Ist visit to Amsterdam.

[Archie_tect]

Now I understand why Britain will never, ever be a cycling nation.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Should I emigrate again?

 

[Archie_tect]

Went out to Keukenhof Gardens too... fantastic!

 

[ceepeebee]

with your screen name, I really hope you went to Het Schip.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Its a lovely town, I went there with some friends a few years back, we spent all day long drinking and eyeing up the lady cyclists...well they did, I stuck to my tea and a good book

 

[vernon]

On my first visit to Amsterdam I paid a visit to a coffee shop after enjoying a wonderful Indonesian meal. I then followed that with a visit, once I regained the use of my legs and the power of speech to a Greek restaurant and a Dutch pancake house before trying to eat my way through the contents of the funky electromechanical Cornetto and Magnum dispenser at the youth hostel. I would have been a liability on a bike.

 

[slowmotion]

What caused the loss of appetite?

 

[dellzeqq]

are you within reach of Utrecht?
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/965

 

[vernon]

What caused the loss of appetite?

I had to leave room for the 'eat all you can' buffet on the ferry back to Newcastle.

 

[AnythingButVanilla]

We went to Amsterdam last August and I instantly fell in love with it, so much so that I'd already planned my next trip before I'd stepped off the plane at Gatwick. I didn't eat nearly as much as Vernon but did almost vomit in Anne Frank's house when I started tripping on some spectacular cake.

 

[vernon]

Amsterdam is wonderful. I fell in love with the place and found the movement of the bike traffic mesmerising. I lacked confidence when cycling in heavy bike traffic. The natives seemed to have 360 degree radar and avoided collisions effortlessly. I was looking at making Amsterdam a stopover point for this year's summer tour but am now oscillating between Munich and Budapest.

I am determined to go back to Amsterdam but it will have to wait for a year or so.

 

[slowmotion]

I've been three times and one thing is sure. Riding on Amsterdam's cycle paths is WAY scarier than riding in central London traffic. It really is.

 

[ceepeebee]

I'll agree with that. On our tour we came into Amsterdam through the parks from the east, which was lovely. But cutting through the centre to the path down the Amstel what with all the stoned American students and the like weaving all over the place was a different matter, a real shock to the system. Love the Place when I'm wandering around on foot though.

 

[swee'pea99]

Never cycled there but it's my favourite city, bar none.

 

[srw]

are you within reach of Utrecht?
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/965

No need to go so far...

Only five years later, and without the '60s monstrosity next door.
(I may have mentioned this before!)