[caption id="attachment_4385" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Coffeeshops The Doors and The Bulldog, at Singel canal near Amsterdam Central Station[/caption]

Upon their return home from Amsterdam many tourists recount colorful stories of how they 'accidentally' visited a coffeeshop (just like they 'innocently stumbled into' the infamous Red Light District).

If you don't want to make the same mistake - or conversely, if you do - pay attention:

• Coffeeshop (or koffieshop)
  A place where you can legally buy soft drugs (marijuana or hashish), space cakes, coffee, tea, and sometimes freshly-squeezed juices and sandwiches. In the past some coffeeshops also served alcohol.
  All coffeeshops display a white and green sign at the entrance, usually along with their license and notices declaring that no one under the age of 18 is allowed to enter.
• Koffie Huis ('Coffee House')
  Same as above, minus the soft drugs.

[caption id="attachment_4389" align="alignright" width="1000"] Most cafes serve excellent coffee[/caption]

If it's coffee you're after, you've got plenty of choice. Amsterdam has countless specialty koffiehuizen. [Mind you, we're clearly not referring to Starbucks.]

Most cafes also serve a good cup of coffee.

Good coffee can also be had at most so-called coffeeshops (usually written as one word), but the emphasis in these establishments is on cannabis-related products -- wich you can legally purchase and use on the spot.

After all, this is Amsterdam, Holland - a place where pragmatism rules. Like so:

• You can legally buy and use soft drugs at coffeeshops. (Note: you can have so-called 'personal amounts' of up to 5 gram on you without getting in trouble with the law).
• The coffeeshops are licensed to sell you the goods.
• Technically, it is not legal for people to supply the coffeeshops with soft drugs, nor is it legal for coffeeshops to purchase the stuff. [Yes, this convoluted approach was thought up by politicians. No, we don't know what they're smoking]
• However, the authorities tolerate this system because it works...

By the way, A 2007 report by Amsterdam’s Department for Research and Statistics showed that 26% of tourists who stayed in Amsterdam for at least one night visited a coffeeshop. Ten percent said this was a primary reason to visit the city.

[caption id="attachment_4386" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Coffeeshop Dutch Flowers, at Singel canal, Amsterdam[/caption]

Visit a Coffeeshop

Visiting a coffeeshop is legal, safe and fun -- whether or not you smoke what's on offer.

The Cultural Ganja Walking Tour of Selected Coffee Shops is a great experience. The knowledgeable, local guide will show you where to get the best ganja, what kind of weed to buy, how to roll a joint, and how the whole coffeeshop phenomenon fits into Dutch culture.

The Drug Policy Alliance writes:

A key aspect of Dutch drug policy is the notion of market separation. By classifying drugs according to the risks posed and then pursuing policies that serve to isolate each market, it is felt that users of soft drugs are less likely to come into contact with users of hard drugs.

Thus, the theory goes, users of soft drugs are less likely to try hard drugs. Possession of small amounts of cannabis for personal use has been decriminalized in the Netherlands.

The sale of cannabis is technically an offence under the Opium Act, but prosecutorial guidelines provide that proceedings will only be instituted in certain situations.

• Tourists remain welcome in Amsterdam's coffeeshops
• Why the City is phasing out some coffeeshops

An operator or owner of a coffee shop (which is not permitted to sell alcohol) will avoid prosecution if he/she meets the following criteria:

• no more than 5 grams per person may be sold in any one transaction;
• no hard drugs may be sold;
• drugs may not be advertised;
• the coffee shop must not cause any nuisance;
• no drugs can be sold to minors (under age 18), nor may minors enter the premises; and
• the municipality has not ordered the establishment closed.

Separating the markets by allowing people to purchase soft drugs in a setting where they are not exposed to the criminal subculture surrounding hard drugs is intended to create a social barrier that prevents people experimenting with drugs like heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine, drugs deemed an "unacceptable risk."

Decriminalization of the possession of soft drugs for personal use and the toleration of sales in controlled circumstances has not resulted in a worryingly high level of consumption among young people. The extent and nature of the use of soft drugs does not differ from the pattern in other Western countries.

As for hard drugs, the number of addicts in the Netherlands is low compared with the rest of Europe and considerably lower than that in France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain and Switzerland. Dutch rates of drug use are lower than U.S. rates in every category.
- Source: Drug Policy Around The World: The Netherlands, Drug Policy Alliance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNiS2_32f-s

Do Not Buy From Street Dealers

Despite the easy availability of soft drugs in licensed coffeeshops, tourists are targeted by 'street dealers.'

At best, those who buy 'weed' from them may discover they've paid for a mixture of chives and parsley with some cannabis scent added.

Worst, these criminals seldom, if ever, sell real drugs. They pills and powders they offer may contains washing powder, ground up aspirin or birth control pills, or seriously dangerous substances.

Those who fall for this tourist trap endanger themselves in other ways as well. Deals tend to take place in dark corners or alleys, where you can easily be robbed.

The best approach: Don't make eye contact with street dealers. Don't talk back. Simply ignore them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tluhJmLcEYM

Guided Amsterdam Coffeeshops Tour
One of the most popular coffeeshops is De Tweede Kamer.
Recommended: Amsterdam Coffeeshop Directory (off-site)
More articles about coffeeshops

Amsterdam Tourist Information

King's Day -- Formerly Known As Queen's Day

King's Day -- Formerly Queen's Day[ref]Last celebrated in 2013, Queen's Day took place on April 30th -- in celebration of the birthday of then Queen Beatrix. The name change is due to the fact that in 2013 Queen Beatrix abdicated in favor of her son.

The investiture of Willem-Alexander took place in Amsterdam on Queen's Day, April 30, 2013. This made him the Netherland's first king since 1890.

King's Day (not Kingsday) is pretty much like Queen's Day used to be. (Though you'd be surprised how many Dutch people still say Koninginnedag instead of Koningsdag).

But the date has moved from April 30th to April 27th, Willem-Alexander's birthday.[/ref] -- is the annual Dutch national holiday in honor of King Willem-Alexander.

Take it from us: If you like parties, make sure your visit to Amsterdam coincides with April 27, 2016.

[caption id="attachment_4527" align="aligncenter" width="900"] King's Day Crowd on Brouwersgracht[/caption]

On King's Day there are celebrations throughout the Netherlands. However, the most popular destination is Amsterdam where an average of 700.000 visitors join the 822.000+ locals in the world's largest street party.[ref]Sure, some South American countries have week-long carnival celebrations, but King's Day ain't carnival, my friend.[/ref]

In recent years Amsterdam authorities have actually taken some measures, with success, to try and stem the flow of visitors as the city simply became too full.

For instance: large-scale, DJ and artist-driven events have been moved to the outskirts of the city, where they can be reached via nearby train stations. Plus, you need tickets to get in. All of the events have long ago sold out.

This means there will be fewer 'herds' of people thronging and pushing their way through the city on their way to various events, held at squares and other public locations already filled to capacity.

Public Transport during King's Day

Note that there will be no public transport in the center of Amsterdam during this day.

The ferries between Amsterdam Noord and the rest of the city will continue to operate throughout the day.
[caption id="attachment_4614" align="alignleft" width="258"] Where to catch a taxi on King's Day[/caption]
Buses and trams will continue to operate as well, but most lines that normally pass through the center of town are rerouted during the day.

Taxis are not allowed to enter the center of Amsterdam either.

If you need to travel to and from your hotel on this day, you're in for an interesting commute -- on foot. (Never, ever let go of your luggage, by the way).

See the map below for details.

By the way: no cars will allowed in the center of town after 7:30 am.

Plan on coming by train? Find travel details here.

Large-Scale Music and Dance Events, Street Market, Public

This map shows the location of large music events in and around the city.

It also shows where you can expect to find the popular street markets (including food, artists, music, games, and lots more).

Tickets for these festival went on sale on February 26. They tend to sell out well ahead of time.

Koningsnacht -- The Night Before King's Day

King's Day festivities start around midnight and last throughout the night (though official rules state that pubs must close for an hour or so before sunrise).

Simply walk around in downtown Amsterdam (the Jordaan and Nieuwmarkt areas being among the most popular spots) and you'll find plenty of partying going on.

That said, our advice is that you pace yourself. You'll want to be more or less sober for the main feast.

King's Day Proper

6:00 AM marks the start of the 'free market' - a street market where half the population sells their bric-a-brac, used clothes, and crafts for next to nothing. Where? Everywhere people live. What? Well, you'll find anything from broken toys, last year's King's Day purchases, and second-hand clothes to fantastic bargains on musical instruments, electronics, software from a bygone era and everything else under the sun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4ElxathDrI

Throughout the city, professional street performers vie for attention. There are pick-up bands, aspiring opera singers, teenage rappers and street discos. Rio-style drum bands have been very popular the past few years.

In the past, huge concerts were organized at various locations in the city, such as Dam square, Rembrandtplein and Museumplein.

But because those free concerts drew too many people to Amsterdam -- overwhelming the city, the trains, and the police -- nowadays they are a) all located on the outskirts of the city, and b) no longer free.

Why are all these people wearing something orange?

The throngs lining the streets and canals wear orange, the national color (after all, the Queen hails from the House of Orange). Take 'throngs' literally - particularly in the city's center where you'll be shoulder to shoulder with other revelers.

By way of indication: you can normally saunter from Central Station to Dam Square in about 7 minutes. On Queen's Day the same distance can take you as much as an hour.

[caption id="attachment_4077" align="aligncenter" width="900"] The King's Day Vrijmarkt ('Free Market') turns Amsterdam into one giant street market/yard sale.[/caption]

Again: for most of the day, there is no public transport in the center of town. Taxis and private cars will not be able to travel through the center either.

King's Day on the Canals

If the weather is good (which isn't always the case) the canals offer little relief as thousands of boats filled with party goers clog the city's waterways.

[caption id="attachment_4076" align="aligncenter" width="900"] On King's Day thousands of people take to the canals[/caption]

In recent years the City of Amsterdam has introduced more and more rules and regulations covering use of the water during King's Day. Huge barges (and any boat longer than 10 meter), and amplified music are banned, as is carrying more than 1 can or bottle of beer per passenger.

Most canals have one-way traffic only.

The beer flows freely, though mostly in the form of reduced-alcohol 'event beer,' which is served in plastic containers that come with a deposit fee.

