After living in a few cities and having to deal with nuances like drivers' licenses and other…read morepermits you tend to develop a disdain for all bureaucratic divisions of local governance. But, this is a different kind of place. Even though the Dutch are famous for their slow bureaucracy, the city hall for central Amsterdam tries its best to make it an enjoyable experience. First off, it's a really nice building, very accessible from all sorts of public transport. They even used to have a post office inside until a couple years ago. They have a photo studio for those last minute photos and certain other interesting offices that I haven't seen. Inside the reception hall, you line up to explain why you're there and get a ticket to await your turn at one of the many booths and counters. If you're with kids, there are small televisions playing cartoons with Dutch voiceovers. The furniture was recently revamped and now is more contemporary, almost like a modern airport. The staff is mostly friendly and courteous. They even speak in fluent english to help support all the expats living in the center of the city. You can pay on the spot for services using your pin card. The center has really good hours, and is actually open until later on Thursdays. All in all, this is a really good model of what modern citizen services should be like.

I love this city hall. If you have to do bureaucratic bullsh*t, then this is the place to do it. :)…read more It lacks the large expanses of marble and lacquered wood of my hometown Chicago's City Hall (as featured in the Blues Brother's movie!), but what it lacks in Steven Spielberg cameos, it makes up for in speed and efficiency. My best tip for increasing your speed and efficiency here is to come with a baby. Any size will do. As long as you come with a baby, then when you go to the room at the end of the hall to state your purpose and take a number, you'll be put at the head of the queue. No waiting! And when you're done visiting with a civil servant, you can head outside to the Waterlooplein market and buy some gyros or loempias or frites, and get yourself an Amsterdam t-shirt or sparkly bag from the market vendors. Plus this place has bathrooms, if you ask the Portiers positioned on either end of the building where to go. I got lucky and my baby strapped to my chest prompted one of them to take pity on me and give me a free token to the handicapped bathroom, so I could more easily take my child along without having to cramp into a tiny bathroom. Plus plus, this place has an opera house and subway station attached to it, and I don't think you can ask for anything more than that.

What a wonderful archive! Many of their records are online. In short order, I found baptismal…read morerecords from 1634 and burial records from 1647! Great staff who help you navigate the website and then talk with you about the locales.

Vondelkerk has a special place for me -- it was one of the first churches I noticed when I first…read morevisited Amsterdam, thanks to its location right next to Vondelpark and near the Amsterdam Marriott. It's easy to miss at first glance, but once you really look at it, it's quietly stunning. The building itself is small but tall, with elegant, pointed spires that rise above the surrounding streets. It's a bit unassuming from the outside, yet very beautiful -- classic, calm, and perfectly placed beside the greenery of the park. The contrast between the church and Vondelpark makes it especially photogenic. I'm honestly not even sure if it still functions as a traditional church, but that almost adds to the charm. These days it feels more like a historic landmark and cultural space, and there are tours available if you want to learn more about its history and architecture. Whether you're heading into the park, staying nearby, or just wandering Oud-West, it's absolutely worth stopping for a look. A peaceful, graceful presence in one of the busiest parts of the city.