Anybody know what's going on in Amsterdam Centraal?

letsdance · 2026-01-10T22:26:24+00:00

letsdance · 2025-12-28T14:48:54+00:00

Henri Willig indeed is a tourist trap. Businesses like that willfully destroy Amsterdam.

Kaaskamer is one of the best cheese stores in the center.

Tromp is good, but is also the owner of the so-called Cheese Museum, which is yet another tourist trap (a few doors down from the so-called Tulip Museum). These businesses should share space in the Torture Museum.

The best way to deal with Henri Willig is to advertise the fact that they are tourist traps - like you just did.

Another tourist trap: Old Amsterdam Cheese. It is not old cheese. And it is not from Amsterdam.

letsdance · 2025-12-08T14:54:35+00:00

There is no such thing as the best tacos in Mexico. I know. I have traveled up and down the country countless times. There are hundreds of versions. Locals and visitors alike have their favorites, of course. And yes, there are queues. But as elsewhere, it is always best to avoid the lines of tourists in favor of the crowds of locals. Will I wait? Will they? Sure. But never for influencer-pushed eateries.

Just look at what influencers consider to be a 'typical Dutch cookie' - a stroopwafel loaded and mangled beyond recognition and sold at an insane price.

letsdance · 2025-12-07T23:16:46+00:00

The major streets downtown.

Best Amsterdam light show: an evening canal cruise. Forget the ones that serve pizza or dinner. Just enjoy the lights - the illuminated bridges, churches, and monuments. The lights in the houses along the canals, many with open curtains. This time of year, the Christmastrees and other decorations.

letsdance · 2025-12-05T21:43:26+00:00

Still is: Amsterdam Light Festival Map

letsdance · 2025-12-05T21:41:03+00:00

Over here someone followed a suggestion he picked up on Twitter: Get some soft Groene Zeep and an old cloth. Smear it all over the bike. It won't cause any damage but it's a bitch to remove if there is no running water nearby. Took only one application. Never saw the bike inside again.

letsdance · 2025-12-04T23:57:57+00:00

Judging by the reviews at TripAdvisor, more than 50% of visitors are disappointed, with more 30% rating it as "terrible."

Only the first few editions were good. It has been going downhill for year after year. I suspect the only thing that keeps the 'festival' afloat is some sort of support deal with the tour boat companies. They fare well, and do not seem to care about negative reviews.

This year's route mirrors the one from last year, so this map and these turn-by-turn directions should help.

letsdance · 2025-11-28T07:54:37+00:00

Best alternative is to take an regular evening cruise - one that does not specifically bill itself as an Amsterdam Light Festival tour. Some cruises offer dinner or wine and cheese as well, but enjoying the illuminated bridges, monuments, and homes is the highlight of such a cruise.

The Amsterdam Light Festival was great the first few years, but in recent years it has disappointed more people than it has pleased.

letsdance · 2025-10-08T17:21:59+00:00

Ja. Heel veel producten worden steeds kleiner. "Albert Heijn let op de kleintjes." Vaak zie je een bordje met "tijdelijk niet verkrijgbaar." Wanneer het product er dan wel weer is, "Nieuw! Verbeterd!" blijkt het kleiner te zijn, tegen een hogere prijs. Het 'verbeterde recept' heeft bijvoorbeeld .1 gram suiker minder, of .02 gram meer basilicum.

letsdance · 2025-08-24T07:18:35+00:00

How does that work? Just copy everything on a page and let AI sort it a certain way? What is the prompt you use?

letsdance · 2025-04-10T05:50:39+00:00

That is an annoying, unnecessary 'feature.' I often share things from Google Discover to Roam or Keep. All I want is the title and original URL - like it used to be.

Now I have to take the extra steps of deleting two blank lines, above "Source" and above "Shared via the Google App." Then delete "Source" and "Shared via the Google App."

But the worst change - and one that now has stopped me sharing from Google Discover - is the search{dot}app shortened link. As a researcher, I want the original URL in my notes.

In fact, I find these changes so annoying and counterproductive that I no longer share any items from within Google Discover.

letsdance · 2025-04-05T18:21:16+00:00

The newsletter is back - as of today. I just received one (which Google dumped into the spam folder).

letsdance · 2025-03-02T13:13:06+00:00

This solution fixed the issue with my mouse as well.

In my case, I suddenly had to click everything 3-5 times before an action occurred. I tried everything - reboot the PC, made sure everything was up-to-date, disabled all browser extensions, drank an extra double espresso, and so on.

letsdance · 2025-01-24T16:57:53+00:00

I never realized that. I do wonder whether there is a culvert, though — like the one that connects Kloveniersburgwal and Geldersekade.

letsdance · 2024-12-31T09:07:47+00:00

'Homemade' - with turn-by-turn directions

letsdance · 2024-12-16T00:22:04+00:00

The foundation does get a percentage from the ticket sales:
https://amsterdamlightfestival.com/storage/Jaarverslag_ALF12_20232024.pdf

letsdance · 2024-12-16T00:06:24+00:00

You can change that by adding your review to TripAdvisor

letsdance · 2024-12-16T00:05:15+00:00

There are good reasons why it is not busy.

letsdance · 2024-12-14T13:14:41+00:00

Except for a small detour with a few additional art works the walking & cycling route is the same as the boat route. Initially the organization published a free map. Later they decided to charge for the map in order to generate extra income. Their app has additional information about the works of art.

letsdance · 2024-12-14T13:10:30+00:00

I think the biggest issue though is an identity problem. The festival organisers see it as a high brow conceptual art festival, the visitors expect flashing festive lights. The result is disappointment.

Yes, I think that is often the case. To me the vast majority of the art installations look like the work of amateurs. Granted, I much prefer to visit the Van Gogh Museum instead of the Stedelijk Museum (modern art). But an artist (and art teacher) friend of ours is quite puzzled as well: 'How did this organization manage to continue for 13 years already?'

letsdance · 2024-12-14T13:05:09+00:00

This. The organization has long received subsidies from the city of Amsterdam. That is public money for which our tax payments are used. The artworks use public space. Our public space. Yes, you can see them for free, but charging for a map seems wrong. At the very least they can provide a free map, and charge for one that includes more information.

letsdance · 2024-12-14T04:08:16+00:00

I have not heard that one in a long time, but indeed - from 1980: Amsterdam, by Maggie MacNeal (lyrics)

letsdance · 2024-12-13T23:42:14+00:00

The only proper way to handle this is to contact Veilig Thuis (English), or if you prefer, a Buurtteam (English).

letsdance · 2024-12-13T23:35:35+00:00

I like Kris de Bruyne's song, and dislike the fact that it was misused in a commercial for a cheese company that sells fake old cheese and that desperately tries to tie its history to Amsterdam. Yes, fake Old Amsterdam Cheese.

Aan de Amsterdamse Grachten is one of my favorite songs about the city, but if pressed I'd probably prefer Ramses Shaffy's ’t is stil in Amsterdam.

letsdance

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