Book your hotel early

How to survive King's Day

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wdjwp-rB7E

Amsterdam Tourist Information

Good news: In Holland, May often is the sunniest month of the year, with on average up to 15 hours of sunshine a day.

[caption id="attachment_4089" align="alignleft" width="606"] Oudeschans canal with the Montelbaanstoren[/caption]
However, May also tends to have as many cold days as it has warm days.

At night there can even be some frost, particularly in the first half of the month -- though if and when that happens it is usually in the countryside far east of Amsterdam.

That said, the feast days of the so-called Ice Saints -- May 11 through May 13 -- are notorious for it.

Mind you, as so often is the case, the weather forecast for the rest of the country may call for sun, while much of the West (Amsterdam included) can be covered with clouds drifting in from the Northsea.

The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI)[ref]Dutch: Koninklijk Nederlands Meteorologisch Instituut[/ref] notes that in recent years the months of April and May have been rather mild, sunny and dry.

But May, 2013 was quite cold, somber and wet. Even the sunny days were cold.

May, 2014 was a dream -- beautiful spring weather.

Amsterdam Weather Facts: May

Temperatures
• Average lows: 7.2° C (45° F)
• Average highs: 18° C (64.4° F)

Sunrise & Sunset
• May 1 - 6:11 a.m. / 9:06 p.m
• May 31 - 5:26 a.m. / 9:51 p.m.

Rainfall
• Average: 52 mm (2.4 inches) in 44 hours

What to wear in Amsterdam in May

You'll need to take into account the updated weather situation as described above, but normally this is what you'd bring:

Bring short-sleeved T-shirts or tops, and summer-type skirts and dresses -- but also something slightly warmer for chilly evenings and sunny but chilly days. Jeans, light-weight slacks, or shorts for guys.

Early mornings may look sunny but can still be cold enough to warrant sweats or a light jacket -- especially when it's windy.

After sundown temperatures cool off rapidly.

You probably won't need an umbrella. If you do want to carry one, a small fold-up model will suffice. But showers usually are brief enough to wait them out over something to eat of drink at a brown café, a coffeehouse/coffeeshop. or a deli.

Tips

• Sunny days are perfect for postcard-quality photos -- especially now that everything is green. You can take beautiful pictures along the canals (particularly from bridges).
• Grey and rainy days make for great dramatic pictures, particularly if you shoot in black & white (or later convert your color photos to B&W).
• When the weather is good, do like the Amsterdammers do, and relax at an outdoor café. It's perfect for people-watching.
• If it's rainy, plan on visiting some of Amsterdam's 50+ museums
• A bad weather day is also perfect for a visit to the cinema[ref]In the Netherlands, most movies on TV and in the cinema are shown in the original language, with Dutch subtitles.[/ref]. We can recommend a visit to the unique EYE Film Institute.

Amsterdam Climate

General information about the weather in Amsterdam
Local weather in other months

Amsterdam Tourist Information

DutchAmsterdam.nl -- April in Amsterdam brings good news and bad news when it comes to the weather.

The good news: this is normally the driest month of the year. It does rain, but the spring showers are usually short-lived and not too wet.

[caption id="attachment_2268" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Canalside terrace, Singel, Amsterdam[/caption]

The bad news: April is a month with sharp contrasts.

April doet wat hij wil, the Dutch say. It means that 'April does whatever it wishes to do,' which can include anything from abundant sunshine and almost summertime temperatures to, well, snow on the ground.

Erratic weather, from day to day and sometimes hour to hour.

Queen's Day King's Day Weather

But what everyone wants to know this time of year is: What will the weather be like on King's Day (formerly: Queen's Day)?

We're talking about the world's biggest street party -- when millions of Dutch people (wearing something orange, of course) take to the streets and canals to celebrate the King's birthday.

[caption id="attachment_3658" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Queen's Day 2013. Nowadays it's King's Day.[/caption]

King's Day will take place on April 27, the King's birthday.

We've often had good weather. But at times there have been grey skies as well -- which tends to make for a somewhat less abundant party atmosphere. ('Somewhat less' is relevant. You haven't seen a party this big anywhere else).

See Holland's Tulip & Flower Fields and Gardens

If you like tulips and other flowers, April is an ideal month in which to visit Amsterdam.

Excursions to the nearby tulip and bulb fields, as well as the world-renowned Keukenhof (known as the Garden of Europe, one of the world's largest flower gardens) are popular with tourists and locals alike.

And you can't miss a visit to the the Aalsmeer Flower Exchange -- the world's largest flower auction.

[caption id="attachment_4475" align="aligncenter" width="800"] See Holland's world famous tulip and flower fields [Click for details][/caption]

Sunshine!

Note that on average in April the sun shines on Amsterdam 177 hours.

That works out to 43 per cent of the time that it could possible shine -- a marked improvement over the 33 per cent we normally get in March.

Amsterdam Weather Facts: April

Temperatures
• Average lows: 3.3° C (38° F)
• Average highs: 12.8° C (55° F)

Sunrise & Sunset
• April 1 - 7:16 a.m. / 8:13 p.m
• April 30 - 6:13 a.m. / 9:02 p.m.

Rainfall
• Average: 47 mm (1.8 inches) in 72 hours

What to wear in Amsterdam in April

[caption id="attachment_3659" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Two men take advantage of the sun to get some work done at the intersection of two car-free streets in the center of Amsterdam[/caption]

You'll want to come prepared for bright, sunny weather and warm spring-time temperatures. Or bright, sunny weather and low temperatures. Or the type of storms that make you think it's fall.

In other words, try and determine what kind of weather the day brings and dress accordingly. Dress in layers so you can add or subtract something if and when the weather changes.

A light jacket is a good idea.

You can pick up inexpensive umbrellas just about anywhere, but if you do encounter a spot of rain simply make a beeline into the nearest café -- just like the Dutch do.

Tips

• On warm, sunny days Amsterdammers come out in droves in order to shop, relax in a park, or people watch at outdoor cafés. It's a good idea to join them. You'll hear Dutch people say something like, "Zullen we een terrasje pakken?" which means "Shall we sit on a terrace?" (literally, 'shall we take a terrace'). By all means, do the same. Here's how to order a beer in Amsterdam.
• Take advantage of the lengthening days -- courtesy of nature and helped a bit by the 'Summer Time' (Daylight Saving Time) that started the last Sunday of March. At the beginning of April sunset is around 8pm, and by the end of the month it stays light out till about 9pm.

See also
General information about the weather in Amsterdam, including month-by-month details

Amsterdam Tourist Information

Noisy party boats and illegal tour operators cruising the canals of Amsterdam will soon be a thing of past when the city puts into effect a tightened set of regulations governing its waterways.

Houseboat owners, as well as others who live along the canals, have also long complained about noisy sound installations and rowdy boat passengers.

Amsterdam Tourist Information

DutchAmsterdam.nl -- Here's a trivia question you can use to stump your friends: On a yearly basis, how many bicycles and cars end up in the canals of Amsterdam?

It is a well-known fact that Amsterdam is the most bicycle-friendly city in the world.

[caption id="attachment_2294" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Creative bicycle parking along -- and above -- Brouwersgracht[/caption]

One third of working Amsterdammers commutes to and from work on a bicycle. Many more use their bikes for other reasons as well: for leisure, trips to the supermarket, bringing the kids to school, or even walking the dog.

The city's marketing website, I Amsterdam, says "Perhaps unsurprisingly, the latest estimations conclude that there are more bikes in Amsterdam than permanent residents."

Sure enough, Amsterdam has 780,559 inhabitants, who together have an estimated 881,000 bikes.

[caption id="attachment_4142" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Properly locking your bike to a steady object does not always prevent morons from messing with it, but at least this bike stayed dry[/caption]

Amsterdam's Statistics Bureau, Dienst Onderzoek + Statistiek, O+S, says the method used to arrive at the number of bikes in the city is known as 'Wisdom of the Crowd.'

The idea is that when there is no simple way to arrive at the right number, the average derived from the guesses of a selection of experts will provide 'the truth' -- and that's how O+S came up with 881,000 bicycles.

Now, keep that number in mind...

Bike Fishing

Next thing you need to know is that Amsterdam has 165 canals, with a combined length of 100 kilometers (60 miles) -- providing plenty of opportunities for a bike or two to get wet. In fact, here's a video of a Good Samaritan who salvaged a bike that was blown into the water by the wind.

And here's a look at how the professionals of Waternet -- Amsterdam's Water Authority -- approach the job:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFAIzp9MCkg

Does the number of bikes on that barge give you a clue? Perhaps it does if you know that this pile of bikes is the result of about 3 hours of dredging in Prinsengracht.

Theft or Vandalism

In a story filed by the Associated Press last year, Arie Beer, Superintendent at Waternet, says "Bicycle fishing is a peculiar story. Every year we fish up between 12,000 and 15,000 bicycles.

Yeah, where do they come from? Well -- the owners won't throw them into the water so quickly, so we assume that either theft or vandalism is the reason for the bicycles to end up in the water."

[caption id="attachment_4140" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Bicycle fishing: one of Amsterdam's tourist attractions[/caption]

While some of the bikes dredged up still look serviceable, all bikes retrieved from the canals of Amsterdam end up as scrap metal.

Workers on the boat shown in the video above say they occasionally also bring up other items, such as fridges and even a safe, but that bikes are their main catch.

Boat Wrecks

An information officer at Waternet said the crew normally gets a list of boat wrecks that need to be removed from the water.

[caption id="attachment_4143" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Sunken sloop at Oudezijds Voorburgwal. If they owner can be traced, he'll be sent an invoice for removal services[/caption]

For one reason or another each year an average of 500 vessels -- small sloops and cabin boats, for the most part -- sink or are otherwise wrecked.

Some people simply abandon their boats when they move away or don't want to keep paying mooring fees.

Some of the boats are stolen, used for the water version of joyriding, and then dumped.

Others are scuttled by vandals.

Once the list of boat wrecks is cleared, the Waternet team starts dredging for bicycles.

Cars in the canals

[caption id="attachment_4134" align="aligncenter" width="800"] A microcar tossed into a boat doesn't quite count...[/caption]

Some canal tour companies play a tape on board in which a lady explains, in four languages, that the short rails seen along many of the canals are there to prevent cars from driving into the water. The guide claims that nevertheless on average one car a week falls in.

