After living in a few cities and having to deal with nuances like drivers' licenses and other…read morepermits you tend to develop a disdain for all bureaucratic divisions of local governance. But, this is a different kind of place. Even though the Dutch are famous for their slow bureaucracy, the city hall for central Amsterdam tries its best to make it an enjoyable experience. First off, it's a really nice building, very accessible from all sorts of public transport. They even used to have a post office inside until a couple years ago. They have a photo studio for those last minute photos and certain other interesting offices that I haven't seen. Inside the reception hall, you line up to explain why you're there and get a ticket to await your turn at one of the many booths and counters. If you're with kids, there are small televisions playing cartoons with Dutch voiceovers. The furniture was recently revamped and now is more contemporary, almost like a modern airport. The staff is mostly friendly and courteous. They even speak in fluent english to help support all the expats living in the center of the city. You can pay on the spot for services using your pin card. The center has really good hours, and is actually open until later on Thursdays. All in all, this is a really good model of what modern citizen services should be like.

I love this city hall. If you have to do bureaucratic bullsh*t, then this is the place to do it. :)…read more It lacks the large expanses of marble and lacquered wood of my hometown Chicago's City Hall (as featured in the Blues Brother's movie!), but what it lacks in Steven Spielberg cameos, it makes up for in speed and efficiency. My best tip for increasing your speed and efficiency here is to come with a baby. Any size will do. As long as you come with a baby, then when you go to the room at the end of the hall to state your purpose and take a number, you'll be put at the head of the queue. No waiting! And when you're done visiting with a civil servant, you can head outside to the Waterlooplein market and buy some gyros or loempias or frites, and get yourself an Amsterdam t-shirt or sparkly bag from the market vendors. Plus this place has bathrooms, if you ask the Portiers positioned on either end of the building where to go. I got lucky and my baby strapped to my chest prompted one of them to take pity on me and give me a free token to the handicapped bathroom, so I could more easily take my child along without having to cramp into a tiny bathroom. Plus plus, this place has an opera house and subway station attached to it, and I don't think you can ask for anything more than that.

So when living in Amsterdam, it is a fact of life that you have to register with the local…read moreauthorities. I was directed to this office as it's located closest to the area of Amsterdam that I live in. Getting here was a hoot thanks to the excellent public transportation system and then the building itself was super easy to find as just look for the city's flag (three big black XXX against a red background). Once walked in, there's two self service kiosks - everything is written in both Dutch & English, so then just grab a number and sit on the comfy couches until you get called up to either a orange, green or blue counter. Everyone speaks English and so it's just super easy to get registered and best of all, this place is open from 8am in the morning till 8 pm at night, 5 days a week (closed on weekends) and so just super convenient to stop by! Def 5 stars compared to the Belgium experience! Yelp 232/ 2018

Everybody who lives in this part of the city at some point needs to go here to get some official…read moredocument (passport, ID, Proof of residency, etc) at some point. During all my visits the people working here have always been very friendly and helpful. There can be a wait if you just walk in, but there is the possibility of making an appointment online. I don't mind the wait because the people here really take their time to HELP you. At one point I had some difficulty getting some documents fixed between Amsterdam and a particular southern German city and the guy helping me suggested a different approach and that really helped. It always helps to be prepared when you need some documents so before you go check if you have everything you need and meet all the criteria, they people at the reception will ask you this question too, saves you a trip if it turns out you need a particular piece of paper in order to get another one (-;

Just arrived today for 6 nights/7days in Amsterdam during my husband's spring break! It's amazing…read morehow much I love this city and I've only barely gotten to know it a little so far...! Bike friendly city, and careful drivers, but pedestrians be hyper aware! Their sidewalks are crowded because they are narrow, and people also just sit outside their homes with fresh bread and cheese and wine, to read or socialize and to just be in the community together--kind of wonderful! And also a reason for the narrow space available to walk at times. Walk along any of the main canals and you'll see residences, shops, and enter different neighborhoods known for different things. After checking in at our hotel, we walked about 7 miles exploring, and it was so fun. Amsterdam is a place for couples, families, solo travelers. The brick streets are a bit uneven so good walking shoes are a must! Sorry I didn't identify the buildings in my photos, just posted them based on their artistry. I know every building has a story and a history. Can't wait to explore more tomorrow!

