After a number of months off, I'm returning to Trippist. And now I have a new home base: For the past year or so I've resided in Leiden, a beautiful city about 30 minutes southwest of Amsterdam. Leiden is a fantastic place to live - it's incredibly picturesque, has great shops, restaurants and nightlife, and is home to Leiden University, the oldest university in the Netherlands. I can't forget to mention its thriving expat scene for students, those in the workforce, families and kids - you name it!

Life outside the big city is different in many interesting ways. I've learned what it's like to commute (back to Amsterdam!), to learn a new city, and to encounter an entire group of people that have chosen not to live in the capital for one reason or another. In the coming months I'll share my Leiden finds on Trippist, but also comment on other places of interest, particularly in Amsterdam since I visit so often. It's great to be back!

Post your winter photos on the English language magazine Amsterdam Weekly's new Flickr Group and win a €20 gift voucher for North Face, the outdoor sporting goods store (find one on the first floor of Kalvertoren). Flickr is an online photographic community. This Internet-based gallery for Amsterdam Weekly readers is designed to be a portal for sharing images about and of Amsterdam.

Just post a favourite photo with a "wintry theme, tag it as 'weeklywinter'" and if your photo is chosen they will contact you. The contest will continue until spring arrives to the city!

In association with some of my other blog projects, including trippist, I spent some more time at the brand new and amazing Central Public Library here in Amsterdam. Here.. I'll let the video do the talking.

On the heels of yesterday's Library video blog that I put up, I started looking around for what other people have done on other places in the Netherlands. I stumbled upon a video actually put out by Arnhem tourism. I like Arnhem, it's a modest town with a very famous story. I've been there only a few times and I usually wait til the warmer weather comes to do so.

The video is what you'd expect from a tourism production, but still... I thought I'd share.

Somehow I find myself wandering the streets of the Hague very early in the morning, just as normal people are heading to work. On this particular day, I'm not heading to work.. I'm not really heading anywhere, but I'm hungry and I could use some decent wifi access.

The Netherlands only has 1 Starbuck's, but it is not without it's chain coffee depots. Among them, a place called "the coffee company" has a presence in all the major cities.

So there I am wandering the streets hungry and feeling internet withdrawn, when I spot one of these coffee companies. I head towards the entrance and examine the inside before I officially reach the door. It is barren, generic, and not appealing. I quickly do a u-turn and head back down the street.. convinced there are more fish in the sea.. hopefully some fish that have personality.

I had no idea how right I could be. Out of the corner of my eye, I see an orange awning with some outdoor seating under it. Inside I see a counter full of various baked goods and the walls are decorated with fun pictures and some clever t-shirts.. apparently for sale. Little did I know, I was about to walk into Dishy.

Dishy considers itself an expresso bar, according to the sign.. but they also do food and catering if you so require it. The lady behind the counter, in her charming way, told me there was plenty of wifi for me and poured me a cup of hot chocolate. Now people always use terms like "best ever" excessively. I don't want to be one of those people. But honestly, I can remember few cups of hot choco this good... this.. potent! I asked the nice lady why it was so good --- "we put chocolate bars in it.." she points to some assorted chocolate bars on the counter. I was surprised... this whole time the idea had not occurred to me.. good hot chocolate demands chocolate bars melted in your drink.

From then on I knew she and her café were brilliant. I ordered cake and watched other people drink their coffee and order their own cakes. All of them delicious, every last costumer.. satisfied.

I took my sweet time leaving Dishy... the truth is.. I didn't want to leave.

Noordeinde 21
2514 GB Den Haag
Opened everyday, morning til 5pm

Bagels & Beans inhabits many locations in the Netherlands, and Leiden is one of them. I'm a regular visit to the Haarlemmerstraat location, right in the middle of Leiden's biggest shopping street. A seat at the front of the restaurant is great for a solitary coffee and a look at the midday shoppers, and a seat at the back is better for intimate conversations with a group of friends. And the wireless is free, so bring your laptop.

A latte is usually my drink of choice but I recently tried a spicy organic Chai with a tad too much cinnamon. Still, a nice change. True to their name, the bagels are delicious, especially whole-wheat with Parma ham, rucola & pine nuts. Yum!

is now obliged to use a new system enforced by law while overcharging you to your destination.