That information (along with some other claims made on those tapes) tends to puzzle Amsterdammers who accompany their tourist friends for at canal tour.

One car a week -- 52 cars a year -- sounds like a lot.

Indeed that number in on the high side.

In Amsterdam whenever a car falls into a canal a special diving team of the Fire Brigade springs into action.

Amsterdam is the only city in the Netherlands that has four professional divers on call 24 hours a day. On special occasions, such as during the Gay Pride Parade, SAIL, Queen's Day and the annual arrival of St. Nicholas, there are four extra divers.

According to the diving team, on average 100 people and 35 cars a year fall into the canal.

In most cases cars end up in a canal as the result of an accident, but sometimes vandalism comes into play. That was the case in, for instance, April 2012, when a Fiat 500 was pushed into the Leidsegracht.

At 5:00 am Locals heard a loud splash a some reported that they saw 3 laughing boys run away.

In 2009 Amsterdam police was concerned about 'a new craze' in which vandals toss parked cars from the Smart brand into the city’s canals.

People

Many Amsterdam houseboats are connected to the sewer system; many not yet.

Amsterdam Tourist Information

DutchAmsterdam.nl -- The ambition of Waternet, Amsterdam's water authority, is to someday have the water in the canals of Amsterdam clean enough for people to swim in.

But what if they go one step further -- and make it clean enough to drink?

Well, that's already been done:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Umg9P-N0Ek

Here's what the video says:

The Netherlands has the best drinking water in the world. And it simply comes from the faucet.

We find that quite normal but it is actually very special.

But how do you relate that?

By showing where the water comes from? Where the water catchments are?

How the water filters into the ground? And how the water companies purify that water day after day?

No. We do it by showing that in the Netherlands we can purify any water.

Even the water from the canals of Amsterdam.

During the International Water Week water from the canals of Amsterdam was purified on the spot -- using a mini water purification machine.

And we called it, the "Canal Water Bar."

Drink water from the canals? That made people pay attention.

And hopefully they now also think: for the best drinking water you don't have to go to the supermarket, because the best source is your own faucet.

Earlier this month the Canal Water Bar advertisement was nominated for an 'ADCN Lamp' -- the coveted Award for Advertising and Design as provided by the Art Directors Club Nederland.

The ad was created by Amsterdam-based advertising agency Dawn. It was commissioned by Waternet: Amsterdam's water authority, Vewin: the association of drinking water companies in the Netherlands, and PWN: Water Supply Company Noord-Holland.

The award ceremony will be held on April 26, 2012.

The actual event shown in the video took place on October 30 last year, during the International Water Week, Amsterdam.

[caption id="attachment_2298" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Oudezijds Voorburgwal, Amsterdam[/caption]

The purification plant was set up at Koningsplein, on the bridge across Singel canal.

Incidentally, we feel compelled to share a salient detail: in 2009 Project ‘Schoonschip’ (Clean Ship) was started: an effort to connect all of Amsterdam’s 3.000 houseboats to the sewer system. Target date for completion of the project is 2018.

See Also:

Water in Amsterdam’s canals quite salty
How many bicycles and cars end up in Amsterdam’s canals?

Amsterdam Tourist Information

Tour Boats exceed speed limits

A boat tour through the canals of Amsterdam is among the most popular tourist attractions in the Netherlands.

[caption id="attachment_2419" align="alignnone" width="300"] Amsterdam canal tour boat[/caption]

But if it seems your canal trip was quite a bit shorter than you anticipated, you may be right. According to local newspaper Het Parool the canal tour boats consistently exceed the maximum speed of 7.5 kilometers per hour by fifty percent -- especially in the straight parts of the canals.

The paper took a sampling earlier this month using the website MarineTraffic.com, which lists the position and speed of boats all over the world in near-real time. You can check it for yourself. Got to MarineTraffic.com. At the top left, where it says "Go to Area" fill in Amsterdam, and then zoom in. Speeds are noted in knots (nautical miles per hour), and this conversion chart shows the speed in miles and kilometers.

According to the paper Waternet, Amsterdam's water authority, checks for speed violations less than a hundred times a year. Maximum speed in the canals is 7.5 km/hour, and 30 km/hour on the city's waterfront, the IJ.

When we checked the site, all but one of the tour boats stuck to the speed limit.

Marine Traffic derives its information from the GPS-enabled AIS (Automatic Identification System) transponders on board of ships. The website's data is considered to be reliable.

At the moment a limited number of canal tour boats are equipped with an AIS, but its looks like the transponder will be required by the beginning of 2014.

Office Conversions Lead To Surplus Of Hotels

Boat owners pay twice as much next year

In the face of austerity programs and budget cuts the City of Amsterdam is looking for money wherever it can.

[caption id="attachment_2420" align="alignnone" width="300"] Owners of pleasure craft, from sloops to yachts (wooden shoes included) will have to pay more inland harbor fees in Amsterdam next year.[/caption]

One target: owners of pleasure crafts. Next year the rates for the inland harbor dues (binnenhavengeld) will be increased by 99.45 percent.

Currently boat owners pay € 29,35/meter -- while owners of electric boats are charged just € 9,85/meter.

The increase in fees is not motivated solely by financial considerations.

Alderman Carolien Gehrels, whose responsibilities include oversight of the city's waterways management, says that over the past ten years the number of pleasure boats in Amsterdam has grown from 3.000 to 15.000.

A recently published 'Water Vision' for Amsterdam proposes that the city should make better use of its water ways for the transport of people and goods.

The report also calls for easier access to the water -- which among other things could mean that at several places in the city parking spacea and houseboats will have to make way for boulevards, terraces and decks.

Surveillance cameras to combat urban decay

The city is planning to employ mobile surveillance cameras in order to combat degradation, neglect and urban decay, as well as to register criminal acts.

Besides existing, permanant cameras that contribute to the security and public order, the 'extra eyes' are needed to insure and promote the livability of the city.

Mayor Eberhard van der Laan told the city council he envisions the cameras will be used to address serious and persistent problems, such as those involving loiters and troubled youth.

In addition people who consistently place their garbage at street collection points earlier than allowed will be caught out.

Amsterdam Tourist Information

DutchAmsterdam.com, Nov. 17, 2012 -- The other day I noticed -- not the first time -- how quiet Amsterdam is in the morning.

For a world-class metropolis, albeit it one is pocket format, this city sure seems to wake up rather slowly.

After a visit to my hairdresser, at 10:00 am, I decided to talk a leisurely walk through the center of town.

This video shows the result. Note that it was filmed between about 10:40 am and about 12:00 noon -- not exactly early in the morning.

Alright, at 6° Celcius (42.8° Fahrenheit) it was somewhat chilly. Not the type of weather Amsterdam's official Tourist Board tends to film in.

Still, I thought it was exceedingly quiet in the streets and along the canals.

I've included the names of the streets and canals so you can easily visit these spots yourself.

Along the way I drank a wonderful cortado at the Coffee Company in the Leidsestraat. As always, good coffee at a reasonable price -- a far cry from that of Starbucks (a company whose locations I'd like to tar and feather out of the city).

[caption id="attachment_2424" align="alignnone" width="300"] Not all November days are dreary. This photo was taken on a sunny day in November 2011.[/caption]

At the end of my walk I at a sandwich at Prins Heerlijk, across from Central Station.

It always surprises me how few Amsterdammers know about this place. Then again, it's nearly always busy, so perhaps that's a good thing.

Incidentally, not all days in November are drab and dreary, but the weather does often remind you that winter is on it's way.

Amsterdam Tourist Information

DutchAmsterdam.nl -- It's freezing in the Netherlands, and the weather folks say it will continue to freeze for a while.

[caption id="attachment_3294" align="alignnone" width="300"] Ice skating on Prinsengracht canal in Amsterdam, February 2012[/caption]

Therefore the city of Amsterdam has banned boats from using a number of canals in the hope that they will freeze over, turning the historic water ways into a giant ice skating rink.

In a ritual repeated once or twice every winter when an extended period of below-freezing temperatures is forecast, Waternet has issued the ban for sections of a number of canals.

Waternet is the municipal organization responsible for drinking water, waste water, surface water and safety behind the dykes.

Until further notice, it is forbidden for boats to use the following canals:

• Brouwersgracht from Lijnbaansgracht up to and including Keizersgracht
• Prinsengracht from Brouwersgracht up to Leidsegracht
• Keizersgracht from Brouwersgracht up to Leidsegracht
• Leliegracht from Prinsengracht up to and including Keizersgracht
• Lijnbaansgracht from Brouwersgracht up to and including Passeerdersgracht
• Passeerdersgracht from Lijnbaansgracht up to and including Prinsengracht
• Looiersgracht from Lijnbaansgracht up to and including Prinsengracht
• Lauriergracht from Lijnbaansgracht up to and including Prinsengracht
• Bloemgracht from Lijnbaansgracht up to and including Prinsengracht
• Egelantiersgracht from Lijnbaansgracht up to and including Prinsengracht
• Korte Prinsengracht

The 'Executive Board of Amsterdam Ice Protocol' allows for a boating ban when ice begins to form and nighttime frost is predicted.

For many years the frost did not last, but in February 2012 the canals did freeze over. Thousands of Amsterdammers and tourists alike took to the ice.

The video below is titled 'Ice Amsterdam' -- a playful reference to Amsterdam's marketing slogan, I Amsterdam

Mind you, Waternet reminds people that the current boating ban does not mean it is safe to venture onto the ice just yet.

Keep an eye on the weather in Amsterdam

Amsterdam Tourist Information

Tourists and locals alike have made a boat tour of Amsterdam's canals a sightseeing must -- one that frequently tops the list of most popular tourist attractions in the Netherlands.

The sights certainly are worth it: tree-lined canals; buildings dating as far back as the 17th century; monumental bridges; benches and canal-side terraces filled with flirtatious girls, gorgeous women and handsome young office workers on their lunch break...

However, until recently that idyllic boat ride through Amsterdam's picturesque canals sounded a bit less romantic once people knew that many of the city's 3.050+ houseboats were not yet connected to the sewer system.

That means waste water -- from the sink, the shower, the dishwasher and, yes, the toilet -- was unceremoniously dumped into the canals.

But the city has been working hard to change that.

