Going to a Dutch ice skating rink is somewhat of an adventure for the casual American ice skater…read more The average Californian has gone out ice skating maybe once a year, in a public rink, on skates roughly akin to European figure skates. In the Netherlands, the average ice skater has gone to the local outdoor rink, or pond, repeatedly throughout their childhood Winters. Their skates are basically speed skating skates. When asked if I could skate, my answer was, "Yes." It should have been, "No!" Or at least not at the level of the casual Dutch skater! Anyways, I figured a smooth ice surface was better for my inexperience than the pond nearby. So, off to Thialf! Not wishing to invest a lot in the endeavor, I planned to rent skates. Unfortunately, the rental shop doesn't open when the rink does, which is Thialf's only lost star. A search in Heerenveen failed to yield any reasonable alternatives. We then decided to sip snert (split pea soup) in the café until Thialf's rental shop came through. The rental shop actually had some used skates that were a great price, so I went with those. Laughably, the skates were speed skates, which are a completely different animal! I was like a cartoon character running in one place, but going nowhere! Back up stairs, I explained the problem and BEGGED the skate shop people to switch me into a pair of used figure skates. They did, and sharpened them for me! The new set were very good skates and I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the amateur circle. I even braved a trip around the amateur ring! One of the real pleasures of a trip to Thialf is sharing (sort of) the same ice that many Olympians have traversed. So, as I meandered around the amateur 'bunny' ring, I watched the professionals practice in the larger outer Olympian ring. WOW! Those people barely move and they've gone an entire lap! It will make you forget your own shame and embarrassment as you gaze in wonder.

From the owner: Thialf in Heerenveen is bekend van de internationale schaatsevenementen met de in het oranje…read moregehulde schaatsliefhebbers, dweilorkesten en de daardoor niet te evenaren sfeer. Maar er is meer... van personeelsfeest tot zakelijke bijeenkomst. Uiteraard kan dit gecombineerd worden met een ijs-activiteit desgewenst met prominenten uit de schaatswereld. Wel eens gedacht aan een bedrijfspresentatie met een hapje en een drankje in één van de horecaruimtes van Thialf? Of een vergadering, gevolgd door een schaatsclinic door een bekende schaatser en na afloop stamppottenbuffet in het sfeervolle café bij de ijsbaan? Ook voor de zakelijke markt is Thialf een ideale locatie, perfect gelegen buiten het centrum met voldoende (gratis.) parkeergelegenheid en uitstekend bereikbaar uit alle windstreken. Door de vele ruimtes, geschikt van 10 tot meer dan 10.000 personen is Thialf geschikt voor alle doeleinden. Beurzen, congressen, kleine of grote bedrijfsfeesten, bijna alles is mogelijk. Thialf beschikt over een eigen Business Club. De manier om met uw relaties aanwezig te kunnen zijn bij álle evenementen die in Thialf plaatsvinden. U beschikt over vaste stoelen op de mooiste plaats in het stadion en maakt gebruik van exclusieve horecafaciliteiten in de Thialf Business Club. Vanuit de Business Club heeft u tevens een uitstekend uitzicht over zowel de 400-meterbaan als de ijshockeybaan.

Unfortunately we were not able to get tickets to a match but we did go on the VIP stadium tour. We…read moregot our passes and a complimentary scarf at check-in then it was off to tour the arena and exclusive areas with a guide. We also got to enjoy a drink in the Sky Lounge and 10% off in the fan shop. It was so fun to see and to hear about the history of this arena.

This arena is easily accessible by train. The M54 leaves Amsterdam Centraal and stops prior to the…read morearena and at the arena. Even after leaving at the end of a sold-out concert, I was able to get on the first train. There are restaurants, bars, and a grocery store for pre-event or post-event dining outside the venue. It is mostly snack/junk food inside. Backpacks are not allowed into the venue and locker space is limited. I went to a Coldplay concert at the venue. The roof was opened for the event and we where informed to dress for any type of weather. This concert let a lot of people stand in the playing field. I was happy to have a seat and not be crowded. The steps within the arena are tiny and step which could be difficult for older folks. The staff was very friendly.

