Amsterdam Travel Guide

Amsterdam is the capital city and most populous city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Its status as the Dutch capital is mandated by the Constitution of the Netherlands though it is not the seat of the Dutch government, which is The Hague. Amsterdam has a population of 834,119 within the city proper, 1,329,779 in the urban area and 1,603,531 in the metropolitan area. The city region has an approximate population of 2,431,000. The city is located in the province of North Holland in the west of the country, and is also North Holland's largest city. It comprises much of the northern part of the Randstad, one of the larger conurbations in Europe, with a population of approximately 7 million.

Amsterdam's name derives from Amstelredamme, indicative of the city's origin as a dam of the river Amstel. Originating as a small fishing village in the late 12th century, Amsterdam became one of the most important ports in the world during the Dutch Golden Age (17th century), a result of its innovative developments in trade. During that time, the city was the leading center for finance and diamonds. In the 19th and 20th centuries the city expanded, and many new neighbourhoods and suburbs were planned and built. The 17th-century canals of Amsterdam and the 19–20th century Defence Line of Amsterdam are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

As the commercial capital of the Netherlands and one of the top financial centres in Europe, Amsterdam is considered an alpha world city by the Globalization and World Cities (GaWC) study group. The city is also the cultural capital of the Netherlands. Many large Dutch institutions have their headquarters there, and seven of the world's 500 largest companies, including Philips and ING, are based in the city. In 2012, Amsterdam was ranked the second best city in which to live by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) and 12th globally on quality of living for environment and infrastructure by Mercer .The city was previously ranked 3rd in innovation by 2thinknow in the Innovation Cities Index 2009.

Famous Amsterdam residents included Anne Frank the diarist, the artists Rembrandt van Rijn and Vincent van Gogh and the philosopher Baruch Spinoza.

The Amsterdam Stock Exchange, the oldest stock exchange in the world, is located in the city center. Amsterdam's main attractions, including its historic canals, the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, Stedelijk Museum, Hermitage Amsterdam, Anne Frank House, Amsterdam Museum, its red-light district, and its many cannabis coffee shops draw more than 5 million international visitors annually.

Parks and recreational areas

Amsterdam has many parks, open spaces, and squares throughout the city. Vondelpark, the largest park in the city, is located in the Oud-Zuid borough and is named after the 17th century Amsterdam author, Joost van den Vondel. Yearly, the park has around 10 million visitors. In the park is an open-air theatre, a playground and several horeca facilities. In the Zuid borough, is Beatrixpark, named after Queen Beatrix. Between Amsterdam and Amstelveen is the Amsterdamse Bos (Amsterdam Forest), the largest recreational area in Amsterdam. Annually, almost 4.5 million people visit the park, which has a size of 1.000 hectares and is approximately three times the size of Central Park.[95] Amstelpark in the Zuid borough houses the Rieker windmill, which dates to 1636. Other parks include Sarphatipark in the De Pijp neighbourhood, Oosterpark in the Oost borough, and Westerpark in the Westerpark neighbourhood. The city has four beaches, the Nemo Beach, Citybeach "Het stenen hoofd" (Silodam), Blijburg, and one in Amsterdam-Noord.

The city has many open squares (plein in Dutch). The namesake of the city as the site of the original dam, Dam Square, is the main town square and has the Royal Palace and National Monument. Museumplein hosts various museums, including the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, and Stedelijk Museum. Other squares include Rembrandtplein, Muntplein, Nieuwmarkt, Leidseplein, Spui, and Waterlooplein.

Amsterdam is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe, receiving more than 4.63 million international visitors annually, this is excluding the 16 million day trippers visiting the city every year.[102] The number of visitors has been growing steadily over the past decade. This can be attributed to an increasing number of European visitors. Two thirds of the hotels are located in the city's centre. Hotels with 4 or 5 stars contribute 42% of the total beds available and 41% of the overnight stays in Amsterdam. The room occupation rate was 78% in 2006, up from 70% in 2005. The majority of tourists (74%) originate from Europe. The largest group of non-European visitors come from the United States, accounting for 14% of the total.[103] Certain years have a theme in Amsterdam to attract extra tourists. For example, the year 2006 was designated "Rembrandt 400", to celebrate the 400th birthday of Rembrandt van Rijn. Some hotels offer special arrangements or activities during these years. The average number of guests per year staying at the four campsites around the city range from 12,000 to 65,000.