Project Clean Ship

In 2005 a law was adopted that made it illegal to dump untreated waste water. But houseboats were -- for the time being -- exempted.

This was due to the fact that each and every houseboat would need a different ship-to-sewer connection, involving mandatory custom adjustments made to the private vessels.

Two years later the City of Amsterdam said it would provide those ship-to-sewer connections. A study was commissioned as to how to go about doing so.

As a results, various federal and local public waterworks departments set up project Schoonschip -- Clean Ship -- with the intention to see every houseboat connected to the sewage system by June 2017.

A pilot project involving 145 vessels was successfully completed in December 2008.

Since that time, 2.000 boats have been connected to the sewer system. A further 700 boats are currently going through the complicated, time-consuming process.

The process

Technicians of Project Schoonschip visit each houseboat to determine the best approach, which among other things involves determining where in the boat the pump should be installed.

They then issue an advisory, as well as calendar of dates by which each step of the mandatory project must be completed.

That is not as easy as it sounds, because installation of the pumps -- and switching over to the new system -- must be coordinated with work on the wall.

As part of the project, sewer and quaysides are adapted and repaired as needed.[ref]This explains why, throughout Amsterdam, you see entire stretches of canals that have been renovated -- with most of the old trees replaced with young ones.[/ref]

Since the boat owners are themselves responsible for their part of the connection, they are provided with a €1250 subsidy each -- to be paid upon successful completion of the ship-to-sewer connection.

Cleaner water in the canals

Combined with other approaches Project Schoonship has already led to measurable results. Over the years, the quality of the water in Amsterdam's canals has gradually improved.

As a result the ecosystem has benefit greatly. Many types of fish have returned -- anything from crayfish to pike and Sander (pike-perch), and from carp to eel.

Zebra mussels filter the water, while cladocera (water fleas) eat the algae, and are in turn eaten by the fish.

In some of the canals floating platforms sporting a variety of shore- and water plants have been installed, offering shelter to coots, ducks and swans.

Fish lay their eggs between the roots, and the young fish are a source of food for the grebes and herons.

Theoretically you can even drink the canal water -- under certain conditions, of course.

Unfiltered the canal water is actually quite salty.

But while the canals are not going to be a source of drinking water, the ambition of Waternet, Amsterdam’s water authority, is to eventually have the water be clean enough for people to swim in.

Matter of fact, while officially the Amsterdam canals are not designated as swimming water, there is now a yearly Amsterdam City Swim event -- organized as a fund raiser for research into underexposed diseases -- such as Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS), this year's cause.

On September 8, 2.000 swimmers swam the 2 kilometer (1.24 mile) course, and the event collected a total of € 1.716.988,- for research into ALS.

The third edition will take place October 7, 2014. Registration will open some time in April. Subscribe to our newsletter if you want to stay informed.

For reasons that should be self-evident, swimmers are advised to get a tetanus shot, and to make sure they don't ingest the water.

But the fact that the event can take place at all is a testimony to the city's efforts to improve the quality of the water in its iconic canals which, by the way, are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Now if we could only get people to stop dumping their bicycles --- or, more likely, those belonging to others -- in the canals...

Author

This article was written by Anton Hein, shown here with his wife, Janet.

Anton was born on a houseboat in the center of Amsterdam -- right across from the iconic Westertoren and the Anne Frank House.

Back then cloth diapers were still washed by hand or machine (in his case in the home of a helpful neighbor 'on the wall').

Amsterdam Tourist Information

Amsterdam police was deeply concerned, back in July 2009, about a craze in which vandals tossed parked cars from the Smart brand into the city's canals.

The so-called 'Smart tossing' took place mainly during the weekend, when many youths are out for a night on the town.

According to local newspaper De Telegraaf police has not wanted to publicize this form of vandalism for fear of copy-cat incidents. However, police officers were said to be paying extra attention to Amsterdam's canals, especially during the weekends.

The Smart cars are small enough to be parked with head or tail pointing to the water.

[caption id="attachment_3710" align="aligncenter" width="606"] A Smart car parked along the Leidsegracht in Amsterdam[/caption]

One man who parked his car that way said police woke him up with the message that his car had been pushed into the canal.

"Several weeks ago the same thing happened to my companion's Smart," Casper de Jong said. "In both cases the Smart was declared a total-loss."

Alongside most canals a low guard rail helps prevent cars from taking a dip, but this type of car is small enough to be lifted and tossed.

It is not clear how many of the cars have been vandalized this way, but an employee of a local dealer confirmed the company has recently been confronted with it "a number of times."

Car Tipping - Urban Version of Cow Tipping

Vandals have also targeted other small vehicles, including so-called scoot mobiles and tiny cars from the Canta brand -- both used primarily by people who are disabled and have limited mobility.

Not all these vehicles end up in a canal. In an urban version of cow tipping, yobs apparently derive fun from tipping over these types of vehicles.

In recent years we haven't heard much about this particular form of insanity, but in June 2015 a microcar was found upside-down in a boat moored along Geldersekade.

No official word on what happened.

Bicycle Tossing

Bikes aren't safe from vandals either.

In a city with more bicycles than citizens, parking your bike can be a problem.

Not just because we're running out of space, but also because you may find your bike re-parked like this:

That's only slightly better than discovering your bicycle has been stolen.

Amsterdam Tourist Information

A few years ago, it was reported that between 2009 and 2011, 51 people drowned in the canals of Amsterdam.[ref]This article was first published January 9, 2012. It is updated on a regular basis.[/ref]

Local daily De Telegraaf noted that only one of those casualties occurred as the result of a crime.

The other 50 drownings were ruled accidents. The vast majority of them involved men, and according to the newspaper ostensibly 'most of them were drunk' when they fell in while relieving themselves.

Once someone has fallen into the water it is difficult to get out -- even if the unlucky person is not inebriated.

Most quays are quite high, and there are not many ladders or jetties. In addition, many canals are free of house boats, sloops and dinghies that someone would be able to hold or climb onto.

In the past there used to be life saving equipment -- such as swimming hooks, lifelines and lifebuoys -- attached to bridges, but vandalism and theft made an end to that.

Members of the Socialist Party, SP, have been calling for the installation of lifelines and ladders along the canals.

Statistics: Drowning deaths in Amsterdam

[caption id="attachment_4477" align="aligncenter" width="903"] ‘Assassin,’ Amsterdam newspaper Het Parool headlines (February 6, 2016) [ref]Maarten van Dun, Waarom waarschuwt niemand? (Why does no one warn?), Het Parool, February 6, 2016[/ref][/caption]

"Why do we not warn tourists of the dangers of the canal?" Amsterdam daily Het Parool asks, in an article headlined 'Sluipmoordenaar' - Assassin.

But how many people -- both locals and tourists -- actually drown in Amsterdam's canals?

In 2015 Tobias van Dijk, a researcher with the Public Health Service of Amsterdam (GGD), studied drowning incidents in the city.

He reports that each year more than 30 people drown in Amsterdam's open water (including canals, lakes, rivers, ditches, swimming pools, and garden ponds).

About ¼ (7.5 if you take 30 as an average) -- say, seven or eight -- drown in a canal.

But on average 'only' 3 people a year are presumed to have drowned while peeing into a canal. That conclusion is usually based on the state of the victim's clothes (e.g. open zipper or pants undone).[ref]Drownings are no laughing matter. However, the initial report about the number of people who fell into a canal while attempting to relieve themselves led someone to create a satirical video: 'Safe ways to pee into the canals of Amsterdam.'[/ref]

Van Dijk notes that forensic research into the actual circumstances surrounding a drowning is complicated.

Note: various media outlets recently reported that, according to figures provided by the police, 'some 15 bodies a year' are found in the canals.

However, the Parool article mentioned above says

Every year police finds about ten 'water cadavers' in the canals.

Police usually do not have to take long to determine the cause. The drowning victims are sometimes found with their fly still undone.

"People who pee into the canals usually are not Amsterdam locals."

Police spokesman Rob van der Veen is well-informed regarding the drowning cases. "Often the victims are intoxicated when they leave the warm pub and get out into the cold. When you then go and pee, your blood pressure drops, making you dizzy. That can easily result in a fall."
- Source: Maarten van Dun, Waarom waarschuwt niemand? (Why does no one warn?), Het Parool, February 6, 2016

So we've got three different numbers when it comes to how many people a year drown in Amsterdam's canals:

    7 or 8 (GGD)

    'some 15' (news media citing numbers 'provided by the police')

    'about 10' (Het Parool, citing a police spokesman)

There may not be that much difference between these statistics, but each drowning death is one too many.

'10' is probably the most reliable number, given that Van Dijk's numbers are based on a percentage of 'more than 30 people' who drown in all of Amsterdam's open water.

By the way, online forums -- such as the ones provided by TripAdvisor -- often perpetuate incorrect information. In what essentially is an game of 'Chinese Whispers' facts and other details of a news story often get changed or embellished. The only remedy is to to trace the story back to a reliable source.

On a lighter note...

Speaking about safety measures -- or the lack thereof -- police spokesperson Rob van deer Veen says there is one solution that always works: "People should not pee into a canal."

And Australian comedian Steve Hughes explains why Amsterdam's canals do not have fences:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAnGYfnFz9I

See also the tongue-in-cheek, Safe ways to pee into the canals of Amsterdam

Canal swimming not recommended

Amsterdam has 165 canals — with a combined length of 100 KM (60 Miles).

While revelers sometimes jump in of their own accord, swimming in the canals -- while not illegal -- is discouraged.

For one thing, there is there quite a lot of boat traffic on most canals.

For another, those who'd like to swim a few rounds should realize that a few hundred of Amsterdam's houseboats are yet to be connected to the city's sewer system.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITFJuuehR1s

Hence, people rescued from the canals are always strongly encouraged to get a tetanus shot.

That said, the ambition of Waternet -- the Water authority in Amsterdam and surroundings -- is to someday have the canal water of Amsterdam clean enough for people to swim in.

What to do if you fall into a canal

Do not panic, but yell 'HELP!' as loud as you can! This is no time for pride.

The record shows that, yes, you will attract plenty of morons who will capture your predicament on their smartphones. But there will also be people who will try and rescue you.

