Living and working in Amsterdam
- Thread starter J77
- Start date
I'm gonna write some useful stuff here about moving to Amsterdam - and may copy it over to one of them blog things if I have a spare few minutes - though I should probably do that the other way round...
Anyway - before I get to the good stuff, I'll start with banks and houses:
Banks, sofi number and registration
I guess everyone's situation is different, but this is how mine went...
First thing was the bank account - for which I needed my passport and work contract plus a "letter of agreement" between my employer and the bank. Next thing was to get myself registered with the local city hall - this took a few goes because I didn't have the right birth certificate (you need the full one with all your family stuff on) + some forms from www.ind.nl . Then down to the tax office to get my sofi (social) number - for this you need to phone a couple of months in advance and make your exact appointment.
So all that makes you legal.
I have heard that you can get into problems without a letter of agreement because you need a bank account to get one of the other two things - can't think which tho' - and one of the other two things to get a bank account...
An important thing is the registration - this means you can get a house with a full contract. Lots of people sub-let in A'dam without full contracts - obviously taking away lots of your rights - but most are registered somewhere in the Netherlands (ie. students living away from home).
(btw: my gf could get all this on my documents alone - she wasn't working at the time.)
Story from one of my friends about sub-letting - he had this place, did it up really nicely with the promise of being able to live there for a few years - anyway, after he'd finished the decorating, the official renter person said they wanted the place back. He didn't have much of a leg to stand on, so had a big party and 'undecorated' the place - bottom line was that he was out of a house tho'
Brings me onto Houses.
Like I say, a lot people sub-let. However, I figure if you're gonna be somehwere for a few years, you may as well live quite comfortably - so we went through and agent. Trouble is that here (like eg. Germany) you have to pay the agent a fat fee for finding you the place - this was about 1000 quid in total! I think it's worth doing tho', bearing in mind that it just makes your rent a bit more per month over the whole time you have the place.
There's loads of places available for rental in A'dam but there is a price to pay, ie. if you're willing to pay over 1200 euro a month you can get a nice place on the canal or a place in a trendy area like ours - if under 1200, you've gotta be lucky or sub-letting.
(There is social housing for half this price but the wait takes years - btw: half og the 1200, say, is for the furnishings - landlords can legally only charge so much rent so they bump the price up this way.)
Gonna have a break now, but will be back with more rambling moving tips.
ps: Remember I said furnished - that means it may be a good idea selling or sticking your old sstuff in storage; see post 28 above
Anyway - before I get to the good stuff, I'll start with banks and houses:
Banks, sofi number and registration
I guess everyone's situation is different, but this is how mine went...
First thing was the bank account - for which I needed my passport and work contract plus a "letter of agreement" between my employer and the bank. Next thing was to get myself registered with the local city hall - this took a few goes because I didn't have the right birth certificate (you need the full one with all your family stuff on) + some forms from www.ind.nl . Then down to the tax office to get my sofi (social) number - for this you need to phone a couple of months in advance and make your exact appointment.
So all that makes you legal.
I have heard that you can get into problems without a letter of agreement because you need a bank account to get one of the other two things - can't think which tho' - and one of the other two things to get a bank account...
An important thing is the registration - this means you can get a house with a full contract. Lots of people sub-let in A'dam without full contracts - obviously taking away lots of your rights - but most are registered somewhere in the Netherlands (ie. students living away from home).
(btw: my gf could get all this on my documents alone - she wasn't working at the time.)
Story from one of my friends about sub-letting - he had this place, did it up really nicely with the promise of being able to live there for a few years - anyway, after he'd finished the decorating, the official renter person said they wanted the place back. He didn't have much of a leg to stand on, so had a big party and 'undecorated' the place - bottom line was that he was out of a house tho'
Brings me onto Houses.
Like I say, a lot people sub-let. However, I figure if you're gonna be somehwere for a few years, you may as well live quite comfortably - so we went through and agent. Trouble is that here (like eg. Germany) you have to pay the agent a fat fee for finding you the place - this was about 1000 quid in total! I think it's worth doing tho', bearing in mind that it just makes your rent a bit more per month over the whole time you have the place.
There's loads of places available for rental in A'dam but there is a price to pay, ie. if you're willing to pay over 1200 euro a month you can get a nice place on the canal or a place in a trendy area like ours - if under 1200, you've gotta be lucky or sub-letting.
(There is social housing for half this price but the wait takes years - btw: half og the 1200, say, is for the furnishings - landlords can legally only charge so much rent so they bump the price up this way.)
