DOSSIER: AMSTERDAM
By: - (justin) 2010.03.05
For travelers with a yearning to get off the beaten track, Intrepid opens up a whole new world with 650 itineraries that travel in 100 countries. With a huge variety of affordable travel styles available, Intrepid travelers explore some of the world's most amazing places and discover real people, real cultures and have incredible, real-life experiences along the way. For details go to www.intrepidtravel.com
Indulge or not, there's never a dull moment in Amsterdam, the original Sin City
Built on 90 islands, with 1,300 bridges and 62 miles of snaking canals, Amsterdam has clearly earned the nickname "Venice of the North." -- With 42 museums in the city, a visit to a few eclectic alternatives could be in order: the Erotic Museum, Sex Museum, and the Hash, Hemp and Marijuana Museum are all a short walk from each other in the Red Light District. -- 25,000 prostitutes currently work in the Netherlands. Satisfy your scholarly curiosity by taking a tour with the Prostitution Information Center (pic-amsterdam.com), where former working girls guide you through the Red Light District, demystifying their old stomping grounds.
Faux Pas: How to get pegged as an American:
- Light up in front of the Van Gogh museum
- Thumb through Lonely Planet in a city bike path
- Take snapshots in the Red Light District
Famous 'dammers
- Rembrandt, the influential 17th-century painter
- Freddy Heineken, master brewer and father of the famous green bottle
- Alex van Halen, drummer of legendary rock group Van Halen
Vital Signs
- Human population: 738,643
- Bicycle population: 600,000
- Combined length of the city's bike paths: 400 km
- Gastronomic go-to: Indonesian food and falafel
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NEWBIE: Everything you always wanted to know... (But were afraid to ask)
Q: Should I buy a Eurail pass? And if so, how?
A: Whether you're blitzing 19 cities in three weeks or five countries in two months, Eurail passes are great for travelers who want the freedom and convenience of moving about the Continent at their own pace, and in many regards, on their own budget.
As Eurail passes are not available to EU citizens, they should be purchased from a distributor before departure. Options and price ranges abound. Pay attention to how many countries you'll visit - limited itineraries are cheaper. One great option is to get a certain number of train travel days per month. You don't want to be on a train every day, but knowing you have 15 trips within a two-month period helps you plan your route. And although all licensed Eurail agents must sell passes at the same price (from $370 and up), many will throw in free stuff - travel extensions, shirts, Frisbees - to sweeten the deal. For more info, check out alleuroperail.com or eurail.com.
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DISPATCHES: Don't leave home without 'em
Southeast Asia...
Country hopping: Cathay Pacific is offering the All Asia Air Pass, which allows indecisive nomads access to 18 destinations within a 21-day period. Fares start at $1,099, including roundtrip airfare from New York, LA, or San Fran. For more info, visit cathay-usa.com/offers/aap.
Phnomenal plans: City officials in Phnom Penh have announced a plan to significantly expand the Cambodian capital over the next 20 years in hopes of making the city an economic and cultural center on par with other capitals across the region. Hopeful forecasts show the city's population nearly doubling by 2020.
Avian flu: Though the threat of bird flu should be taken seriously, there have been no confirmed cases in Thailand over the past 14 months, and tourism in Vietnam is up 32 percent in 2005. Comprehensive efforts by health officials there include 54 million poultry vaccinations to date. Don't let your passport collect dust, but before leaving, see cdc.gov/flu/avian for health tips (i.e., avoid poultry farms and live animal markets)
Photos by Geo D. Oliver, iStockphoto.com/7000, Bonnie Yoon, iStockphoto.com/Celso Diniz
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