Hi Bart,
This is Bob, the queer in Amsterdam. We've corresponded
a couple times. I still read your site,
but I’ve been busy registering American voters
over here so I've not had much time to put my two cents in.
Registering Americans to vote?
At the risk of sounding like a Mr. know-it-all,
if there’s one thing I’m an expert on, it’s Amsterdam.
I fell in love with his place when I came for
a visit 8 years ago, and It’s now my permanent home.
The Netherlands (you can just say Holland if
you find the official name too difficult) is the land of the free.
They take all of the highest ideals of Democracy,
justice, and freedom for ALL and actually put them into
practice over here instead of using them as a
bunch of pretty phrases.
I’d like to address some things your “Amsterdam
Lady” wrote, and then answer your questions in order
to give your readers a more accurate picture
of this place.
First let me congratulate her on finding the Resistance
Museum, my personal favorite, but off the beaten path
of the many more popular tourist attractions.
The parallels that exist between Bush and Hitler are minor compared
to the parallels between the German people of
the 30’s and the Americans today. Modern Fascism, called
compassionate conservatism, is alive and well
in America, and anyone who visits Amsterdam needs to visit this museum.
(The Anne Frank house/museum has a great exhibition
about Nationalism as well, but that's usually a long wait in line)
One minor correction. You are allowed
to smoke joints on the street. Personal amounts of pot are completely legal.
Technically, the selling of it is not, but that’s
a long Dutch thing we don’t have time for. Some of the nice café’s
will
ask you nicely not to smoke pot if you light
up, but a police officer will never ask you to put your joint out on the
street.
It’s also legal to grow your own. Six plants per
person is considered personal amount. (Attached photo is this year’s crop
which is just about to flower and should be ready
for harvest in November).
As far as the prostitutes, it must be pointed
out that the ladies in the windows are running their own respected
businesses rather than being abused by pimps
and a society which condemns them while demanding their services
at the same time. They have health insurance
and a mandatory months vacation and get monthly check ups for free.
You might be surprised at how much you would enjoy
the Gay Pride Parade, Bart. I’d say at least half of the throngs
lining the canals and bridges are straight, including
old folks and kids. A few years back, a TV crew was asking straights
why they came out to see this parade. The funniest
answers came from old ladies who loved the naked bodies, but one
couple typified the Amsterdam/Dutch attitude.
They had their two toddlers with them, and the wife said that they enjoy
the music and spectacle, -“and besides,
for all we know, one of these two may be dancing on these floats someday.
We want them to know that there’s nothing wrong
with that.” What a country! I love this place!
Bart, you ask….
If I moved to Amsterdam, how much Chinaco could I get thru customs?
Four bottles, and duty free.
However, I hope that you would not try and create a little piece of Oklahoma
over here.
Unless you’re willing to try new European things
and assimilate into the Dutch culture a bit, perhaps Canada is a better
choice.
I doubt Amsterdam has anything as fine as Chinaco Anejo.
That’s if you have enough money to immigrate,
or you dump Mrs Bart and marry a Dutch bombshell (Xaviera Hollander?
I know where she lives).
(Ms Hollander is a friend of Marc Perkel's) Is she related to you?
Did you see a McDonalds and a Burger King?
Sad to report. Being a hub
of international trade for six Centuries, every country in the world is
represented with a restaurant.
America’s contribution? -…Micky Ds and Burger
Crap. Indonesian is a must while you’re here, and along the restraint
rows
you can peruse the world menus posted out side
each place. For a hot, cheap, and quick burger, try Febos.
RE: Amsterdam TV?
I have to tell you. Dutch
(and in general European) news is why there are about 9 Democrats abroad
for every 1
Republican abroad. The Monica Lewinski story
was not so much about what Clinton had done, but more about how
the silly Americans were reacting.
It would be so odd to live where the news contained the truth.
We knew all along over here that Sadam posed no
threat. Comparing Dutch and Belgian news to CNN is what has been
most pull-my-hair-out frustrating deterioration
of America to observe. Safe Sex commercials are unashamed and effective.
Half hour shows like The Simpsons are only 20
minutes without commercials, and 24 is only 40 minutes (though six months
later than you see them. I have to be careful
not to read your reviews on those, almost spoiled the plot once.)
If TV has no commercials, who pays for the shows?
Did you catch any soccer games?
Called Voetbal (prn -Futball).
How are their hotels different, besides older?
You mean older than America
itself?
Most are very small compared
to our standards. Conservation of old buildings is more important than
business advantages.
There are a handful of newer buildings in the
city, but you’d be missing the Dutch experience. The Ambessade hotel, where
your
reader stayed, is one of the best at combining
the historic authenticity of the building, while offering modern and slightly
larger rooms.
Did you see any Americans with t-shirts that said, "Sorry our dictator invaded Iraq?"
Mine says “sorry my president’s an Idiot. I didn’t vote for him” in seven different languages
ha ha
Was it clean?
They say Paris has sewage in the streets and
the women don't shave - yuck!.
They say that men in Oklahoma
beat their wives and take their guns to the bar every night too.
(That's true)
Don’t believe everything they say. It’s not as
clean here as Vancouver, and not as dirty as New York.
What are the people called - Amsterdamaniacs?
Amsterdamers
“Niemand kun zich beter wensen
dan een Amsterdamer te zijn”
(“no one can wish better for
themselves than an Amsterdamer to be”)
Cheers
Bob Hollander
Media Free America
http://www.fantasycity.org/homemfa.htm
