Korean Job Discussion Forums

[endo]

Well, for the winter vacation I will be headed to Amsterdam for eight days.



Anyways, I had a few questions for anybody who has already been there.

- Can I buy phone cards in Amsterdam in which I will be able to call back to Seoul? And if so where in Amsterdam can I find them?

- Are there any good low budget hotels (40-80 euros per night) that anyone can resommend within the coty center?

- Will I have a problem bring back cheese and other foods to Korea? (No drugs, I'm not stupid)


Thanks in advance.

[khyber]

I wouldn't worry about trying to find a cheap place when you arrive. Winter is very much NOT a peak season for travellers in amsterdam as the place gets downright depressing.

phone cards? Yes! But I have no idea where. Right outside the train station there is a tourist bureau with very helpful folks (it's just wicked retahded busy in hte summer)

bringing back cheese? Well, if declare it yes. As far as I know, bringing dairy products into antoher country is illegal.

Can anyone confirm that htough?

grab some drop while your there!

[itaewonguy]

phone cards you can buy at tourst info stops the train staion and pretty much any news stand!

hotels, best to get online and book a place..
there are alot of dumps out there,,
house boats are cool, if you are going with a girl or friend, then think about staying in one of those, abuot 80euro and up..
might find a deal online..
yeah bring back cheese no problem, just say you have nothing to declare
and walk right through..
thats what my dad does when he comes from ITaly, his bags smelling of cheese and parma ham hahahaha

AMNESIA! great cafe!

[JJMcClure]

Can only help with the accommodation query. Try the Bulldog for an apartment if there is more than one travelling. Not as boring as a hotel, not as manic as a hostel. Very centrally located. They have their own bar and coffeeshop as well. Can't see it being very expensive in the winter.

[kangnam mafioso]

proper hotels in amsterdam are small and fairly expensive in the city center area ( i think the lowest i found was 70 euros or something). plenty of hostels though for 15 euros or less ...can't remember.

check out the van gogh museum!! smoke a big spliff first though

[khyber]

The wife and I just went to the van gogh this past summer: It was quite a dissapointment. Actually, it was a huge dissapointment.

The National Museum (Ryk's museum), OTOH was quite good.

[gatorchick82]

Try www.hostelbooker.com for a hostel. I stayed at one I found on that website. Definitely go the Rijks Museum. It has great Dutch art (Vermeer, Rembrandt) and history.

[R-Seoul]

Don't go to the Anne Frank House, unless you enjoy standing in line in the freezing cold for hours.

Check out the jordaan, coolest area in Hamsterjam. Red-light district has the most picture-esque canals and also loads of good (non-dodgy) bars.

The best coffee shops are one's that double as bars, there's actually only a couple of these but the best one is in the straat behind the Bulldog- name escapes me sorry.

[khyber]

There are a lot of coffee shops. The only REALLY REALLY real difference is the music that is played.

[R-Seoul]

You're wrong, the real difference is if they serve alcohol or not. Many coffee shops are dead; those that serve booze are very popular. Remember in most bars in Amsterdam you will be kicked out if you start smoking pot.

[qcat79]

dude,
just kick it at a youth hostel. you'll spend about 20-25 Euros a night. you'll be sharing the room with other foreigners and you sometimes get a nice crappy breakfast in the morning. and if you're into the pot scene, more than likely folks will be up for a toke. just make sure you lock up all your stuff in the lockers. amsterdam is ridden with petty thiefs.

[crazykiwi]

I stayed in a little apartment called "the crooked house" and literally, it was crooked! very cool, the dude that lived upstairs was pretty sweet, and "the mellow yellow" cafe was just down the road. paid about 50-60 euro a night, more on weekends just for thte fact i couldnt be bothered moving during this time! slept three comfoprtably and i think if you ask, a fourth could be accomadated. close to city xcentre, about a twenty minute walk if remembered. anne frank = not worth it. van gough= just worth it, red light= too scary but nice eye candy, and waz museum= very cool, especially stoned. enjoy

[khyber]

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Is the Christian hostel that offers a free Bible study every night still around?

It was actually a pretty decent place to stay. ...when I was 22 and poor...

[bixlerscott]

There is a place right across the street from the Central Station called the VVV that can hook you up with a hostel or hotel room on the spot. Pretty darn good back packer heaven if you ask me. And you can go down the Damrak main street and hit a side street on the right and go smoke pot if you like and get high or hit a side street on the left for the redlight district. Continue down the Damrak a 10 minute walk and you end up in Dam Square where you will be dazzled with street entertainment. It's definitely a place I miss alot, very pleasant. Just watch out for pick pockets and scammers who like to follow you around. but other than that, Amsterdam rocks. Man, I miss traveling Europe like in the good ol' military service days of mine. I only wish there was my career in Europe, but it's in Asia and America.