In effect since February 1st, the official taxi rates include:
- a starting fee of a maximum 7.50 euros, the first 2 km included
- maximum 2.20 euros per km after the first 2 km

The important change is that you will not be charged while waiting for a bicyclist to get his or her bike unstuck from a tram line track or when the human traffic in the redlight district spills over onto the main roads and must be slowly cleared out with furious honking.

Not using this system carried a hefty fine of EUR 440, so keep an eye on the meter and see if it is still running up at the red lights.

Saturday and Sunday edition... its going to be a rain free weekend, so get out there.

Saturday:

Nosferatu,A Symphony of Horror - Contemporary tunes that might be worth checking out; Bimhuis, 9pm, €14.

Hex! - French post punk, you might catch me there; OCCII, 10pm, €6.

Subbacultcha! Indie Rock; Bitterzoet, 20.00, €7.

Sunday:

Putumayo World Music Series with Eneida Marta, from Guinea-Bissau; KIT Tropentheater, 3pm, €20.

La Nuit du Maghreb - Moroccan Music; Paradiso, 7pm, €19.50 + membership.

Metroschifter - American rock; Winston Kingdom, 9:30pm, €7.

If you've ever wanted to try out a quick marriage in Amsterdam, but only for one day, an initiative called Wed & Walk may be worth looking into. On Valentine's Day between 6pm and 10pm (with a reservation) you and your special - or not so special - someone can take the leap.

Although I'm still not convinced this is actually going to happen (the website looks like a quick job), I still wish I was around to drop by and check it out. If you're up for it, get dressed up, buy some flowers, and walk down the aisle with butterflies in your stomach. If things go wrong, good news - it only lasts for four hours!

One marriage costs about €20. A guaranteed memorable Valentine's Day, if that's what you're into.

Last week it was Super Tuesday in Amsterdam, too. Democrats Abroad held an election on the second floor of De Balie. It was a festive affair, with flags and journalists toting flashy cameras and scribbling on notepads.

Downstairs there was live music, a bookstore, inspirational speakers, and lots more flags. I popped by with a German friend who couldn't vote, though he encouraged me strongly in a particular direction.

If you're an expat US citizen and missed it, but will be in the Netherlands for the election, you can still contact them for help with registering to vote. They sure seem like an enthusiastic and kind group of people!

If the Wed n Walk doesn't suit your fancy, why not get married in the only windmill in Amsterdam still open to the public?

The Sloten Windmill at Akersluis 10 is one of eight Amsterdam windmills and is a tower mill from 1847. The polder draining mill, which is still functioning, can be visited daily from 10 in the morning. Voluntary workers provide the guided tour (the last tour starts at 4:30 pm) and when possible, the miller shows how he turns the mill cap so that the vanes face the wind, how he lets the vanes rotate and how he puts the sails in the vanes.

There is also a Coopery craft Museum and as the Sloten Mill has been designated a house of the municipality, it is possible to arrange a marriage on site. Romantic!

Recently, in July 2006, the Dutch celebrated the 400th anniversary of the birth of Rembrandt. After leaving Amsterdam behind I learned that Rembrandt was born in Leiden and spent the first 25 years of his life here.

Although most major celebrations and exhibitions took place in 2006, here's a comprehensive list of Rembrandt-related places to see and things to do in Leiden, Amsterdam and beyond. The photo below shows a nice place to start, in Leiden anyway: It is a sculpture made in his honor to celebrate the 400th anniversary. It stands near the place where he was born, aptly named Rembrandtplein.

They're renaming the area around Rotterdam Central Station to go along with its new look and new buildings. "Central District Rotterdam" is the new name that was unveiled recently, and according to city planners "businesses are lining up".

Why are they lining up? Well, for one thing there's the new high speed rail line that is going into service and puts Rotterdam (eventually) about 20 minutes from Schiphol Airport. It also puts the city just 1 hour from Brussels and 2.5 hours from Paris. The Central District also has excellent access to most tram lines that run all over the city. Not to mention the new commercial and residential buildings that are to be built. They're expecting a huge boost in visitors and travelers stopping in Rotterdam in the coming years, and lot's of people are excited about that.

Below I'll include an artist's sketch of one of the new buildings... nice drawing and all but to be honest, it looks like a very old fashioned block of flats, only with pretty colors. Oh and there's also a webcam where you can watch the work, live!

