European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 5, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Stars and stripes july 2007 Page 27 the i Amsterdam sign Between the Rijk museum and the Van Gogh museum is a popular place for tourists to take the museums Are highlights of what Amsterdam has to offer photos by Michael and stripes people enjoy a Houseboat picnic on the there Are More than private houseboats on Amsterdam and just Down from Here there is even a Houseboat a fishmonger in Amsterdam Chinatown neighbourhood readies his Given its proximity to the North and the dutch seafaring fish is a popular food in a sightseeing boat plies the with the Tower of the Westerkerp in the firs time visitors should not miss a canal boat tour to get a feel for the a statue honouring dutch poet and playwright Gerbrand add Lafensz Bredero stands across from the on the Edge of Amsterdam red Light amiable Amsterdam by Michael Abrams stars and stripes City of boats and City of Art galleries and City of Coffee shops and an infamous red Light something for As the saying a but for the capital of the Netherlands first timers should take a boat cruise through Amsterdam port and canals to get a feel for the City and its on a followup rent a canal Bike similar to a paddle boat and use pedal Power to poke around in places larger boats cant Art fans will love Amsterdam museums the Van Gogh the the modern cobra and the steel Ink museums it is closed for but some of its works Are on exhibit at Ste Dejk is near the train station Are All Worth a if you like museums but Art is not your there is the Anne Frank the Amsterdam historical the jewish museum and the Rembrandt House museum a Little bit of Art to name a and while not exactly Muse there is a Madame Tussaud and the Heineken experience in the factory where the famous Beer was once shopping in Amsterdam comes in Many from probable junk at the Flea Market to upscale clothing and the Waterloo Plein Flea Market is on the Low end of the while at the Albert cuyp mar called by some Europe largest Street you can get just about anything from clothing to for fresh food and try the Boere Markt Farmers Market at Noord Ermark on saturday morn and Spur Square for Art on Amsterdam biggest department de is on dam Square and Klave Straat the cites main pedestrian shopping Street is just off the for designer look near museum Plein for stars and stripes names like Luis Vuitton and Carti if you Are thinking Amsterdam is known for its Dia mond factories and some people go to Amsterdam for its nightlife there Are cafes and clubs open until the wee hours of the they have famous names like Odeon or the so called Brown popular with the get their name from their Walls coloured yellow by and while they do sell in the evening their denizens will be hoist ing Beers dutch Coffee shops do offer but most often no what they do sell is illegal in in the under the uniform code of military Justice and even in hol land namely it might be tolerated by the dutch but dont try to take any Home with some of the things offered in Amsterdam red Light District Are also not allowed under but it is not forbidden to walk As the hundreds of tourists passing by attest there Are Good bars and the cites with family run restaurants is right on the districts if the night of partying was too Clear your head at the Artis zoo Good with too or a walk through Amsterdam expansive for More on the City and help with finding see the web site no email Michael Abrams at . Flower pots decorate a porch on a canal a shopper buys cheese at the saturday morning or Farmers at the Norde Markt Square in the Jordaan District of