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i wish i could go to amsterdam in the near future. Everytime i get the money saved up to go, Something happens that i must spend it on (happened 3 years stright)
Some really cool places in amsterdam. Would really like to there, just hard for 1 person because everything is so expensive. But if you could get 1 or 2 other people to move in then things would be alot better. Really cool places in Amsterdam. Wish i were there right now.
One bit of advise if your renting an appartment. Make sure its not directly over a cheese shop. I had a place like that once we couldn't open the dam widows for fear of the smell.
Also, beware of private individuals renting apartments. The accommodations are not always as advertised, and there is no legal recourse.
In this scenario, even though your hosts will rail at you, I would insist on paying for the first week only, for extended stays, to insure that you are satisfied with the situation. And start a search for a different place as soon as possible, if not, as especially weekends are quite challenging to obtain decent accommodations.
I have had good experiences and awful ones ( this year ) with private individuals acting capriciously, and not even heating the apartment, without a request for heat being given. Returning to the apartment at 230 am or even later, this is not really possible. In winter, I would recommend renting an apartment where one controls the heat directly.
Also, a kitchen to an Amsterdammer may be an alcove with a microwave oven and a half bathroom sink to do the dishes in. A coffeemaker. Perhaps the freezer is frozen shut, not defrosted for the guests. (This was my recent experience).
Each time the front door was shut, it shook the whole apartment. I slept in thermals and earplugs.
Then the lovely scenario of dealing with physical intimidation from 4 hateful women, brought home to stand against me, with the Head Dog drunk and 1 inch from my face, yelling at me. When I simply asked for an early departure after repeated requests for heat... It turned ugly, and quite ridiculous.
They were holding my money, so my power was absent. Apparently, they had unilaterally decided that since I was not happy, I needed to leave NOW, at 930pm on a Thursday night, with a weekend approaching. And I recieved not even 1/3 of my money back.
Got a shitty room across the street, took care of my business and went home early, learned from that one. Even on my 14th trip to AMS... It's all good, I live in a dazzlingly beautiful rural NorCal area, near the Ocean, and the sun was out at home..>!
Got a lot done over there...
This dreadful place was from Craigslist.org. And is advertised presently.
Deal with agencies, even if it costs more. The Dutch can be quite picky....
Not as tolerant as the guidebooks would have you believe... Amsterdam is a crowded place, more than almost anywhere else, and people have things arranged 'just so,' it is a tight balance, and if you upset that balance, the tolerance goes by the wayside. This is typical in crowded cities.
Also, Money is something that Dutch to not hesitate to garner for theirselves. Or retain, after the fact, regardless of honor..They are a prosperous nation for a reason. Read: potential tightwads.
The only way to stay, is to ante up the big dollah, or group together with friends, or both, and enjoy the accommodations. Otherwise, you will end up in a hostel, or a totally depressing closet-like single room for 50 euros (65USD)..minimum
The cup was killer....! Mucho Kudos to Big Buddha...! DNA'ers, Da Men...!