ass off when you talked about the trams and the bikelane of death. Everyday i meet tourists on their way into the city or to their hotel and because of that i would like to add some stuff as an comment ; * Amsterdam is expensive like you said; stay at Zaandam in an airbnb, cheap and clean and usually good for families. Zaandam is just 10 minutes away from amsterdam via train or bus and if you dare about 20 mins per bike. * Read about the netherlands before you enter it. Understand public transport (Check in-Check out, time is money get in OR get out dont stay in the doorsteps), understand where you are going and DONT FREAKING PANIC there is ALWAYS a transport medium that will bring you to where you want to be. * Do NOT follow the advice of strangers, follow the advice of people that are in any kind of uniform * Get a smartfone with a simcard that gives you internet access in netherlands. We have a lot of free wifi overhere, but for google maps it is easier to have a internet connection via the simcard this way you will now your way. * Use the website www.9292.nl it is the public transport site for the netherlands, you can change the language to english. * Try the smaller museums for the real fun, like the tulip museum, house of bols (House of booze hahah), houseboat museum and if you like cats, go to the pussy boat (No pun..) * Kids with ya? there are a lot of nice places for kids too in amsterdam, p.a. Nemo museum, Ballorig (Activitys), waterbikes, beaches when it is hot (two days a year..) and so on. Check them out ! kids happy too, i see too many kids unhappy because of boringggg museums and mums and dads who forgot their youth... * Public transport is CHEAP, buy a travelpass for your stay, but make wise decisions; only amsterdam travel ticket or amsterdam and area (Haarlem/zaandam/edam/volendam/marken/SCHIPHOL AIRPORT) the difference in price is 3 euros a day. Buy it at the trainticketwindow OR at the VVV (Tourist information) * DO NOT RENT A BIKE if you want to use it in the center of the city, YOU WILL FALL, YOU WILL MEET A TRAM, YOU WILL GET HURT and your INSURANCE will NOT cover it. Biking in Amsterdam is even for locals DANGEROUS. And it is so true what you say about drugs; if you are gonna use it, dont do it alone, keep 1 person sober. Keep some sugars with you or some sweet drinks with SUGAR, DO NOT use magic mushrooms they can really f you up. Do not go with strangers for "better weed" they will rob you. The emergency number is 112 , always say what and where you smoked something it is not illegal, you just did something stupid like we all do sometime. Write down the adress of your hotel, the name of the hotel and an emergency number for your family and put it on a card in your jacket, wallet and shoe. Enjoy Amsterdam.
HA!!!!! Hahahaha! I say Rikes! For once I pronounced something correctly and Mark said it incorrectly! This is a huge win for me. I am pitiful at languages Mark, he is good, so excited to 'win'!
Mark, thank you very much for another great video. Your videos are just amazing. Every time I watch one, it reminds me of my own travels and it makes me wanna travel again! It is just super exciting! It is really a privilege being able to have such high-quality info packed with so much excitement and joy! It is a pity I did not know of your channel back when you were in Brazil! Thanks again!
This is soo much Fun too watch when your a local too😊taking a boot Tour is so Nice to do 🛥 Vondelpark is definetly a beautiful place too walk trough when your in Amsterdam
The three tone one is actually to loud. They also put the sirens in front of the ambulance bus, so it isn't on top with the lights anymore. Although it is great for the drivers it makes the sirens harder to hear, because the sound bounces off buildings and other cars.
Thanks to the Dutch government we implemented a "suggestion" from the European Union as a law: a two-tone siren for every emergency vehicle was recommended, but not made mandatory. But the Dutch government presented it as a law that we should follow very strict and so they phased out the tri-tone siren in The Netherlands in 2014 or 2015.
In my region (around Amsterdam) the tone is almost the same for every emergency vehicle. The trouble I have with the so called unified EU siren is that every country around The Netherlands still has it's own distinguishable sirens for every type of emergency vehicle. I don't see the added benefit of unifying every siren sound when other countries are not participating in what the Dutch government has implemented as being a law, interpreting a EU suggestion as such. I liked the tri-tone of our ambulances a lot, it was something most other countries did not have, because if anything, they had a whail, yelp or different kind of sweeping siren on their ambulances.
Pleaaasee only rent a bike if you can actually ride it. I've seen (and had) sooo many accident with people who rented a bike, but actually didn't know how to.
The Dutch allow it. No selfrespect. Indifferent. That’s the national culture. Other etnicities including the ones living there for decades just walk right over the Dutch.
My Partner and I visited Amsterdam in early March of 2016. We did not encounter any beggars leaving Centraal Station nor anyplace else in Amsterdam. Could be the beggars are only out during the warmer months. Since this was our first visit to Amsterdam, as a precaution, we stayed at the Best Western near Dam Square. Our only issue was that the hotel did not let us into our room until the normal check-in time (2 PM I believe). Our flight had us arriving in the morning. The Best Western did have a great room for us and the hotel does have elevators. We used the stairs a number of times and the stairs were normal style, not like the one in your video. Best Western also provided a hearty breakfast each day of our visit. My biggest issue with Amsterdam is leaving the city at Schiphol Airport. We literally had to check ourselves in to our flight (print boarding pass & baggage tickets, attached baggage tickets to luggage, and load our luggage onto an automated system that only took one bag at a time and worked randomly). We are still young enough to handle this hassle, but a number of elderly individuals had a rough time handling this check-in procedure. As we were walking to what I thought was our gate, we began talking to other travelers going to other destinations, but we were all going to the same gate. Turns out the gate number was a security area, not a real gate. Once past the security area (where we were only interviewed), we then to went to an actual security line. Once past security we were able to obtain our actual departure gate. As we proceeded down the gangway on to our plane, we were interviewed again about where we had been and our destination. I think the Netherlands takes airport security to a whole new unnerving level. And the airlines at Schiphol are too cheap to provide the personnel necessary to properly check-in their passengers luggage.
Amsterdam is a great city, the tourist ruin it by passively shaping it to what they want to see. Amsterdam in the summer is radically different to how it is during the winter, simply because there are less tourists
Typical bull shit fallacy hate from somebody who doesn't know Amsterdam, please don't listen to this generalizing smartass. Kind regards from Amsterdam. And please don't walk on the bike lane. Also if you're not used to ride a bike, don't try it here suddenly. You wouldn't recommend somebody to learn how to drive a car in the middle of Manhattan would you?
#5 says it all. I spent 4 days here stayed out of the "tourist" areas found lots of things to see and do.Also if you do only one thing during your visit here, go to the Anne Frank house. An extremely moving experience .Get your tickets online.We were here on a Sunday morning in October and the line was blocks long.
A recommendation from a german coffeshop tourist: Use the Navi on your Smartphone to remember where you parked your car, we searched nearly 2 hours for our car because every street at the canals where the parking lots are looked exactly the same and we where stoned.
Fuck no. Go away with ur tourism. We dont like tourists and are not giving any support to them. We wont help u as a tourist and we wont talk english to you
The reason after the houses being slightly tilted is not because the ground is uneven! If you look at the top of the building you see a crane. The house is tilted so the stuff being lifted up won't hit the house.
You really saw aggressive beggers? I've lived here for a while and I've been asked for change 3 times...literally... Also no one needs it here, just seemed quit bizarre that you experienced that!
