|
News : Issues : 167 : We’re going to Zandvoort and the sea
| |
We’re going to Zandvoort and the sea
|
|  |  | | by Ron Meijer, in Nightlife & Reports , posted 15 August 2005 |
Zandvoort has always been Amsterdam’s large swimming pool. Pale city boys go there every now and then to get some healthy breaths of sea-air. In the old days there was a special tram, nowadays we just take the train or if there’s no other way, the car. But the reputation of Zandvoort is waning lately. You really can’t take the car anymore because that’s apparently what everyone else is already doing. And then the direct train connection disappeared. Now you had to change trains in Haarlem, so everyone had to lug their beach gear from one platform to another. Fortunately N.S. (Dutch Railways) is going to reinstall the direct connection this summer.
Another advantage of this is that you can take your bike on the train, which saves you a long walk along the beach. Because as ever: to go there is great, but the way back seems to last forever. Just behind the dunes is a cycle track that takes you swiftly to the most remote spots. At all the entrances to the beach you’ll find at least cycle racks so you can properly lock your bike. You could also consider cycling all the way from Amsterdam. I guarantee you that your tan will improve rapidly and yes, it’s a bit of an effort but just think of it as a cheap work out.
The village of Zandvoort
The actual village of Zandvoort doesn’t amount to much. You have the basic facilities but I wonder if an Amsterdam boy searching for fresh air has any purpose there. A lot of “Zimmer Frei” and every now and then the opportunity to pick up a souvenir that makes you nostalgic. It’s not a very characteristic place, although the fish at the beach is very expensive. Drinks are ridiculously priced on warm days; without a blush they’ll demand three euros for a warm can of coke. So contain your thirst and soldier on in southern direction, the further away from the village center, the cheaper it’ll get.
So you have to pay a little attention. Right up to the end of the boulevard the beach is taken up by straights with screaming kids, barking dogs, winging mothers and stressed out dads trying to recover from traffic jam stress, already dreading the nightmare of the return trip. So let’s skip that part, shall we? Unless you want to soften your cold turkey break from the Saturday craze at the Kalverstraat.
Zeezicht
At the end of the boulevard there are the beach pavilions. The first one being the famous “Zeezicht” (Sea View) or “Zeenicht” (Sea Fairy) as we like to call it. For years this place was the hotspot for queer Amsterdam, just baking in the sun. If you wanted to see that cute barman “in the wild”, you had a good chance you’d find him here sleeping in the sun. Then there’s the nude beach, just 500 meters away. With a cruising area in the dunes behind it, that used to be busy till late at night. The Amsterdam water company was not so happy with it and so the police of Zandvoort put an end to it.
More and more pavilions appeared as well so now you have to walk a fair bit if you want to “get off”. In the dunes there are still a couple of spots functioning. They’re not big, but they’re there. If you came walking, you’re starting to feel sorry now that you left your bike at home. But, as Cruyff said: “Every disadvantage has its advantage”. Pay attention to the funny scenes you see on your way. To change into bathing gear is quite an operation for some, and very funny for others.
Around five o’clock several fish and fries carts appear and these have reasonable prices. If you’re really on a day out you could just walk into one of the pavilions and order something to eat. It’s not cheap here but consider the fact that these people have a very short summer season in which they have to earn their income.
The way back is always hard, so you’ll probably crawl back into the train to Amsterdam, tired from sand, sea and sun. |
| |
|
Comments:
|
Re: Re: We?re going to Zandvoort and the sea
|
by Kancil on 21 april 2008 | | Back in 1964 I was caught in the nude by as I was told a koddebeier. As I was born in Asia he told me I would know better than anyone else that it was indecent to walk around in the nude. I always wondered what he ment. |
We’re going to Zandvoort and the sea
|
|
|
 Post comment:
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Previously published