The second city we visited on our trip to Europe last year was Amsterdam. I've always wanted to…read morevisit Amsterdam, and it did not disappoint! (Bonus: it was common to see cats wandering around, or in restaurants.) We stayed in Amsterdam for six nights, arriving on Wednesday March 27 and leaving on Tuesday April 2, but that felt too short -- there was so much more I wanted to see, and I would love to go back again, as well as see more of the Netherlands. We flew to Amsterdam from Reykjavik and arrived the afternoon of Wednesday March 27 at Schiphol Airport. After settling into our hotel (XO Hotel Inner), we had lunch at Brasserie De Joffres, walked through Vondelpark, went on a canal tour, had a drink at Eetcafe 'T Lieverdje, and dinner at Crystal, a casual falafel eatery. Thursday March 28 was our first full day in Amsterdam. We started the day with a walking tour; had lunch at Het Groene Paleis; went to Kattenkabinet, a museum filled with cat-related objects; had a drink at Cafe Kuyl by Rembrandt Square; did some shopping at Flying Tiger; had a quick bite to eat at Roem before our tour at the Anne Frank House; and ended the day with dinner at Nader Grill. Friday March 29 we went to Micropia, a cool museum about microbiology; had lunch at Eik en Linde, a pub with a cat; walked around the Mahatma Gandhi community garden; passed through Wertheimpark; and dinner at Cafe Kuyl. Saturday March 30, we didn't go to any attractions, but spent a relaxed day walking around Amsterdam. We had a delicious lunch at Spang Makandra, a Surinamese restaurant; drinks at Cafe van Zuylen; and back to Crystal for a light dinner. Sunday March 31, Easter Sunday, we went to Keukenhof, a famous tulip garden. Unfortunately it was a big disappointment and a huge waste of time. Monday April 1, our last day in Amsterdam, we went to the Van Gogh Museum, walked around Museumplein, had lunch at Ristorante Saturino, bought some prints at Antiques and Prints, and dinner at Small Talk. Tuesday April 2, we left Amsterdam and travelled to Brussels via train. [Yelp collections: Europe 2024; Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Cities; Cats]

Yelp Review 2023 #93:…read more Belle - French word for beautiful. December 17 - International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers Right outside Oude Kerk (Old Church, originally a Catholic Church at the Red Light District) which is now an art center is a small statue called Belle, a sex worker aka prostitute. Installed in 2007 after a Hungarian sex worker was killed, and a Romanian sex worker was killed in a hotel room. It's to commemorate all prostitutes around the world. Prostitution is one of the oldest profession in the world and also the most punished "crime" simply because society still looks down upon women no matter how progressive we think we are. It is a reminder that sex workers are humans - despite the kind of service they provide. If there's no demand, there won't be supply. If unloved weirdos didn't exist, there won't be prostitutes. If these men knew how to treat a woman properly, there won't be prostitutes - especially dead ones.

"Respect sex workers all over the world."…read more It's funny how just wandering aimlessly around Amsterdam, I ended up walking past the Oudekerk and spotted this statue. Yes, this is the famous red light district but it's also next to the oldest building in Amsterdam, the Old Church https://www.yelp.com/biz/oude-kerk-amsterdam. The sculpture is the work of artist Els Rijerse and has been here since 2007. It depicts a prostitute standing in the doorway of a brothel. It is a landmark of Amsterdam and certainly Insta-worthy. [Review 16871 overall - 72 in Netherlands - 384 of 2022.]

This is one of many centrally located squares in Amsterdam, a touristy area with many restaurants,…read morebars and some entertainment options, and one of the less significant transit hubs in the city. You can reach it via metro to Leidseplein or various tram and bus lines. Surrounding the square notably are: the Heineken Grand Cafe, the Hirshgebauw (a historic landmark building with shops and offices including an Apple Store), the Amsterdam International Theater, the Diamond Hotel with clear glass facade over the front of the building, and Albert Heijn grocery store. Close by within a couple blocks are Pathé City cinema, the Holland Casino and Hard Rock Cafe. Worth walking or transiting thru and stopping for a look at the memorial sculpture in the center of two hand s touching, called "Against All Currents" a tribute honoring late investigative crime reporter Peter R. de Vries, who reported and contributed to evidence on several very high profile international crimes, including the Natalee Holloway case.

Leidseplein is where I first began my discovery of Amsterdam. I stayed at the Marriott and because…read moreof its central location, the shops, restaurants and Vondelpark, it's a favorite location. I deducted a star because some of the restaurants are very touristy, which is okay, but anytime someone is standing out front trying to lure you inside its a place for me to skip. But this is the best place stay as visitor in Amsterdam in my opinion. I can write for hours about where to go from here, but that is your adventure to learn next time.

As we were walking around Amsterdam, we came across the Homomonument, the first monument in the…read moreworld commemorating gay men and women who were killed by the Nazis due to their sexual orientation. The monument was designed by artist Karin Daan and unveiled on September 5, 1987. The memorial is composed of three pink granite triangles laid in the ground, and each triangle forms the point of a larger triangle. Each point of the triangle is symbolic -- one points towards the National Monument in Dam Square, one points towards the Anne Frank House, and one points towards COC Amsterdam, a Dutch LGBTQ+ rights group founded in 1946. While I love what the monument represents, if it weren't for the sign, I probably wouldn't even have known that I was walking over a monument. The only way to see the entire memorial is from above, but from the ground, you can't see the entire memorial at once or get a good photo. If walking by, stop and take a look, but I would not go out of my way to see it. [Yelp collections: Europe 2024; Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Monuments, Memorials, and Historical Markers]

It's not particularly memorable, so it's not worth going out of your way to visit. While the…read moresentiment behind it is meaningful, it's simply a modest sign with a few flowers placed on some steps as a tribute to the LGBTQ+ community, located near the Westerkerk. That said, it's a thoughtful and photogenic stop if you happen to pass by during your walk.