#1 its not allowed but yeah big problem #2 In Amsterdam there are hardly dutch people left, its mainly invaded by expats and tourists. I Live in Rotterdam where the smell is much less. #3 There is more than Pot but the smell is very annoying #4 good that you mention this. Red Light district is to much overrated. #7 people need to know a bit how to bike but get out of the city center for a better experience. #8 good thing yeah #9 Go to Haarlem, Leiden, The Hague, Utrecht or Rotterdam. (it is cheaper and also better quality) #10 yeah better avoid these groups.
Also Leiden, The hague and my personal favorite is Rotterdam (I moved there from the dutch countrysite) and people there are still very welcoming to tourists.
Hi,I love north.Medemblik,Hoorn,Alkmaar,Den Helder.....and other small towns and villages there.When I say in the work,we make a holiday in the Netherlands,lot of people says : bitches and drugs?...... :( I LOVE NETHERLANDS!
I avoid all places with that horrible drugs smell to. Thats exactly why Ienjoy Rotterdam so much more than Amsterdam and even if people do smoke, wind is strong enough to take away that horrible smell rather quick.
I visited Amsterdam some twenty years ago and yes I am guilty of many of those things -especially the "drunk and high tourist" part but what I still find shocking to this day is how patient and kind the Dutch were
Except for the English proficiency thing, Amsterdam is still quite shocking, even to us Dutchies XD I guess you could compare it to living on the Strip in Vegas for most Americans?
That's true for Damrak and Warmoestraat... but what about the rest of the town? As Mark says.. there is so much more to Amsterdam. Come live here and experience it :)
I am so very pleased to see you succeeding with your channel Mark!!You constantly put out fantastic information -- thus your success!Well done brother!! Keep on keeping on!!
I stayed in my tent at Camp Zeeburg, it was November, so only 7 euros a night, ultra cheap, and they have everything there, so yeah, if you are a bum like me, camping there is brilliant, Camp Zeeburg is a great place to chill, they have Eco cabins too, but the best thing about the camping is you can just pitch your tent there if you arrive in the early hours, and sort out payments next day, and they have free wi-fi too, cheapest way to sleep in the Dam,,,,period
Don't go to Amsterdam. The Hague, Delft, Leiden, Breda, Dordrecht, Nijmegen, Maastricht and others are all so much prettier. If you go to Amsterdam, you have to go through the bad parts to get to the good parts, and they're not worth it to me. As much as I like to propagate the "All Dutch people speak English" fact, there's a minor caveat: Dutch people learn English from an early age. We hear it on TV. We read it online. We write it online. But not many Dutch people actually regularly speak it conversationally (except maybe shopkeepers in city centers). So prepare yourself for mangled words and sentences.
It's not hatred. It's a strong dislike. I've been to the capital plenty of times (as a visitor, not a tourist), but I only like it when I can avoid the city center. But the only sights there are the friends I come to see. The center is mostly tourists and catering to tourists that it's almost unwelcoming to Dutch visitors.
Slavic Sniper Rotterdam (where i live)is very nice and the Hague is near.. But the Netherlands are easy to travel in. Amsterdam - the Hague 45min, the Hague - Rotterdam 15 min. But it depends on what your preferences are and how long you’re staying. I also like the southern provinces North-Brabant and Limburg
NO don't go there!! Two places you wanna skip in the Netherlands are Rotterdam and Amsterdam. What you should try is Leiden, Den Haag, and Delft. If possible, also consider Haarlem, Utrecht, Nijmegen, Maastricht and, if you're feeling VERY adventurous, either Middelburg or Groningen. But, if you're not into cities, try the Veluwe. Especially when the heather is in full bloom, you MUST go for a walk/hike there!!
Of course you do. But for the average tourist this is bull shit. Especially since Rotterdam is destroyed during the Second World War so there is barely any history to see. On top of that Amsterdam has the most museums per square meter in the world. And you have the Zaanse Schans, Keukenhof, Volendam and nice castles, all nearby. Also Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, Alkmaar, Gouda, Hoorn or Laren are nearby for a day-trip. Unfortunately there is a lot of hate and disdain for Amsterdam from people who never lived there and/or are caught up in dumb soccer rivalries.
Top Geographic I appreciate your comments. I want to enjoy more of a real european city. i meam i love amaterdams architucture and looks, but it's almost a complete tourist trap now. The bulldog hotel lounge is really cool though
AFCA 1900 Rotterdam is geen "shithole", het is maar net wat jij mooi vindt! Ik zelf voel me meer aangetrokken door moderne steden misschien is dat waarom ik deze reactie plaatste!
As a tourist who has visited Amsterdam in the spring I didn’t see any beggars thankfully. I walk very fast, and bike fast so I barely noticed I was in the red light district. I did like seeing the “coffee shops” to see what the cannabis industry was about. That innovated me to invest in Cannabis stocks. The Pataat were awesome with the mayo. The markets and restaurants were really nice. I love seafood and herring was so amazingly affordable and I loved the bitterballen at De Schluywacht. You have to bike in Amsterdam and take mini boats across for free to other parts of Amsterdam.
Flaca81 Ok but remember its always down to your own experience but my experience was bad because first Amsterdam is extremely busy like it makes London look peaceful I don't mind it being busy and they were very rude. I also didn't feel like I fit in with the people not my type I would say. also I'm not into drugs and hockers so yeah thats why I didn't like it
I was very disappointed in Amsterdam as well. I thought that it would be such a great city but to be honest Leiden, Rotterdam and Den Haag are so much nicer!
I went to Ann Franks house in the early morning.. I ended up getting there an hour before it opened and there was already people in line. I stayed in the lineup but had no idea till opening time how crazy it really was. I am Canadian but so glad I went to see her house and learn more about her.
For someone who has never smelt pot in her life smiling it in Amsterdam for the first time was a big shock. Now I can smell on people from long distances :) I fell in love Amsterdam last year so much that I'm going back in December. For someone not interested in pot and partying (yes, there are people like that) I recommend the west side of the city center, especially Jordaan. Beautiful and less crowded.
small tip about going to the bathroom, if you don't want to use those public green circles of paradise, just walk into any big chain hotel, ground floor/lobby's of big chain hotel's are considered public domain so they usually have these toilet groups on the ground floor. keep in mind that (like everything in Amsterdam) the attitude of the hotel staff towards this can change during night time
Why i'm watching this ? I live in the Netherlands 😁😂
Pics.By. Kms hahahah herkenbaar 😂😂😂
Ikr, geen idee waarom ik dit kijk XD
Hmm misschien om te kijken hoe mensen over ons land denken?
alan emmah haha ja klopt , ik weet wel bijna zeker dat dit het punt is.
Wel leuk overgins om het te zien vanuit het perspectief van een "buitenlander"
Ik walg van de toeristen in Amsterdam tegenwoordig. Als je naar de Starbucks gaat spreken de medewerkers niet eens Nederlands meer...
As an amsterdamian i approve this vid. Except for the first shock. After 17 years living here i have never been chased by a beggar, but thats maybe because i look local and not like a tourist. I‘m big fan btw good vidz
Romeo Nijsse thats what i said too! What aggressive beggars!!!??
A tourist just out off the train-station is easily recognized by the luggage they're carrying.
