Amsterdam

dudara

crustyjuggler wrote: »

What kind of courses should somebody be educated in to move to Holland and get a job ?

This doesn't list specific careers, but I've seen lots of IT people move there. Check out the 30% tax ruling that exists in the Netherlands.

Grayson

dudara wrote: »

I've lived and/or worked in Amsterdam for about 2.5 years in total. Plus I've gone back on many weekends.

Once you get away from the tourist crush around Centraal and the Red Light district, it's a fantastic city with lots of great restaurants and bars. Lots of different areas / neighbourhoods to check out.

Top tip - next time you're ordering fries from one of the little frites shops, ask for "oorlog" fries

is oorlog = poo? Because it sounds like it.

I love the netherlands. Been ther 6 times. Everytime I'm there I end up thinking why can't dublin be more like this. Little bars/coffee shops everywhere (I mean coffee shops as in cafes), the transport system is amazing. It's just lovely.

Grayson

razorblunt wrote: »

Amsterdam is grand, Anne Frank's gaff was surprisingly spacious, I may have commented this too loudly whilst there too.

I preferred Den Haag as a smaller, nicer spot, to be honest.

My first time going to see it i was stoned. My self and my friends got lost and spent 3 hours stoned in the rain. I have no idea how the nazi's found it, we had a map and couldn't. When we got there we were standing in the queue and one of my friends said "I guess that's the house. Probably has like a kitchen and sitting room and stuff. I've seen kitchens before. There's a McDonalds back there".

And that's how I still haven't seen it yet.


Someone mentioned moving there. I've been thinking about it for years. There's a site called together abroad and another called undutchables that they should look at.

inforfun

Grayson wrote: »

is oorlog = poo? Because it sounds like it.

I love the netherlands. Been ther 6 times. Everytime I'm there I end up thinking why can't dublin be more like this. Little bars/coffee shops everywhere (I mean coffee shops as in cafes), the transport system is amazing. It's just lovely.

oorlog = War

peanut sauce, onions, mayonaise over your fries
Add curry sauce and you ll have to order a patat Chernobyl.

Just get over it and order yourself a Kapsalon (hairdresser)

Thing is, those names are quite often used all over the country but can have different outcomes on your plate, depending on where you are.

The Kapsalon was invented in Rotterdam and is the ultimate hangover prevention meal.

murpho999

Lived in NL for a few years.

Sad to see here that many people rate it just for drugs and RLD which is not what the city is about at all and they are trying to change that reputation.

RDL is very sad and seedy when you realise its run by criminals with mostly trafficked girls.

Nice to go the art musems, cafes, restraurants bike tours etc.

Wouldn't like to live there I think places like Utrecht or Haarlem are better.

Also, knowing the Dutch as I do now, a very dull and rigid bunch, I'm glad I don't live there anymore.

crossmolinalad

dudara wrote: »

This doesn't list specific careers, but I've seen lots of IT people move there. Check out the 30% tax ruling that exists in the Netherlands.

And don't forget about the highly expensive health insurance you must have there

razorblunt

Billy86 wrote: »

Was in Amsterdam with a h girlfriend for a few days in July, lovely place as I hadn't been in about 10 years, but we went to The Haag for the last day and I definitely agree. Got lucky with a sunny day after rain all week in Amsterdam, but the place is really nice a peaceful, and (what I assume was) the main city square with a bunch of pubs and beer gardens out the front was beautiful and an excellent atmosphere, lively but not obnoxious.

Yeah, that square was great. Its a city that gets noticeably quieter at weekends too as a lot of folk might only be there for work, commuting from Amsterdam or Rotterdam to it.

dudara

Grayson wrote: »

is oorlog = poo? Because it sounds like it.

The literal translation is war. When it comes to fries, it means a topping of Dutch satay sauce (which is rich and damn tasty) plus raw diced onions. It's glorious stuff.

Berserker

JupiterKid wrote: »

But walking through the Red Light District is like walking through Temple Bar in Dublin. .... The canals add so much to the character of Amsterdam.

Firstly, there is a heck of a lot more to Amsterdam than the RLD. Personally, I believe that it doesn't adds too much to the city. What time did you walk through the RLD at? Didn't like it at night at all. It was/is full of dodgy gits, pimps keeping an eye on their prostitutes, people trying to sell hard drugs and con men trying to rip off tourists.

crossmolinalad wrote: »

And don't forget about the highly expensive health insurance you must have there

And the cost of renting a place.

JJJJNR

sugarman wrote: »

Kip of a place, grand if you want to go and the lash and be surrounded by scobes and stag parties for a few days...but it wasnt my thing at all.

Utrecht on the other hand, absolutely beautiful city... much more relaxed and not over run with the above/tourists in general, very scenic and clean.. a lot more traditional. Had great craic with the locals, big student town.. literally only 30mins away from Amsterdam central too.

The first time I was in Amsterdam ('01) we were supposed to go to Utrecht for a football game v Ajax, I had emailed the ticket office for bookings etc and they gave us passes to the best seats in the house (their words)..

.We never made it to Utrecht.

murpho999

crossmolinalad wrote: »

And don't forget about the highly expensive health insurance you must have there

Private insurance for higher earners is usually paid for by employers.

Lower earners pay public insurance which is very affordable.

As a result of everybody paying for healthcare they have an excellent Universal healthcare system and you don't pay anything to visit your GP or dentist.

