Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Dutch men who are usually ignored by worldly Dutch women, it's
no problem.
The busy street just beyond the Homomonument is
Raadhuisstraat, where there's a taxi stand; the handy east-west
trams #13, #14, and #17 and a french-fry stand featuring art with
the lowly fried potato worked into some famous paintings.
• Backtrack to Leliegracht and continue west ...
More on Leliegracht
Things that would seem odd elsewhere in the world are common-
place in Amsterdam. The mail slots on several doors have stickers
saying Nee or Ja (no or yes),
telling the postman what
types of junk mail they'll
accept or ref use. At # 52,
a handy bike ramp slants
down the steps to a home
below street level. And at
#62, glance up to the first story to see a rearview mirror. Why go
way down steep stairs to see who's at the door when you can just
check the well-positioned mirror?
• At the Prinsengracht, the Anne Frank House ( J see Anne Frank
House Tour, page 145) is 100 yards to the left, and the Westerkerk and its
tower is another 50 yards beyond that.
Prinsengracht
One of the most livable canals in town is lined with several of
the city's estimated 2,500 houseboats. When small, sail-powered
cargo ships became uneconomical with the advent of modern cargo
boats in the 1930s, they found a new use—as houseboats lining
the canals of Amsterdam, where land was so limited and pricey.
Today, their cargo holds are fashioned into elegant, cozy living
rooms. Moorage spots are prized and grandfathered in, making
some of the junky old boats worth more than you'd think. Boaters
can plug hoses and cables into outlets along the side of this canal
to get water and electricity. (To learn more about houseboats, visit
the charming Houseboat Museum, described on page 54.)
Notice the canal traffic. The official speed limit on canals
is four miles per hour. At night, boats must have running lights
on the top, side, and stern. Most boats are small and low to glide
under the city's bridges. The Prinsengracht bridge is average size,
with less than seven feet of headroom (it varies with the water
level); some bridges have less than six feet. Good maps indicate the
critical height of the bridges.
Just across the bridge are several typical cafés. The relaxed
Café de Prins serves food and drink both day and night. The
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