History Main / FreeStateAmsterdam

[[folder:Film]]

* [[http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=marijuana&defid=83756 This]] in Website/UrbanDictionary. Apparently Amsterdam is the only country (yes, [[ArtisticLicenceGeography country]]) where marijuana is legal. Amusingly the statement isn't even correct if applied to Netherlands as a whole; marijuana is now legal in 8 countries as of writing this[[note]]those being Uruguay, Georgia, Canada, South Africa, Mexico, Malta, Thailand and Luxembourg[[/note]], but not in the Netherlands, where it's merely decriminalized.

* [[http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=marijuana&defid=83756 This]] in Website/UrbanDictionary. Apparently Amsterdam is the only country (yes, ''country'') where marijuana is legal. Amusingly the statement isn't even correct if applied to Netherlands as a whole; marijuana is legal in Bangladesh, Portugal, Peru, and Uruguay but not in the Netherlands (where it's merely decriminalized).

You've heard of UsefulNotes/LasVegas' [[VivaLasVegas nickname and reputation]] as Sin City, right? That's nothing. Amsterdam is the modern Sodom and Gomorrah. You can do ''everything'' in Amsterdam. You can do drugs till you drop (or are struck by a cyclist), drink as much alcohol as you like until you're either rolling around paralytic in the street, knocked down by a wayward cyclist (again) - or both, explore the wildest boundaries of sexual debauchery, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and have your thick-cut, twice-fried fries served with a side of mayonnaise rather than ketchup]]. And then [[Main/OverlyLongGag somehow get hit by a cyclist again right afterward]].

* In ''Film/EuroTrip'', the characters get incredibly high after eating brownies they thought contained marijuana, hooting and hollering about getting high, much to the Rastafarian baker's annoyance. [[spoiler:They're regular brownies.]] Another character's first positive sexual encounter occurs there, while yet another is viciously sodomized in an S&M brothel, by Creator/LucyLawless. Subverted throughout, as it's clearly the tourists' stupidity on show here rather than the Free State.

* ''VideoGame/TwistedMetal 2'': The "Holland: Field of Screams" stage is an example of the rural part of this trope. It consists of several tulip fields surrounded with... well, more tulip fields, and a pair of windmills.
* One of the stages featured in ''VideoGame/CapcomVsSNK2MarkOfTheMillennium'' is Kinderdijk, complete with windmills in the background.

* The level "Flight of Fancy" in ''VideoGame/SlyCooper [[VideoGame/Sly3HonorAmongThieves 3]]'' is set (on the ground) in the rural version as well, complete with rural farmhouses and windmills...but justifies it by being set around an actual such location, at [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windmills_at_Kinderdijk Kinderdijk]].

There is at least a grain of truth in this, since the Netherlands does have fairly lenient soft-drug laws and a thriving sex industry... [[BrickJoke and the Dutch do eat far more mayonnaise than most countries.]] However, Amsterdam is hardly more liberal than other major cities in Europe,[[note]]The most liberal drug laws in Europe are actually in UsefulNotes/{{Portugal}} and UsefulNotes/TheCzechRepublic, where most drugs are decriminalized in personal-use quantities[[/note]] and in many aspects more restricted. Holding an open can of beer on the street is officially illegal (and in tourist areas, will likely get you a fine these days), smoking a joint outside is frowned on by the locals. The red light district doesn't differ all that much from the ones in, say, Brussels or Hamburg, except it's a common ''sightseeing'' destination, and the prostitutes in Amsterdam at least look happier. Magic mushrooms have been banned (though the mayor flat-out refuses to order police raids to check and [[ExactWords truffles are not banned]]), and marijuana is actually only decriminalized rather than flat-out legal, meaning you simply won't be fined. And the sex museums, dildo shops and weed shrines? That stuff's just for tourists. The city has no stoner subculture to speak of--you either smoke or you don't, but it doesn't make you part of a social group--and most of the true hippies are stranded Americans looking for some change. In fact, the Netherlands has a much lower rate of cannabis use than the United States.

