12 hours in Amsterdam

kts · January 12, 2009

I just got back from a trip with friends to Egypt. On our way there we had a 12 hour layover in Amsterdam. We had been there a few months back for Queen's Day so this time I got around to experimenting with street photography and looking for the little things instead of the normal tourist things like I did last time.

8am ATM

We all took turns using this ATM since it was the only one we could find working. While I was waiting this bike just kept speaking to me. And for some reason I liked it better framed with my friend using the ATM machine...

Miranda

This place was close by where we stayed a few months ago. It was funny to us since our friend Miranda was with us on this trip and took a ton of photos in front of it. I loved the color of the place and waited until she and her boyfriend walked in front of it to capture it.

I also liked this building in black and white:

These winking Santas made me laugh. I kept trying to get people to walk in front of them for more of an effect but people kept waiting for me take a photo. I tried waiting more and more but by then my friends were several blocks away and I had to run to find them.

The classic wooden shoes

Just another day in Amsterdam...

Wok 2 Walk: The pinnacle of Dutch cuisine

I'm not kidding, most food around Amsterdam is terrible and very expensive. Wok 2 Walk is fairly affordable and amazing.

Bikes. Bikes everywhere.

I liked the stickers someone added to this crosswalk sign:

My friend looking at a tag outside the Heineken Experience

This girl just had a presence about her. She had a pocket of space around her, she was storming down the street and people just moved well out of her way. The back of her jacket had "OBJECT" stamped on it which we felt was funny, unfortunately my quick photo before she was out of range of my 17-55 was a big blurry.

This girl was on the phone for quite a while as we took a breather while we waited to meet up with a friend who lives in Amsterdam. I wondered what the phone call was about since she seemed very concerned.

Taking a photo of someone taking a photo. I tried all day to do this but this was the only shot that came out of my many attempts to record people as they were recording something else.

UR DOIN IT WRONG

This guy nearly caused an accident trying to pull this U Turn and then got stuck.

The Wok at Wok 2 Walk. Before we headed back to the airport we enjoyed some excellent Wok 2 Walk

It was a cold day of fun before a long trip into Egypt. Hopefully I will get to processing and posting the Egypt photos before 2010 gets here.

clemensphoto's · January 13, 2009

Very nice. It's alway great to see other parts of the world.

Arvan · January 13, 2009

Nice series! ive bin in amsterdam two times, i reccon all the streets you walked on!

Very very dangerous city to walk in i think. Bikes, cars, railwagons are just everywhere

leaforte · January 13, 2009

Once when I was in Holland, a local told me that after WW2 the gov't there bought a huge amount of bikes and just put them out on the streets. You get on one, ride it to the next pub, cafe, or what not, park it, and get on another when you come out, and leave. Come after hours, those bikes are over flowing the bike racks. Thanks for the memories of Holland. Right of Way: Pedestrian first, bicycle second, and auto last. Novel idea, eh?

Nice series.

midiman · January 13, 2009

leaforte wrote:

Once when I was in Holland, a local told me that after WW2 the gov't there bought a huge amount of bikes and just put them out on the streets. You get on one, ride it to the next pub, cafe, or what not, park it, and get on another when you come out, and leave. Come after hours, those bikes are over flowing the bike racks. Thanks for the memories of Holland. Right of Way: Pedestrian first, bicycle second, and auto last. Novel idea, eh?

Nice series.

I side note on Amsterdam - I have to admit that one of the best parades I ever saw was when I happened to be in Amsterdam for gay pride weekend. The floats on the canals were indescribable - funny, complicated, silly, and even outrageous.

A great city for those with high "tolerance" levels.

schmoo · January 13, 2009

That "Object" woman has an AWESOME coat! *yoink* I like her attitude, too.

Glad you spent those 12 hours outside of the airport! I gotta try this Wok to Walk

Yeah, show us some abandoned pyramids next

dogwood · January 13, 2009

leaforte wrote:

Once when I was in Holland, a local told me that after WW2 the gov't there bought a huge amount of bikes and just put them out on the streets. You get on one, ride it to the next pub, cafe, or what not, park it, and get on another when you come out, and leave. Come after hours, those bikes are over flowing the bike racks.

You know they tried that free bike experiment many years ago in Portland with bikes painted yellow. What happened though is they'd get flat tires and just left on the roadside. And the bikes would disappear after only a couple of days on the streets (thrown in the river?

). These days, you can't find any, even though the initial experiment put hundreds of free bikes out there.

Cool series of Amsterdam photos though.

Jeroen · January 14, 2009

Funny, I could draw the tour you walked on a map from your photos

"Just another day in Amsterdam..." That is in front of the Scheltema Bookstore. My nr1 favorite place in Amsterdam.

Very nice series!

12 hours in Amsterdam

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