Amsterdam Tourist Information

Amsterdam Tourist Information -

Amsterdam Canals, a Top Tourist Attraction

Ask tourists what they like best about Amsterdam, and the city's historic grachtengordel (literally, belt of canals) around the town's medieval center is bound to be high on the list.

[caption id="attachment_6065" align="aligncenter" width="722"] The tree-lined, concentric belt of canals give the old center of Amsterdam its iconic look[/caption]

The main canals, laid-out in a pattern of concentric half-circles, chronicle the growth of Amsterdam during the 17th century, its Golden Age. They are, as seen from the center outward: Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht, and Prinsengracht.[ref]Amsterdammers remember the correct order by use of a Dutch mnemonic: Piet Koopt Hoge Schoenen (Pete buys tall shoes). The first letter of each Dutch word corresponds to the first letter in the name of each canal.[/ref]

The Singelgracht, which became Amsterdam's outer limit at the time, was dug in 1872 for water management and defense purposes, and is not part of the canal belt. Singel is Old Dutch for 'encircle.' It wasn't until the last quarter of the 19th century that the city expanded beyond the Singelgracht.

Amsterdam's Early City Planning

By the end of the 16th century century trade in Amsterdam was growing in spectacular fashion, turning the city into one of the world's most important centers of commerce. Goods and merchants flowed into the city from around the world, and a map worked into the floor of the Royal Palace (which at the time was the Town Hall), places Amsterdam at the center of the universe.

As more and more people wanted to live in Amsterdam the town engaged in an expansion project in 1582. Between 1610 and 1620 Amsterdam doubled in size, and by 1650 the population shot past the 200,000 mark.

As early as 1613 town planners had already decided to eventually extend the three canals around the perimeter of the city. The canals, the Herengracht (Gentlemen's Canal), Keizersgracht (Emperor's Canal) and the Prinsengracht (Prince's Canal) initially only went as far as today's Leidsegracht.

[caption id="attachment_6068" align="aligncenter" width="722"] Map of Amsterdam, drawn by city architect Daniel Stalpaert and printed in 1662[/caption]

In 1662 the three canals were extended, giving Amsterdam's canal belt the famous half-moon shape.

The Canal Belt includes Singel (note to be confused with Singelgracht) which encircled the medieval city of Amsterdam and served as a moat from 1480 until 1585.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvsHvfs3G1M

Canals featured on UNESCO's World Heritage List

In August, 2010 UNESCO added the 'Seventeenth-Century Canal Ring Area of Amsterdam inside the Singelgracht' to its World Heritage List.

Unesco writes:

The historic urban ensemble of the canal district of Amsterdam was a project for a new "port city" built at the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th centuries.

It comprises a network of canals to the west and south of the historic old town and the medieval port that encircled the old town and was accompanied by the repositioning inland of the city's fortified boundaries, the Singelgracht.

This was a long-term programme that involved extending the city by draining the swampland, using a system of canals in concentric arcs and filling in the intermediate spaces.

These spaces allowed the development of a homogeneous urban ensemble including gabled houses and numerous monuments.

This urban extension was the largest and most homogeneous of its time. It was a model of large-scale town planning, and served as a reference throughout the world until the 19th century.
- Source: Seventeenth-century canal ring area of Amsterdam inside the Singelgracht

[caption id="attachment_6066" align="aligncenter" width="722"] The four main canals of Amsterdam, with Singel closest to the center of town[/caption]

Controversy and Congratulations

Amsterdammers initially viewed the Unesco listing as a mixed blessing. The city council appeared to be interested mostly in a possible influx of tourists -- but saw its enthusiasm not shared by many locals who live in the historic canal district.

Some critics feared that official UNESCO rules and regulations covering the care, presentation and and preservation of World Heritage sites would hamper Amsterdam's ambition to grow the city into a creative metropolis.

Others were concerned that those rules douse Amsterdam's free-wheeling spirit, pointing to renewed efforts by the city to further regulate -- or outright ban -- such things as unofficial mini-gardens next to houseboats, or additional canal-side terraces. Many were -- and are -- afraid such rules will turn Amsterdam into a 'sleepy village.'

At the same time many people commenting on news about the listing on local news websites expressed the hope that the strict Unesco rules will help preserve the historic inner city by preventing further destruction of monuments.

Many Amsterdammers feel that certain elements in successive city councils have butchered and defaced the city with silly projects, ill-advised demolitions, and a near wanton disregard for the city's monuments. To-date, this is an ongoing problem.

[caption id="attachment_6069" align="aligncenter" width="722"] The canals are lined with many 17th and 18th century monuments, such as here at Prinsengracht[/caption]

Walther Schoonenberg, secretary for the association Friends of the Amsterdam Inner City, tells Radio Netherlands:

"The inner city's status as a World Heritage Site on the one hand signifies international recognition, while on the other hand it shows appreciation for the efforts made by many generations of Amsterdam citizens who fought to preserve their city. Amsterdam has about 8,000 monuments, nearly all of them in private hands. The owners can take credit for restoring and maintaining these houses."

"The activists who fought to preserve the city's monuments in the 1960s and 1970s also played a vital role. Without their struggle we would never have come this far. Amsterdam had a narrow escape in view of the demolition plans proposed by the then city councils. The fight was not won until the 1980s, which culminated in the inner city's nomination as protected cityscape in 1999. Its nomination as a world heritage site is the final step in this process." - Source: Amsterdam inner canals on UNESCO World Heritage List, Radio Netherlands, Aug. 1, 2010

Amsterdam's prettiest canal: Prinsengracht

Many Amsterdammers say that the Prinsengracht is the city's prettiest canal. It is picturesque indeed.

[caption id="attachment_6632" align="aligncenter" width="722"] View of a row of houses along Prinsengracht, Amsterdam, with a houseboat in the foreground.[/caption]

How many canals and bridges are there in Amsterdam?

Trivia buffs, take note:

• Amsterdam has 165 canals, with a combined length of 100 KM (60 Miles).
• The city has 1,753 so-called 'numbered' bridges, 80 of which are within the belt of canals (grachtengordel). There are an additional 2250+ less significant bridges. Many of the numbered bridges are named as well.

The Canals of Amsterdam is © Copyright Amsterdam Tourist Information All Rights Reserved

Amsterdam Tourist Information -

7 bridges? 15 bridges? More? Fewer?

Amsterdam is sometimes referred to as the "Venice of the North." That's because the city is criss-crossed by 165 canals, creating hundreds of small 'islands' that are connected by well over 1900 bridges.

Many tourist guides and travel websites claim there is even a spot in the center of Amsterdam from which you can see 15 bridges at once!

However, that is an urban legend of sorts. Or rather, it's a half-truth at best.

Mind you, it is a great spot to visit, and you do get to see many bridges. It's just that there is a catch most websites and guidebooks don't mention. More about that in a moment.

Map: 15 Bridges viewpoint

How to get to the '15 Bridges Spot'

The easiest way to get here is to head for Rembrandtplein.

Public Transport

Trams 4 and 14 to and from Central Station have stops at the square. (Three stops from Central Station, or two stops from Dam Square.) [ Public Transport Tickets]

Yes, there's a statue of Rembrandt, and yes, he is surrounded by a collection of more-or-less gaudy statues meant to depict the Night Watch. These statues are in turn surrounded by hordes of tourists. Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to try and take a photo of Rembrandt and the other statues without including any tourists.

Now walk to Thorbeckeplein. When you face Rembrandt — and the Booking.com logo in the distance — Thorbeckeplein is behind you and to the right.

By the way: Drinks at any of the pubs lining these squares are consistently among the most expensive in the Netherlands.

Keep your money in your pocket for when you encounter neighborhood cafés and restaurants — such as the ones at nearby Amstelveld.

Thorbecke — and why you want to take a photo of his statue

At Thorbeckeplein head for the statue, at the far end.

Johan Rudolf Thorbecke ( Dutch Statesman, January 14, 1789 — June 4, 2872) had a liberal bent. As Wikipedia explains, he was "one of the most important Dutch politicians of the 19th century. In 1848, he virtually single-handedly drafted the revision of the Constitution of the Netherlands, giving less power to the king and more to the States General, and guaranteeing more religious, personal and political freedom to the people."

So it's quite fitting that a statue of Thorbecke is located in the center of liberal, tolerant Amsterdam. Do take a photo. It will impress the folks back home.

That said, the story goes that the statue once had Thorbecke staring across the square -- as you'd expect. However, when the square became home to an increasing number of more-or-less 'salacious' night entertainment spots, the city turned the statue around so the Statesman would be staring across the canals instead.

As far as we can determine that's an urban legend as well.

Seven Bridges Amsterdam

Anyway, now turn your back to the statue. Look across the Herengracht canal straight down the Reguliersgracht.

That canal is crossed by seven bridges. The claim goes that you can see these bridges lined up. They would then make up 7 of the 15 bridges in total you're supposed to be able to see at this point.

Here's the catch: In order to see the bridges of Reguliersgracht line up, you'd have to be on stilts (or perhaps, like the statue behind you, on a pedestal).

But notice the steady parade of tour boats sailing by. They all slow down here, because from their vantage point just above the water, their passengers do see the 7 bridges all lined up. [ref]You'll often see private and commercial vessels jockeying for the best position. During peak hours in the busy summer months July and August some 120 boats a day pass this spot. According to Nota Varen Deel 1 2019 — a report by the municipality of Amsterdam detailing the effects of growing tourism on the city's canals — during those months 8-10 (near) collisions a day occur here.[/ref]

It helps if the weather is clear. By the way, at night the bridges are illuminated — a magical, romantic sight. Understandably, this is one of Amsterdam's most photographed spots.

Tip: if you do take a canal cruise, ask the captain which side of the boat to choose in order to see this view. [ref]Also, cruise boats come in many versions. If possible, make sure you sit next to a window that opens, or select a boat with an open area.[/ref]

Video: Seven Bridges of Reguliersgracht

The other bridges

Next, looking down the Herengracht to the left, where you can supposedly see another 6 bridges. That makes 13.

Finally, to your right, two more bridges are said to be visible for a total of 15 bridges.

That's the official story, anyway. Or one of the stories, because there are several versions and inconsistencies. Read on below the photo:

'Bridge of 15 Bridges'?

As mentioned, you can only see all seven bridges of Reguliersgracht lined up under specific circumstances.