These are some cold nights here in Amsterdam, but the good news and that there is more daylight to play in...

Friday:

I remember them well, so I recommend the Soundgarden Tribute at Cafe Pakhuis Wilhelmina, 10pm, €7.50.

If you want to dance, go see Juju Bros; Badcuyp, Noordpool, 11pm, €8.

Tango =Ramiro Gallo Quinteto; KIT Tropentheater, 8:30pm, €20.

Saturday:

German punk with the Beatsteaks; Melkweg, Oude Zaal, 8:30pm, €11 + membership.

Van Merwijk's Music Machine; Bimhuis, 9pm, €16.

Sunday:

Back when I had a band, we played ska shows with the Mad Caddies; Melkweg, Oude Zaal, 8:30pm, €14 + membership.

Dhafer Youssef Group from Tunesia; Bimhuis, 21.00, €18.

On a night out in Amsterdam, I recently visited the Ethiopian restaurant Axum (Utrechtsesdwarsstraat 85). It was an incredibly quiet Tuesday night though I've heard rumors that it fills up fast on weekends. We ordered vegetarian dishes from the well-priced menu (around €12 for a main course) and were delighted with our choices. Mine can be seen below - eaten with the aid of the pancake, and no cutlery. Not as difficult as it sounds.

The menu and decor is authentic Ethiopian. We left satisfied and with promises to visit again.

As a student in the Netherlands I found it initially helpful and later necessary to set up a local bank account for the management of my money (in euros). ABN AMRO comes recommended by the Universiteit van Amsterdam for students so I went there to open my new account. I encountered some difficulties with this bank over the years. The greatest of these is the extremely limited options one has as an international student. For example, students from abroad who keep their money in ABN AMRO, as outlined in the contract, are denied acess to Internet and telephone banking. This makes it extremely troublesome to keep tabs on your money when traveling outside of the Netherlands, and is also annoying while in-country to have to go to the bank for every query rather than doing what so many of us are used to now which is just getting online to find the information we seek.

Now that I have graduated, I have been offered a new, updated service called the Young Professional Program by ABN AMRO. This account offeres lower rates (students pay around 7.50 euros per 3 months) and Internet banking accessibility. If you are having difficulties with your ABN AMRO account, opt for this account from the get-go. Some I know, even while enrolled at university, acquired this and bypassed the difficulties of the ''student'' account.

Many types of vessels frequent the canals of Amsterdam. There's those particularly large and unsightly tourist boats, which haul new visitors through the city. Although it's always delightful to be on the water, I've hoped to celebrate a special occasion on one of the smaller, picturesque boats reserved for private parties.

The opportunity finally presented itself, and after weeks of research, I settled on Rederij ’t Smidtje. I started online, where I picked the boat I was interested in and send a query via their online contact form. They replied immediately and agreed to a viewing a few days later. A friendly skipper met me at the dock and gave me a grand tour of the chosen vessel. When things were finalized they sent a detailed map of pick up and drop off locations, and provided plenty of options for catering. They even have a sound system on board so you're free to bring your own music choices.

So if you're in the market for a fancy canal cruise, check out Rederij ’t Smidtje. If given the chance (and the cash!) I'd book them again.

Like many cafe's in Amsterdam, Cafe de Pijp may have once been a cramped little corner spot with beer on tap and smoke-stained yellow walls.

But I sure can't remember back that far.

The Cafe de Pjip that I know is jumpin' on most nights, especially Thursday thru Sunday. Now taking up the space of two storefronts on the very popular Ferdinand Bolstraat in the Pijp, the modern vibe and and bad 90's music seems to do it for the clientele.

With some luck you'll get the waitress that actually comes to your table and brings you drinks in a friendly manner. With some luck you'll not be sitting alone and most people at Cafe de Pjip bring a friend. With some luck.. you'll actually find a place to sit.

Last year one of our Trippists, Emily, tried an audio tour in the Red Light District. That tour is now also available on AudioGuide2go.com. It's a website portal offering a range of tours from commercial producers to community and arts projects, from museums and top tourist destinations to off the beaten track.

Holland has 4 available tours at the moment, three in Amsterdam and one in Rotterdam. They also encourage people to review their tour, so you can read about them before downloading.
That is if audio tours are your kind of thing of course.