Been there as a tourist twice, was never bothered by a beggar once, didn't even see one
The risk for cops to be called is to big if they harras dutch so they make sure to target English speaking ppl only, if heard stories of foreign friends about it once, never encountered anything myself.
Romeo Nijsse i’ve been working in Amsterdam all my life basically, but Yes there are agressive beggars, not violent tho, but they do ask for more, even while working therez
I went to amsterdam and didn't see a single beggar, everyone was really chill.
the dutch get sarcasm and dry humour more than most Americans in fact
and the humour is interesting itself
Jeremy Sims what does that even mean lol
The Dutch are just very sarcastic people ^^
it means that americans love their popculture and love making joke that refers back to popculture. I think thats very american humor and thats why i loveddd deadpool the film. dutch people, and im dutch, like easy jokes. jokes that take 2 seconds to come up with. also very random humor and indeed sarcasty, dry humor.
Jeremy Sims I love the Dutch, they were so nice and funny when I was there haha
Ah yes, dry humour. The best kind of humour in my opinion. And yes I'm Dutch myself. :) When I joke with friends it's almost always dry or sarcastic humour.
A big shock in Amsterdam is trying to leave the Central Station on Queen's Day.
Kings day
Getting anywhere on kings(queen's) day in Amsterdam is a sh*t show
Haha ha ha ha ha ha Haha ha ha ha ha ha Haha ha ha ha ha ha Haha ha ha ha ha ha Haha ha ha ha ha ha Haha ha ha ha ha ha Haha ha ha ha ha ha Haha ha ha ha ha ha Haha ha ha ha ha ha Haha ha ha ha ha ha Haha ha ha ha ha ha YOU HAVE TO BE JOKEING EVERY YEAR THE POLICE CAUSE PROBLEMS.
The Dutch Queen is dead NO NO NO NEVER. REALLY????? I have been traveling for years now, I really didn't know.
Pieter allen Master Blue no not dead just retired now it's kings day
The biggest mistake you can ever do is buying weed from a dealer when you can get it legally in coffeeshops
I was in Amsterdam for 4 days in 2016 and had NO ONE , ask me for money . My wife and I walked everywhere around the city and had no one beg for cash .
I definitely will go back , loved the city
The central problem in Amsterdam is not just tourism, it's the kind of tourism: bottom-of-the-barrel, binge-drinking, weed-smoking Ozzie backpackers and English stag parties. The sort of people that pee against our churches after going on a beer bike ride. Our office is just a street away from the Red Light District and it can be sheer hell. What you end up is a vicious cycle in which the reputation for pot, hookers and cheap beer attracts people looking for just and only that, which reinforces an already dubious reputation, etc.
The rest of the city is a lot more civilized even if Amsterdammers are very good at endlessly milking the same old stereotypes. So no, no one walks in wooden shoes anymore.
Bom Cabedal I walk in wooden shoes from time to time, especially in the garden. Really nice to just quickly slip into them to do something outside, without having to take the effort of properly putting some shoes on.
This kind of thing always annoys me. The RLD has been there for hundreds of years and these areas always attract trouble. So if you are dumb enough (or lucky enough) to live or work there you only have yourself to blame.
As an English guy, I apologise for a lot of Brits, we aren't all arseholes. Unfortunately a lot of Brits give us a bad reputation, no respect for anything. I mean I smoke cannabis, but I don't just go to Amsterdam every year to smoke, I go for the canals, the buildings, the history, the locals, the culture. The tolerated cannabis rules is such a small part of the Netherlands, unfortunately a lot of people go to Amsterdam just for the ease of access of the weed and prostitutes, they act like entitles bellends giving everyone a bad name. Just please remember, we aren't all binge drinking loud Englishmen, this is coming from a 22 year old British male. My apologies.
My family wears them when we work in the garden lol
I dont drink id just come be respectful and smoke, would that be ok?
I visited Amsterdam a few years ago, I went on a trip through Europe with my brother. We were in a small hotel with really small rooms. We checked into the largest room available, which shockingly had 2 full beds and a bathroom in the room, it was expensive, but the tight quarters with my brother was a little uncomfortable.
While we were there a group of American tourists came in looking accommodations. They were a group of high school graduates who were taking the school sponsored European tour before going off to college. The group consisted of about 3 teachers, a tour guide, 25 students and 10 or mothers. They were arguing with the hotel about everyone being on the same floor and some needing a personal bathroom. After listening to this for about 10 minutes, my brother and I offered to change rooms to end the conflict.
We ended up in a tiny room (which was an additional flight of very steep stairs up) with a one bed and no bathroom for the remaining two nights. I was really frustrated because the group didn't even thank us.
When we checked out the hotel owners (a young couple) informed us there would be no charge. I asked if they were sure, the wife told us that they charged the group so much, that it covered our stay. Just goes to show... being nice is usually the way to go.
CaniCat I apologize for our rude countrymen. This is an example of why we make these videos. Americans expect private, en suite rooms but, as you know, that isn't always the norm in the rest of the world. So we try to prepare people so they can be better travelers.
Your second point, the english speaking.. i’m dutch and found out alot of people that work in stores don’t even speak dutch lol!
Bas Veltink klopt helemaal, zijn maar weinig Nederlanders haha
In Amsterdam en toeristengebieden wel
that's why the holland goverment don't have to allow migrants and gypsy to enter and work and live in HOLLAND ! they are ruining eu.
Lol
There is a very obvious reason for our amazing English: The Dutch don't overdub movie's and tv-shows.
@49jubilee So is german and the germans are WAY worse at English. Its true what Nick says. If most of the media you consume is in english then you are bound to pick it up.
Subtitling is out of poverty .. dubbing is far more expensive ... that's why Germans are less familiar with the English language than Dutch and Belgian people.
And someone told me Portugal has no overdubbing aswel .. that's why the Portugese speak English very well for a latin country
@49jubilee English is Germanic too (the structure) but they have taken a lot of French words
@@antoinebeauman im sure youre not suggesting the Netherlands is too poor to dub? Cuz thats truly a hilarious suggestion :')
@@mistrants2745 back in the 50s they had to decide what to do with it .. and in the Netherlands they decided not to overdub due to the costs
Aggressive beggars? Why u didn't make a video of them? I live in Amsterdam for more than 7 years and I never encounter them.
There's been none since the 90s.
That's so true Catalin. This guy is not right.
Catalin Ancuta - Visited last year and didn’t see one. We enjoyed a thoroughly brilliant time away and won’t hesitate to come back for more food, culture and very welcome change of scene.
I was there in 2006 during the World Cup and didn’t encounter a single beggar. I live in Calgary Canada and I would have be begged at at least 20+ times in the same time length
Iv gone 4 times, going for my 5th this month and I can say iv never seen one either :/
1. Begging is actually forbidden in Amsterdam and a lot of other municipalities. On trains too (where they will try to sell you tissues). Do not give them money. Ignore them. These are eastern European gangs and they all work together. And if they are being annoying alert police or the city watch (the latter are basically a police-light without guns).
8. Building lean over because back in the day that was the best method to prevent stone erosion from rain ;)
Also, there is much more to Amsterdam than just the city centre, and more to the Netherlands than Amsterdam. Enkhuizen, Hoorn, Alkmaar, Delft, Haarlem and Leiden are beautiful 17th century cities as well, and all close to each other.