When you stand in that spot, there is a bridge to your immediate left. (Incidentally, most Amsterdammers won't be able to tell you the name or number of that bridge. Bridge number 32 is called 'Kaassluis' -- literally, 'cheese lock.' Earlier it was known as Kaasmarktsluis, in reference to the cheese market that used to be held at the square behind you. A butter market was held at the square adjacent to it. In 1876 both squares were renamed, as Thorbeckeplein and Rembrandtplein respectively).

Some travel guides and tourist information websites refer to this bridge as the 'Bridge of 15 bridges.' And some say that bridge, Kaassluis, is itself the 15th bridge.

Thing is, if you stand on Kaassluis, you will still not be able to see all seven bridges across Reguliersgracht. The line of sight just does not allow for it. Even if it would have, the trees along the canal line up in such as way as to block your view.

And here's something odd: a number of guides claim Reguliersgracht only has 6 bridges. Clearly, that is not the case. [ref]You can count the number of bridges on OpenStreetMap, starting at Tante Saarbrug in the middle of the screen.[/ref]

So why should I visit this place?

It's a nice place from which to start a walk down Reguliersgracht to Amstelveld — for brunch, lunch, or the flower- and plant market. You've to plenty of choices from there on out.

Face it: you're in a historic area, surrounded by 17th, 18th, and 19th century monuments — buildings with a rich history. The canal belt is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. There's plenty to see and do. You won't be bored.

Reguliersgracht?

Where to go next

Any direction
Regardless of exactly how many bridges you can spot from here, you can walk in any direction to serendipitously discover more of Amsterdam.

Reguliersgracht and Amstelveld
Our suggestion is that you walk along the picturesque Reguliersgracht. Stop over at the huge Amstelveld square, where you can enjoy food and drink (and one of Amsterdam's best terraces) at Brasserie Nel (€€) or at Café Marcella (€).

The brasserie is located in a pinewood building that was erected in 1668 as a makeshift church, the Amstelkerk. Want more history? During the French occupation Napoleon used the building as a stable for his horses. On Sunday June 3, 1877 Vincent van Gogh heard his uncle Johannes Paulus Stricker deliver a sermon at the Amstelkerk.

Every Monday from March through October there is a flower- and plant market at the square — 9:00 - 15:00 (9 AM - 3 PM). It is 100% more enjoyable than the floating flower market tourist trap on the Singel canal.

After brunch or lunch, continue down Reguliersgracht till the final bridge. Turn right onto Lijnbaansgracht. At the end you'll find Metro Station Vijzelgracht, from which you can further explore the city.

Alternatively, check out the houseboats on Prinsengracht, which borders Amstelveld. Walk East along the Prinsengracht to the river Amstel, or to Utrechtsestraat, where you'll find many shops and eateries.

Museum of Bags and Purses
Just a few houses east of the 15 bridges spot you'll find the Museum of Bags and Purses. It is one of the eight most important fashion museums in the world. Not only will you get to see the world's largest collection of handbags, but the museum is housed in a 17th century former mayor's canalside residence.

A visit takes only about an hour, but there's also a nice café offering sandwiches, soups, salads and delicious cakes.

Fact Check: Can you really see 15 of Amsterdam’s bridges at this spot? is © Copyright Amsterdam Tourist Information All Rights Reserved

Tourists and locals alike have made a boat tour of Amsterdam's canals a sightseeing must -- one that frequently tops the list of most popular tourist attractions in the Netherlands.

The sights certainly are worth it: tree-lined canals; buildings dating as far back as the 17th century; monumental bridges; benches and canal-side terraces filled with flirtatious girls, gorgeous women and handsome young office workers on their lunch break...

However, until recently that idyllic boat ride through Amsterdam's picturesque canals sounded a bit less romantic once people knew that many of the city's 3.050+ houseboats were not yet connected to the sewer system.

That means waste water -- from the sink, the shower, the dishwasher and, yes, the toilet -- was unceremoniously dumped into the canals.

But the city has been working hard to change that.

Project Clean Ship

In 2005 a law was adopted that made it illegal to dump untreated waste water. But houseboats were -- for the time being -- exempted.

This was due to the fact that each and every houseboat would need a different ship-to-sewer connection, involving mandatory custom adjustments made to the private vessels.

Two years later the City of Amsterdam said it would provide those ship-to-sewer connections. A study was commissioned as to how to go about doing so.

As a results, various federal and local public waterworks departments set up Project Schoonschip -- Project Clean Ship -- with the intention to see every houseboat connected to the sewage system by June 2017. Eventually the target date was postponed until January 1, 2018.

A pilot project involving 145 vessels was successfully completed in December 2008.

Since that time, the vast majority of houseboats have indeed been connected to the sewer system. The complicated, time-consuming process.

The process

Technicians of Project Schoonschip visit each houseboat to determine the best approach, which among other things involves determining where in the boat the pump should be installed.

They then issue an advisory, as well as calendar of dates by which each step of the mandatory project must be completed.

That is not as easy as it sounds, because installation of the pumps -- and switching over to the new system -- must be coordinated with work on the wall.

As part of the project, sewer and quaysides are adapted and repaired as needed.[ref]This explains why, throughout Amsterdam, you see entire stretches of canals that have been renovated -- with most of the old trees replaced with young ones.[/ref]

Since the boat owners are themselves responsible for their part of the connection, they are provided with a €1250 subsidy each -- to be paid upon successful completion of the ship-to-sewer connection.

Cleaner water in the canals

Combined with other approaches Project Schoonship has already led to measurable results. Over the years, the quality of the water in Amsterdam's canals has gradually improved.

As a result the ecosystem has benefit greatly. Many types of fish have returned -- anything from crayfish to pike and Sander (pike-perch), and from carp to eel.

Zebra mussels filter the water, while cladocera (water fleas) eat the algae, and are in turn eaten by the fish.

In some of the canals floating platforms sporting a variety of shore- and water plants have been installed, offering shelter to coots, ducks and swans.

Fish lay their eggs between the roots, and the young fish are a source of food for the grebes and herons.

Theoretically you can even drink the canal water -- under certain conditions, of course.

Unfiltered the canal water is actually quite salty.

But while the canals are not going to be a source of drinking water, the ambition of Waternet, Amsterdam’s water authority, is to eventually have the water be clean enough for people to swim in.

Matter of fact, while officially the Amsterdam canals are not designated as swimming water, there is now a yearly Amsterdam City Swim event -- organized as a fund raiser for research into underexposed diseases -- such as Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS), this year's cause.

On September 8, 2.000 swimmers swam the 2 kilometer (1.24 mile) course, and the event collected a total of € 1.716.988,- for research into ALS.

The third edition will take place October 7, 2014. Registration will open some time in April. Subscribe to our newsletter if you want to stay informed.

For reasons that should be self-evident, swimmers are advised to get a tetanus shot, and to make sure they don't ingest the water.

But the fact that the event can take place at all is a testimony to the city's efforts to improve the quality of the water in its iconic canals which, by the way, are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Now if we could only get people to stop dumping their bicycles --- or, more likely, those belonging to others -- in the canals...

Author

This article was written by Anton Hein, shown here with his wife, Janet.

Anton was born on a houseboat in the center of Amsterdam -- right across from the iconic Westertoren and the Anne Frank House.

The post Many Amsterdam houseboats connected to sewer system; many not yet appeared first on Amsterdam Tourist Information.

Amsterdam police was deeply concerned, back in July 2009, about a craze in which vandals tossed parked cars from the Smart brand into the city's canals.

The so-called 'Smart tossing' took place mainly during the weekend, when many youths are out for a night on the town.

According to local newspaper De Telegraaf police has not wanted to publicize this form of vandalism for fear of copy-cat incidents. However, police officers were said to be paying extra attention to Amsterdam's canals, especially during the weekends.

The Smart cars are small enough to be parked with head or tail pointing to the water.

[caption id="attachment_5506" align="aligncenter" width="722"] A Smart car parked along the Leidsegracht in Amsterdam[/caption]

One man who parked his car that way said police woke him up with the message that his car had been pushed into the canal.

"Several weeks ago the same thing happened to my companion's Smart," Casper de Jong said. "In both cases the Smart was declared a total-loss."

Alongside most canals a low guard rail helps prevent cars from taking a dip, but this type of car is small enough to be lifted and tossed.

It is not clear how many of the cars have been vandalized this way, but an employee of a local dealer confirmed the company has recently been confronted with it "a number of times."

Car Tipping - Urban Version of Cow Tipping

Vandals have also targeted other small vehicles, including so-called scoot mobiles and tiny cars from the Canta brand -- both used primarily by people who are disabled and have limited mobility.

Not all these vehicles end up in a canal. In an urban version of cow tipping, yobs apparently derive fun from tipping over these types of vehicles.

In recent years we haven't heard much about this particular form of insanity, but in June 2015 a microcar was found upside-down in a boat moored along Geldersekade.

[caption id="attachment_5508" align="aligncenter" width="722"] Microcar tossed into a boat in an Amsterdam canal [By the way: that green color? Algae. But the water is quite clean][/caption]

No official word on what happened.

Bicycle Tossing

Bikes aren't safe from vandals either.

In a city with more bicycles than citizens, parking your bike can be a problem.

Not just because we're running out of space, but also because you may find your bike re-parked like this:

[caption id="attachment_5509" align="aligncenter" width="722"] Bicycles tossed into a pile by yobs[/caption]

That's only slightly better than discovering your bicycle has been stolen.

The post Amsterdam version of Smart car tipping: into the canals appeared first on Amsterdam Tourist Information.

Amsterdam Canals, a Top Tourist Attraction

Ask tourists what they like best about Amsterdam, and the city's canals are bound to be high on the list.

Amsterdam has 165 canals, but tourists and locals alike are especially fond of the prominent ones in the city's medieval center.

Lined by 17th and 18th century houses, these canals form a half circle around the center of town. Amsterdammers refer to it as the grachtengordel — literally, the 'belt of canals.'

The grachtengordel gives the old center its iconic look. On a map the canals, crossed by streets and bridges, make the city look like the lower half of a spider's web. Others think it looks like half a bicycle wheel.

[caption id="attachment_6065" align="aligncenter" width="722"] The tree-lined, concentric belt of canals give the old center of Amsterdam its iconic look[/caption]

These canals chronicle Amsterdam's growth during the 17th century, the city's Golden Age.