I came across a insightful item from a northern television station, RTV Noord. It was all about an exercise being carried out in the main square in Groningen, an exercise in sleeping. The goal was that sleepy people could lay down, take a nap, and dream creative ideas for the city.

One of the participants told the camera that she felt like Groningen, a city of around 181,000 people, was too often seen as some strange place in the north, instead of a real city. Another person said their dream was to have all the old city buildings that have been destroyed, brought back. And of course, some teenagers dreamt of nightclubs specifically for kids under 18!?

I've never heard of people from Groningen described as sleepy people, but the concept of sleeping to have good ideas sounds like my style. Next chance I get, I'll take the long ride north, and sit down at an outdoor café to daydream what I think the city needs.

I had already moved to Leiden and was in the process of getting acquainted with my surroundings when I suddenly realized something: Leiden has no trams!

Sure, there's an extensive network of buses that leave from the Central Station. But I've never been a fan of bus transportation. Maybe it's a childhood trauma from riding the school bus, or maybe it's bad memories of always missing the bus to class during my undergraduate days.

I avoided buses in Amsterdam, too. Trams are just more user-friendly - this nice robotic voice announces each stop, so if you don't know where you're going it's easy to know when to get off.

I've adapted though. I rarely take the bus but have purchased my own Leiden bike to get around when walking isn't feasible. Still, I do occasionally miss the bells and rumbles so common to Amsterdam's tram system.

According to the National Geographic, the Dappermarkt in Amsterdam East is not to be missed. Considered to be 'off the tourist track' and as a 'true people's market', the Dappermarkt is 'situated right in the middle of Amsterdam's multicultural area'. It's true that you can find cheap clothing, cheap vegetables and cheap meats, but coming in at number 8 on the list of top 10 world street markets is not as surprising as being mentioned ahead of the Albert Cuypstraat market, arguably the most famous market in the Netherlands. Top of the list is Hell's Kitchen Flea Market in New York City, followed by one in the Argentinian capital Buenos Aires.

Other cities mentioned include Bangkok, Istanbul, Hong Kong, Milan, Paris, London and Delhi. But if you're here in Amsterdam, just jump on trams 9 or 14 to reach the Dapper.

C-C-Cold nights demand warm places to go.

Friday:

New Found Glory, who I once toured with back in the Punk/Ska days, are back in town; Melkweg, 8:30pm, €12 plus membership.

Sonic Acts Festival, multiple days, multiple places, see website for details.

The King Khan & BBQ Show; Pacific Parc, 11pm, free.

Saturday:

Wolfpin plays the blues; Maloe Melo, 10pm, €5.

Reggae from Sean Kingston; Melkweg, 9:30pm, €20 + membership.

Tunesian Jacqueline Taïeb & Amsterdam BeatClub; Podium Mozaïek, 9pm, €18.

Sunday:

SFJazz Collective; Bimhuis, 9pm, €25.

DJ Dolores brings Brazilian Carnival Sounds; Melkweg, Oude Zaal, 9pm, €16 + membership.

Night of the Gypsies of Romania; Patronaat, Haarlem, 8:30pm, €20.

Some of your may remember my video tour of the Lloyd Hotel, available right there in the top right hand menu if you shuffle through the videos.

This week I decided it had been too long since I was last in the Lloyd Hotel Restaurant/Bar/Cultural Embassy, and as my mom is visiting, I figured it was a good time.

Middle of February is certain not the high season in Amsterdam, though I'm sure you enjoy the pun. So the Lloyd was pretty quiet... made me want to get a room and go to sleep in such a peaceful atmosphere. But dinner was the goal so we grabbed a table and perused the menu.

I chose a pasta dish of course, sticking with the vegetarian's reliable friend. Mom went for the Mackerel, sticking with our Portuguese fish culture. While the food itself was delicious, there's not too much in terms of filling up the plate. The cuisine is very designer, just as the hotel itself prides itself for being. This meant we had to order some delicious panacotta deserts. If you can explain what panacotta is, you get a cookie.. cause I can't - but I like it.

The delicious but not quite filling food gave us just enough energy to wander around the hotel and take in the super-interesting exhibition on the history of the Lloyd. An amazing history, of course.

All in all, it was nice and overdue, to be back at the Lloyd Hotel for some food, relaxation, and education. (not to mention free wifi!!)

