If you're a foreigner, don't count on smoking anything or eating it either. At the bars I mean.

I've had some of the worst life experiences with alcohol and I cannot even suggest drinking hard liquor (5 shots) over a single joint but I guess the cops that keep arresting beligerent drunks who beat their wives and urinate in public are more social (the drunks I mean).

Stick to the prostitutes then, and make sure to check that they are women before you pay

I could make it down there as well (altough really, I live in Amsterdam and I have a bike, so any place would be fine from that perspective).

True. The zoo is quite nice, expensive though. It's fun to compare zoos in different cities/countries.

The Allard Pierson is good, but perhaps a bit "generic" (as in, not related specifically to either Amsterdam or the Netherlands); besides I think the archaeological museum in Leiden might be better . The Tropenmuseum is a good call, and it may be worth going now if you're possibly interested. They're cutting the funding, so there's no telling whether it will still be open the next time you have the opportunity...

Of course I neglected to mention the Anne Frank house. I personally find it a bit underwhelming because it's completely empty. It's hard to picture what it was like to live there and (this will sound harsh) the fact that it's huge doesn't help there. The "Verzetsmuseum" might be a better option for a WW2 related exhibition.

Good thing we have some of the locals then! He might still be able to get the hook up on some controlled substances legally. Is it legal for locals to share with tourists? How about friends from out of town?

I don't know about worst, but yeah, alcohol is pretty horrible. I have a hang over right now, actually.

Being social is not necessarily a side effect of alcohol.

That happens even in Prague and I'd wager in any other city around the globe.

I'm guessing that shouldn't take longer than an hour and a half; waiting for baggage is usually the bottleneck. Unless the plane actually touches down on the most remote runway (which is almost in Haarlem), in which case the plane will be at the gate 15 minutes or so after landing.

You don't want my opinion since I don't actually drink the stuff, but my understanding is that you don't want the local stuff (which would be Heineken or Amstel) but rather the imported stuff. De Beiaard would be good for that though, they have a wide selection of beers.

The previous Allegro meetup in Amsterdam was at the Irish pub on the Singel, but I've forgot the name (I can find it out easily enough).

Either way, it depends a bit on what's convenient for you. What part of the city are you staying in?

Be sure to catch the historic centre then.

There's tons of memorials and monuments related to that as well. I don't have a list handy (and for most I have only a vague sense of where they are exactly or what specifically they are for) but I'm sure you can find one online.

He shouldn't have any problems getting drugs if he wants to. Hell, a substantial fraction of the people buying the stuff are tourists (who don't know how to keep measure and overdose themselves).
There's been some talk of restricting trade to people with either a valid Dutch ID or a permit, mainly because of troublesome French tourists in the southern part of the country. I don't think anything has been implemented on a national level though, but I haven't payed much attention.

It's amazing how quickly you get used to it. While I was in Canada I would hardly ever see a bike in the street (unless it was my girlfriend's). By now, I'm so used to the bikes again that I no longer notice them.

It didn't make a big headline, but I was able to find a bit of information about the incident: http://www.parool.nl/parool/nl/4041/AMSTERDAM-ZUID/article/detail/3220367/2012/03/06/Snorfietser-en-tram-botsen.dhtml
Doesn't say much though: the guy was taken to hospital with a severe head injury. The implication is that he was alive at the time, don't know what shape he'd be in.
EDIT: another one: http://www.at5.nl/gespot/77255/ongeluk-rooseveltlaan, with pictures: {"name":"3115366b9e4b9eaa0f35092aeaf3f644.jpg","src":"\/\/djungxnpq2nug.cloudfront.net\/image\/cache\/d\/1\/d1e44416052b9622f418f00cc51b5f62.jpg","w":575,"h":1022,"tn":"\/\/djungxnpq2nug.cloudfront.net\/image\/cache\/d\/1\/d1e44416052b9622f418f00cc51b5f62"}.

I've seen a collision between a tram and a (normal) bike a couple of years ago. The tram had right of way and rang its bell like crazy, but the guy on the bike was swinging to the sound of his iPod and never saw the tram until he slammed into the side at full speed. It actually looked quite funny (the guy wasn't injured) and honestly, people who pay more attention to their music than traffic deserve what they get in my opinion.

I'm definitely staying away from Heineken, though I think trying foreing beer might broaden my tastes. But any bar/pub will suffice. An Irish pub is ok.

I'll be staying at friend's place which is on Uilenstede 14, apparently that's on the boundary between Amsterdam and Amstelveen. I guess that I could be in the city centre between eight and nine.

Will do, thanks.

I'll have a sister with friend flying over there tomorow, so I'll debrief them before my trip

They are dangerous, and people tend to be idiots around them, assuming they weigh about the same as a car and make about the same kinds of movements, when in reality, they are something like a hundred times heavier, take twice as long to come to a full stop, and simply can't change their direction. So people try to slip through just before a tram, as if it were a car, and then wham!, it's game over. Those scooter types often drive as if they had a deathwish anyway, so this doesn't surprise me a bit.

Anyway, best thing about Amsterdam IMO is the historic city centre. If you can, take a walk early in the morning, before the crowds come rushing in.

If it's beer you're after: avoid Heineken at all cost. If it has to be Dutch beer, try Grolsch or Amstel, those are OK (but taste pretty much the same as lager / pilsner from anywhere else). Belgian beers are much better, overall; Palm, for example, can be had almost anywhere.

And watch out regarding trains: Amsterdam has quite a few stations, and not all trains that go to Amsterdam hit central station ("Amsterdam CS" or "Amsterdam Centraal") - some go along a south tangent, and before you know what hit you, you'll be on a 60-minute detour.

And watch out for cyclists, and never walk on the cycle paths. If you do, chances are a local will try to hit you, and they will not brake. Really, they won't. I've seen it happen. So when you cross a cycle path, treat it as just another road.

Damn straight.
The first time you hit a tourist it's embarassing. The second time it's annoying. The third time you just try to hit them where it hurts most.
Tourists on bikes are arguably worse than tourists on foot though.

Anyway, why don't you come and join us too?

De Beiaard actually serves some Amsterdam beers that are quite nice.

Well, I'll have a friend waiting for me at the airport, so I think I'll be fine with getting to his place. But thanks anyway. Oh, and well, great to see that there'll be more people showing up I guess I should brush up on my English conversation then

According to a friend who has just returned from there (stayed at the same friend's place I'll be staying) I should be at the friend's place around 1900, so I'd guess that 2000 somewhere in the center is a safe. I'll be meeting Evert at the Spui as it seems, so you can meet us there or at the centre (or wherever are we heading).