You've heard of UsefulNotes/LasVegas' [[VivaLasVegas nickname and reputation]] as Sin City, right? That's nothing. Amsterdam is the modern Sodom and Gomorrah. You can do ''everything'' in Amsterdam. You can do drugs till you drop (or are struck by a cyclist), drink as much alcohol as you like until you're either rolling around paralytic in the street, knocked down by a wayward cyclist (again) - or both, explore the wildest boundaries of sexual debauchery, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and have your thick-cut, twice-fried fries served with a side of mayonnaise rather than ketchup]].

* ''Sex, Drugs & Democracy'' is a documentary film that explores Hollands liberal attitude towards drugs, prostitution, porn, sex education, and homosexuality making the argument that it has not increased crime rates and otherwise negatively affected Dutch society.

You've heard of UsefulNotes/LasVegas's [[VivaLasVegas nickname and reputation]] as Sin City, right? That's nothing. Amsterdam is the modern Sodom and Gomorrah. You can do ''everything'' in Amsterdam. You can do drugs till you drop (or are struck by a cyclist), drink as much alcohol as you like until you're either rolling around paralytic in the street, knocked down by a wayward cyclist (again) - or both, explore the wildest boundaries of sexual debauchery, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and have your thick-cut, twice-fried fries served with a side of mayonnaise rather than ketchup]].

-->'''Kumar''': You know what's legal in Amsterdam, right?

[[folder: Professional Wrestling]]

-->-- '''[[Creator/SamuelLJackson Jules Winfield]]''' from ''Film/PulpFiction''... and everybody else who's ever met somebody who's been to Amsterdam.

You've heard of Las Vegas's nickname and reputation as Sin City, right? That's nothing. Amsterdam is the modern Sodom and Gomorrah. You can do ''everything'' in Amsterdam. You can do drugs till you drop (or are struck by a cyclist), drink as much alcohol as you like until you're either rolling around paralytic in the street, knocked down by a wayward cyclist (again) - or both, explore the wildest boundaries of sexual debauchery, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and have your thick-cut, twice-fried fries served with a side of mayonnaise rather than ketchup]].

* The first level of ''VideoGame/DukeNukem3D'''s ''Alien World Tour'' episode, added in the ''[[UpdatedRerelease 20th Anniversary World Tour]]'' edition, is set in Amsterdam, complete with strip clubs (which is admittedly on par for the course for Duke). In fact, one segment has Duke smoke on a hookah and go on quite the MushroomSamba, complete with weird grinning faces on the walls.

* The first level of ''VideoGame/DukeNukem3D'''s ''Alien World Tour'' episode, added in the ''[[UpdatedRerelease 20th Anniversary World Tour]]'' edition, is set in Amsterdam, complete with strip clubs (which is admittedly on par for Duke). In fact, one segment has Duke smoke on a hookah and go on quite the MushroomSamba, complete with weird grinning faces on the walls.

* The first level of ''VideoGame/DukeNukem3D'''s ''Alien World Tour'' episode, added in the ''[[UpdatedRerelease 20th Anniversary World Tour]]'' edition, is Amsterdam, complete with strip clubs (which is admittedly on par for Duke). In fact, one segment has Duke smoke on a hookah and go on quite the MushroomSamba, complete with weird grinning faces on the walls.

* ''Final Fight 2'' had some form of a post apocalyptic Holland with invented letters on signs, fighting trough windmills, bombs hidden in the ground, carrion birds, and ending up in some kind of a massive... sewer? Dock?

* The ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' version of Holland is explored in ''Fanfic/TheBlackSheep''. In true Pratchett tradition, Sto Kerrig is Holland with all the knobs turned UpToEleven. Windmills, clogs, Edam cheese, canals and tulips are all involved. The state capital, [=DamHamster=], boasts ''kaffeehuisen'' where strange mind-altering and appetite-enhancing tobaccos are smoked in abundance. There is also a [=SexMusee=] celebrating all aspects and variations of the human sexual experience. A [[UsefulNotes/{{France}} Quirmian]] visitor is suitably moved by both.