Ever heard of Schmap? It's a publisher of online worldwide travel guides. I'll let them say more in their own words:

"The innovative technology behind Schmap Guides also lets end users publish their own ‘schmaps’ (to share trip itineraries, local reviews and more), and powers a popular range of Schmap Widgets, displaying maps with content and event schedules for travel, sports, concert tours and more on a fast-growing network of websites and blogs."

Cool, huh? Of course they have one for Amsterdam. Go exploring!

Looking for a change from herring with pickles and onions? Sick and tired of pancakes and stroopwafels?

For an upscale dining experience, visit Le Pecheur on Reguliersdwarsstraat 32 in the center. Fish is the centerpiece with up to twice daily deliveries from IJmuiden including plaice, sole, turbot, angler, mussels and oysters. The menu also presents smoked preparation of salmon, eel and tuna. Terrace dining makes the occasion more special. White wine is favoured due to the variety of food.

Le Pecheur is open weekdays for lunch and every day for dinner, but is closed on Sundays.
Bon appetit!

I'd hate to become a marketing tool for KLM, because I'm certainly not, but I do like me some airplanes.

Of course I wish they would produce less emissions. Of course I wish I could take a train to the United States or Thailand. But as of right now, I can't, so like you, I take the winged animals we call airplanes. What's more, I like looking at airplanes, including the old ones.

I was wandering Amsterdam's Schiphol airport over the weekend and I noticed a new shop. Actually I didn't notice the shop initially, I just noticed this huge set of landing gear in front of a shop, followed by the nose section of a KLM plane. What is this place?, I thought to myself.

Wouldn't you know it, the KLM store has opened for your airplane souvenir needs. I went in and perused the model airplanes and the flight suits. I even peeked into the cockpit of the piece of plane where children were getting their picture taken. Remember when we used to go to the cockpit during the flight to do that? Ah well.

The KLM store is good fun. Gifts for all ages, including way too many related to the new Airbus A380 super jumbo. Imagine falling asleep on a super-jumbo-jet pillow?!

I got the message this afternoon on twitter, "are you going to the smartmob event in Utrecht." There wasn't even enough time to get there, with only a few hours before everyone from all over the internets came together at Utrecht Central Station for a classic freeze action. You know, where everyone just stops; holds a pose for 5 minutes.

I've been combing the video sites for evidence of the event, and so far there are only a few on youtube, and many on the Dutch news. Hopefully sometime soon we'll have one in Amsterdam or Rotterdam. In the meantime, enjoy the video of the freeze action. And here's a link to more.

My passion for salsa followed me to Leiden, where I fortunately discovered Dos Bailadores. Last fall, I called them up and Monique, one of the owners, told me to stop by to chat about what level I should start at. She placed me right away and I've been taking lessons ever since.

Dos Bailadores has a huge dance floor and has parties every weekend (salsa, zouk, etc.) as well as open dancing on Tuesday nights after classes end. Although I miss my time with Extremos, I'm happy that Leiden is also well-equipped to handle salsa lovers.

Yes that's what I wrote. The Current Events Corner of the Amsterdam Historical Museum is currently featuring... cesspits! Archaeologist findings include earthenware and glassware in addition to the expected excrement, urine and kitchen scraps, all disposed of centuries ago. These pits "contain a wealth of information about the people of yesteryear." Open till April 1st.

The rather bland month of February makes its exit, in favor of a more exciting March.

Friday:

Canadian electro-pop from Caribou; Melkweg, 8:30pm, €15 + membership.

American author Nina Siegal reads from her book A Little Trouble With the Facts ; ABC Treehouse, 8pm, free.

Millennial Territory Orchestra; Bimhuis, 9pm, €18.

Saturday:

Baobab Reismarkt - a travel market! Pakhuis de Zwijger, (9am - 6:30pm), free.

Montreal's The Islands brings us some Indiepop; Paradiso, 6pm, €7.50 + membership.

Band of Horses rocks! Paradiso, 7:30pm, €14 + membership.

Sunday:

I didn't know the Stereophonics still existed!? Heineken Music Hall, 8pm, €30.

Living In Oblivion, a bit on the goth side; Winston Kingdom, 9pm, €6.

Ensemble Klang; Muziekgebouw, 8:30pm, €22.