All my life I dreamed of visiting Amsterdam, but the trip brought nothing but disappointment. Bashny.Net

Very often in different social networks I blurred in admiring smile at the sight of another stunning street in Amsterdam. Neat multicolored houses, boats and bridges, and a bunch of flowers.

Before going on another trip, I always try to learn more about the culture of my destination. Asking friends about Amsterdam, I heard the following warnings: “Take more money with you – food is expensive”, “Get a raincoat – the weather is rainy”, “Always check what you were given at the cafe”. But it turns out I wasn't warned about everything.



Bike all the head of Amsterdam can rightly be called the capital of bicycles. Nowhere will you see as many two-wheelers as in this city. They have everything here: parking lots, roads, traffic lights and so on. Cycling is highly encouraged, so be doubly careful on the roads.

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If you find yourself on a bike lane and get hit, the law will not be on your side. This kind of news is not very good, I must say. It’s good that I was warned by a couple of Russians who have been living here for several years. I just can’t believe how is it that a bicycle is more important than a pedestrian?

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We have all heard of Red Light Street, an area where night butterflies officially work. To tell you the truth, I was a little intimidated by local stories that you can't shoot anything on camera. It is possible that the owners of the establishments themselves can come and take away your camera. I don't know if that's true, but I kept my phone in my pocket all the way.

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Wandering through the busy area, in one of the windows I noticed a mannequin in clothes and came to see. In the end, I had to pay 3 euros. Because it wasn't a dummy. And it's paid. Even through glass.

I had an empty suitcase with me. For what? Shoppers will understand me here. Someone buys magnets and souvenirs at home, and I buy things in the wardrobe. That was one of the things I had to do in Amsterdam. But here too I faced a number of difficulties.

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First, shops work at best until 18:00, on Saturday until 17:00, and Sunday is a day off. Since the first days I went shopping later, my efforts were fruitless.

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Secondly, prices. I have visited many places and have often bought original branded items in brand stores. But I was not ready for such prices. Disappointed and with an empty suitcase, I had only to walk carefully through the pedestrian lanes of beautiful Amsterdam.

What difficulties did you face while traveling? What place disappointed against expectations or, conversely, surprised?