Amsterdam, the Venice of the North

Amsterdam sometimes gets a bum wrap for being the sin city of the Europe. It is a very liberal and tolerant city where prostitution is legal and the smoking of cannabis is allowed (but not fully legal, see previous posts.) But, there is more to this city than exploring a few vices.

Amsterdam is known as the Venice of the north- a beautiful city of canals and bridges, where you walk or ride your bike anywhere and everywhere. The city is home to some of the world's greatest museums and art and is truly an international city where you can get almost any kind of cuisine from Turkish Pizza, Spanish Tapas, Argentinian Steak, German Wiener Schnitzel, Holland Split Pea Soup, chocolate and more chocolate. Did I mention Suz ate some chocolate?

Suz and I were very lucky to be in the Netherlands at a time when the national football team played in the World Cup Finals. As a sports anchor it was an eye opening experience to witness how passionate people and fans are passionate about soccer.

--Ryan

As a local news reporter, it's interesting to learn about how Amsterdam and the Netherlands handle the cannabis culture---especially in light of Proposition 19 being up for consideration by Californian voters this November. The ballot measure is about legalizing recreational marijuana use by adults. At a time when Sacramento is combatting a major budget deficit and may consider taxing marijuana dispensaries as much as 5%, it's interesting to see how Amsterdam coffeeshops are taxed 56% and to learn that coffeehouses all over the Netherlands collectively generate billions of Euros every year--46 million Euros in taxes for the country according to the Cannabis College in Amsterdam.

Taxing marijuana sales and legalizing marijuana are controversial issues in California that are sure to gain more media attention in the next couple of months.

-Suzanne

The lighter side of Amsterdam: a little overview

After so many interviews filled with facts and figures, with business owners, policy people, and visitors, I just wanted to do a light-hearted interview with Ingrid-- a lovely lady and tour guide.

Why orange? Why Hup Holland? Why so much beer flowing everywhere we go? Ingrid knows. ;)

Here's our video clip--the lighter side of Amsterdam

-Suzanne

A Hero's Homecoming

Even though they lost the World Cup to Spain on Sunday, this evening the Netherlands Football (Soccer) team returned home to a hero's homecoming in Amsterdam. The team made their way down one of the canals in a boat parade as fans dressed in orange lined the banks.

-Ryan

FEBO fast food....fried stuff from the vending machine

What to eat after a l8t nite? What else---fried food....from a vending machine. Why not?

The Dutch would probably roll their eyes at our taco trucks. ;)

-Suzanne

2AM Tuesday 7/13/10

The day after: "Not Again!" "Let the Hangover Begin" and other headlines

The day after the World Cup final game and the Netherlands is getting back to what it was before. Headlines in the Dutch local papers range from: "Not Again!" to "Let the Hangover Begin" among other things.





This is an article from the Associated Press. The headline reads "Dutch Dejection."

Here's a closer look.

-Suzanne

World Cup and Netherlands: We catch up with some Californian fans

In a crowd of thousands here in Amsterdam, I managed to find a few locals from Northern California.

In Rembrandtplein aka Rembrandt Square, we bumped into Paul and Gina Gamble and their daughters. They were visiting from Oakland. After visiting several different countries, they made a stop in Amsterdam just in time for the World Cup Finals.

"It's bringing the country together," said Paul Gamble. "It's a spirit that is beautiful. I feel lucky to have the opportunity to celebrate the true spirit of international competition--football. It's not about money. It's about national pride."

Gamble and his family have been in Amsterdam for four days.

Here's a short video clip/interview with Gina Gamble.

Meanwhile, I connected with Julie Tam of Grass Valley via the internet. She's a student of UOP and she's in Amsterdam for the summer for an internship.

"I am working as an Intern for the non-profit Aflatoun, an organization that promotes children's financial education all over the world," said Tam in an email.

Here is her take on the big game.


"I had the amazing opportunity to see the final game at Museum Plein, a park here in the city, with thousands of other people. Everyone was wearing orange, dancing, and cheering; there was so much energy. I have never seen so much national pride! At the same time, not everyone there was Dutch," said Tam. "There were people from all over the world in Amsterdam on Sunday to support the team. The collective disappointment when Holland eventually, dare I say unfairly, lost was heartbreaking. I really wanted to see the team win. Even though I am not Dutch, Amsterdam has become like home to me. I guess you could say I caught the "orange fever"!"

Abram van Eijk is a former Modesto resident, is also now in Amsterdam.

He talked about the chance to witness Netherlands in the World Cup finals.

