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The weed. Ganja. Marijuana. Mary Jane. Space Cakes. These are aliases for that one magical herb for which people travel to Amsterdam. Amsterdam is famous for its liberal laws about soft drugs like cannabis, and the Cannabis Cup, November 18-22, 2007, is the grand celebration of the Dutch brand of tolerance that makes Amsterdam such a happy place. The event is sponsored by High Times magazine (makes you wonder how this magazine is published), and a complete schedule of events can be found here. We at walki-talki.com neither endorse nor repudiate anybody's personal stance on drugs--especially marijuana. We simply provide useful information about the cities that we cover, no matter how bizarre the information. In that vein, our own Ben Silburn interviews Lorna Clay, the director of Amsterdam's Cannabis College (which you will encounter in our walking tour of the red light district of Amsterdam). Veteran tokers and curious amateurs must listen to this podcast in order to get answers to these very important questions before entering any coffee shop in Amsterdam, or even contemplating entering the Cannabis Cup. Click here to listen to this podcast now. And, enjoy everything Amsterdam has to offer.
Describe a marketplace that is international in scope, that takes up the entire city, that has absolutely no limitations on who can sell what, that is free from taxation, that is accompanied by countless musical stages that serve every genre of music and that contains countless restaurants that dispense cheap food and beer, and you will probably hear a thousand conservative economists scream in ecstasy. But, this is not a conservative economist's wet dream. The above description is that of Queen's day, Amsterdam's largest party, and it happens the final weekend in each April. Here are some practical tips on what to expect, and what to do. The festivities begin the evening before Queen's day (evening of Sunday, April 29, 2007). It is best to check the weather before leaving for Amsterdam because Amsterdam weather may be very pleasant or quite cold. So, dress appropriately. Arrive in Amsterdam between 6 PM and midnight the night before, and make the rounds as you please. The Jordaan neighborhood is a good place to walk on this night, in this humble guide's opinion, but there is no "bad" locale during these 24 hours. The night before Queen's Day the festivities will continue until the wee hours of the morning, and resume soon after noon on Queen's Day. You can expect to have a stage at every street corner in central Amsterdam. On the stages you will find jazz bands, blues bands, djs (The Netherlands is famous for its djs, from dj Tiesto to Kraak en Smaak), experimental musicians and, of course, pop bands. You will find major concert installations in the city's three major open areas: Dam square, Museumplein (by the Rijksmuseum) and Rembrandtplein. Yes, artists like Queen have been known to give concerts on Queen's day on one of these major concert platforms. You must also expect huge crowds and literal seas of people, for millions of visitors descend upon the city for this event. You will see the color orange (the official Dutch color) everywhere, and a major showing of Dutch pride, which is the reason behind the celebration. So, do respect the Dutch citizens' right to be Dutch on this day. By the afternoon of Queen's day, Amsterdam is tired. Everybody is drunk and happily asleep, and the streets are blanketed by unhealthy layers of trash. But, after nightfall, it will all be cleaned up, and things will return to normal the next morning. And, you will be so happy that you were there, and so sad that it's over. You can get more information, including a map of the party, from these official sites:
Picture: Leidseplein on Queen's day, 2005, at approximately 3 AM. Credit: Payam Minoofar It used to be that cathedrals were built over decades, even centuries. This practice fell out of favor long ago, however. Except in Barcelona. The Sagrada Familia (Sacred Family) is the last great cathedral to follow this outrageous construction schedule. After a century of construction, architects and workers toil (and perhaps worship) on this site still. It is perhaps the greatest monument of the modern era. It is virtually synonymous with Barcelona, the capital of Catalunya and a city that is rapidly regaining its unheralded glory and luster after centuries of repression and conflict. As the work of the greatest Catalan architect, the Sagrada Familia represents Catalan pride, achievement and richness of culture. By any measure, however, it is one of the most magnificent structures in Europe. Use the coupon "Gaudi" (without quotes) to save 25% on the walki-talki.com tour of Barcelona, Ramblin' on the Rambla Venice is a collection of small islands in the Adriatic with a long and illustrious history that contains more drama than that of most nations. It was an empire, a site of pilgrimage, and the technology center of Europe and the world. Along with the riches came culture, art and architecture like no other. This is why walking in the city feels like a dream. As you walk in the city, you cannot believe that this maze of canals, amazing buildings and monuments is real. (The ever present mist in the air enhances this dreamy ambience, of course.) Venice has inspired poets, composers, philosophers and commoners alike for centuries. Venice is still host to many important cultural events, including the International Film Festival and the International Art Exhibition. In this podcast, Ben Silburn and Sabrina Tucci talk about Venice's oldest and most unique event, the Carnevale. It takes place in February, before Lent, and it is another dreamy event in this dreamy city. You can save 25% on the Venice tour by using the coupon code "Carnevale" (without quotes) during the checkout process at walki-talki.com Visit the official Venice Carnevale web site. Piazza San Marco is the main attraction in Venice, and stop number 9 on the walki-talki.com tour of Venice.
walki-talki.com Podcast
10/26/2007 04:07 PM
The Cannabis Cup: Amsterdam's Stoner Olympics
Important Links
04/22/2007 05:29 PM
Amsterdam's Biggest Party: Queen's Day
The Amsterdam Tourist Bureau
The official Amsterdam web site.
