deskthority

Hello all.

I might have to make a few hours delay between flights at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport somewhere in the upcoming weeks. Still have to buy the actual ticket, but I am targetting Oct 11th.

Anybody from that area with enough spare time to join me for a drink or two?

Can't be in Amsterdam right now, but be careful, it's a dangerous place!
People are fighting over food.

Mouse looks fearfully around the corner, behind the cat's back.

You better don't smoke, otherwise the city might explode ...

In my experience, the pigeons are not as aggressive as the cyclists. Pedestrians are second-class citizens in Amsterdam.

It's not like that at all. The aim is just to punish tourists who flounder the bike lanes while feeding the flying rats, and to get the highest score in the secret hit charts.

Findecanor wrote:In my experience, the pigeons are not as aggressive as the cyclists. Pedestrians are second-class citizens in Amsterdam.

Sorry, but in Amsterdam, yes there are a lot of cyclists and they drive fast and it is more likely to be overrun by them as by cars or anything else, but they are much more disciplined and tourist-friendly than here in Berlin.

Urban bikers are a real pain. I do most of my riding out of town just to avoid them and their trail of freshly insulted pedestrians who'll forever take out their anger on the next guy. Sheep are more forgiving.

webwit wrote:It's not like that at all. The aim is just to punish tourists who flounder the bike lanes while feeding the flying rats, and to get the highest score in the secret hit charts.

We should not forget to mention that cycle lanes are marked in red, and that in Amsterdam almost all streets are covered with red brick stones ...

Our bike lanes are red on the road (where they are universally used as car parking bays and so are pointless) or by no shading whatsoever when on pavements. Instead, there is a mysterious white line with only occasional mention of which side is which; often flipping for amusement. Neither peds nor wheels pay any attention to them, quite logically.

You live in Berlin, too?

Germans can do better than this! (A road crossing a separated bike lane and pedestrian path. Supposedly…)

Add some (very common) fog and routinely vandalised signage, and the effect is transcendent existentialism…

I just like to ride down the line when no ones around.

7bit wrote:We should not forget to mention that cycle lanes are marked in red, and that in Amsterdam almost all streets are covered with red brick stones ...

Yep. Some streets are lined with the same red bricks from the houses on the left to the houses on the right and shared by pedestrians, bikers, cars and trams alike with no "lanes" to speak of.
Oh yes, watch out for the trams also. They are not as dangerous as the cyclists; the trams will at least ring the bell before hitting you...

I was in Amsterdam 4 days ago and it was the best thing I have done. The people were nice and friendly. Didnt see any "dutch" people at all. mostly tourists.

Didnt find any good food, any tips?
Going back either over christmas and new year or next month.

Sorry for hijacking your thread

Any Cantillon Brewery (Brasserie Cantillon Brouwerij) beers you can get a hold of come highly recommended, especially if you like true Lambics (spontaneously fermented sour beer often aged in oak barrels).

Dutch beer is second only to Belgian beer, far as I'm concerned. (Mine is more of a spirits country, though there's some damn good ales around here too.)

Uh oh. Welcome to the beer thread!

phetto wrote:Didnt find any good food, any tips?
Going back either over christmas and new year or next month.

There is an excellent fish-stand on the marketplace of Haarlem, not far away from Amsterdam.
De Dolfijn at closing time, Haarlem, June 2012.

Muirium wrote:Dutch beer is second only to Belgian beer, far as I'm concerned. (Mine is more of a spirits country, though there's some damn good ales around here too.)

Uh oh. Welcome to the beer thread!

North of France has some good breweries but it is not comparing to the Belgians : Queue de Charrue, Duchesse de Bourgogne (a natural vinegar taste, very special), Rochefort 10, Kwak (in its special “glass”)… I'm not a Pils amateur, blonds are too bitter.

But the best Stout I ever drink is french : the Coreff Du, made in Brittany.

Vierax wrote:Duchesse de Bourgogne (a natural vinegar taste, very special),

Ewww.. The French put vinegar in everything ...

nonono it's a list of Belgian beers and despite the name “Bourgogne” she's made in Belgium and as I said it's a natural taste (a Lambic) not a wine/vinegar adding.

7bit wrote:Can't be in Amsterdam right now, but be careful, it's a dangerous place!

Hah, I have enough mileage there, so I think my chances of survival are pretty good.

So, my ticket is for Oct 11th, time window roughly between 10:00 and 13:00. Let me know if somebody would like to soak up a bit.

If you drop by my office, I'll sell you a website. Also, my office has a bar. So if you don't need a website, I'll get you drunk first, and then sell you a website.