Gonna have a break now, but will be back with more rambling moving tips.
ps: Remember I said furnished - that means it may be a good idea selling or sticking your old sstuff in storage; see post 28 above
geminisnake
a complex mass of conflicting ideas
J77, will be visiting Dam beginning of November and will have 17 yr old son with me. Is he legally allowed to go into pubs? And where are the goth and/or rock pubs?? Not the hard rock place, real ones iykwim 
I was thinking of going into Diablo and asking there but if you know of any that would be helpful.
I was thinking of going into Diablo and asking there but if you know of any that would be helpful.
I'll ask some Dutch people when I have coffee - I'm not much into rock, a couple of my block neighbours work in the place you mention - I'll ask them if I bump into them on the stairs.geminisnake said:J77, will be visiting Dam beginning of November and will have 17 yr old son with me. Is he legally allowed to go into pubs? And where are the goth and/or rock pubs?? Not the hard rock place, real ones iykwim
I think you have to be 16 to drink - but I could be wrong...
Structaural
in Chatsubo
Yeah 16 to drink but 18 to drive.
Nice to see you settled J77 - takes a while doesn't it?
(this is BootyLove btw)
Me and the missus have just entered our 3rd year here, got a new place through an agency (managed to get unfurnished - bit cheaper, but we were very lucky and beat 7 other people to the place), just outside the Jordaan. My daughter turned 1 on Saturday and at least half the people there were Dutch so we've manged to get out of the ex-pat stuckness
We are very settled, just the language to sort out now as we've been too busy to sort that out.
Got my first permanent contract since moving here as well which is a big, big deal - they managed to 'let me go' after working for 2 years at my previous place by virtue of Dutch employment law. No payoff just a fuckoff.
I managed to get my Sofi number by just turning up in Sloterdijk and waiting around - no appointment but that may have changed.
Life is sweet.
Gemini- did you get my reply to your PM?
Nice to see you settled J77 - takes a while doesn't it?
(this is BootyLove btw)
Me and the missus have just entered our 3rd year here, got a new place through an agency (managed to get unfurnished - bit cheaper, but we were very lucky and beat 7 other people to the place), just outside the Jordaan. My daughter turned 1 on Saturday and at least half the people there were Dutch so we've manged to get out of the ex-pat stuckness
We are very settled, just the language to sort out now as we've been too busy to sort that out.
Got my first permanent contract since moving here as well which is a big, big deal - they managed to 'let me go' after working for 2 years at my previous place by virtue of Dutch employment law. No payoff just a fuckoff.
I managed to get my Sofi number by just turning up in Sloterdijk and waiting around - no appointment but that may have changed.
Life is sweet.
Gemini- did you get my reply to your PM?
Sounds good Structaural/BootyLove
Glad to hear your situation turned out all good!
(I seem to have lost all my pms from you some time over the summer
)
Anyways, have to go home now.
I can once more confirm the 16 thing tho' the conversation went into something about younger people having to leave bars at midnight but this wasn't confirmed and never seen by the Dutch guys
17 will be fine
Doui.
Glad to hear your situation turned out all good!
(I seem to have lost all my pms from you some time over the summer
)Anyways, have to go home now.
I can once more confirm the 16 thing
tho' the conversation went into something about younger people having to leave bars at midnight but this wasn't confirmed and never seen by the Dutch guys 17 will be fine
Doui.
geminisnake
a complex mass of conflicting ideas
Structaural said:
I did, ta, I thought I replied?
I would prefer to avoid backpatches, I know what they can be like and the whole point of being there is to relax which I wouldn't iykwim. I will be visiting Rokerij
but not sure if we'll stay long coz boy doesn't like smoke.As long as I can find a reasonable priced mahjong set I'll be happy
Structaural
in Chatsubo
J77 said:Sounds good Structaural/BootyLove
Glad to hear your situation turned out all good!
(I seem to have lost all my pms from you some time over the summer
Anyways, have to go home now.
I can once more confirm the 16 thing
17 will be fine
Doui.
I think there was a PM clear out at some point. Annoying for those with shot short term memory like me (weed induced).
So you're still in the Pijpe - I like it down there, but don't visit often enough - must make the market again - we've a smaller farmers market in the Jordaan so we get lazy
Yeah - have stumbled across that market a number of times - they sell some good bread and pesto there but it's quite expensive!
Now my gf works we have to do our Cuyp shopping on a Saturday - which is a bit of a nightmare cos it's super busy.