"As for the Netherlands in the finals, that was a bit of a heartbreak! There was an electric atmosphere standing amongst the 140,000 or so people in th Museumplein in Amsterdam watching the game on Sunday and when Spain finally capitalized, the energy was just completely taken away. " said Eijk. "There weren't even cries of despair--it was more just an eerie silience and it continued that way through the city."

-Suzanne

World Cup and Netherlands: By the numbers

Here's recap of World Cup: by the numbers.

1: Total goals scored by anyone in this final game. Spain 1. Netherlands 0.

100,000: how many fans watched the World Cup final game in Museum plein or Museum Square in Amsterdam

3: How many times Netherlands went to the finals

0: the number of times Netherlands has won the World Cup

8.5 million: the number of people in the Netherlands who watched the final at home, making it one of the most-watched broadcasts in the country's history. (per A Dutch foundation that monitors television ratings)

-Suzanne

70,000 plus fans and an entire country sad...

So, Suzanne and I had a great experience watching the World Cup, with 70-thousand, some say 100-thousand fans in the Museum Square in Amsterdam. It was a crazy see of orange, and packed very tight. Surprisingly, the crowd was pretty tamed. A great experience, to watch soccer the way the rest of the world watches the sport. Too bad the Netherlands lost the game in the second overtime...

This is vantage point of where Suz and I watched the game...

--Ryan




Here's a look at a News10 blog post regarding peeps tweeting about the game: World Cup and Twitter.


And, here's a debrief following the loss....

--Suzanne

World Cup fever. Hup Holland. Go NED.

It's here. It's now. The World Cup game is today and the Netherlands are playing Spain. Everyone is in orange, the vuvzelas are sounding, and there is a buzz of excitement all around.

Ryan caught up with some of the pregame excitment in Rembrantplein.

-Suzanne

Anne Frank House... Museums of Amsterdam

So far, we have hit three of the major museums in Amsterdam.

We loved the Van Gogh Museum. He was both a bit crazy and a genius, a painter way way ahead of his time. You really can't appreciate his work in photographs, you have to see the colors and textures in person.

The Rijksmuseum houses some of the best works of Rembrandt including the Nightwatch and Jan Vermeer's the Milkmaid. Once again, these are works of art that are more stunning in person. Before visiting the Rijks, I have to admit I didn't have an appreciation for Dutch 17th Century art until now.

The most moving museum for me, the Anne Frank House. I think most of us remember reading her diary in Junior High School. It was almost surreal walking through the secret annex of the home where she and her family hid from the Nazis. More than a million people visit the home every year to experience her story firsthand. Suz and I rode our bikes to the museum early in the morning, and even so, there was already a long line.

-- Ryan

Speaking of Bikes, I can't explain this

Ok we rented our cool little orange bikes, and thought we were having fun until we ran into these guys and realized they were having more fun than us. The only way I can describe it, a cable car that works on pedal power that is fuel by beer, lots of beer.

- Ryan

Just check out the video...

Hup Holland!

It's everywhere! These Hup Holland signs. It's hanging from buildings. Kids are drawing "Hup Holland" chalk signs. And people riding by on their boats in the canals are chanting "Hup Holland." "Hup" means "Let's go" or "Go"--so I hear. I just think it sounds darn cute!






-Suzanne

Fries, bikes, and everything orange

More fries: Can't believe how delicious they are--- the Vlaamse Frites (Flemish fries)

Bikes: 10 Euro a day. An awesome way to see Amsterdam and its many sidestreets
600,000: how many bikes there are in Amsterdam! WOW!

Orange: It's the color of the queen, the color of NED's soccer team jerseys, and what adorns the street posts, and buildings. It's the color many Amsterdam residents and soccer fans are donning for World Cup.







-Suzanne

Cannabis Culture- By the numbers.

Here's a closer look now at Cannabis Culture in Amsterdam---by the numbers.

* 260+: Number of coffeeshops in Amsterdam
* 729: Number of coffeeshops in Netherlands
* 5 grams: How much marijuana each person can buy at a coffeeshop in one visit. Coffeeshop owners 1 gram is enough for 2 joints.
* 550 grams: How much cannabis a coffeeshop is permitted to have on the premises at any one time.
* 5: The number of marijuana plants each person in Netherlands is permitted to grow
* 2 billion Euros: how much money is generated from cannabis sales in the Netherlands in 2008
* 400 million Euros: how much of that revenue goes to the "state fund"
* 56%: percentage that each coffeeshop is taxed


* 165: Number of canals in Amsterdam
* 1/2 million: Number of bicycles in Amsterdam
* 730: How many years old Amsterdam is today
* 3.7 million: how many international tourists visit Amsterdam/year
* 1.4 million: how many people live in Amsterdam (as of 2008)




Source: various, Cannabis College; Hash, Marijuana, and Hemp Museum; City of Amsterdam-Dept of Research and Statistics

Here's a look inside Hunter's Coffeeshop and the Do's and Don'ts of marijuana sales.

