amsterdam was a really interesting stop on the trip. yes, smoking pot is legal in the city. yes prostitution is legal. no, the clubs are not any good (at least the two we visited on the night we went out). essentially, "natural" drugs are legal. this essentially means pot, hash, and mushrooms. harder drugs are quite illegal as are club drugs. the coffee houses varied in decor from places that look like friday's to places that look like coffee shops. i guess people like different things.
the red light district turned out to be a bit more of a let down than i thought it would be. it was interesting to see though. walking through alleys with sliding glass doors with women in bras and panties. the areas of the red light district seemed to be laid out based on taste. you like older women, this area, asian women, that one. strange all the same.
i liked amsterdam. the feel of it reminded me of seattle and the weather was no objection to that similar feeling. chill, laid back. a good place to start a trip.
more later...