I went to The Black Keys concert at Ziggo Dome on May 5, 2024. I had so much fun and I'm glad I had…read morethe opportunity to see them since they canceled their U.S. tour. Attending a concert in another country is definitely an interesting experience. Tickets: Tickets are sold through Ticketmaster Netherlands. I waited until the day before to purchase tickets since the show was not sold out. My one regret with waiting was discovering that I couldn't use my Visa card! For this concert, they only accepted American Express and Maestro. My mom came through in the clutch and let me use her AmEx card to buy the ticket. Once I purchased my ticket, I was able to download a PDF file. If you have the app, you can download a QR code for your tickets as well. One of the ticket add-ons was for Alpine PartyPlug ear plugs. You can also buy them at the venue. That is such a great idea and American venues should consider doing this. Transportation: I took the Metro to Station Bijlmer ArenA. From there it was about a 10 minute walk. The venue is right next door to the soccer stadium so it wasn't difficult to figure out which way to walk. Security: When you go through security, they pat you down and look inside your bag. There is a bag size restriction; if your bag is too large you can rent a locker. There's also a free cloakroom. Once you're cleared to walk through, you will receive a loud "Ja" ("yes") from the security guard lol. The guy in front of me had a lighter and they let him through lol. Needless to say, it's definitely different from the U.S. Concessions: They recently implemented a drink token system (and If I'm not mistaken, The Black Keys concert was the first time they did this). You are given a token at the entrance which is used for a plastic cup. When you purchase your drink, you give the bartender the token and pay for the drink (they do take Visa cards!). Here's where it gets interesting: if you want a refill, you must bring your cup back. If you do not, you will have to pay €1 for a new cup. This is their way of trying to be green. After the show, you can recycle your cup in the proper bin. They have specialty bars throughout the venue. I purchased a beer from a regular bar on the concourse. I believe the only beer option at that particular bar was Heineken. Seating and Layout: Ziggo reminds me of a larger version of 713 Music Hall in Houston. It has a large floor and two balconies. The floor was GA for this show. The venue itself was very nice and clean! The signage was prominent and the majority of signs are written in both Dutch and English. The seating in my particular section had a divider blocking what would have been an aisle. It was nice to have extra space, but if I needed to get up, I would have had to cross through the entire row to get out. It looked like the divider may have been removeable. Show: The sound quality was great! The Dutch audience was a bit more subdued (at least in my section) compared to American audiences. Despite that, I had a really great time and I would definitely see another show at Ziggo Dome.

I've never worn makeup, nail polish, fish net or combat boots but I have seen Nine Inch Nails…read morefourteen times since 1997. Thankfully most of Reznor's fans have grown past their teenage angst and ridiculous costumes to truly appreciate what can truly now be considered one of the best live performers in Rock history. At 60 years old, with Oscars on his mantel, the visuals have never been better and the vocals never clearer. A stage, B stage, deep cuts and favorites reimagined. The Peel it Back tour is a triumph and Ziggo Dome saw it executed beautifully, with easy in-and-out, safety protocols and excellent crowd management.

Paradiso had a very cool atmosphere as it was built inside the church. Get tickets before for a…read morelower fee. We paid €20 on a Friday night and it wasn't crazy fun of a crowd. It was latin night where the salsa was fun but there weren't that many people.

This place is right along the river behind the Hard Rock Cafe. It's hard to miss this enormous…read morechurch looking building. My one gripe, which I expected because I've been to Amsterdam before, is the 4 euro membership charge for concerts. I'm sure it's well known among locals but beware that your ticket price will not be the only charge. The inside of this venue is beautiful. We were there to see Kevin Devine. He was playing in the smaller room upstairs. They had a full bar and a very intimate feel. Sound and lighting was great. Always an awesome time when I get to see KD.

I lucked out staying at a long-stay apartment-hotel just across from the Olympic Stadium, so of…read morecourse among the first thing I did was check this place out. I thought it was a lovely intimate space, and the art deco heritage is very apparent (it was built for the 1928 Olympics). Also, the current usage, with lots of sports-related stores located in the lower levels is a most clever usage of space. There's a whole bunch of great sporting statues all around the stadium and the weekend I arrived, the stadium was actually being used for the Amsterdam Triathalon event. One thing I would suggest, is actually when you come out, walk towards the right as there is this cool bridge over the canal, leading up to the Olympic stadium if you are coming from the Amsteelveen station and it has these carvings reminiscent of ancient Greek statues, but in an Art Deco style, which are so terribly beautiful. Its free to visit, so if in the area with a couple of hours to spare, recommend coming and checking it out! Yelp 173/ 2018