londonba2014

Due to be visiting Amsterdam later next month; I don't suppose any locals around to comment on what the local mood is like in light of C19?

The impression I'm getting is that's fairly chilled; in a typically Dutch way!

londonba2014

The Dutch Gvt has since removed this advisory notice for UK citizens (believe it still applies for those coming from Sweden).

Any locals have recommendations on any good bars/restaurants to check out either in Amsterdam or more widely across NL?

der_saeufer

I've been working in NL on and off for the past few weeks and was in Amsterdam a couple days ago.

Most of the country looks just like it did a year ago except that restaurants have been allowed to take over a lot of public space for terraces and tables inside are spread a lot farther out. AFAIK, bars are not allowed to serve anyone not seated at a table. Masks are required on public transit vehicles and compliance is essentially 100%, but they're not required anywhere else and literally no one wears them. Even at its worst in Noord-Brabant, C19 really didn't hit the Netherlands that hard, and their contact-tracing seems to be pretty functional.

Amsterdam is virtually unrecognizable--in a good way. I rode a rental bike (OV-fiets) through De Wallen last week and was blown away at the relative lack of crowds. I was able to ride virtually unimpeded down streets that are often hard to walk down. I got a seat on the metro at 6pm on a workday. I still had to ask people to get off the bike path in English, Spanish, Polish, and Italian though

If you like beer, Oedipus in Amsterdam is worth a visit, as are 't Uiltje and Jopen in Haarlem.

There are a couple other threads in this forum with a bunch of good restaurant recommendations.

kirkwoodj

Thanks for the update. As a bonus, Walhalla brewing/taproom is a couple minutes walk from Oedipus, so might as well do both while in the neighbourhood!

UKtravelbear

I have friends who live in Amsterdam.

They are basically reporting all is virtually normal and that tourist numbers are increasing but masks must to be worn in stations and on public transport.

Most bars etc are open as are shops. Many museums and tourist attractions are restricting entry via the use of timed tickets for admittance. This is the bit that affects me as on my visits to Amsterdam I decide where to go on the spur of the moment and having booking in advance restricts that flexibility

The City Council is restricting the sale of alcohol for part of the week in the De Wallen area and putting in one way systems in busy shopping streets

https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2020/0...tourist-areas/

der_saeufer

It's kind of surreal how "normal" everything is in the Netherlands with the exception of lower tourist numbers.

Masks are required only while you're actually on the vehicle; almost everyone ignores the "recommendation" to wear them in stations and takes them off as they leave the train, tram, bus, etc. Even NS employees take the mask off the second they step onto the platform (though to be fair nearly all NS stations are open air).

The difference in measures and outcomes between the Netherlands and Belgium--and the respective public attitudes and press coverage--is fascinating. The Flemish press basically keeps reporting "the Hollanders are crazy", but by any reading of the actual numbers the Dutch are doing far better. RIVM (the public health authority) said again last week that they felt a general mask requirement would create a false sense of security by distracting from keeping distance, and that its effects would be limited because it appears most new infections are acquired at family gatherings and young people's parties vs. "on the street".