After my mammoth ramblings yesterday, time to talk bikes:
Bikes are by far the best way to get around Amsterdam.
Cost of an old one is about 130 euros + 30ish more for a back ring lock and front heavy chain thing.
You can buy them from the junkies on the bridges in the RDL - or, I hear, Muntplein is a 'better' place - but until I've had a few nicked (and while I can afford it), I reckon it's much better - with karma and all that - to buy reconditioned from a bike shop.
Also, when you come to the Dam - that ringing of the bell isn't something nasty - it means you're in the road or a cycle lane (fietspad), and move before an iron-cast bike ploughs into you Worst places to catch people on the fietspads are, of course, Damrak, the route to Dam from the opera house, and niewe spiegelstratt (sp?) towards the Rijksmuseum. The 7 streets in Jordaan can also get busy with pedestrians in the road.
Anyway, biking's the only way in the Dam
May as well add: Trams and metro
Get a strippenkaart from a newsagents.
Most trips inside Centrum, Jordaan and Pijp cost 2 strips (one zone) on your card - you can use the same stamps for upto one hour. If you cross to another zone, you'll need to use one more strip. The zone boundary to the South is Apollolaan (on the tram) and Amstel (on the metro) - you'll pass through these if you go to Zuid/WTC train station.
--------------------------------------
I'll get onto things which I've found good to do soon - this talk of houses and transport and shit's a bit boring...
Now my gf works we have to do our Cuyp shopping on a Saturday - which is a bit of a nightmare cos it's super busy.
After my mammoth ramblings yesterday, time to talk bikes:
Bikes are by far the best way to get around Amsterdam.
Cost of an old one is about 130 euros + 30ish more for a back ring lock and front heavy chain thing.
You can buy them from the junkies on the bridges in the RDL - or, I hear, Muntplein is a 'better' place - but until I've had a few nicked (and while I can afford it), I reckon it's much better - with karma and all that - to buy reconditioned from a bike shop.
Also, when you come to the Dam - that ringing of the bell isn't something nasty - it means you're in the road or a cycle lane (fietspad), and move before an iron-cast bike ploughs into you
Worst places to catch people on the fietspads are, of course, Damrak, the route to Dam from the opera house, and niewe spiegelstratt (sp?) towards the Rijksmuseum. The 7 streets in Jordaan can also get busy with pedestrians in the road.Anyway, biking's the only way in the Dam
May as well add: Trams and metro
Get a strippenkaart from a newsagents.
Most trips inside Centrum, Jordaan and Pijp cost 2 strips (one zone) on your card - you can use the same stamps for upto one hour. If you cross to another zone, you'll need to use one more strip. The zone boundary to the South is Apollolaan (on the tram) and Amstel (on the metro) - you'll pass through these if you go to Zuid/WTC train station.
--------------------------------------
I'll get onto things which I've found good to do soon - this talk of houses and transport and shit's a bit boring...
Structaural
in Chatsubo
geminisnake said:I did, ta, I thought I replied?
I will be visiting Rokerij
As long as I can find a reasonable priced mahjong set I'll be happy
What's a backpatch?
If you go to the Rokerij on the corner of Singel and Haarlemmerstraat you can sit almost outside. - it reminds me of that place next to the old greenleaf in Landor Road.
BTW - I had a word with a few of the young designers here and there's a great Goth/alternative bar a short walk west. Famous amongst goth types apparently
It's called Kosokov and is on Lijnbaansgracht (which is the other side of the canal on the part of Marnixstraat between Rosengracht and Leidsplein). The 10 tram goes past it. I'll give you better directions if you want. Bear in mind that dutch streets change names all the time - even the other side of a canal can have a different name.
Structaural
in Chatsubo
Your inbox is full Gemini
geminisnake
a complex mass of conflicting ideas
Structaural said:
Any member of a bike club that wears 'colours' ie the patch on their back, whether it be Angels, Slaves or whatever. Many can be lovely blokes but best avoided once they start drinking.
My inbox got full with your pm, I got it ok, ta
I'm going to have to take notes with me!!
Structaural
in Chatsubo
geminisnake said:Any member of a bike club that wears 'colours' ie the patch on their back, whether it be Angels, Slaves or whatever. Many can be lovely blokes but best avoided once they start drinking.
My inbox got full with your pm, I got it ok, ta
I'm going to have to take notes with me!!
ah right - well you'll be alright in that goth bar - it's more young people.
I don't think the bars in the red light get too hectic though, I've spent quite a bit of time in one and it was pretty mellow.
J77 said:As the title suggests, I'm off to Amsterdam from November.