Red light district

De Wallen, also known as Walletjes or Rosse Buurt, is a designated area for legalised prostitution and is Amsterdam's largest and most well known red-light district. This neighborhood has become a famous attraction for tourists. It consists of a network of roads and alleys containing several hundred small, one-room apartments rented by sex workers who offer their services from behind a window or glass door, typically illuminated with red lights.

Retail

Shops in Amsterdam range from large high end department stores such as De Bijenkorf founded in 1870 and Maison de Bonneterie a Parisian style store founded in 1889, to small specialty shops. Amsterdam's high-end shops are found in the streets P.C. Hooftstraat and Cornelis Schuytstraat, which are located in the vicinity of the Vondelpark. One of Amsterdam's busiest high streets is the narrow, medieval Kalverstraat in the heart of the city. Other shopping areas include the Negen Straatjes and Haarlemmerdijk and Haarlemmerstraat. Negen Straatjes are nine narrow streets within the Grachtengordel, the concentric canal system of Amsterdam. The Negen Straatjes differ from other shopping districts with the presence of a large diversity of privately owned shops. The Haarlemmerstraat and Haarlemmerdijk were voted best shopping street in the Netherlands in 2011. These streets have as the Negen Straatjes a large diversity of privately owned shops. But as the Negen Straatjes are dominated by fashion stores the Haarlemmerstraat and Haarlemmerdijk offer a very wide variety of all kinds of stores, just to name some specialties: candy and other food related stores, lingerie, sneakers, wedding clothing, interior shops, books, Italian deli's, racing and mountain bikes, skatewear, etc.

The city also features a large number of open-air markets such as the Albert Cuyp Market, Westerstraat-markt, Ten Katemarkt, and Dappermarkt. Some of these markets are held on a daily basis, like the Albert Cuypmarkt and the Dappermarkt. Others, like the Westerstraatmarkt, are held on a weekly basis.

Fashion

Fashion brands like G-star, Gsus, BlueBlood, PICHICHI, Iris van Herpen, 10 feet and Warmenhoven & Venderbos, and fashion designers like Mart Visser, Viktor & Rolf, Sheila de Vries, Marlies Dekkers and Frans Molenaar are based in Amsterdam. Modelling agencies Elite Models, Touche models and Tony Jones have opened branches in Amsterdam. Fashion models like Yfke Sturm, Doutzen Kroes and Kim Noorda started their careers in Amsterdam. Amsterdam has its garment centre in the World Fashion Center. Buildings which formerly housed brothels in the red light district have been converted to ateliers for young fashion designers, AKA eagle fuel.Fashion photographers Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin were born in Amsterdam(Netherland).

Nightlife

Amsterdam is famous for its vibrant and diverse nightlife. Amsterdam has many cafés (bars). They range from large and modern to small and cozy. The typical Bruine Kroeg (brown café) breathe a more old fashioned atmosphere with dimmed lights, candles, and somewhat older clientele. Most cafés have terraces in summertime. A common sight on the Leidseplein during summer is a square full of terraces packed with people drinking beer or wine. Many restaurants can be found in Amsterdam as well. Since Amsterdam is a multicultural city, a lot of different ethnic restaurants can be found. Restaurants range from being rather luxurious and expensive to being ordinary and affordable. Amsterdam also possesses many discothèques. The two main nightlife areas for tourists are the Leidseplein and the Rembrandtplein. The Paradiso, Melkweg and Sugar Factory are cultural centres, which turn into discothèques on some nights. Examples of discothèques near the Rembrandtplein are the Escape, Air, John Doe and Club Abe. Also noteworthy are Panama, Hotel Arena (East), TrouwAmsterdam and Studio 80. Bimhuis located near the Central Station, with its rich programming hosting the best in the field is considered one of the best jazz clubs in the world. The Reguliersdwarsstraat is the main street for the LGBT community and nightlife.

Kittitian Hill

Kittitian Hill is a 600m USD sustainable resort development on the island of St.Kitts in the West Indies. It is set on the hillside with 400 acres of steep contours and flat coastal plain on the north coast between Mount Liamugia and the Caribbean Sea. It was designed by award winning, Bangkok-based architect Bill Bensley.