-Suzanne

Cannabis Culture

Today was mostly a work day. We did get to visit the Van Gogh museum in the evening, but for the most part we put on our journalist hats (I will blog about the museums later on).

So this morning, Suz and I grabbed the camera gear (she as the reporter, me as the photographer) and went to explore the Cannabis Culture of Amsterdam, and I mean "explore" not "smoke". First of all, there is a difference between a cafe and coffee shop. "Cafe" is where you get coffee, "coffeeshop" is where you can get coffee, but you go for weed.

We ended up interviewing and talking to three experts. Juri, the manager of the Hemp and Marijuana Museum, David, the manager of the Cannabis College, and Mario, an employee of the Hunter's coffeeshop.

Here is a brief summary of what we learned (we will be putting together, and will post a couple of stories when we get back)

What we found strange, Dutch law on cannabis is a living contradiction. Many people believe pot is 100 percent legal in the Holland, but that is not the case. Coffeeshops are allowed to have only 500 grams on the premises, and can only sell a max of 5 grams per person. But while marijuana is legal to sell, it is not legal to grow in mass quantities (only 5 outdoor plants per person), so there is a black market where the 260-plus coffee shops in Amsterdam get their supply (it is not uncommon for local police to shut-down growing operations).

According to our interview subjects, they believe California is ahead of the Netherlands when it comes to cannabis. In California, it is quite easy to get a medicinal card from a doctor to freely buy marijuana. In the Netherlands, doctors (according to our interviews) only sign medical marijuana prescriptions for only the most dire patients. In California, growing marijuana (for medicinal purposes) is done in the open, while in the Holland it is still considered a criminal act.

Those who are involved in the Cannabis Culture in the Netherlands are quite interested in Proposition 19. And they are curious if voters in California will legalize the sale and use of marijuana in November. We were quite surprised how they seemed to be envious of California, considering how most people assume Amsterdam is more open about the use cannabis. We found that in Netherlands, marijuana is something that is tolerated.

-Ryan

Sights: the coffeeshops

Sights: the coffeeshops

And, a quick overview.

-Suzanne

Going gaga for waffles

Yes. Finally. A pastry.

Let's try a belgian waffle dipped in chocolate lightly warmed. Heavenly.

Pastry= 1. Suzanne's Diet= 0.

--Suzanne

Love Lady Gaga? So does this accordian player

Love Lady Gaga? So does this accordian player.... Really?

--Suzanne

Modesto residents vacationing in Amsterdam sound off

You know it's a small world when the people getting off the plane, standing right in front of you in the custom's security checkpoint are from your own area.

So, we bumped into Mr. and Mrs. Oudegeest. They were lovely to share a few quick thoughts with us about: their Amsterdam vacation plans and their take on whether legalizing marijuana use in California is important.




--Suzanne

Viva World Cup

All around Amsterdam are signs of World Cup fever. Bars are shrouded in orange flags and paraphanelia. Souvenir shops tout orange boas to go along with the orange wooden shoes and orange boxer shorts or sports bras that say "Go Holland!" Oversized soccer balls adorn restaurant windows. They're ready. --Suzanne





-Suzanne

Landed in Amsterdam

So after a nine hour flight, we have finally landed in Amsterdam at 11 in morning. Our room wasn't ready, so Suz and I had a chance to walk around the city to soak in a bit of the city. First of all, it is a beautiful city, lots of bikes and canals, perfect for walking, narrow cobblestone streets, the vibe is quite mellow. Speaking of mellow, it took 45 minutes before we can smell the scent of cannabis in the air, frankly I thought that was a long time considering how many "coffee shops" we passed by. Quick note: if you want coffee you go to a cafe, if you want cannabis you go to a coffee shop

So far, the first thing in amsterdam that we ate was fries with mayonnaise. Sounds disgusting (fried food and dipped in fat), but surprisingly it tasted pretty good. We also chugged a few beers while hanging out at a "cafe" not "coffee shop".

Oh yeah... lots of orange around town. Holland will face Spain for the World Cup Championships on Sunday. Still can't figure out the orange thing, because the Netherlands flag is red white and blue.

Once we got into our rooms, both of crashed for a few hours (jet lagged). We are ready to begin exploring some more tonight.

-- Ryan