Amsterdam - Amsterdam Bruges and Brussels - page 197

Popular Souvenirs
Amsterdam has lots of one-of-a-kind specialty stores. Poke around
and see what you can find. If you want to bring home edibles and
drinkables, first check “Customs for American Shoppers” (page 12).
Wooden Shoes — Once crucial for navigating soggy Amsterdam,
now something to clomp around in.
Delftware — Ceramic plates, vases, and tiles decorated with a fake
Chinese blue-and-white design popularized in the 1600s. Only a
few licensed places sell the real stuff (expensive) and antiques (very
expensive). You can find fireplace tiles (cheap) at most gift shops.
Diamonds — Cut or uncut, expensive or really expensive. Diamond
dealers offer free cutting and polishing demos at their shops. Gassan
Diamonds, near Rembrandt's House, is best (page 62); Coster is on
Potterstraat, behind the Rijksmuseum (page 49).
Beers — A yeasty, frothy souvenir.
Jenever — Dutch gin (made from juniper berries) sold in tradi-
tional stone bottles.
Marijuana Pipes — hese need to be clean and unused, because
even a little residue can get you busted at US Customs. Note that,
these days, American laws are written in a way that—technically—
even importing an unused pipe could get you arrested.
Chocolate — Belgian or Dutch Verkade or Droste cocoa in tins.
Flower Seeds and Bulbs — Look for ones that are packed with a
seal that promises they are US Customs-friendly.
Posters and Art Postcards — Good selection at the Van Gogh
Museum bookshop (also sells protective mailing tubes).
Old Maps — Capturing the Golden Age.
Old Books — Treasures found in musty bookstores.