That's not the reason, because from the buildings that sway into a direction or whatever, they usually have extremely crooked windows and floors that are not flat or leveled anymore.
Buildings sway over in multiple directions because of soil movement their foundation is built on and/or the woodwork of the house "working". Some of those houses are there since 1600 or 1700 and they were probably upright at the time they were built but have shifted position partly over time. There are homes from the same period that are perfectly upright and I'm pretty sure that they were unable to build buildings leaning over that way at that time. Also, I let my imagination run wild at this point, but I can imagine how building a house like that was not approved off during the golden age in which the city centre was shaped, because if your house was not built upright, it would (most probably) degrade your status as an honest man of trade (which was what most of the homes around the canals were built for, tradesmen).
A leaning building also prevents goods on the hoist from hitting the bricks ;-).
Rhaegar Targaryen Leiden has nothing historical to offer except for the city center. It's really overrated by Dutchies
They were build at a slight angle for the hoisting of goods, although most have started leaning more and more over the years because of the pylons settling down into the muddy ground thus exacerbating the lean.
Another product of that wonderful policy, “Freedom of Movement”.
I took the family to Amsterdam last year and it was amazing. It's funny though, I never had problems with beggars. I didn't notice any. Brussels had far more beggars when I was there.
You are right about the bikes (and mopeds). They are far more dangerous than cars or trams. We skipped the red light district and the pot cafes altogether, so I can't comment on those. I'm an innocent guy, so I don't even know what pot smells like. My wife was a high school teacher, so she knows exactly what it smells like.
The Rijksmuseum had a great electronic children's tour that led them through some highlights and kept boredom away for the younger ones. There were many other great museums too, and the kids had a great time at Nemo - the science centre. EVERYONE should see the Anne Frank house. The line was long but it was completely worth it
We did pretty well for accommodation and stayed at a hostel/hotel hybrid right next to the Sloterdijk train station. It was a quick tram or bus ride to the downtown. We had a huge room that slept six for a reasonable price. I expected it to be noisy but it was very quiet.
Thanks for the great video.
Mark Small You were lucky. I had 2 times I visited Amsterdam that people came begging and the second time it was an aggressive beggar as Mark said. They won't leave you and follow you until you give money.
How on earth can you skip the red light district?
I love it when tourists don't understand the cyclists culture we have here. We have bike lanes, they are obviously for bikes. When you're a pedestrian and you think you can just cross a bike lane and expect people to stop for you, you're sadly mistaken. You also can't just walk on a bike lane, which I've seen tourists do so many times. There are of course bike lanes you can cross, in the quiet areas and you'll notice that generally those bike lanes aren't clearly separated from a road (barrier in between).
What I told my American born wife when she first visited The Netherlands is to treat bike lanes like a highway, but for cyclists. Cyclists are also very protected by the law. If a car hits a cyclists because the cyclist ran a red light, the fault will be initially always be put on the driver of the car until it is proven that it wasn't the drivers fault. We use our bikes to get around, to get to work, not for a relaxing ride around town.
@@DFandV did you see more than only amsterdam... or country is bigger than only amsterdam
@@DFandV If they follow you around, see if you can find a police person, or any other type of official, that you can report them to. If you're near the trainstation, walk into the train station. If they still follow you, tell a train station employee what is happening. The train company has direct contact with the police.
The thing is, begging is illegal in The Netherlands. They can sit around with a cup, they can also play music for money, but actively begging is illegal. So you are absolutely in your right to report them, as it shouldn't happen.
If you can't find any official, you can call the national police number 0900 8844, or if you're being put in immediate danger 112 (don't abuse this number, it's like 911).
If you feel the people around you might be nice and safe, sometimes it can also help to simply yell out "This beggar is harassing me! Won't leave me alone! Help!" Most Dutch people don't take kindly to harassing beggars and will likely tell the beggar to buzz off. If you want to appear Dutch yourself, you could tell the beggar "rot op", which means buzz off, or if you want to be a tad more polite "ga weg", which means go away (but then you need to master the Dutch hard g sound).
I hope these bits of advise may help you in the future.
"That smells like the medicine they gave me as a child" haha
2 places often overlooked in Amsterdam are the Vondelpark and Westerpark. Both amazing city parks, like NYC’s Central Park, but a bit smaller ofcourse
Haarlem isnt just a small town next to Amsterdam, its a beautiful, culture-rich city with amazing architechture and history
It's tiny, much smaller than my own town in the UK.
Actually, today the mayor of Amsterdam, Eberhard van der Laan, gets buried after losing his battle against cancer last week :(. I'm not very fond of Amsterdam myself for the obvious reasons, but I'm proud of the city being the Dutch capital, and of its people, its unique culture, and of what their mayor has achieved there during his time in office. So tourists: enjoy Amsterdam, enjoy the 'shocks', but don't forget: Amsterdam is more than just that! ;)
I don't believe anyone is very fonT.
deeingalaplike kind idf dual capital
No, Amsterdam is our capital, den Haag is where the government is seated. It kind of goes like this: Rotterdam earns the money, den Haag divides it, Amsterdam spends it... (there’s a bit of Dutch sarcasm for ya) :D
AviationPro More like dutch bs, Amsterdam makes way more money than Rotterdam my man.
It is not, but it is gorgeous. We moved to Den Haag and it is lovely.
Many years ago I was a tour director travelling all over Europe for English speaking tourists, mainly Australians and Americans.
Our last destination was Amsterdam and after that to Calais for the end of the tour.
The UK police would DISSECT our coach when they asked our final destination and that Amsterdam was the answer.
I REALLY had to stress to my group, do whatever you want in Amsterdam but please, DON'T BRING ANY "SPECIAL SOUVENIRS" WITH YOU. :D
+Marco C. Exactly. That's why I haven't taken a group to Amsterdam yet
With my tour company, usually the last destination was Paris, so when you get to Calais they would say "oh, ok, you can go".
When you say "Amsterdam" ohhh they dissect your coach, even the engine compartment. Funny. It was always a bit of a weird moment because if someone did not behave, they would certainly ask me and the driver some questions. :D
So I really stressed it with my group, "what you do in Amsterdam, stays in Amsterdam" :D
Hahaha all I am going to say is Schengen and you're save😂
Nxdlo2 Lol but no Schengen in the UK. So they probably will search when you say "I came from Amsterdam"
My biggest shock about Amsterdam is the hatred that many Dutch people have for their own capital. It's always a juxtaposition of 'this is better than that' and vice versa. Why can't you just leave things be and accept that Amsterdam simply is the most interesting place for tourists to go to? Why the envy? Yes, some parts (only Damrak/Warmoe-area) are what Chersonissos is to Crete, but if you base your whole opinion on a very small part of the city it's not really saying anything. If you think you know Amsterdam, you don't. To me, as a resident, it's such a small town with many urban areas with their own style and culture. I have lived everywhere in the Netherlands and I don't understand all this negativity. Be happy with this diversity! Enjoy your country and discover some more of Amsterdam than what you are being told and sold. Really, it's worth it. Maybe learn a thing or two from Mark Wolters? He has more nuance about the city than most my fellow countrymen here. Pitty.