They are, as seen from the center outward: Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht, and Prinsengracht.[ref]Amsterdammers remember the correct order by use of a Dutch mnemonic: Piet Koopt Hoge Schoenen (Pete buys tall shoes). The first letter of each Dutch word corresponds to the first letter in the name of each canal.[/ref]

The Singelgracht is not part of the canal belt. It was dug in 1872 for water management and defense purposes. At the time it was Amsterdam's outer city limit. By the way, at 6,29 kilometer (3,9 miles), Singelgracht is Amsterdam's longest canal.

Singel is Old Dutch for ‘encircle.’

It was not until the last quarter of the 19th century that the city expanded beyond the Singelgracht.

Best Way to see Amsterdam: by boat

The Role of the Canals in Amsterdam's Early City Planning

By the end of the 16th century century trade in Amsterdam was growing in spectacular fashion, turning the city into one of the world's most important centers of commerce. Goods and merchants flowed into the city from around the world, and a map worked into the floor of the Royal Palace (which at the time was the Town Hall), places Amsterdam at the center of the universe.

As more and more people wanted to live in Amsterdam the town engaged in an expansion project in 1582. Between 1610 and 1620 Amsterdam doubled in size, and by 1650 the population shot past the 200,000 mark.

As early as 1613 town planners had already decided to eventually extend the three canals around the perimeter of the city. The canals, the Herengracht (Gentlemen's Canal), Keizersgracht (Emperor's Canal) and the Prinsengracht (Prince's Canal) initially only went as far as today's Leidsegracht.

[caption id="attachment_6068" align="aligncenter" width="722"] Map of Amsterdam, drawn by city architect Daniel Stalpaert and printed in 1662[/caption]

In 1662 the three canals were extended, giving Amsterdam's canal belt the famous half-moon shape.

The Canal Belt includes Singel (not to be confused with Singelgracht) which encircled the medieval city of Amsterdam and served as a moat from 1480 until 1585.

How the canal belt grew along with the city

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvsHvfs3G1M

Amsterdam canals featured on UNESCO's World Heritage List

In August, 2010 UNESCO added the 'Seventeenth-Century Canal Ring Area of Amsterdam inside the Singelgracht' to its World Heritage List.

Unesco writes:

The historic urban ensemble of the canal district of Amsterdam was a project for a new "port city" built at the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th centuries.

It comprises a network of canals to the west and south of the historic old town and the medieval port that encircled the old town and was accompanied by the repositioning inland of the city's fortified boundaries, the Singelgracht.

This was a long-term programme that involved extending the city by draining the swampland, using a system of canals in concentric arcs and filling in the intermediate spaces.

These spaces allowed the development of a homogeneous urban ensemble including gabled houses and numerous monuments.

This urban extension was the largest and most homogeneous of its time. It was a model of large-scale town planning, and served as a reference throughout the world until the 19th century.
- Source: Seventeenth-century canal ring area of Amsterdam inside the Singelgracht

[caption id="attachment_6066" align="aligncenter" width="722"] Amsterdam's four main canals, with Singel closest to the center of town[/caption]

UNESCO Controversy and Congratulations

Amsterdammers initially viewed the Unesco listing as a mixed blessing. The city council appeared to be interested mostly in a possible influx of tourists -- but saw its enthusiasm not shared by many locals who live in the historic canal district.

Some critics feared that official UNESCO rules and regulations covering the care, presentation and and preservation of World Heritage sites would hamper Amsterdam's ambition to grow the city into a creative metropolis.

Others were concerned that those rules douse Amsterdam's free-wheeling spirit, pointing to renewed efforts by the city to further regulate -- or outright ban -- such things as unofficial mini-gardens next to houseboats, or additional canal-side terraces. Many were -- and are -- afraid such rules will turn Amsterdam into a 'sleepy village.'

At the same time many people commenting on news about the listing on local news websites expressed the hope that the strict Unesco rules will help preserve the historic inner city by preventing further destruction of monuments.

Many Amsterdammers feel that certain elements in successive city councils have butchered and defaced the city with silly projects, ill-advised demolitions, and a near wanton disregard for the city's monuments. To-date, this is an ongoing problem.

[caption id="attachment_6069" align="aligncenter" width="722"] The canals are lined with many 17th and 18th century monuments, such as here at Prinsengracht[/caption]

Walther Schoonenberg, secretary for the association Friends of the Amsterdam Inner City, tells Radio Netherlands:

"The inner city's status as a World Heritage Site on the one hand signifies international recognition, while on the other hand it shows appreciation for the efforts made by many generations of Amsterdam citizens who fought to preserve their city. Amsterdam has about 8,000 monuments, nearly all of them in private hands. The owners can take credit for restoring and maintaining these houses."

"The activists who fought to preserve the city's monuments in the 1960s and 1970s also played a vital role. Without their struggle we would never have come this far. Amsterdam had a narrow escape in view of the demolition plans proposed by the then city councils. The fight was not won until the 1980s, which culminated in the inner city's nomination as protected cityscape in 1999. Its nomination as a world heritage site is the final step in this process." - Source: Amsterdam inner canals on UNESCO World Heritage List, Radio Netherlands, Aug. 1, 2010. Archived at the Internet Archive.

Map of Amsterdam's Canal Belt

Amsterdam's prettiest canal: Prinsengracht

Many Amsterdammers say that the Prinsengracht is the city's prettiest canal. It is picturesque indeed.

[caption id="attachment_6632" align="aligncenter" width="722"] View of a row of houses along Prinsengracht, Amsterdam, with a houseboat in the foreground.[/caption]

Are the bridges and quays in Amsterdam safe?

More than half of Amsterdam's 850 traffic bridges are overloaded. Incredibly, 750 of those bridges do not meet current legal requirements. In addition at least 10 kilometers of the 200-kilometer brickwork quay walls in the city run an increased risk of collapse. That requires a major and expensive city-wide repair project, traffic councilor Sharon Dijksma informed the city council. Her letter, in February 2019, follows a shocking investigative report from external investigator Pieter Cloo, previously the highest official in the Ministry of Security and Justice.

Keep in mind that the quays along the canals in the old city were meant for use by horse and carriage. However, nowadays and never-ending parade of heavy trucks, delivery vans, coaches, and other traffic has taken its toll.

Way back in 1985 the city council already determined that more should be done to maintain the bridges and quays. At the time plans were drafted and money was allocated. But according to Dijksma that money was eventually spent on other things, largely because "maintenance is not a sexy subject."

Now it is clear that necessary repairs will take years and possibly billions of euros to complete.

Work has already started on high priority projects. At least 10 kilometers of quays are in very poor condition with an increased risk of subsidence. Six bridges are in such poor condition that immediate measures have been taken.

Therefore you will see repair projects in and along the canals throughout the city. In some canals you will see sections where the quays have been shored up.

You'll also see sections of canals that have already been renovated. Among other things you'll note the much younger trees lining the quays.

Wherever possible monumental bridges will be renovated or replaced in such a way that their exterior appearance remains unchanged.

How many canals and bridges are there in Amsterdam?

Trivia buffs, take note. Here are some facts and figures. (Mind you, there is a lot of misinformation both online and offline. Many travel websites and tourist guides publish and republish incorrect numbers. We fact check our numbers extensively. That's no mean feat because even the city's official websites contain some glaring errors and contradictions.)

• Amsterdam has 165 canals, with a combined length of 100 KM (60 Miles). It follows that there are 200 kilometers of brickwork quay walls.
• The city has 1916 so-called 'numbered' bridges, 80 of which are within the belt of canals (grachtengordel). There are an additional 2250+ less significant bridges. Many of the numbered bridges are named as well.
• The municipality of Amsterdam is responsible for 1600 bridges, 600 kilometers of quays (including 200 kilometers of brickwork quay walls lining the canals, plus the quays along the river IJ, and throughout the Port of Amsterdam) and river banks, and 5 traffic tunnels.
• The Oudezijds Voorburgwal was dug in 1385, which makes it Amsterdam's oldest canal.

The post The Canals of Amsterdam appeared first on Amsterdam Tourist Information.

Before the winter of 2018, the last time we were able to ice skate the canals of Amsterdam was in February 2012.

This year, the ice never really got thick and strong enough to be officially declared 'reliable.'

Nevertheless, thousands of people took the to canals. The fact that dozens of people broke through the ice did not seem to discourage anyone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xd2thin-bZ8

But now the skates can be greased-up and stored again:

Talk to old locals in Amsterdam and you hear stories about winters the likes of which we haven't seen in recent memory.

Weather is always a topic of interest, especially in a country of which it is said -- more or less jokingly -- that you can experience four seasons a day.

[caption id="attachment_7315" align="aligncenter" width="722"] Ice skating on the canals of Amsterdam. [ref]The photo of Keizersgracht is © Amsterdam Toerisme & Congres Bureau. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. Used by permission.[/ref][/caption]

The weather in the Netherlands isn't really all that fickle, but fact is that the climate has been changing over the past years. Noticeably so.

Whether or not it is due to global warming, we don't know. But we've had quite few relatively mild winters these past few years.

Then again -- as we say in our February Amsterdam Weather article -- the weather in just about any given month can be quite different from year to year.

In February 2012 a big freeze kicked in. I can assure you that we had not seen weather that cold in a long, long time -- even though February usually is the coldest month of the year.

And yes, the canals froze over with ice strong enough to safely carry lots of skaters (and walkers, and bicyclists).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SM7C3bfMEdM

Come we now to February 2018. Will we be able to skate on the canals again?

The weather forecast does seem promising.

How Amsterdam's Water Company facilitates ice skating on the canals

When it looks like its going to be freezing long and strong enough for a while, the Amsterdam city council instructs Waternet -- the Water Company for the area of Amsterdam and surroundings[ref]Waternet is the municipal organization responsible for drinking water, waste water, surface water and safety behind the dikes[/ref] -- to put into action the so-called IJsnota (literally, Ice memo).

This 'ice protocol' enables Waternet to set in motion various processes that may, if the weather cooperates, eventually make it possible for people to skate the canals.

Waternet would shut a number of locks -- and stop or slow down pump stations -- in and around the city. That causes the flow of water through the canals to slow down, facilitating the formation of ice. Normally fresh water from the river Amstel flows through the city's canals into the river IJ.