Anyone any tips or experience - aside from day-trips etc. - of living and working in this lovely place?
At the moment, we're havinga bit of trouble finding a place to live - although, hopefully this will work out soon - I'm kind of coming to the conclusion that a professional agancy will have to be contacted at a cost of one month's rent but this does provide security.
As well as the housing issue - anyone recommend any good restaurants, bars, things to do (in Ams and Nederlands in general) off the beaten track? I know a few around the Oud Zuid but any recommendations would be great.
You will need to have the equivilant of 3 months rent.
1 month goes as commision, another month as deposit and then there is the first months rent. A one bedrom studio flat in the centre of Amsterdam should cost between 1000 and 2000 Euros per month, depending on size / how nice it is. Skip down to the local tourist office. They have lodgings, short and medium term - it's VERY cheap and you get to know someone Dutch. Yeah yeah yeah, I know you might have landed a nice tidy contract job, but just think of all those Euros going into your bank account while someone else makes you breakfast!
I know living in Amsterdam is a great thing to brag about to people back home. But believe me, when you live in Amsterdam, when your friends and relatives come over, you'll suddenly realize that they didn't come over to fucking visit you! Fuck them and keep it sensible. I wouldn't live in Amsterdam, find a nice little town like Haarlem, Leiden or even Utrecht - *DO IT* if you want to keep your freakin job. Even if you are strong willed, the ex-pat scene out there will suck you in along with dizzy-headed collegues who all want to meet up in Amsterdam to get trollied. Honestly, don't associate with the "in" crowd of people who get trollied in Amsterdam each night...the bosses ain't stupid and they will mark your cards, even if you're on time in the mornings etc. It may sound really anti-social, but don't go out with people from work, it's a fucking circus. If you want to indulge,just pop into Amsterdam alone at the weekends then feed them all bullshit on Monday morning about how you went cycling for the weekend!
Mind you if your job is a permy one disregard everything I've posted if you get past your probation period!
Structaural
in Chatsubo
Good advice - we're thinking of buying in Utrecht or Haarlem. Amsterdam gets a bit too busy in summer.
They're both nice places - lots of students live in Haarlem cos it's much cheaper than Amsterdam - and Utrecht has nice canals.
However, I'd never live anywhere in the Netherlands outside of Amsterdam - I don't know what the nightlife's like in those two places - but Den Haag seems to shut up shop around 7pm.
Plus, relatives... well my gf's mum thought we were living in Denmark! She wondered why we couldn't get any decent bacon when all the stuff in the UK comes from there
And it's always good having friends over cos you get to do all the tourist things - the only time we go near, eg. Niewemarkt is when we have guests over.
Permanent? We'll see how my gf's job goes
(And the idea of being an 'ex-pat' disgusts me )
However, I'd never live anywhere in the Netherlands outside of Amsterdam - I don't know what the nightlife's like in those two places - but Den Haag seems to shut up shop around 7pm.
or a 10k overdraft from the bank
Living in Amsterdam's a great place full-stop!
Plus, relatives... well my gf's mum thought we were living in Denmark! She wondered why we couldn't get any decent bacon when all the stuff in the UK comes from there And it's always good having friends over cos you get to do all the tourist things - the only time we go near, eg. Niewemarkt is when we have guests over.
Permanent? We'll see how my gf's job goes
(And the idea of being an 'ex-pat' disgusts me
)I think it's about time to write about some good stuff to do...
Start with stuff I've done recently and then try to recall other things...
Stedelijk Museum - http://www.stedelijk.nl/
Have been here a number of times now - at the moment they have the Vincent 2006 prize thing on - there's some pretty cool stuff in there - including a long twiglet type thing which takes up a whole room and work by this guy (I think he's romanian) who's drawn political type stuff all over the walls. They also have a air design exhibition which I thought was a bit rubbish.
I mentioned this somewhere - but it may have been in a pm - when you're there, go to the top floor (11) of the building - there's a club there called 11. However, if there in the daytime, go past this - up some stairs to the terrace. There's a small roof bar there with views over the Ij and over Amsterdam - though it's flatness doesn't do much for aerial views - anyway have a look up there - they have comfy cushion things and even had a hottub going in the summer.
While on museums - if you're in Dam a lot, get a museemkaart - costs around 40euro and gets you in the museums for free (over a year) - and you jump the queue. Including the big ones like SMCS, Van Gogh, Rijks, Mauritshuis (DH), Hermitage... you only have to make 4 or 5 visits for it to pay off.
