This annual event in the fall highlights the upcoming season of music and performing arts. All around Amsterdam stages are setup for various groups to preview their talents. The Dam Square has the biggest stage with the best acts. The most amazing part is you get all this entertainment for FREE! That is a rare thing in Holland. If you are staying for a few months it’s possible to get discounts by subscribing to a series of performances. The whole scheme is rather complex to sort out, but there are some good values.
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If you like Christmas, you’ll love Holland. They celebrate it three times! In late November they mark the arrival of Sinterklaas (our Santa Claus is derived from the Dutch holiday). Sinterklaas and his entourage of black (supposedly Moorish, but really Dutch in blackface) helpers travel from town to town giving little goodies (usually ginger cookies) to children. 
Much of Amsterdam’s charm comes from the architecture dating from the city’s “Golden Age”. Amsterdam goes back more than 700 years and a good portion of the central city is 200 to 550 years old. These beautiful old buildings have been wonderfully restored and preserved. Many older buildings awaiting restoration have serious structural problems! It’s truly remarkable when you realize most of them are built on stilts stuck into the mud. So many structures lean at odd angles that it’s rare to see a whole block in alignment. Many have had to have their supports replaced over the centuries to keep the buildings upright.
At the end of W.W.I, the Amsterdam School architects designed large housing projects to replace slums and to expand the city. These buildings incorporated larger floor plans with balconies overlooking huge central gardens. Many of the design elements incorporated a progressive attitude towards apartment life allowing for more light and air and taking into account human ergonomics. 
You’ll find everything you can think of in Amsterdam. Besides all the porno shops, most of which sell some clothing and accessories, there are specialized fetish shops for those who love leather, spikes, restraints and whatever else you fancy. If this is your thing they also have clubs and special event nights around Amsterdam where you can dress for the scene.