one of my favourite coffeeshops is Paradox, not far from the Anne Frank House – it’s a really small and freindly coffeeshop that doesn’t see too many tourists. I’ve visited it five times in the last ten years and every time I’ve been I’ve seen the same local faces 🙂 must be a good sign the gear is very good there and you’ll see lots of locals stopping off to pick up their stufff there — oh, and they have great fresh fruit milkshakes!
also, I would recommend some laughing buddha from Barney’s Breakfast Bar on Harlemmerdijk – though it’s always full of tourists the gear is good and they even have a microscope for you to look in detail at what you’ve just bought. great way to start the day!
I agree with globallon – go to the museums, it’s such a shame when british tourists spend all their time in coffeeshops or the red light district – amsterdam has so much more to offer than that. The stedelijk has been closed for refurbishment for some time now, but the van gogh museum is great – especially when you’ve just had some mushrooms 😉
one other recommendation – if it’s a nice day head to Oosterpark – it’s a lovely park to just sit and chill and have a smoke without going in to yet another coffeeshop
have a great time – i’m sure you will!!
