Amsterdam | Planning Nirvana

[cityscapes]

I've been meaning to post these for a long time but I haven't had much free time. The new flickr also makes it really time consuming to get the photo URL so if any of you have some tips on how to make a post quickly let me know.

I went to Amsterdam this winter for the first time and absolutely loved it. The transit infrastructure was amazing and the entire area seemed so well connected by very modern trains. Outside the historic city center Amsterdam looked like it a low rise town from a high sea level future. Everything looked so new and the roads and public spaces were so well maintained they almost didn't look real. I would love to visit during the summer and see more of the city and explore more modern developments like Zeeburg and see some Dutch new towns. Everything was so well planned I feel like the entire country is a must see for anyone with an interest in urban planning or mass transit.

Hopefully, I'll have more time in the near future so I can post a few more threads on my recent travels.

Enjoy.

Soundtrack:
• Video Link

THE END

A taste of what's to come:

[ue]

The Dutch certainly know how to build a city properly. Excellent photos!

[downtownpdx]

Amazing city that all the rest should aspire to! I love that "what's to come" photo of the sea cliff with the snow... where is that?

[OhioGuy]

Awesome!

[texcolo]

Are those the cliffs of Dover?

[fflint]

Outstanding set of photos. Amsterdam is truly a jewel.

[STLgasm]

Damn, that's urban sex right there.

[Jawnadelphia]

Jaw dropping. A+, I must get there.

[montréaliste]

Atserdamn nice place right there, boy!

[Danny]

Amsterdam is one of the greatest cities in Europe. I´ve always dreamt about visiting it, I hope to have the opportunity soon.

Thanks for all these nice pictures, cityscapes.

Congrats and greetings from Madrid, Spain.

[marcus]

The world is so lucky to have a city like Amsterdam. So beautiful!

[Troyeth]

There are but a few cities anywhere in the world as beautiful and lovely as A'dam.

[ChrisLA]

When I reflect back to my trips to Europe, I think Amsterdam is probably my favorite city. It is such a beautiful city, and compared to an American city of the same size it feels so much larger and busier. About the only think that I felt didn't measure up compared to the other cities I visited in Europe was the food sucked big time. It was so bad that both me and my Canadian roommate had enough by the 3rd week. We were in Amsterdam for training, and decided to skip the cafeteria at the office and walked over to Mc Donald's for lunch. For dinner we started cooking our own food in our apartment, or ate at this BBQ joint in central Amsterdam who claim to fame was that many American celebrities dined there when in town. Overall I enjoyed by time in this great city and would love to visit again.

[SHiRO]

I really like your photos, especially the ones taken at dusk!

Really nice showcase of all the various types of rail transit too.

And I think this is the first Amsterdam thread I've seen on here which includes pictures of purely residential areas, which is quite refreshing!

You should come back for a follow up visit, but make sure you come in summer. Amsterdam in winter is pretty good, Amsterdam in summer is spectacular.

And as for everything looking well planned and maintained...that's the Netherlands for you! (and I guess Germany and Scandinavia too) For a nice contrast you should visit the Dutch/Belgian border area (where I live) and awe at the mess that is Belgian planning (central Antwerp excluded as you already saw for yourself ...)

[SHiRO]

Originally Posted by downtownpdx

Amazing city that all the rest should aspire to! I love that "what's to come" photo of the sea cliff with the snow... where is that?

Not snow, but chalk...

Probably Dover...

[SHiRO]

Originally Posted by ChrisLA

About the only think that I felt didn't measure up compared to the other cities I visited in Europe was the food sucked big time. It was so bad that both me and my Canadian roommate had enough by the 3rd week. We were in Amsterdam for training, and decided to skip the cafeteria at the office and walked over to Mc Donald's for lunch. For dinner we started cooking our own food in our apartment, or ate at this BBQ joint in central Amsterdam who claim to fame was that many American celebrities dined there when in town.

Amsterdam is a great food city with literally hundreds (thousands?) of options and a lot of competition which keeps overall quality high. For international cuisine I'd say it's second to only London in Europe (maybe Brussels and Paris, but those have great domestic cuisines which makes it harder for international cuisines to catch on).

But you got to know where to look and avoid touristy places (and the office cafeteria really? I hope you don't judge a city's food scene by a random office cafeteria? ) I feel you missed out on a lot by going to McDonalds, there are way better things even for fast food. For food and places to go, more often than not, you need to consult the locals (and the right ones at that).

[cityscapes]

Originally Posted by SHiRO

Not snow, but chalk...

Probably Dover...

Definitely chalk, definitely not Dover.

Originally Posted by SHiRO

Amsterdam is a great food city with literally hundreds (thousands?) of options and a lot of competition which keeps overall quality high. For international cuisine I'd say it's second to only London in Europe (maybe Brussels and Paris, but those have great domestic cuisines which makes it harder for international cuisines to catch on).

But you got to know where to look and avoid touristy places (and the office cafeteria really? I hope you don't judge a city's food scene by a random office cafeteria? ) I feel you missed out on a lot by going to McDonalds, there are way better things even for fast food. For food and places to go, more often than not, you need to consult the locals (and the right ones at that).

While I didn't eat badly in Amsterdam at all, I wouldn't say it was one of the better food cities I've been to. I asked around for recommendations before visiting from several people who are familiar with the city but most of the food did not impress me that much. I would have enjoyed going to a grocery store and getting my own food to cook.

[SHiRO]

Originally Posted by cityscapes

Definitely chalk, definitely not Dover.

Is it in Europe at least?

While I didn't eat badly in Amsterdam at all, I wouldn't say it was one of the better food cities I've been to. I asked around for recommendations before visiting from several people who are familiar with the city but most of the food did not impress me that much. I would have enjoyed going to a grocery store and getting my own food to cook.

Off course there are better food cities. In Europe alone any Mediterranean city of comparable size probably. And only two hours south there's Brussels...

But for international cuisine it probably ranks second in Europe to London for variety and quality. Also high marks for gastronomy (high quality dining), the city counts 12 Michelin starred restaurants, which would place it behind Paris, London, Brussels and Berlin if I'm not mistaken (18 in the metro area which would place it before Berlin). Streetfood could be better, but there are some unique (Dutch) foods (did you try any?) and the basics are covered.

Amsterdam is definately a city with high quality food options in abundance.

What are some of the places you were recommended and/or went to?

[Keith-in-Jax]

nice photo set

[mSeattle]

Great stuff. Inspiration.