History

Kittitian Hill was founded in 2006 by Val Kempadoo, a Trinidad based entrepreneur and leader in sustainability. It was funded by the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF) in 2011.

St Kitts' tower

The SIDF’s purpose is to provide support to the government in its efforts to diversify the national economy of St. Kitts and Nevis and maintain economic stability, and to support, finance or undertake the development of new and existing industries, projects or enterprises.

In July 2013, the SIDF sold its stake to Swiss Entrepreneur Patrick Liotard-Vogt making Kittitian Hill a private company. The mission of the SIDF was successfully fulfilled allowing them to invest just a few month later in Christophe Harbor, a marina project based in the south east peninsula.

Belle Mont Farm

If you care about what’s on your plate as much as the comfort of your room while you visit a faraway destination, try staying at this resort that takes the term “sustainable hotel” to a whole new level. You’ll experience luxury inside rooms modeled after West Indian cottages, complete with wood-shingle walls and wraparound verandas. But you’ll also experience one of the freshest farm-to-table models available, with organic fruits and vegetables that Condé Nast Traveller says are foraged by staff and willing guests – along with seafood harvested fresh from the sea. (The resort earned a spot on the magazine’s “Hot List” in 2015 for some of the best food offerings available.)

The resort sits on a 400-acre organic farm, complete with a golf course and spa. Each morning, you’ll have a crate of fresh produce delivered straight to your room. You’ll also be encouraged to interact with local artisans and farmers native to the area, should you want to learn more about the region.

Room rates can vary between $600 and $5,900 per night, depending on the room and number of guests staying for the trip. You can also elect to participate in a number of specialty offers that submerge you in the sustainability or farm-to-table experience.

Video of Ducks in Manda Zoo Jammu

Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of waterfowl which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the family Anatidae; they do not represent a monophyletic group (the group of all descendants of a single common ancestral species) but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered ducks. Ducks are mostly aquatic birds, mostly smaller than the swans and geese, and may be found in both fresh water and sea water.

Nature lovers and wildlife trekkers can enjoy unique diversity of trees like Tinish Tree, Ougeinia oojeinensis (Sannan in Dogri), Tree of Sadness, Nyctanthes arbor tristis (Koori in Dogri), Toothbrush Tree, Acacia modesta (Phulaai), Beaded Pod Tree, Acacia nilotica, Black Cutch Tree, Acacia catechu (Kher in Dogri), Frywood Tree, Albizia lebbeck (Sareen in Dogri), Indian Gooseberry, Emblica officinalis (Aami in Dogri), Wild Krishan Kadamb, Mitragyna parvifolia (Kaim in Dogri), Wild Persimmon Tree (Rajain in Dogri), False Quinine Tree, Hymenodictyon excelsum (Kunaina in Dogri), Parrot Tree, Butea monosperma (Palaah in Dogri), Drumstick Tree, Moringa oleifera (Sohaanjana in Dogri), Buffalo Horn Tree, Oroxylum indicum (Taatra, Marinjan in Dogri), White Teak, Gmelina arborea (Chitti Kanseer in Dogri), Java Plum, Syzygium cuminii (Dhallan in Dogri), Wood Apple Tree, Aegle marmelos (Bill Pattri in Dogri), Monkey Face Tree, Mallotus philippensis (Kamilla in Dogri), Wild Heliotrope Tree, Ehretia laevis (Chamrode in Dogri), Popcorn Tree, Sapium sebiferum (Makhan in Dogri), Garlic Pear Tree, Crataeva adansonii (Baarna in Dogri), Chacolate Twig Tree, Elaeodendron glaucum (Ganger, Gangeda, Marindu in Dogri), Agnimanth Tree, Premna latifolia (Kali Kanseer in Dogri), Nettle Tree, Trema politoria (Dand Koochan in Dogri), Indian Coral Tree, Erythrina indica (Thubb in Dogri), Cluster Fig Tree, Ficus racemosa (Rumbal in Dogri), Red Cedar Tree, Toona ciliata (Tun in Dogri), Indian Ash Tree, Lannea coromandelica (Kaimbal, Gadhambal in Dogri), Silk Cotton Tree, Bombax ceiba (Simbal in Dogri), Curry leaf Tree, Murraya koenigii (Drounkal in Dogri), Golden Shower Tree, Cassia fistula (Karangal, Karoungal in Dogri), Hoop Tree, Pride of India, Melia azedarach (Dhraink in Dogri), Wild Flueggea, Securinega virosa (Raathal in Dogri), Wild Kydia, Kydia calycina (Pullah in Dogri), Easter Tree, Holarrhaena pubescens (Kogad in Dogri) and others.

