6 Surprising Revelations on Moving to Amsterdam

1. You'll hear 'punt en el' several times a day on the radio and television. Punt En Elle is not a company who spends a fortune on advertising. It is the Dutch equivalent of 'dot com', or '.nl.' 
2. When you go to the theatre, do not expect a full bar. G&Ts, vodka martinis, whiskey and coke will not be served. Instead, expect tea and coffee and best of all, FREE wine and beer. 
3. The population of Amsterdam is 1.6 million people, about the same size as Birmingham in UK.  We've been used to living in London, which has a population of 13.6 million people. For a comparably smaller population, Amsterdam cuts it as a world class city, especially in terms of culture and business.
4. Amsterdam is amazingly child-friendly. There are 28 parks, the land is flat and therefore it is easier for children to walk. There are family friendly events on for children, museums are free for children under 12 years. Even supermarkets are geared up for children with mini trolleys for children to push around or play areas. 
5. There are 29 ways to say 'goodbye' in Dutch 
6. It's not at all like living on a permanent hen/stag weekend. The Red Light district forms only a few streets and we've not actually been there since we moved here. There is so much more to Amsterdam than the Red Light District. Honest.