There is a lot of unfounded hatred (the whole 010 vs 020 thing, to name one), but Amsterdammers often don't make it easy for themselves by almost ignoring there is a world outside the city. The irony is that is see most of this behavior stemming from adoptive Amsterdammers who were born elsewhere in the country. A bit like how the most fundamentalist zealots are always the converted ones.
Agree
Exactly my thoughts. But let them hate and stay away of our city, so there is more of Amsterdam for us!
Bart Damen 👌
Bart Damen Amsterdam definetly isn't the most interresting place to go to in The Netherlands
"Don't fart backwards on stairs" got it.
Amsterdam is awesome. And I agree with the costs of accommodation. I recommend Cities like Leiden. We stayed at the Holiday Inn in Leiden für a fraction of the costs that Hotels in AMS charged. The train ride was between 30-50 minutes and costs about 10 Euros. That was reasonable and we had a great time.
My "shocks" in Amsterdam:
1. You can't drive into the city with a car (won't find an affordable parking lot)
2. People smoking pot on the streets and the amounts of pot in one place, that would bring you to jail immediately in germany, even if smoking pot in germany is accepted
3. The rivers everywhere, it is so beautiful
4. The windows of the houses are so big! You can look into everyone's living room, but nobody does.
5. Alcohol is most of the time taboo in coffee shops
6. So much yummy and colourful streetfood!
So 1 is just a lie that you yourself contradict?
Stayed in Amsterdam for 4 days last august and I have had few encounters with beggars, and when i did, they were usually just sitting or kneeling in the corner but definitely not aggressive at all.
Dear mr. Wolters, I've said it before and will keep on doing so....Amsterdam is not the best/prettiest city in the Netherlands. You should really visit some other places. Maastricht, Den Bosch, Nijmegen, Arnhem, Zutphen, Rotterdam, Groningen and the list goes on....
synergie1972 Kampen, Zwolle, basically all Hansetic League cities.
Leeuwarden, Deventer, Dordrecht, Brielle, Schiedam, Middelburg, Gouda, Delft, Den Haag, Amersfoort, Apeldoorn, Elburg, Vlissingen, Bergen op Zoom... added a few ;)
We have been to other cities and will make videos on those. But, Amsterdam is a very touristy city so we need to make sure people are prepared for it. 😉😉
Good point. And as a first-timer into the country, it wouldn't make much sense to go somewhere else. My mixed feelings about Amsterdam aside, it does have the greatest concentration of Dutch culture by far.
Seriously, no Utrecht? It's basically Amsterdam without the many tourists...
I highly recommend the ibis hotel right beside the Central Station. Convenient location with tram terminus and canal tour boats right in front. Also it has elevators so no worry from falling down stairs. Walkable distance to major attractions too.
Hey Mark great video!!👍☺️I was in The Netherlands two weeks ago and I think Leeuwarden and Harligen are a must see too!!! VERY BEAUTIFUL CITIES!!😍😍😍❤️
I haven't been to Harlingen yet but I concur with Leeuwarden :) It's lovely :)
yes I plan to visit again asap lol
stefy rosasblancas i lived in harlingen and leeuwarden.. but i can say dont go there go to groningen.
ok i will definitely visit Groningen too:D
If you're coming for Amsterdam, I would suggest to look for a hotel room in Almere, it's much cheaper there.. It's about 30km away from Amsterdam but the train connection between these 2 cities are amazing. Plus, from around 2020, Almere has the Floriade, which display all the amazing flower beds that the Netherlands has to offer!
My Dutch friend told me Almere was the most boring town on earth and one day I had to go there and she was telling the truth. Truly awful place. And why on earth would you pay to travel 30km and waste time for a cheaper hotel???
Hi Wolter! As a dutchie I would strongly advise you to visit Rotterdam and The Hague. Amsterdam is great but it sometimes is a little bit to much of a theme park. Rotterdam and The Hague are fantastic cities so if you are close send a message and I would be happy to show you around!
I have to say, I am Dutch and I have been to Amsterdam more times than I can count, but I’ve never had encounters with beggars.
I was born in Amsterdam in 1956, I live in Amsterdam, I work in Amsterdam ( red light district) And I hope I die in Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the best place to be
Do you also wear bras and panties?
I have been watching your recordings' for a while , this is my first comment . I like the honesty of the recordings, as good as Rick is ,he sugar coats things. You basically tell it the way things are.
I didn't realise till like 2 days after I got home that I accidentally brought pot back. ooops
ragana and broo on plane? Good job dude!!! Proud of you😂
Ha ha same here and mushrooms! LoL
I’m totally addicted to your videos....and the way u smile
Your pronunciation of “Rijksmuseum” is hilarious 😂
Awesome video. Great tips and insights as always. Hope you visit again some day.
Im just shocked your name isn't Walter...
So I was in Amsterdam last week and got conned :). Here is what happened. So we were in the Museum Square (Rijkwik Museum) and waiting to catch a tram to centraal station. We didn’t get the day passes that day and so we were trying to get a ticket from the kiosk in the tram/bus stop. There was an earlier group trying to get and we saw a gentlemen (with jacket and tie) trying to help. So once the group left we tried our luck but for some reason the credit card didn’t work. This gentlemen (who looked nice) tried to help and then offered us 2 Day passes (looked new) for the same cost. We were excited and got in the tram with him. We paid 12 Euros for 2 and then he got down in the next stop. We were so happy that he was friendly and all but just to realise that the tickets were expired ones :). When we tried to checkout in tram it was beeping. The driver was a good guy and let us out :). So be careful and buy tickets only from the station or the kiosk.
1 thing tourists need to know, DONT WALK ON THE FUCKING BIKE LANE!!!!!
a few tips to go in the netherlands:
Eastern-part (1-1,5 hour from Amsterdam):
- Hanzesteden (this are a couple of old citys and villages around the river IJsel with are realy nice to visit). For Example go to Deventer, Zwolle, Zutphen, Kampen, Elburg, Hattem with are realy close together so you can do them in 2-4 days. [province: Overijsel, Gelderland]
- Also Nijmegen (one of the olthest citys in the Netherlands, with infleunce from Rome is nice to visit) [Province: Gelderland]
- Go to Giethoorn (little village build of canals like Venice, but a lot of Chinees tourist) [province: Overijsel]
In the Northen-part (1,5 - 3hour from Amsterdam)
- Visit the city of Groningen [province: Groningen]
- Visit the little villages of Friesland (like sneek for example) by boot [province: Friesland]
- if you really like being on your one take the boot from Harlingen and go to one of the Duth islands, like Terschelling [province: Friesland]
Soutern-part (1,5 - 3 hour from Amsterdam)
- Explore the hills from Limburg and stop to taste a beer at the Hertog Jan fabric in Aken. Enjoy the surroundings of Limburg [province: Limburg]
- Visit Breda [province: Noord-Brabant]
- Go to the cost en beaches of Zeeland and visit Middelburg and Vlissingen, also go to Antwerp (just over the border with Belgium) [province: Zeeland]
Western-part (30min - 1,5 hour from Amsterdam):
- Visit all studentcitys like Utrecht [province: Utrecht], Leiden, Delft [province: Zuid-Holland]
- Eat some cheese in Gouda on the cheesemarket [province: Zuid-Holland]
- Visit the harbor of Rotterdam and the modern buildings [province: Zuid-Holland]
- Take a look at the palice of the Dutch King and the Governent building, as also the international court in Den-Haag (or The Hageu) [province: Zuid-Holland]
- Go to Haarlem and Volendam [province: Noord-Holland]
And no not everybody speaks perfect English, so I am sorry for a few faults here and there
Mark!! I watched all of your Berlin videos last October as I was getting ready to visit Germany - now I'm bingeing all your Netherlands/France videos in anticipation of my summer trip. Love your energy and all the advice! I also have a really bad flying fear and you videos help me look forward to travel instead of dreading it. Cheers from Toronto!
