In 1998 Amsterdam was proud to host the Gay Games, making straight people near to invisible in the city. For that occassion, a promo video was released. We've included a small version here from it to get you an impression of how the organization & the City promoted Amsterdam amongst international gay audience. We hope to be able to host the gay games once more soon, the (current) major already spoke out in favour for it....

>> play video (Real Video)

Tourism and Money

Check out the VVV (Amsterdam Tourist Information) on Platform 2 of Central Station for tourist information, hotel bookings, tour information and local activities. The Netherlands and Amsterdam share a tremendously rich history and culture, which is shown off in everything from our beautiful architecture and world-renowned museums and concert halls to our scenic canals and endless fields of colorful flowers. The VVV can help you plan your time here wisely so you can accomplish all your goals in getting to know our beautiful country.

The currency of the Netherlands used to be the guilder, abbreviated as f, Hfl. or fl. Being part of the EU, the Euro has replaced the guilder here as well. Paying for things with your credit card is probably the best way to guarantee you’re getting a good exchange rate, and more and more stores accept MasterCard, Visa, and American Express (in that order). Often the easiest and most economical way to get cash from home is through one of the city’s many automatic teller machines (geldautomaat), especially if you have a Visa or Master/EuroCard or a debit card on the Cirrus or Plus network. The best place to exchange money and cash traveller’s checks is the GWK (open 24 hours a day in Central Station) or at any bank, but it’s more expensive.

Transportation & Communication

Amsterdam is a compact city, where you can easily walk from one gay area to the other. Most natives travel by bike. It’s healthy, cheap and the fastest way to get around. If you feel like going native and you think you can manoeuvre safely through the dense bicycle, auto, bus, tram and pedestrian traffic without getting killed, you can rent one. Make sure you lock up your bicycle well, using both the rear wheel lock and a nice thick chain.

When you are offered a bicycle on the street for Eur 10, you can be sure that you are buying stolen property, which is guaranteed to bring you much bad karma (and perhaps the angry owner).

Public transportation is easy to use, with lots of trams, buses, Metro, and trains. The system operates from approximately 6 a.m. to midnight, although there are night buses for partygoers as well. If you’ll be in town for a while, then buy a pass from the little GVB kiosk across from Central Station. If you’re here for a shorter time, you can buy a punch card (‘strippenkaart’, still economical) at Central Station and many other places, or just pay cash to the driver when you get on (the most expensive way). Don’t bother trying to figure out the complicated zone system, just tell the driver or the conductor at the back of the tram where you’re going and they’ll tell you how much to pay or punch on your card.

If you need to make calls from public phones, buy a phone card, most don’t take coins. Many phones also take major credit cards, which is especially convenient. If you need a taxi, have your hotel call for one or go to a taxi stand. Most taxis won’t stop for you on the street. When you are travelling by car, you should know that anywhere you park you have to pay. It can be hard to find a parking space. If you forget to pay or park illegally, a wheel clamp will be put on your car, and you have to pay about € 75 to get the clamp off.

Safety and Drugs

Amsterdam is a relatively safe city, but, like in every city in the world, use your common sense. While walking around with a backpack or a camcorder, it’s pretty obvious that you are a tourist and thus a prime target for thieves. The best thing to do is leave your valuables in your hotel’s safe. Around Central Station and especially in the Red Light District, the chances are pretty high that a friendly man will offer you drugs. The best thing to do is ignore them completely, or just say NO. If you want to buy grass, buy it in a coffeeshop. Hard-drugs like cocaine and XTC are not legal. Smartdrugs are legally accepted though, and provide a safe alternative. The Red Light District is Amsterdam’s best known tourist attraction where you’ll find hundreds of prostitutes behind the windows and junkies on the streets who are always desperate for money, so be careful in this area. Taking pictures or videotaping a prostitute is asking for trouble anyhow, for obvious reasons. As much as it might seem like it, the Red Light District is not a zoo. If a beggar approaches you with a sad story, you should know that Holland has one of the best welfare systems in the world, so the beggar is likely not going to spend your money on food or childcare.

Relevant Links to visit:
	Official Dutch Tourist board
	City of Amsterdam