Manda Zoo has attractive assembelage of butterflies like Peacock Pansy (Mor Phanfadi in Dogri),Blue Pansy (Neeli Phanfadi) ,Grass Yellow, Lime Butterfly (Nimbu Phanfadi in Dogri), Sailor, Plain Tiger, waterfowl including Mallard, Coot (Tikkri), Spotbilled duck, Barheaded geese (Rajhans) , elegant peafowls (Mor, Myura), Cinerous vulture (Gridh), Barn Owls (Ulloo), Eagles, Parakeets, Barking deer (Kakkad), Hog deer (Paada in Dogri), Sambar, Cheetal , Neelgai (Goond in Dogri), Porcupine (Seyh in Dogri) , Himalayan Black Bear (Haput in Kashmiri, Richh in Dogri), Leopard (Chitra, Mirg in Dogri), Pangolin (Sarkhal, Salla in Dogri). Python (Sangani in Dogri), Monitor Lizard (Gho in Dogri), Black Partridge (Kala Teetar), Grey Partridge is also seen in the wildlife sanctuary. Exotic birds like Turkey and Emu are also seen in Manda zoo. Among other attractive birds, Paradise flycatcher (Poon chiri in Dogri, Doodhraj), Scarlet Minivet (Surkholi in Dogri, Rajlal, Bulalchashm in Hindi ), Tailor bird (Darjainu, Darzi), Jungle Babblers (Farol, Sod, Dadder in Dogri), Scarlet sunbird (Lal Angaarta in Dogri), Purple sunbird (Angaarta, Shakarkhora in Urdu), Indian Grey Hornbill (Doaa in Dogri, Dhanesh in Hindi), Green Pigeon (Preu in Dogri, Hariyal in Hindi), Fan flycatcher (Pakhi Phatoonu in Dogri), Barbets (Kudroo in Dogri, Basanta in Hindi), Hawk Cuckoo (Papeeha), Bulbuls (Peenja in Dogri) , Weaver bird (Baregdu in Dogri, Baya in Hindi) with their sweet melodies and artistic nesting behaviour add further thrill and charm to the nature walk in the wilderness around .

Role of Manda zoo and Wildlife sanctuary need to be further diversified under Ecotourism with scope for students of schools and colleges to enjoy nature and visit innovative green stalls having focus on ethnic cusines like Kalaadi kulcha, Alu khameera, Tinbru chutteny, Tarad achaar, Sohanjana achaar, Guaalmada, Katraid sabzi, local folk healers with herbal products like Jyotishmati oil, Kamarkass, Nazposh sherbet, Kachnar halwa, Vidarikand churn, Meda lakkadi, Tinbru datum, Amara, kamarakh fruits, herbal shampoos, cosmetics for sale, wildlife researchers to tell tree tales and conservation strategies, heritage story tellers to talk about historical myths and facts, nature photographers to display nature’s grandeur and artists to present colourful landscapes in Basohli and Kangada paintings, dramatists and musicians to present skits and songs on Dogra /Kashmiri /Ladakhi culture and reflect on manifestations in the wonders of nature.

Video of Tiger In Manda Zoo Jammu

The tiger (Panthera tigris) is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to 3.38 m (11.1 ft) over curves and exceptionally weighing up to 388.7 kg (857 lb) in the wild. Its most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with a lighter underside. The species is classified in the genus Panthera with the lion, leopard, jaguar and snow leopard. Tigers are apex predators, primarily preying on ungulates such as deer and bovids. They are territorial and generally solitary but social animals, often requiring large contiguous areas of habitat that support their prey requirements. This, coupled with the fact that they are indigenous to some of the more densely populated places on Earth, has caused significant conflicts with humans.