Your video's about the Netherlands are so nice. Thank you man 😄. Greetings from the netherlands 👋. Groeten vanuit nederland 👋
for the man who did not want to talk about the red light district, you sure mentioned it a lot LOL
I went to amsterdam for the first time in august just gone I loved it really enjoyed the sights the culture the whole vibe of the place
I laughed my ass off when you talked about the trams and the bikelane of death.
Everyday i meet tourists on their way into the city or to their hotel and because of that i would like to add some stuff as an comment ;
* Amsterdam is expensive like you said; stay at Zaandam in an airbnb, cheap and clean and usually good for families. Zaandam is just 10 minutes away from amsterdam via train or bus and if you dare about 20 mins per bike.
* Read about the netherlands before you enter it. Understand public transport (Check in-Check out, time is money get in OR get out dont stay in the doorsteps), understand where you are going and DONT FREAKING PANIC there is ALWAYS a transport medium that will bring you to where you want to be.
* Do NOT follow the advice of strangers, follow the advice of people that are in any kind of uniform
* Get a smartfone with a simcard that gives you internet access in netherlands. We have a lot of free wifi overhere, but for google maps it is easier to have a internet connection via the simcard this way you will now your way.
* Use the website www.9292.nl it is the public transport site for the netherlands, you can change the language to english.
* Try the smaller museums for the real fun, like the tulip museum, house of bols (House of booze hahah), houseboat museum and if you like cats, go to the pussy boat (No pun..)
* Kids with ya? there are a lot of nice places for kids too in amsterdam, p.a. Nemo museum, Ballorig (Activitys), waterbikes, beaches when it is hot (two days a year..) and so on. Check them out ! kids happy too, i see too many kids unhappy because of boringggg museums and mums and dads who forgot their youth...
* Public transport is CHEAP, buy a travelpass for your stay, but make wise decisions; only amsterdam travel ticket or amsterdam and area (Haarlem/zaandam/edam/volendam/marken/SCHIPHOL AIRPORT) the difference in price is 3 euros a day. Buy it at the trainticketwindow OR at the VVV (Tourist information)
* DO NOT RENT A BIKE if you want to use it in the center of the city, YOU WILL FALL, YOU WILL MEET A TRAM, YOU WILL GET HURT and your INSURANCE will NOT cover it. Biking in Amsterdam is even for locals DANGEROUS.
And it is so true what you say about drugs; if you are gonna use it, dont do it alone, keep 1 person sober. Keep some sugars with you or some sweet drinks with SUGAR, DO NOT use magic mushrooms they can really f you up.
Do not go with strangers for "better weed" they will rob you.
The emergency number is 112 , always say what and where you smoked something it is not illegal, you just did something stupid like we all do sometime.
Write down the adress of your hotel, the name of the hotel and an emergency number for your family and put it on a card in your jacket, wallet and shoe.
Enjoy Amsterdam.
Tip! Go to Haarlem or Alkmaar for a decent Hotel. It's within 30 minutes from Amsterdam and these cities have tons of culture and canals aswell.
Hi, Mark. It's the Rijksmuseum. Just think Rijks = bikes. You pronounced it as the Reeksmuseum.
SteveSpikes dude, he's American... Of course he won't be able to pronounce words like a native.
SteveSpikes "Rikesmuseum"
HA!!!!! Hahahaha! I say Rikes! For once I pronounced something correctly and Mark said it incorrectly! This is a huge win for me. I am pitiful at languages Mark, he is good, so excited to 'win'!
SteveSpikes Indeed. Americans are able to pronounce Rikers. Than it wouldn't that hard either to pronounce Rijksmuseum as Rikesmüsay-uhm.
Jocelyn Wolters hahaha well congratulations to you then!
love watching your helpful videos, we will be there in two weeks and can't wait to explore and eat! :)
8:41 "if you *fart* backwards"
Fuckin lol 😂
Mark, thank you very much for another great video. Your videos are just amazing. Every time I watch one, it reminds me of my own travels and it makes me wanna travel again! It is just super exciting! It is really a privilege being able to have such high-quality info packed with so much excitement and joy! It is a pity I did not know of your channel back when you were in Brazil!
Thanks again!
+paulobroad thank you Paulo. It means a lot to hear such kind words.
Be firm. Look straight at them. Never look away. Say No. By. Have a nice day. It's the tone that makes the music.
Allard Freichmann Hmm might use that next time. Because I had one aggressive encounter where they literally follow nearly if you dont give money.
Go to the police if something happens to you without the cooperation of the public the police can do nothing. Never give up your rights or freedom.
Practically any begger you might encounter in Amsterdam belongs to an Eastern European Crime syndicate.
Do NOT be polite, call the police.
WRONG! Never make eye contact with people like that. Head down, keeping walking with a quick "Nee".
Wolter your advice for germany cologne and Paris was accurate and spot on. I returned here for Amsterdam advice. Thanks for the videos 😎
I’m actually going to Amsterdam tuesday.
This is soo much Fun too watch when your a local too😊taking a boot Tour is so Nice to do 🛥 Vondelpark is definetly a beautiful place too walk trough when your in Amsterdam
That siren was the police, not an ambulance. Two tones: police and fire department. Three tones (mid-high-mid-low-etc): ambulance.
I think most ambulances have the two tone siren now, they are phasing out the three tone one for some reason.
The three tone one is actually to loud. They also put the sirens in front of the ambulance bus, so it isn't on top with the lights anymore. Although it is great for the drivers it makes the sirens harder to hear, because the sound bounces off buildings and other cars.
Thanks to the Dutch government we implemented a "suggestion" from the European Union as a law: a two-tone siren for every emergency vehicle was recommended, but not made mandatory. But the Dutch government presented it as a law that we should follow very strict and so they phased out the tri-tone siren in The Netherlands in 2014 or 2015.
Dutch3DMaster I see no problem with the unified siren? But you can still distinguish from the tone and loudness. I think this was a police car indeed.
In my region (around Amsterdam) the tone is almost the same for every emergency vehicle. The trouble I have with the so called unified EU siren is that every country around The Netherlands still has it's own distinguishable sirens for every type of emergency vehicle. I don't see the added benefit of unifying every siren sound when other countries are not participating in what the Dutch government has implemented as being a law, interpreting a EU suggestion as such. I liked the tri-tone of our ambulances a lot, it was something most other countries did not have, because if anything, they had a whail, yelp or different kind of sweeping siren on their ambulances.
Great video Mark! I'll go to Amsterdam next january, and that actually helped a lot! Cheers from Brazil!