JJJJNR

sugarman wrote: »

but I seriously suggest to anyone heading to Amsterdam for few days.. to do a day trip to Utrecht.

Yep best of luck with that.

Mister Vain

The best thing about Amsterdam for me was the people. So friendly and great fun to hang out with. I met some really cool people there in various bars. The actually city itself is nothing special to look at though. Parts of it are really dirty and run down. I didn't feel particularly safe at night. I had a good time there but I don't think I would go back.

irelandrover

murpho999 wrote: »

Private insurance for higher earners is usually paid for by employers.

Lower earners pay public insurance which is very affordable.

As a result of everybody paying for healthcare they have an excellent Universal healthcare system and you don't pay anything to visit your GP or dentist.

I live in Holland and i know no-one that has their insurance paid. I've never even heard of it as a thing here.

MadDog76

Been about 6 - 8 times, love it ........... and that's all I'm saying!

Surreptitious

MadDog76 wrote: »

Been about 6 - 8 times, love it ........... and that's all I'm saying!

Durty ol maddog.

Mister Vain

Durty Nelly's is great.

dd972

Find it a bit of an irritating place, especially being hassled by Surinamese drug dealers and street hoods, and a bit too anglophone, prefer Brussels, Antwerp or Paris or Nijmegen or Maastricht in NL.

JupiterKid

Amsterdam can be a great city if you know where to go and what to see. I'm over staying with my older sister and her family who live in the Zaan region, about 20km north of the city. Only 25 mins by train. I have a couple of friends also in Amsterdam who I try to catch up with when I visit.

There is a Banksy/Dali exhibition on in one of the art museums which I went to see on Sat with some friends who were over visiting from Dublin. A boat tour is a must - it's a great way to see the city.

I was also swimming au naturel on Sunday in a beautiful historic swimming pool. Most public pools in Holland have a time slot for nude swimming each week. Very liberating and you must try it at least once in your lifetime.:)

The downside of Amsterdam is that it is constantly packed with tourists, many of the less savoury variety. Especially in the Red Light District. But I avoid that area as there's nothing there that interests me.

I don't find the Dutch rigid and dull at all. Very friendly and helpful, especially those who are under 50. Quite a few older Dutch don't speak English and the region my sister lives in is very different from Amsterdam itself - quite traditional with lots of old windmills and painted green wooden houses yet close to city. A lot of people who visit Amsterdam and only see the RLD get the completely wrong impression of Holland.

murpho999

irelandrover wrote: »

I live in Holland and i know no-one that has their insurance paid. I've never even heard of it as a thing here.

Where I worked it was covered, and so was my wife's. Was a great perk.

Knew plenty of other people who worked in other companies and fields and they had t covered too.

Bobby Baccala

Been once thought the novelty of the place wore off after the first few days, the green wasnt all it was cracked up to be either tbh, smoked much better and cheaper stuff in Orange County. Was also started on by one of those pricks that tries to goad you into their shìt turkish restaurants, think it was in Leidseplein.

I'd probably give it another go tbh, didnt get to do much drinking while I was there.

Surreptitious

They only gave out small beers when I was there. You'd be gasping for a pint.

dudara

I really like the little biertjes. Your beer stays nice, cool & crisp compared to a pint

Surreptitious

dudara wrote: »

I really like the little biertjes. Your beer stays nice, cool & crisp compared to a pint

It would be nice now maybe but back then was in the mood for partying so it slowed me down. The markets, galleries, flower stalls and shops were great though.

2Mad2BeMad

Went once, didnt think much of it.

Stayed in the rld area.

But really, it was quite dull, clubs where ****e (maybe it was the time of the year I went I dunno)
Weed was great though been able to chill out and have a laugh.
City was nice looking but thats it, their was nothing else to do.

I'd go again for the chilled out atmosphere.

But then again its what you make of it I suppose and I couldn't do much with my girlfriend their keeping an eye on me xD

honeybadger

my fondnees memory of amsterdam is the stairs ow ow ow

JupiterKid

Many years ago (1999 I believe) a good mate and myself went to Amsterdam for the techno Dance Valley event. Good music but it lashed rain half the day, we were on our way back to Brussels the morning after so we didn't bother with a hostel and slept on chairs in front of a cafe in the Niewmarkt area. The freezing North Sea breeze kept us awake most of the early morning.

I've had more (ahem) comfortable stays in the city since then.:D

The stairs in the old buildings are dangerously steep.

inforfun

Surreptitious wrote: »

They only gave out small beers when I was there. You'd be gasping for a pint.

Just order a "vaas" next time. Can go to up to 33cl




You probably got stuck with a "fluitje" which is only 20cl and gives you the idea of holding a shot glass when you are used to pints.




Smaller glasses are much better when it is warm inside or outside in the summer. You have the glass empty before it turns into lukewarm piss like it does with pints.

DeanAustin

Went in my 20s and rode, drank and smoked myself silly for a few days. By the last day, I had to get out Id over indulged that much. Would recommend it wholeheartedly if that's yer thing.

Although reading this thread, more people go there for the art galleries and stuff than the hookers.

weldoninhio

Went on a stag last year and thought it was great. I'd definitely go again. Was near to the RLD, but not in it. Had a great laugh, didn't partake any windows (had a gf at the time) but we had a great laugh over there. Didn't even smoke anything until the morning we were leaving.

I found Las Ramblas in Barcelona a lot seedier than anything I saw in the RLD.