Last Febuary when waiting around for my flight home at the airport, I encountered this old English Beggar. Hes a small, wirey guy, 50-60, with a wrinkled face. So he pipes up:

"Awright mate, are you from England? Listen mate you wont facking believe it, Im here on holiday, and a relative of mine has gone and facking died back in Landan. Do you think you could help me out with some spare change, so i can get a flight home mate??"

I had my doubts about his story but gave him 50 cent anyway, and then I forgot about the guy.

And last Monday evening, He approached me again with the same bullshit story. I laughed and reminded him that he got me last year, and that he sure as fuck wasn't going to get me this year.

Has anyone else encountered this guy????

"he sure as hell wasn't going to get me this time" - fucksake mate, you only gave him 50c and from what you said he wasn't threatening, rude or likely to have caused you any major grief if he was in the airport. i'd just have had a laugh, told him you'd heard his bollocks story last year, given him a euro anyway for his cheek, wished him good luck and told him to do one (go away). life's too short and he deserves some credit for his ingenuity.

totally different story if it had been late at night down a dark alley in the RLD, of course, where several times over the years i've had the same individuals approach me and try it on - a firmer approach in these situations has never failed me, though.

Anyday said: "i'd just have had a laugh, told him you'd heard his bollocks story last year, given him a euro anyway for his cheek"

Anyday,

I did have a laugh and I reminded him that he got me last year. I didnt see the need to give him anymore of my wedge though.

Yep, I've seen him over the last 3 years with the same story, he's as perennial as that black fellow who wanders around the Wallen with that little hand held drum.

fair play mr king, just trying to spread a bit of love mate.


as for the black fella, dunno about a drum but you may mean the one with a mcdonalds / burger king cardboard cup shaking a bit of change in the bottom. HOW LONG HAS HE BEEN AROUND GUYS? i honestly can't remember a time when he WASN'T there - and i've been going several times a year for many, many years.


"sitting on the dock of the bay.........................."

I was under the influence of shrooms one night, walking through the RLD, and happened to fall in behind him while he was doing "Dock of the bay". All the neon and his sonorous voice (when he's on, he's not bad, especially if you are on, on mushrooms!) were a perfect compliment to my wonderfully altered state. It is one of those signature Amsterdam moments for me that make me love this town.
PS -- More recently I saw him coming toward me and as I was getting all nostalgic thinking about how noble he sounded that night, he passed by me and whispered, "Coke, speed?"
I was crushed, as I had convinced myself he just walked the neighborhood serenading the throngs.

In this day and age of heightened airport security, how can a tramp/begger pester you in an airport departure lounge?

No, he hangs around in the arrivals area around the train ticket machines. Been there at least four years.

That dude, who sings and walks around in the RLD with that Burger King coin shaker, is a part of Amsterdam for me. It would not be the same without him. The same goes for the guy who plays his songs on the guitar with only one string left. There's also this black guy, who always seem to be so loaded and bends over; standing on his feet, and touching the ground with his hands.

All people can't be all set, and some people has had some really bad luck or made the wrong desicions. As long as they play music or do something for money; I'm happy to share a Euro or two. But those who just BEG, BEG, and BEG, I could live without.

Something I eally dislike when it comes to beggars, is the ones who blocks your way to tell you something, and once they have shared their "wisdom", they want money for it.

Does anyone know more about these guys? Or does anybody know what kind of help is available to homeless people in Amsterdam/The Netherlands? Any links (in english) to information on wellfare, etc? This thread made me curious.

Any one know the homeless guy on the small side streets off Leidseplein? He's an old guy who looks like a fisherman and even does the "aarrrggghhh" scowls. He was in the same area the last 5 times in went to the Dam. A few locals told me he is (or was)a wealthy guy who lost his mind-I am curious if anyone else on the board knows anything about him

The growling guy used to scare the shit out of my kids. My younger daughter, a kind soul, felt bad for him. "What does he do in the winter? He's got no shoes!" There was a two year or so period when I didn't see him. Last October I saw him walking his old route near Leidseplein. He was cleaned up, beard neatly trimmed, hair cut. No longer wearing rags, he almost looked semi-presentable. He had the most vacant look in his eye. Obviously, he was "on his meds". I saw him last week still looking fairly together, wearing a mismatched pair of shoes.

Maybe the same guy I 'loaned' money to at Gatwick Airport about 10 years ago for the same reason. 6 months later he came to the office where I worked in Aberdeen and was pestering the receptionist for money. Last time i saw him was 2 years ago bothering passengers trying to buy train tickets at Schiphol Airport.

There's a guy who comes up to you grinning saying "hello, can I ask you something friendly".. There's also a guy who walks around with things balanced on his head..

Th kind of beggars I hate are the pushy ones who see generosity as a weakness to exploit. Give them a couple of € and they pursue you saying it's not enough and they want 5.. "I know you have it".

The old black guy strolling through the Wallen is really a part of Amsterdam for me as well, kinda like Elvis was to Vegas. When I was staying at the Terminus hotel back in 2000 I heard this lonely voice singing "baba boop beep boop da daat da da" literally every day, as he sang he shook the plastic coke bottle containing a few coins to keep the rhythm and it grew on me. Its little things like this that leave an impression on me and adds to lifes interesting twists. I hope to hear that voice again when I return, its Amsterdam : ) My home away from home.

Lang Leve Nederlands!

Joecaddy.....

let's not forget about the 1 string guitar player & the blind guy who begs daily next to the Royal Palace. I see them every time I'm in A-dam.

"Awright mate, are you from England? Listen mate you wont facking believe it, Im here on holiday, and a relative of mine has gone and facking died back in Landan. Do you think you could help me out with some spare change, so i can get a flight home mate??"

Wouldn't it be fun, to take the guy to the sales office, buy him a plane ticket, drag him to the check-in and finally put him on a plane to London. "There you go, mate. No need to ask about coins again!". If nothing else, he would be very surprised. Being wealthy would be so awsome.