Amsterdam to Berlin

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July 22nd 2008

Published: July 22nd 2008

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Intrepid Sicilian

Amsterdam

When you think Amsterdam you immediately think of the Canibis Coffee shops & Red light district as it is synonymously known for. Quite simply Amsterdam is more than a smoking pot and x-rated theme park for your weekend warriors or thrill seeking jocks. The Dam has breath taking sites, with wounderful heritage 17th century housing and excellent museums and galleries. It is very compact and user friendly too. Walk or ride a bike around the grids of canals or historic lane ways. Hiring a bike and biking 20 minutes out of Amsterdam central is rewarding not only in exercise but brings you wonderful open flat plains of country side, where the fields are green and the historic windmills are swirling in the breeze. These days the Windmills are just tourist magnets and have since been replaced by machines, but articulating the otherwise flat landscape of the Netherlands. The countryside is certainly another aspect of Amsterdam to visit and satisfy your delights.

Okay - I'm not fooling anyone, you come to Amsterdam and you know you'll end up here, everyone does, rubberneckers and pleasure seekers flock to the Redlight district. They come in droves - it's like

Dam Square

Royal Palace behind

Surfers Paradise, men, women and families (young and old) walking the district as if a side show is on. In fact it is quite a side show, the fluorescent lit window fronts display quite an interesting array of live mannequin's (to put it discretly), small, big, fat, skinny, black, white and with some detail artwork all over - having quite a unique way of entertaining the passer byers and enticing the pleasure seekers. It can be hilarious at times, especially when you see women tourist tapping on the windows demanding to see the show, but ladies the curtains are drawn for a reason.

Cafes are Pubs in Amsterdam, coffee shops, well they don't sell much coffee (it's crap), instead a big smoking pot. It just so happens on the day I arrived into the Netherlands the government introduced new tobacco laws, similar to most of Europe now, the smoking of tobacco inside public places is prohibited. Now I say smoking of TOBACCO is PROHIBITED. Loop hole here is the green stuff is known for medicinal purposes and going green all the way means it's one hell of a strong ride. Ironic it is...cannabis and the like is not legal

Amstel Cannal

Looking North

but has been decriminalised in the Netherlands, but smoking of tobacco in doors attracts a hefty fine and possible conviction for the proprietor.

Clearly Amsterdam is a very libral and broadminded place where the principal of tolerance and profit goes a long way in support of the Harmless rule system - that is, if what you are doing is not hurting or affecting anyone then it is tolerated and you go along your merryway.

Next stop Berlin the city of activity they say, it's hard to believe just two decades ago this was still a divided city, split between the communist east and capitalist west. As our local guide on our walking tour explained, Berlin has certailny come a long way, the skyline is generally dominated by building cranes, trendy fashion outlets and fast food chains springing up everywhere, all competing and marking it's mark here in Berlin. Also the night life is very much highly regarded you need to have night-owl stamina to keep up with it. Í'm not the clubbing type, however we ventured into the Prenzlauerberg area and there we found many pubs with live bands jamming out their various styles of music. This was

Amstel Cannal

Looking South

to be the frequented place during our stay in Berlin.

Berlin is such a huge city and would require a couple of weeks to explore, however the four days I was here in Berlin, I managed to see the main sights all in walking stride; Alexanderplatz (main square), Brandenburg Gate, The Berlin Wall Momnument, Stasi Musem (Secret Police Head Quaters), Musemsinsel (Museum Island), Check Point Charlie, Holocaust Memorial to name a few.

Enjoy the Pic's.

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