I'll post about some bars and stuff soon
Start with stuff I've done recently and then try to recall other things...
Stedelijk Museum - http://www.stedelijk.nl/
Have been here a number of times now - at the moment they have the Vincent 2006 prize thing on - there's some pretty cool stuff in there - including a long twiglet type thing which takes up a whole room and work by this guy (I think he's romanian) who's drawn political type stuff all over the walls. They also have a air design exhibition which I thought was a bit rubbish.
I mentioned this somewhere - but it may have been in a pm - when you're there, go to the top floor (11) of the building - there's a club there called 11. However, if there in the daytime, go past this - up some stairs to the terrace. There's a small roof bar there with views over the Ij and over Amsterdam - though it's flatness doesn't do much for aerial views - anyway have a look up there - they have comfy cushion things and even had a hottub going in the summer.
While on museums - if you're in Dam a lot, get a museemkaart - costs around 40euro and gets you in the museums for free (over a year) - and you jump the queue. Including the big ones like SMCS, Van Gogh, Rijks, Mauritshuis (DH), Hermitage... you only have to make 4 or 5 visits for it to pay off.
I'll post about some bars and stuff soon
districtline
Well-Known Member
yay, i love this thread, my plan is still to go and spend next summer in amsterdam. seems so much trickier to find a place to live/sleep than in london though... 
Thought I could post some pics too...
A couple from Queens Day
.....
A day of, well, drinking and more drinking.
If you haven't been, get to Amsterdam on this day.
People set up stalls on the curb - selling all their household junk - from the early hours - and that's when the drinking begins...
Wander aimlessly around the city - all kinds of music everywhere - from massive stages in, eg. museemplein, through to people setting up a couple of decks in their front room and throwing their windows open.
This year, hardcore techno stage was to be found just past from the Rijks - towards the Heineken brewery - can't think what that patch of land's called...
Be warned though - start drinking as soon as the sun comes up - the whole thing shuts down around 8pm.
A couple from Queens Day
A day of, well, drinking and more drinking.
If you haven't been, get to Amsterdam on this day.
People set up stalls on the curb - selling all their household junk - from the early hours - and that's when the drinking begins...
Wander aimlessly around the city - all kinds of music everywhere - from massive stages in, eg. museemplein, through to people setting up a couple of decks in their front room and throwing their windows open.
This year, hardcore techno stage was to be found just past from the Rijks - towards the Heineken brewery - can't think what that patch of land's called...
Be warned though - start drinking as soon as the sun comes up - the whole thing shuts down around 8pm.
Thinking of going to the Dam for NYE?
It's pretty wild.
I think it's the only time of the year that anyone can buy fireworks - and everyone does.
If you get scared of being in close proximity to fireworks - or people throwing bangers which explode over your head, probably best to give it a miss.
However, if you like that kind of stuff get down to centrum - around 23:30 onwards.
Niewemarkt's meant to be the most chaotic - we only walked through there after the event, I think Structaural was there one year tho'
We were in Dam - which was heaving - all the roads, from all four direction filled with firework yielding maniacs. Here's a piccy:
It's pretty wild.
I think it's the only time of the year that anyone can buy fireworks - and everyone does.
If you get scared of being in close proximity to fireworks - or people throwing bangers which explode over your head, probably best to give it a miss.
However, if you like that kind of stuff get down to centrum - around 23:30 onwards.
Niewemarkt's meant to be the most chaotic - we only walked through there after the event, I think Structaural was there one year tho'
We were in Dam - which was heaving - all the roads, from all four direction filled with firework yielding maniacs. Here's a piccy:
Structaural
in Chatsubo
J77 said:It's pretty wild.
I think it's the only time of the year that anyone can buy fireworks - and everyone does.
If you get scared of being in close proximity to fireworks - or people throwing bangers which explode over your head, probably best to give it a miss.
However, if you like that kind of stuff get down to centrum - around 23:30 onwards.
Niewemarkt's meant to be the most chaotic - we only walked through there after the event, I think Structaural was there one year tho'
We were in Dam - which was heaving - all the roads, from all four direction filled with firework yielding maniacs. Here's a piccy:
It's fucking mental at Niewmarkt (we went two years ago) - me and my girlfriend had our hoodies pulled right down - people were putting rockets in beer cans about 2 yards away from us. 1000 banger strings going off everywhere, kids chucking them and putting them in dogshit. There must be 100 fireworks going off every second. A mass of bangers went off next to where we standing and set fire to the car next to us - man! we were down the canal in seconds along with about 50 others - it turned into a raging inferno and something blew out of it and landed in the canal. Then people started throwing more fireworks on the car along with old bikes and any other crap they could find. Took the fire brigade about 20 mins to turn up.
