The monkey has already posted the top 5 worst things about living in Amsterdam, here are the best parts.1)Universal Health Care- I'm starting off boring here and this is more than an Amsterdam thing, but really this is the best part about living in the Netherlands. If you are a legal resident you are required to have private health coverage. But this is a great thing because it is affordable quality health care. I pay 85 euros to a private insurance company who is obligated by the government to fully cover my ass- regardless of any pre-existing condition. And another great thing is that there is no co-pay on pretty much anything. It's free to see doctors and virtually all prescription drugs are totally covered. I even had some blood work done and was not charged a co-pay.
2)"Coffee Shops"- Something fun now! I've lived here over a year and while I rarely visit a coffee shop these days, I love the fact that I can duck into one anytime I desire. And to not only purchase weed or hash from an insane quantity of selections, but to have access to as good of quality stuff as there is anywhere in the world. There are over 200 "coffee shops" in Amsterdam with every theme you can imagine. And some of them are surprisingly nice, clean, friendly, chill and even have great food menus. Also, the coffee is usually excellent too!
3)Beauty of the City- The center of Amsterdam is one of the most well preserved cities in all of Europe with most buildings dating back to the 18th or even 17th centuries. On a nice day it is gorgeous to sit on one of the many canals for beer, wine or whatever. There are so many outdoor cafes to enjoy the city but you can also just plop yourself down on the side of a canal and openly drink alcohol because there is no open container law. Also, if you have a small boat, like many Amsterdamers, even better!
4)Public Transportation- The city has excellent public transportation, especially for a city of less than a million people. Everything is well connected by 4 metro lines and very extensive tram and bus systems that run frequently. And while regular public transport stops before 1am and resumes again after 6am, there are hourly night buses that cover much of the city. You can also ride your bicycle after a late night, though technically you can be charged with a bicycle DUI and they can actually suspend your regular drivers license for this. Lucky I don't have one of those because unless your job requires, you absolutely do not need a car here.
5)Location in Europe- So Amsterdam might not be the most central city in Europe or have the best location for getting around the continent, but it's right up there. It's a small country so in 2 hours either east or south, you can be in either Germany or Belgium respectively. Also, since Amsterdam's Schipol airport also serves as the major international airport for The Hague, Utrecht and other major cities in The Netherlands, it's a huge airport, one of the biggest in Europe. And from Amsterdam Central Station to the airport is only 15 minutes by train. You can not only fly just about everywhere in Europe for reasonable prices but also many places in the world.
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