Pleaaasee only rent a bike if you can actually ride it. I've seen (and had) sooo many accident with people who rented a bike, but actually didn't know how to.
Nice video bro. Now i wanna visit Amsterdam 🌷🌷🌷🌷
The beggers are Not even dutch, they are Most of the time from romania etc. So don’t blame the dutch people.
dr0pa true
The Dutch allow it.
No selfrespect. Indifferent.
That’s the national culture.
Other etnicities including the
ones living there for decades just walk right over the Dutch.
Marlene Dietrich its just our extreme left wing psychopathic 'government' who allowed this
Berend & Marlene
"Newsflash": Begging for money is banned in Amsterdam (and many other places).
My Partner and I visited Amsterdam in early March of 2016. We did not encounter any beggars leaving Centraal Station nor anyplace else in Amsterdam. Could be the beggars are only out during the warmer months. Since this was our first visit to Amsterdam, as a precaution, we stayed at the Best Western near Dam Square. Our only issue was that the hotel did not let us into our room until the normal check-in time (2 PM I believe). Our flight had us arriving in the morning. The Best Western did have a great room for us and the hotel does have elevators. We used the stairs a number of times and the stairs were normal style, not like the one in your video. Best Western also provided a hearty breakfast each day of our visit.
My biggest issue with Amsterdam is leaving the city at Schiphol Airport. We literally had to check ourselves in to our flight (print boarding pass & baggage tickets, attached baggage tickets to luggage, and load our luggage onto an automated system that only took one bag at a time and worked randomly). We are still young enough to handle this hassle, but a number of elderly individuals had a rough time handling this check-in procedure.
As we were walking to what I thought was our gate, we began talking to other travelers going to other destinations, but we were all going to the same gate. Turns out the gate number was a security area, not a real gate. Once past the security area (where we were only interviewed), we then to went to an actual security line. Once past security we were able to obtain our actual departure gate. As we proceeded down the gangway on to our plane, we were interviewed again about where we had been and our destination. I think the Netherlands takes airport security to a whole new unnerving level. And the airlines at Schiphol are too cheap to provide the personnel necessary to properly check-in their passengers luggage.
Rijksmuseum -- pronounced with a long 'i': Rikes
You can get cannabis and deriviatives as medical treatment in a lot of US states.
I always use Rikers Island. Both I's are close enough. And it's named after a dutch guy from the 1600's.
T ijmen Rikers/Rijks and Harlem/Harlem. The Dutch are quite famous for their history of 'travelling' also.
Many thanks, again.
Amsterdam shouldn't be the place people want to visit.
Most Dutchmen see it as an attraction instead of our capital city.
Amsterdam is a great city, the tourist ruin it by passively shaping it to what they want to see. Amsterdam in the summer is radically different to how it is during the winter, simply because there are less tourists
I agree Amsterdam sucks in comparison whit most other cities. Especial Nijmegen and Maastricht have a much better atmosphere.
Typical bull shit fallacy hate from somebody who doesn't know Amsterdam, please don't listen to this generalizing smartass.
Kind regards from Amsterdam.
And please don't walk on the bike lane.
Also if you're not used to ride a bike, don't try it here suddenly. You wouldn't recommend somebody to learn how to drive a car in the middle of Manhattan would you?
The only people defending Amsterdam are people that live in Amsterdam. Just think about that.
**Only the center though
#5 says it all. I spent 4 days here stayed out of the "tourist" areas found lots of things to see and do.Also if you do only one thing during your visit here, go to the Anne Frank house. An extremely moving experience .Get your tickets online.We were here on a Sunday morning in October and the line was blocks long.
There are way too much tourist in Amsterdam, Amsterdammers also say there are too much.
A recommendation from a german coffeshop tourist: Use the Navi on your Smartphone to remember where you parked your car, we searched nearly 2 hours for our car because every street at the canals where the parking lots are looked exactly the same and we where stoned.
Verdamt richtig.
Maybe it was a good job you couldn't find it!
You can't smoke and drive anyway..
Visit Rotterdam instead. Less tourists, more affordable hotels. Very modern and trendy.
Aswin A im visiting rotterdam today! Cant wait :)
Aswin A and ugly af
Fuck no. Go away with ur tourism. We dont like tourists and are not giving any support to them. We wont help u as a tourist and we wont talk english to you
Aswin A amsterdam is waaaaaay nicer
Aswin A Rotterdam sucks balls
Great advice again generously given.
The reason after the houses being slightly tilted is not because the ground is uneven! If you look at the top of the building you see a crane. The house is tilted so the stuff being lifted up won't hit the house.
Thanks for the video !:)
Watch out for the pick pockets too. Lots of them.
sunbin64 I got pickpocketed there in Amsterdam!
I had my watch stolen right off my wrist.
sunbin64 almost for me! It's a 2k€ watch! My two lousy phones got stolen
Quality as always Mark, keep it coming! Always great to relive some of my traveling experiences and get excited for trips to come!
You really saw aggressive beggers? I've lived here for a while and I've been asked for change 3 times...literally...
Also no one needs it here, just seemed quit bizarre that you experienced that!
Very helpful!!! Nice channel.
#1 its not allowed but yeah big problem
#2 In Amsterdam there are hardly dutch people left, its mainly invaded by expats and tourists. I Live in Rotterdam where the smell is much less.
#3 There is more than Pot but the smell is very annoying
#4 good that you mention this. Red Light district is to much overrated.
#7 people need to know a bit how to bike but get out of the city center for a better experience.
#8 good thing yeah
#9 Go to Haarlem, Leiden, The Hague, Utrecht or Rotterdam. (it is cheaper and also better quality)
#10 yeah better avoid these groups.
Leiden is so beautiful!
Also Leiden, The hague and my personal favorite is Rotterdam (I moved there from the dutch countrysite) and people there are still very welcoming to tourists.
Hi,I love north.Medemblik,Hoorn,Alkmaar,Den Helder.....and other small towns and villages there.When I say in the work,we make a holiday in the Netherlands,lot of people says : bitches and drugs?...... :( I LOVE NETHERLANDS!
Maikel Lourenssen I'll never go there now I'm horrified. I hate drugs and no interesting in smelling pit everywhere I go. Yuck
I avoid all places with that horrible drugs smell to. Thats exactly why Ienjoy Rotterdam so much more than Amsterdam and even if people do smoke, wind is strong enough to take away that horrible smell rather quick.
I visited Amsterdam some twenty years ago and yes I am guilty of many of those things -especially the "drunk and high tourist" part but what I still find shocking to this day is how patient and kind the Dutch were
Lost 20 iq points when he said Rijksmuseum..
How come
Great Video!
Except for the English proficiency thing, Amsterdam is still quite shocking, even to us Dutchies XD
I guess you could compare it to living on the Strip in Vegas for most Americans?
That's true for Damrak and Warmoestraat... but what about the rest of the town? As Mark says.. there is so much more to Amsterdam. Come live here and experience it :)
I'd love to if rent prices weren't through the roof!! ;p
I am so very pleased to see you succeeding with your channel Mark!!You constantly put out fantastic information -- thus your success!Well done brother!! Keep on keeping on!!
Walk in to amsterdam and yell IK NEUK JULLIE ALLEMAAL DE MOEDER it means i love you all
Muhahaahahah moeten ze doen!