03/09/2007 09:49 PM
Sagrada Familia: Barcelona's Monument
02/11/2007 01:05 AM
Carnevale in Venice
01/03/2007 11:37 PM
East Germany: Life on the Inside
As you may have guessed from the way the walki-talki.com staff like to describe Berlin, we like Berlin. It is one of our favorite destinations. Yes, the Germans may be particular and quiet, but the energy you find in Berlin is unlike any other on the planet at the moment. This energy is almost certainly related to Berlin's rapid recovery from the ravages of 20th century history. As Berlin recovers from the oppression of communism, join us for a glimpse of how it was to live in Germany's most recent and highly accessible tragedy. walki-talki.com expert tour guide Nadja Drey and Ben Silburn talk about what it was like to live in communist East Germany.
LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST NOW.
See this famous picture of Erich Honecker soul kissing Leonid Brezhnev on the Eastside Gallery, one of the last remnants of the Wall in the former East Berlin.
01/03/2007 11:40 PM
London Bridge is Falling Down
My fair lady. Since its earliest days as a Roman settlement the Thames
has been the lifeblood of London. Today the riverfront is
the site of the city's greatest redevelopment projects and a beehive of
activity as the most visited area in London. On this podcast we shall
uncover the history of the river and its role in the city's
development. We shall also explore its banks while paying special attention to that most famous monument: London Bridge herself.
LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST NOW.
01/03/2007 11:41 PM
Oktoberfest in Munich: Castles, Monks and Beer
The 173rd Munich Oktoberfest is underway. The event has become synonymous with beer for good reason. Copious amounts will be consumed by cheerful masses for the next two weeks, but you need not limit yourself to drinking beer. Munich is an old city with a rich history, spectacular old and new architecture, a unique German accent and its own German dialect. All of these elements are reflected in the art of brewing the best wheat beers in the world. So, once you are done appreciating the rich cultural heritage of Munich, by all means, sit down and drink a few litres of beer with the locals. Prost!
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Visit the official Oktoberfest web site.
01/03/2007 11:41 PM
The Birth of Montmartre
Located on a hill on the outskirts of Paris and crowned by the church
of the Sacre Coeur, Montmartre has been a fountainhead of creative
expression and freedom since the late 19th century when artists such as
Picasso, Van Gogh and Renoir first found their niche here. The
bohemian enclave was also the place where the bourgeois of Paris
flocked to kick up their heels and get a taste of the good life at
cabarets like the Black Cat and the infamous Moulin Rouge. This
podcast explores the early history of Montmartre and tells the story of
how a once sleepy farm town rose to become the center of the modern art
world.
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01/03/2007 11:43 PM
Edinburgh
This podcast gives you an overview of the history and major sights of
Edinburgh and uncovers some of the legends that help to make it the
most intriguing city in Scotland. Edinburgh is a living museum that
oozes with medieval architecture from Castlehill down the Royal Mile,
to the Cathedrals that put the city on the map. Find out how the city
inspired literary greats such as Robert Burns and Robert Louis
Stevenson, and learn how Edinburgh continues to reign at the seat of
world culture as it plays host to the largest annual arts festival in
the world: The Fringe Festival.
LISTEN NOW
08/29/2006 10:52 PM
The Roman Colosseum
Can you hear it? The roar of 60,000 Romans cheering wildly for you--a
Gladiator--fearless, ruthless and hungry for glory, here, in the
greatest stadium in the greatest empire in all the world: The Roman
Colosseum. This podcast recounts the history of the Roman Colosseum
from its miraculous construction to the height of its glory and
eventual decline. Find out why the Venerable Bede, the great historian, wrote: “As long as the Colosseum stands, so shall Rome”, and learn the history behind this
unrivaled architectural masterpiece, blood, guts and all.
Bede Said further:
Quandiu stabit coliseus, stabit et Roma (As long as the Colosseum stands, so shall Rome)
Quando cadit coliseus, cadet et Roma (When the Colosseum falls, so shall Rome);
Quando cadet Roma, cadet et mundus (When Rome falls, so shall the world).
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08/29/2006 10:56 PM
Berlin
It is hard to imagine a city surviving the convulsions of the Franco-Prussian war and World War I, the horrors of the Nazi regime and the destruction of World War II, and the humiliation and the segregation imposed by the Soviet Union all in the span of one hundred years, but Berlin has survived. And, what a magnificent city it is. Join experienced and savvy travel writers Ben Silburn and Jed Payne for lively discussion of Berlin. Find out why it is the most interesting place to visit on continental Europe at the moment, and learn about the sites to visit in order to experience this history in person.
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