Yes, I was nearly mugged in Amsterdam, but the mugger was awful and let me get to a crowded square. Anyway, that experience couldnt even put a dent in my Amsterdam experience! There literally is something for everyone. Food. Drugs. Sex. History. Culture. People. Whatever you want Amsterdam has. Outside of the dam, go for a day trip to Delft and pick up some pottery and the the Hague to see a modern european city (or to visit the girl with the pearl earring).

My ancestors homeland

Haven't been but its on my list to visit

Really beautiful country with nice and distinctive people full of respect. But it gathers lots of criminals and liberal thinking drug collectors from the world. Im for the cannabis legalizing but with some borders.

Americans should take lessons on what a "free country" is from these guys.

I have been living almost all my life in Holland, and have lived in Spain and Italy. Besides that I know Germany and Belgium qiute well. Looking as an outsider to my country I can say that the worst of Holland is the weather. If you are from a country or region with similar weather conditions you won't have any problem with it..or at least no more than local people do. People are quite easy going, cities are beautiful without the big boulevards and buildings like you see in Madrid, Paris or Rome. Transport is good everywhere, specially in the western part of the country. The bigger cities are very mixed with cultures from all over the world. Marihuana you can buy everywhere, not only in Amsterdam. In Amsterdam the marihuana is more expensive then in other cities because of the tourism. In general Amsterdam is the most expensive city when it comes to living. It's an open country for foreigners, not hard to find a job allthough salaries are not to high. Maybe it's the best country to live in in Western Europe. The airport is ok and has cheap flights to almost anywhere at anytime. Final conclusion: Not the most beautiful country in the world, but pleasant to live in. It makes you feel like you have many possibilities. Only the weather sucks, but we're working on that! Bye

Beautiful, relaxed, safe, fun. Wonderful people, food, weed, beer. Tolerant and respectful of individuals. Accepting of all races, religions, sexual orientations. I would live here if I could.

I love Holland. I spent five months in Amsterdam having the blast of my life. Sex Drugs and Rock and Roll, it was great! It's ashame to see that some people have some sort of phobia or stigmata about Holland. Must be law enforcement buffs. It's probablly best that they never experienced it. They'd probablly be trying to throw their weight around and bust folks and end up in the pokie themselves.

I lived here as a young man and recently spent nine years working with the Dutch. The most mature minded people on the planet. The country is now really overcrowded, 25% of the population is foreign born. This is putting pressure on Holland's liberties that they have acquired over centuries. But if you want your mind broadened, come here.

It's very flat, but Dutch people are very nice.

Yep

It's really great if you are a dopie...freedom prevails. oh Darkrooms are sweet places to socialize ehehe

It's flat...flat like...like a plate. yes. there's nothing really great to see...apart from drug addicts

A great country in many respects. For one, possibly the most progressive social policies in the world: relaxed attitudes towards drug use, porn, prostitution, sexual behavior, and much else were all pioneered here, and THE LORD IN HIS WRATH...hasn't blown up the dikes and drowned everyone. Well, maybe HE has better things to do, or maybe HE APPROVES of people who don't scapegoat and persecute and torture others to assuage their own fears and insecurities. Either way, the rest of the EU is following Holland's lead, Canada too, and maybe US people could learn something here. Basically, Holland is a nice place to see what the future looks like (everyone will be riding bicycles, that's for sure). The only black spot on Holland's record, as one poster noted below, is its shameful treatment of immigrants. But Holland is such a nice place that everyone wants to live there, so the line has to be drawn somewhere. France and England, with their more liberal immigration policies, have become the home-away-from-home for many terrorists; there is good cause, nowdays, for keeping some people out.

good beer, freindly people, cute girls, lots of history, close to the sea, free healthcare. what else could you ask for?

I made a couple of trips to The Netherlands in the 1970's. Nice countryside, nice people (almost everyone I met spoke American English, including small schoolchildren), and people were pretty friendly for the most part. I'm sort of a sights and food person; sights were OK, but pretty much imited to canals, tulips, and windmills. Food was pretty good (the breakfasts were really great). Traffic was OK (better than Germany or Italy at the time - the police were driving Porsches at the time!). All in all, I'm glad I visited Holland and Amsterdam, but I think that there are other destinations in Europe that are more worthwhile.

didnt like

Yo Rusty, Nice way to charactarize your people. As long as it is not America it is no good at all. Well let me tell you something. Queen Wilhelmina did not like girls and guys. I don't know where you got that story but it is total bull s hi t. Second, driving a 4x4 does not make you a tough man. And because of all the bicycles, you and your 4x4 don't have to line up in a traffic jam. And what is wrong with recovering land from water. I don't see americans doing that in the 1500's. Tulips and wooden shoes are only for the tourists like you. Legalized drugs is not for tourists like you. And there must be a reason why the country is overcrowded... (maybe people like it there?). Have fun in the US!

a very nice country! very nice people!

Never been here, it looks pretty in pictures, I like tulips. I'll give it a five just to keep it above France. LOL

the modern-day sodom and gomorrah

Now there's a tedious mindset for you: recovering vast tracts of waterlogged land from the sea over the past four centuries. Legalizing drugs. Tulips and the wooden shoes bit. Yada yada yada. Overcrowded. At least they drive on the right side of the road, unlike the Brits, Irish, Australians, and other nations. But they've got to get those damned bicycles out of the way of my 4 X 4. I keep knocking 'em down all the time. I understand Queen Wilhelmina liked girls and guys. Now that's a bit much for this American.

That's the real land of freedom. Where the americans think they are when saying USA is a free country?

The BEST country there is!! There I want to settle as grown-up!!! :-))

Visited there this past summer. A lovely country- beautiful flowers, friendly people and quaint towns. Lovely castles and elegant settings. Super place to visit.

The Netherlands are beautiful - the tulips and windmills are so pretty, and it's quite historical. I suggest going in the summer or fall to truly appreciate its beauty.

safe place; girls can walk out at night; very few crimes