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Amsterdam 2121 Responses
Last post: 2 years, 2 months ago | Thread started: Mar 10, 10, 12:30 p.m.
- Infirm
I live in Amsterdam, what you say about 'visiting a place and living there are two totally different beasts' is exactly on the money. Amsterdam is a place to visit not to live. Sure it has its plus sides, but it is not what it was, it is more and more conservative, the music scene/club scene is practically non-existent, squatting is being made illegal, the vibe is long gone.
- Dog-earMar 10, 10, 1:59 p.m. – Permalink
- dconstrukt
i LOVE amsterdam.... one of the coolest citys... but yeah they've gotten lame in the last few years.... getting super strict... wtf.
- Dog-earMar 10, 10, 5:29 p.m. – Permalink
- WeLoveNoise
maybe amsterdam isnt the best place to live but have you thought about utrecht ? only 30 mins away and was really nice a chilled out from what i remember when visiting last year.
also on a side note - Queens Day has a great atmosphere
- Dog-earMar 10, 10, 11:40 p.m. – Permalink
- nolovelost
€1200 for rent, if you are lucky that's inclusive of most bills.
It seems that freelance is pretty good here atm, but hiring full time is tough unless you have a pretty decent experience behind you.
Big agencies are W+K, and 180º(they had massive restructuring but seem to be sorted out now).- Dog-earMar 11, 10, 2:23 a.m. – Permalink
- ahli
you say Amsterdam is getting super-strict and thats true. They are headed towards a more conservative model of reducing sex-shops, and brothels into more concentrated area's.
10 years ago when they were trading in Gilders the place was rough, crack heads would pester you, but it was cheap and had all the drugs/sex/drink you could consume.
I'd say now is the optimal time to visit (although with the Euro its expensive) less cracks heads and undesirables, but still all the vices...go now before they reform it further.
50 euro for 20 mins with a hooker.
- Dog-earMar 11, 10, 2:55 a.m. – Permalink
- neue75_bold
rent is not that high, I was paying 1150 with my gf for a pretty large place in de pijp with a gorgeous view of the park... Economy was [probably still is] shit when I left 4 months ago...
it's a great, inspiring city that everyone should be lucky enough to experience for at least a year... Infirm has many good points about the nightlife and culture, but there's still a lot of opportunity to do your own things, it just takes time to meet the right people and integrate into "the scene"...
I'm happy to have left, but at the same time miss it greatly...
- Dog-earMar 11, 10, 2:56 a.m. – Permalink
- dconstrukt
problem is this.... everything closes SO early!
midnight during the week and its like a ghost town... shit, they should keep the coffeeshops open till like 1-2 am daily...
then the shrooms are now illegal.... the weed tea is illegal now... they got rid of a bunch of the windows in the RLD too....
- Dog-earMar 11, 10, 6:55 a.m. – Permalink
- neandersthal
I agree with neue75_bold. If you can, then go. I lived there for 6 years, and like any city it's got it's ups and downs. It gets small after a while, shit closes early, and the bureaucracy can be infuriating, but those aren't good enough reasons to not go. Everything being accessible by bicycle is dope. Getting on a shitty boat and driving around aimlessly on the canals is one of life's true pleasures. Queensday, Museumnacht and eating dirty bitterballen are also things you'd never experience anywhere else.
If music is your 24/7 thing, then yes, it's not London, but I saw some great acts come through there as well.A downside in my case, was that working in an expat environment could compound the issue of the city feeling small. I hung out and worked with the same people in an arguably small(ish) city. So it naturally felt after a while somewhat repetitive. But not meeting locals outside of work isn't exactly the city's fault. And if it does happen then London is 45 minutes away, or you can on the train to Paris to mix it up a bit.
Also, don't let the whole 'Amsterdam is changing because the Red-Light is closing' thing sway you. Yes, shit is closing down (for reasons not only linked to a more conservative government) but when you live in the Dam the only time you go to RL is when friends from overseas come visit so you take them there.
When you live there you're favorite bar in Amsterdam is not going to be one in Redlight populated by a bunch of tourists that have just fingerbanged the same girl.
- Dog-earMar 15, 10, 7:28 a.m. – Permalink
- nephronim
yeah ive been here in amsterdam for a year and a half and its a transient city alright alot of people stay for small periods here, but thats the climate of the city. During the summer this is a great city to live in and its so easy to cycle around and just relax. The thing about this city, its all about who you know, getting an apartment or work its all about people here. But the general cost of living isnt bad at all. I have to say there is a strong visual aesthetic in the city and a support structure that you get into, it just takes time. Plus learn Dutch, you dont have to, unless you want design jobs, you will need it.
- Dog-earMar 15, 10, 1:35 p.m. – Permalink