The company would also issue a sailing prohibition for certain canals. Boats are then not permitted to sail through (sections of) these canals in the center of Amsterdam, including Prinsengracht, Leliegracht and Keizersgracht.

The sailing prohibition knows two phases:

• Phase 1
  At the first sign of a layer of ice, along with weather forecast promising night frost, a sailing ban is issued for a limited number of canals. (Magenta lines on the image below, with the canals listed below it)
• Phase 2
  Starts when there is a prediction of at least 5 days of moderate to severe night frost -- while daytime temperatures may not be above 0° Celsius (32° Fahrenheit). In that cases, more canals will be closed to boat traffic. (Dark blue lines on the image below)

[caption id="attachment_7325" align="aligncenter" width="722"] Canals on which boat traffic is prohibited in order to allow ice to form[/caption]

These Amsterdam canals will be allowed to freeze over during Phase 1

In the center of Amsterdam, most of these canals are located within the Jordaan area.

• Brouwersgracht from Lijnbaansgracht up to and including Keizersgracht
• Prinsengracht from Brouwersgracht up to Leidsegracht
• Keizersgracht from Brouwersgracht up to Leidsegracht
• Leliegracht from Prinsengracht up to and including Keizersgracht
• Lijnbaansgracht from Brouwersgracht up to and including Passeerdersgracht
• Passeerdersgracht from Lijnbaansgracht up to and including Prinsengracht
• Looiersgracht from Lijnbaansgracht up to and including Prinsengracht
• Lauriergracht from Lijnbaansgracht up to and including Prinsengracht
• Bloemgracht from Lijnbaansgracht up to and including Prinsengracht
• Egelantiersgracht from Lijnbaansgracht up to and including Prinsengracht
• Korte Prinsengracht
• Westlandgracht
• Postjeswetering
• Admiralengracht
• Erasmusgracht
• Burg. Tienhovengracht

Mind you, Waternet reminds people that a boating ban does not mean it is safe to venture onto the ice just yet.

Details for Phase 2 will be posted when it happens :)

Here's what else happens when Amsterdam's canals are frozen

A lot more happens on the frozen canals than just ice skating. You'll see people strolling -- some carrying shopping bags, bicycling(!), or enjoying hot chocolate, hot dogs, and whatever else is on sale.

Some house boat dwellers see the ice as a window of opportunity, and sell hot drinks and other goodies from their canal-facing kitchen windows.

Here's what that looked like in February 2012:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UR6etDJO4c&rel=0

Video: ICE Amsterdam

The video below is titled 'Ice Amsterdam' -- a playful reference to Amsterdam's marketing slogan, I Amsterdam

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KZtgWoARsw&rel=0

This beautiful video was shot by Jaap van den Biesen and Justin Knaven, using a Canon 7D and Glidecam HD2000.

The song is called 'To Build A Home' by Cinematic Orchestra.

We discovered that Knaven is the Managing Director of Provide Media and the Online Production Manager of Wefilm

Video: Ice skating in 'Old Amsterdam' style

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-792HpKdj9A&rel=0

This video, produced by Yoran Staas of YESimages, is shown in 8mm retro style - like an old 20's movie.

Staas says he was inspired by the black-and-white Dutch TV commercials for Old Amsterdam cheese. Those ads featured a song by Flemish artist Kris de Bruyne. Click the link to view those commercials -- along with a translation of the song's lyrics.

Keep an eye on the weather in Amsterdam

The post Ice skating on Amsterdam canals – Winter of 2018 appeared first on Amsterdam Tourist Information.

One Quarter of Amsterdam consists of water

[caption id="attachment_5786" align="aligncenter" width="722"] Girls relaxing alongside the Kloveniersburgwal, a canal in the center of Amsterdam[/caption]

Some 400 times a year ambulances are called out for someone who fell into a canal.

In most cases there is no lasting harm. However, according to the latest statistics, on average 18 people a year drown in Amsterdam.

Of the 88 drownings that occurred between 2011 and 2015, 19 -- nearly twenty percent -- involved suicide.

Peeing into the canals can be dangerous

The Public Health Service of Amsterdam (GGD) says that nearly twenty percent of the drowning victims had indications of drug- or alcohol addiction, were homeless, or suffered from mental confusion.

Alcohol and/or drug use played a role in forty percent of the drownings.

In many cases men, unstable of their feet due to the effect of drugs or alcohol, fell into a canal while attempting to relieve themselves.

Attempting to balance yourself at the edge of a canal while inebriated is difficult — more so when it is dark. You also just came out of a warm pub into the cold of the night. Often something called micturition syncope happens, the name given to the human phenomenon of fainting shortly after or during urination.

Alcohol causes your blood vessels to expand (hence the red cheeks). Less blood flows back to your heart. This causes your blood pressure to drop, which in turn can cause dizziness.

Once someone has fallen into the water it is difficult to get out -- even if the unlucky person is not inebriated.

Most quays are quite high, and there are not many ladders or jetties. In addition, many canals are free of house boats, sloops and dinghies that someone would be able to hold or climb onto.

In the past there used to be life saving equipment -- such as swimming hooks, lifelines and lifebuoys -- attached to bridges, but vandalism and theft made an end to that.

Stairs, Ropes and Grabbing Stones

In an ongoing effort to reduce the number of drowning incidents, the city has installed more public toilets in a number of hot spots.

Now further measures are being taken. An information campaign is being developed to alert tourists and vulnerable people to the danger of falling in the water.

The municipality is also installing vandal-proof ladders, stairs, lifeline ropes and grabbing stones.

In addition, the 20 centimeter high iron fences that for years prevented cars from inadvertently driving into the canals are being removed so that people won't accidentally stumble over them.

[caption id="attachment_5793" align="aligncenter" width="722"] Amsterdam includes 100 kilometers (60 miles) of canals[/caption]

Crime of Accident?

Note: This article was last updated on Friday, March 17, 2017. Older, but pertinent information:

in 2012 it was reported that between 2009 and 2011, 51 people drowned in the canals of Amsterdam.[ref]This article was first published January 9, 2012. It is updated on a regular basis.[/ref]

Local daily De Telegraaf noted that only one of those casualties occurred as the result of a crime.

The other 50 drownings were ruled accidents. The vast majority of them involved men, and according to the newspaper ostensibly 'most of them were drunk' when they fell in while trying to pee into a canal.

Varying statistics: Drowning deaths in Amsterdam

"Why do we not warn tourists of the dangers of the canal?" Amsterdam daily Het Parool asks, in an article headlined 'Sluipmoordenaar' - Assassin.

[caption id="attachment_5788" align="aligncenter" width="722"] ‘Assassin,’ Amsterdam newspaper Het Parool headlines (February 6, 2016) [ref]Maarten van Dun, Waarom waarschuwt niemand? (Why does no one warn?), Het Parool, February 6, 2016[/caption]

But how many people -- both locals and tourists -- actually drown in Amsterdam's canals?

In 2015 Tobias van Dijk, a researcher with the Public Health Service of Amsterdam (GGD), studied drowning incidents in the city.

He reports that each year more than 30 people drown in Amsterdam's open water (including not just the canals, but also lakes, rivers, ditches, swimming pools, and garden ponds).

About ¼ (7.5 if you take 30 as an average) -- say, seven or eight -- drown in a canal.

But on average 'only' 3 people a year are presumed to have drowned while peeing into a canal. That conclusion is usually based on the state of the victim's clothes (e.g. open zipper or pants undone).[ref]Drownings are no laughing matter. However, the initial report about the number of people who fell into a canal while attempting to relieve themselves led someone to create a satirical video: 'Safe ways to pee into the canals of Amsterdam.'[/ref]

Van Dijk notes that forensic research into the actual circumstances surrounding a drowning is complicated.

Note: various media outlets recently reported that, according to figures provided by the police, 'some 15 bodies a year' are found in the canals.

However, the Parool article mentioned above says

Every year police finds about ten 'water cadavers' in the canals.

Police usually do not have to take long to determine the cause. The drowning victims are sometimes found with their fly still undone.

"People who pee into the canals usually are not Amsterdam locals."

Police spokesman Rob van der Veen is well-informed regarding the drowning cases. "Often the victims are intoxicated when they leave the warm pub and get out into the cold. When you then go and pee, your blood pressure drops, making you dizzy. That can easily result in a fall."
- Source: Maarten van Dun, Waarom waarschuwt niemand? (Why does no one warn?), Het Parool, February 6, 2016

So we've got three different numbers when it comes to how many people a year drown in Amsterdam's canals:

    7 or 8 (GGD)

    'some 15' (news media citing numbers 'provided by the police')

    'about 10' (Het Parool, citing a police spokesman)

There may not be that much difference between these statistics, but each drowning death is one too many.

'10' is probably the most reliable number, given that Van Dijk's numbers are based on a percentage of 'more than 30 people' who drown in all of Amsterdam's open water.

By the way, online forums -- such as the ones provided by TripAdvisor -- often perpetuate incorrect information. In what essentially is an game of 'Chinese Whispers' facts and other details of a news story often get changed or embellished. The only remedy is to to trace the story back to a reliable source.

On a lighter note...

Speaking about safety measures -- or the lack thereof -- police spokesperson Rob van deer Veen says there is one solution that always works: "People should not pee into a canal."

And Australian comedian Steve Hughes explains why Amsterdam's canals do not have fences:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAnGYfnFz9I

See also the tongue-in-cheek, Safe ways to pee into the canals of Amsterdam

Canal swimming not recommended

Swimming in the canals of Amsterdam -- while not illegal -- is discouraged.

For one thing, there is there quite a lot of boat traffic on most canals.

For another, those who'd like to swim a few rounds should realize that a few hundred of Amsterdam's houseboats are yet to be connected to the city's sewer system.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITFJuuehR1s

Hence, people rescued from the canals are always strongly encouraged to get a tetanus shot.

That said, the ambition of Waternet -- the Water authority in Amsterdam and surroundings -- is to someday have the canal water of Amsterdam clean enough for people to swim in.

What to do if you fall into a canal

Do not panic, but yell 'HELP!' as loud as you can! This is no time for pride.

The record shows that, yes, you will attract plenty of morons who will capture your predicament on their smartphones. But there will also be people who will try and rescue you.

The post How many people drown in Amsterdam’s canals? appeared first on Amsterdam Tourist Information.