Great fun! though it took about 24 hours to get my hearing back - I'll find the pics and post one up (they're on my old phone).
Winter's a coming.
All the cafes round my way have given their outside chairs back to whoever them borrow them off for the summer
But they still have them out down on Prisengracht.
Was sitting outside a cafe in full sunshine on Sunday - coffee, apple-cake and beer. Nice
Raining at the moment tho'
And I have to sort my bike lights out now the clocks have gone back - on the way home from work yesterday it was mental dodging the shadows
All the cafes round my way have given their outside chairs back to whoever them borrow them off for the summer
But they still have them out down on Prisengracht.
Was sitting outside a cafe in full sunshine on Sunday - coffee, apple-cake and beer. Nice
Raining at the moment tho'
And I have to sort my bike lights out now the clocks have gone back - on the way home from work yesterday it was mental dodging the shadows
geminisnake
a complex mass of conflicting ideas
J77 said:
You gotta be joking!! How come I know where to get fireworks in Dam and you live there??
Chinese store opposite Fantasy Shop Chimera sells them all year round afaik. We bought some in October a few years ago.
And there will be fireworks at the Melkweg this weekend.
Wasn't last night meant to be a bit mental?? Devil's night, I'm sure I was told it is called.
OK - perhaps not strictly buy, perhaps the only time of the year you can throw them at each other!geminisnake said:You gotta be joking!! How come I know where to get fireworks in Dam and you live there??
Chinese store opposite Fantasy Shop Chimera sells them all year round afaik. We bought some in October a few years ago.
I tired to find a pic of the day after - there's literally a carpet of red paper littering the streets; the remains of thousands of bangers
J77 said:Winter's a coming.
All the cafes round my way have given their outside chairs back to whoever them borrow them off for the summer
But they still have them out down on Prisengracht.
Was sitting outside a cafe in full sunshine on Sunday - coffee, apple-cake and beer. Nice
Raining at the moment tho'
And I have to sort my bike lights out now the clocks have gone back - on the way home from work yesterday it was mental dodging the shadows
Better get used to the rain
On the last two of our visits to Dam, the only downside has been the rain. When it rains, more often than not there are no half measures - it comes down in torrents! Having said that, give it half a day and it will magically clear up leaving everything nice and fresh.
Prisengracht - that and the rest of the canals on the west side running into the Jordaan has to be my favourite part of the city. We were there a week and a half ago and spent a very pleasant afternoon just mooching around the side streets and canals with the odd stop off in a bar...
Yeah - it doesn't rain in half-measuresportman said:Better get used to the rain
Old Sinterklaas rode into town on his white horse last weekend - accompanied by his legion of Black Piets. All the damn kids meant I couldn't get close enough for any decent photos
Christmas lights on the Cuyp look nice
Went out last night to a nice Turkish restaurant - which to my horror now have their menus in English - means it's getting busier though the food was still well nice - although the portions not as big as when we first starting going there last year. Anyway, the place is called Nazar, on Gerard Douplein in the Pijp - it's worth a visit if you're in town.
e2a: Artist on Tweede Jan Steenstraat is the first
Would recommend another couple of restaurants round this way, there's a well tatsy Lebenese place the other side of Saphatipark and a Turkish place quite close to Nazar - I have to get the names tho'...
Also, Eufraat on van der Helststraat is good for (middle-Eastern) meze - it's always recommended in the usual guide books but never too busy.
Thought I'd resurrect this a bit...
'cos the sun's shining in the Dam today
Shame it wasn't yesterday - was gonna go to the zoo but the rain didn't stop
Anyways, an honourable mention for another decent cafe - with food:
Quinto, Frans Halsstraat 42.
It's in the Pijp - quite close to the Heineken Brewery - down a street the other side of the water from Paradiso.
Tho' we were in there the other night and it turned into a bit of an entusiastic mannen disco - which ain't my cup of tea
'cos the sun's shining in the Dam today
Shame it wasn't yesterday - was gonna go to the zoo but the rain didn't stop
Anyways, an honourable mention for another decent cafe - with food:
Quinto, Frans Halsstraat 42.
It's in the Pijp - quite close to the Heineken Brewery - down a street the other side of the water from Paradiso.
Tho' we were in there the other night and it turned into a bit of an entusiastic mannen disco - which ain't my cup of tea
