Amsterdam is overrated
My friend Sandra wrote these words after a bad trip to Amsterdam:
Every tourist destination has its own “hook”, the thing that makes it stand out from all the other incredible cities the world over. Amsterdam has become popular because of its relaxed attitude towards drug use and sex. Over the years, it has become a preferred destination for European tourists and welcomes almost 5 million visitors per year. Unfortunately, the same relaxed attitude that makes it such a tourist draw is also what makes it a completely overrated vacation destination. Below are three reasons, why I probably won’t ever vacation there again.
#1 Pot, Pot, Pot
Though it may seem like a simply awesome experience to be able to puff away on a joint while you sip your coffee at a café, that isn’t necessarily so. Since weed is in high demand in the city, expect to pay a LOT for it, especially if you speak with an accent. Make sure you handle your transactions someplace public too, or you’re liable to get mugged. If you are not a pot smoker, prepare to spend your entire trip mildly buzzed, since it is almost impossible to get away from the stuff, no matter where you are choose to sit down and snack.
#2 Human Traffiking
Amsterdam’s other claim to fame is its “red light” district, the part of town devoted to legalized prostitution. The ugly underbelly of this popular part of Amsterdam’s tourist landscape, is that the city accepts upwards of 7,000 sexual traffiking victims per year, all of whom have been kidnapped, tricked, or sold into the sex trade industry. Though the government is attempting to crack down on this, the corruption and secrecy surrounding the trafficking industry are proving difficult to combat.
#3 Linguistic Isolation
Don’t bother leaving Amsterdam. If you don’t speak Dutch and you don’t look Dutch, plan to spend most of your time visiting sights in the city. Once you venture outside of those environs, you will be met with suspicion. Don’t get lost unless you speak Dutch as well, because no one outside of the city will speak English with you, even if they know how, and you will be stuck trying to find your way around alone.
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One Response to “Amsterdam is overrated”
Feel free to ask a question or leave a reply!
#1a – If you don’t actually smoke the MJ you will never be buzzed at all. 1b – you might get mugged, if your a punk ass bitch.
#2 – A place where prostitution is legal is the last place sex ‘slaves’ are located.(This would make as much sense as trying to export MJ from illegal grow houses in Florida TO Amsterdam)
#3 – The only reason to ask anyone for directions is to hit on them, otherwise use your GPS that you brought with you.
PS English is the universal language spoken globally, if someone does not speak English, they probably are not worth talking to in the first place.
Bill
November 11th, 2011 at 5:22 pmpermalink