MANDA ZOO IS SITUATED ONLY 6 KM.AWAY FROM JAMMU CITY, THIS SANCTUARY OCCUPIES AN AREA OF 31 SQ.KM. THE AREA SUSTAINS 8 MAMMAL SPECIES INCLUDING NILGAI AND BARKING DEER AND 15 SPECIES OF BIRDS. THE BEST SEASON FOR MAMMAL VIEWING IS SEPTEMBER TO MARCH AND FOR BIRD VIEWING MARCH TO MAY

Zoos and Wildlife protected areas around the world are being looked upon as centers for imparting education and spreading awareness about wild animals and plants with their habitat concerns and conservation scenario .With urban concrete conglomerations fast stretching out in all corners, such spaces are a boon for the city dwellers. A visit to Zoo can be a picnic for fun but it provides a ready made large captive audience for spreading awareness about conservation and wildlife issues .

Ramnagar wildlife sanctuary and Manda Zoo near Jammu is not only morning walker’s paradise and abode for wildlife researchers but it has a great potential in spreading green consciousness among visitors under Eco tourism as well. Manda has unique assemblage of dry deciduous trees and shrubs as well as subtropical animals to attract nature lovers. It is the only green lung located near Jammu city overlooking river Tawi as an ideal locale for studying and enjoying nature .

Company recognizes Nexus Tours travel suppliers

Nexus Tours, tour operator and organizer of business tours, tourism providers recognized for their contributions to the development of the sector, during his usual event "Suppliers awards 2015".

Among the winners stand Penny Markt providers Caribbean Caribbean Parks, Seaquariu, Dolphin Island, Outback Adventures, Dreams Saona Tours Point, all tourist destinations Puerto Plata and Punta Cana.

They also received special appreciation for cooperation, "Punta Cana International Airport," carrier of the year award and the award for Supplier of the Year was awarded to "Ocean Adventures".

At the ceremony, the director of Naxus Tours, Jose Aparicio, highlighted the support received from suppliers, being fundamental to the organization and dynamism with which services are offered to travelers.

"We are very proud of the different teams that work hard to provide travelers with memorable and fun experiences in their holidays, and this can not be achieved without the support of all of you who make up the group of suppliers with whom we work closely "Aparicio said.

For his part, Ruben Gutierrez, director of NexusTours, expressed his pride for the great work and achievements in the Dominican Republic led by Aparicio, and highlighted the technical and human values ​​that have allowed to position the company as one of the largest managers of tourist services in 13 countries and 34 destinations.

Mughal Road in Jammu Kashmir

At last, the good day for the historic Mughal Road is about to dawn after remaining in oblivion for so many centuries. The road which the Mughal emperors used for visiting Kashmir remained a fair weather road for the reason that the six kilometer long stretch between Jazna and Chata Paani remained snow bound and impassable. However, the need of an alternative link to Kashmir was a priority because the existing link from Jammu to Srinagar via Ramban has become worn out. Actually, the mountains over which the Mughal Road passes and enters Kashmir valley at Hirpura, are of solid rock and do not succumb to landslides with even a small rain and snow.

The Chief Minister had recently taken up the issue of declaring this link road as National Highway, which meant that if accepted, it would be given the status along with other National Highways and thus its construction and maintenance would be in accordance with the norm set forth for National Highways. We learn that the Ministry of Surface Transport has reacted favourably to the suggestion of the Chief Minister and has asked the State Government to submit a status report on this project.  The Centre has now sought detailed proposal including projected cost, approach roads, total length of the road, and construction of tunnel, wayside facilities and steps to make it all weather road etc. The State Government has already made the details available and it is expected that the Chief Minister will personally hand over the status report to the Union Minister of Surface Transport. Estimated cost of this highway is in the neighborhood of 2500 crore rupees out of which 1800 crore rupees will have to be spent on the six kilometer long tunnel. With the making of this tunnel, the Mughal Road will qualify for the status of National Highway.

Once this road is declared National Highway, immense benefits will accrue to the border districts of Rajouri and Poonch through which this road passes maximally. It will give new life to trade and commerce of the entire region. It will be far more dependable than the existing NH-I particularly during winter months. Once the Mughal Road becomes the National Highway, link roads will also get full attention like Rajouri-Surankot link and Bufliaz-Poonch link. There is every possibility of the Union Ministry of Surface Transport reacting very favourably to the proposal.

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