Hi guys,

I hope you are all doing fine. I logged off from the forum during a long time as I had tons of things to do on side and wasn't active at all here. But i'm glad to read that some familiar names are still there and that the forum is still active. Thanks to bluto for that too.


I was back in Amsterdam for a three days little trip just before Christmas, as I wanted to be there to celebrate a decade of visiting the city (first real trip was planned in september 2008).

How about the city ?
Has it changed during the last ten years ?

Clearly the answer is yes imo. Lots of windows have closed. Others have been set to open on the old Boomsteeg little portion (which is funny cause it's very small and almost out of view from many mongerers in the main aera, on OZA) and it's also weird to see all those big notices in the streets - do not throw your papers, don't pee in the streets, or take pics otherwise you'll have a fine -expensive by the way-)

The thing that really intrigued me was how the main district is almost silent during the early hours in the morning, and i would even say until 11 am (at least). I do think that the shift is now more like 12.00am to start things up rather than 9.30 or 10. am. Before that. Nothing or so. And I'm talking about a saturday or sunday morning. Ten years ago some girls were starting at 9.30 (remember the beaufiful German Kim and Max (Sint Annendwarsstraat both)

I took long laps in the district, going through those alleys, all of a sudden -i forgot it- while i was about to go downstairs Goldbergersteeg, I realized that it was closed, damn it

The city it's still liberal but i can't help myself thinking it's much less liberal that what it was a decade ago(you didn't need to buy white bottle for headhache at that time but used to smoke cig/weed and shag a chick to heal for that lol)


I used to like when Job Cohen was Mayor. Even the two after him. But this time i feel a big change in the way the city turns into something a bit sanctimonious.

Oh i saw the "legendary" Sadie -little blondie with a short top on- on OZA, in front of Moulin Rouge still as nervous as before. One hell of a nervous chick down here, tapping her fett on the floor and tapping on window in order to have clients. She's just crazy (and don't dare to go, total rip off= (

I will certainly talk about other things, it's not a close thread, i just wanted to say hello first and wave it to all the good guys here that made this forum

Cheers

Hi Carice,

I've been here 8 or 9 years myself, and I remember your posts from back in the day, as it were. Nice to see you post again.

I have to agree with you on everything you have said, in how the way the area has changed so much. I first came to Amsterdam in 2010, many years past what most would say was the area's golden era, but even from then until now, the changes are incredible.

Cheers!

Sadie deserves a plaque. 15 years of poor service. Quite an acheivement. I reported on her in ’06 under the name Jennifer.

Welcome back and Happy New Year Carice.

Thanks Holy & HC; Yes many changes

I would say that good and bad things are as follows :

Good

- the city
- the architecture
- the food
- the nightshift with the lights (the vibes in there, just amazing)
- the coffee shops (mainly visiting, drinking some juices, i'm a non smoker but i like the idea of having coffee shops in a city like that one)
- quite a relaxing place still
- La Vie en proost is still fun (depends on nights, but some are real hits still)

Bad
-> too much bullshit with those stores around sexyland
-> big notices in the streets that are so conservative
-> Red light district has drastically changed (the mornings are dull)
-> More and more touristic places (rip off)
-> there isn't much liberal vibes in the air though people are still in general very nice
-> the city is becoming more and more expensive