I stayed in my tent at Camp Zeeburg, it was November, so only 7 euros a night, ultra cheap, and they have everything there, so yeah, if you are a bum like me, camping there is brilliant, Camp Zeeburg is a great place to chill, they have Eco cabins too, but the best thing about the camping is you can just pitch your tent there if you arrive in the early hours, and sort out payments next day, and they have free wi-fi too, cheapest way to sleep in the Dam,,,,period
Terrible breakfast food; no wonder they're thin.
watkinry like what?
We are thin because most of the people have a bike and some people ride a bike litterly 20km from home to school every day...
we're not really that thin anymore tho XD
watkinry "thin" seen from an American perspective...
They are not thin they are normal not obese
Very informative. Thank you very much.
No no no, you definitely look like a red light district guy...
Martin Sophroniisccus He's a married father of two.. I hope he's not.
Martin Sophroniisccus Mark is so Not a red light kind of guy.
Je laatste grap van ik deed dit al toen ik zo groot was, was echt een goeie! Leuke video
Don't go to Amsterdam. The Hague, Delft, Leiden, Breda, Dordrecht, Nijmegen, Maastricht and others are all so much prettier. If you go to Amsterdam, you have to go through the bad parts to get to the good parts, and they're not worth it to me.
As much as I like to propagate the "All Dutch people speak English" fact, there's a minor caveat: Dutch people learn English from an early age. We hear it on TV. We read it online. We write it online. But not many Dutch people actually regularly speak it conversationally (except maybe shopkeepers in city centers). So prepare yourself for mangled words and sentences.
You forgot to mention Haarlem.
You're right, I really did. Beautiful city.
also, Alkmaar, Naarden and even Den Helder if you're interested in naval history.
Why always this hatred against Amsterdam? It is very troubling that an American tourist has more nuance than you about our city. Go figure.
It's not hatred. It's a strong dislike. I've been to the capital plenty of times (as a visitor, not a tourist), but I only like it when I can avoid the city center. But the only sights there are the friends I come to see. The center is mostly tourists and catering to tourists that it's almost unwelcoming to Dutch visitors.
I am so grateful for your information!! We will be traveling there this Spring - thank you!!
Amsterdam is the worst example of our country.
Idioot, mooiste stad van de wereld..
Wat denk jij
Kom jij waarschijnlijk uit 010 he
Finn Muller wat ik denk is dat Amsterdam de kutste stad is van Nederland. Jullie zijn een schande voor ons volk naar de rest van de wereld.
Ulfric Stormcloak ja man, 800.000+ mensen zijn allemaal hetzelfde en een schande voor de rest van NL. Waar kom je zelf vandaan dan slimmerik?
Now I really wanna go.. It's not the way I could live, but it would be an amazing experience of a life time.
Amsterdam is overrated
Dutch landishRDM where do you suggest I should go in the Netherlands in addition to Amsterdam??
Slavic Sniper leiden is very Nice
Slavic Sniper Rotterdam (where i live)is very nice and the Hague is near.. But the Netherlands are easy to travel in. Amsterdam - the Hague 45min, the Hague - Rotterdam 15 min. But it depends on what your preferences are and how long you’re staying. I also like the southern provinces North-Brabant and Limburg
Olivier Meijer Have you been for a few day or something in Leiden? (of woon je in de buurt van leiden?)
NO don't go there!!
Two places you wanna skip in the Netherlands are Rotterdam and Amsterdam. What you should try is Leiden, Den Haag, and Delft.
If possible, also consider Haarlem, Utrecht, Nijmegen, Maastricht and, if you're feeling VERY adventurous, either Middelburg or Groningen.
But, if you're not into cities, try the Veluwe. Especially when the heather is in full bloom, you MUST go for a walk/hike there!!
Thing that shocked me was the amount of roadworks taking place in Amsterdam this summer! Even the canals are being redone
Bernie in sydney
Amsterdam is so overrated and Rotterdam is so underrated,, I live in Rotterdam and I think Rotterdam is better than Amsterdam
Top Geographic Yeah you're obviously biased. Rotterdam is a shithole
Of course you do. But for the average tourist this is bull shit. Especially since Rotterdam is destroyed during the Second World War so there is barely any history to see. On top of that Amsterdam has the most museums per square meter in the world. And you have the Zaanse Schans, Keukenhof, Volendam and nice castles, all nearby. Also Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, Alkmaar, Gouda, Hoorn or Laren are nearby for a day-trip. Unfortunately there is a lot of hate and disdain for Amsterdam from people who never lived there and/or are caught up in dumb soccer rivalries.
Top Geographic I appreciate your comments. I want to enjoy more of a real european city. i meam i love amaterdams architucture and looks, but it's almost a complete tourist trap now. The bulldog hotel lounge is really cool though
AFCA 1900 Rotterdam is geen "shithole", het is maar net wat jij mooi vindt! Ik zelf voel me meer aangetrokken door moderne steden misschien is dat waarom ik deze reactie plaatste!
JD I have been in Amsterdam but I prefer Rotterdam because of the architecture.
As a tourist who has visited Amsterdam in the spring I didn’t see any beggars thankfully. I walk very fast, and bike fast so I barely noticed I was in the red light district. I did like seeing the “coffee shops” to see what the cannabis industry was about. That innovated me to invest in Cannabis stocks. The Pataat were awesome with the mayo. The markets and restaurants were really nice. I love seafood and herring was so amazingly affordable and I loved the bitterballen at De Schluywacht. You have to bike in Amsterdam and take mini boats across for free to other parts of Amsterdam.
Amsterdam was my worst city I been too 3/10 Just my personal visit
Jay Williams could you please tell me why? I'm living in London and I'm planning to go there on January.
Flaca81 Ok but remember its always down to your own experience but my experience was bad because first Amsterdam is extremely busy like it makes London look peaceful I don't mind it being busy and they were very rude. I also didn't feel like I fit in with the people not my type I would say. also I'm not into drugs and hockers so yeah thats why I didn't like it
I was very disappointed in Amsterdam as well. I thought that it would be such a great city but to be honest Leiden, Rotterdam and Den Haag are so much nicer!
Amsterdam is trash. Rude people everywhere there
I went to Ann Franks house in the early morning.. I ended up getting there an hour before it opened and there was already people in line. I stayed in the lineup but had no idea till opening time how crazy it really was. I am Canadian but so glad I went to see her house and learn more about her.
On my way to Amsterdam rn (well to Dublin airport and then to Amsterdam) thanks for the heads up love your vids Wolt
For someone who has never smelt pot in her life smiling it in Amsterdam for the first time was a big shock. Now I can smell on people from long distances :)
I fell in love Amsterdam last year so much that I'm going back in December. For someone not interested in pot and partying (yes, there are people like that) I recommend the west side of the city center, especially Jordaan. Beautiful and less crowded.
Great VLOG about Amsterdam!!!! Super!!!
small tip about going to the bathroom, if you don't want to use those public green circles of paradise, just walk into any big chain hotel, ground floor/lobby's of big chain hotel's are considered public domain so they usually have these toilet groups on the ground floor.
keep in mind that (like everything in Amsterdam) the attitude of the hotel staff towards this can change during night time