* Parodied and lampshaded in ''Manga/AxisPowersHetalia'' by the [[MoeAnthropomorphism character representing the Netherlands]] who's described as a depraved chain-smoker, apparently is somewhat of a {{lolicon|AndShotacon}} and uses some kinds of 'shady drugs', whatever they are. Hilariously, a recently translated strip featuring him showed a profile shot of him with his nostrils missing, leading to comments that he may have done some damage to them with his habits...

You've heard of Las Vegas's nickname and reputation as Sin City, right? That's nothing. Amsterdam is the modern Sodom and Gomorrah. You can do ''everything'' in Amsterdam. You can do drugs till you drop (or are struck by a cyclist), drink as much alcohol as you like until you're either rolling around paralytic in the street, knocked down by a wayward cyclist (again) - or both, explore the wildest boundaries of sexual debauchery, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and have mayonnaise on your French fries instead of ketchup]].

You've heard of Las Vegas's nickname and reputation as Sin City, right? That's nothing. Amsterdam is the modern Sodom and Gomorrah. You can do ''everything'' in Amsterdam. You can do drugs till you drop (or are struck by a cyclist), explore the wildest boundaries of sexual debauchery, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and have mayonnaise on your French fries instead of ketchup]].

[[caption-width-right:180:Rated XXX. [[labelnote: By the way]] [[NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer We're not kidding when we say that's the actual city flag of Amsterdam.]][[/labelnote]]]]

There is at least a grain of truth in this, since the Netherlands does have fairly lenient soft-drug laws and a thriving sex industry... [[BrickJoke and the Dutch do eat far more mayonnaise than most countries.]] However, Amsterdam is hardly more liberal than other major cities in Europe,[[note]]The most liberal drug laws in Europe are actually in UsefulNotes/{{Portugal}} and UsefulNotes/TheCzechRepublic, where most drugs are decriminalized in personal-use quantities[[/note]] and in many aspects more restricted. Holding an open can of beer on the street is officially illegal (although it will rarely if ever get you a fine), smoking a joint outside is frowned on by the locals. The red light district doesn't differ all that much from the ones in, say, Brussels or Hamburg, except the prostitutes in Amsterdam at least look happier. Magic mushrooms have been banned (though the mayor flat-out refuses to order police raids to check and [[ExactWords truffles are not banned]]), and marijuana is actually only decriminalized rather than flat-out legal, meaning you simply won't be fined. And the sex museums, dildo shops and weed shrines? That stuff's just for tourists. The city has no stoner subculture to speak of--you either smoke or you don't, but it doesn't make you part of a social group--and most of the true hippies are stranded Americans looking for some change. In fact, the Netherlands has a much lower rate of cannabis use than the United States. Mentioning weed to most people over 50 and/or Christian gets the same reaction as it would in the States.

Note about the flag: Rated XXX, that sounds pretty cool, but actually it's much older: each of those [=Xs=] are St. Andrew's crosses, in honor of the city's patron saint (same as UsefulNotes/{{Scotland}} and [[UsefulNotes/RussiansWithRustingRockets the Russian Navy]], which also have X-designs on their flags). The official explanation of the three crosses is that they represent the biggest threats in Amsterdam's history: fire, because medieval houses were made of timber and stand next to each other, increasing risks of huge fires; flood, because the River Amstel often flooded; and plague, because the canals were filthy and one could contract all kinds of diseases from the water therein. Another theory goes that the crosses were part of the coat-of-arms of an old noble family, who were patrons of the town of some sort, and so the town adopted their design in its own coat of arms, but it is not known which family that was. (Probably not [[TheFamilyForTheWholeFamily that one]].)

[[caption-width-right:180:Rated XXX. [[labelnote: By the way]] We're not kidding when we say that's the actual city flag of Amsterdam.[[/labelnote]]]]

There is at least a grain of truth in this, since the Netherlands does have fairly lenient soft-drug laws and a thriving sex industry... and the Dutch do eat far more mayonnaise than most countries. However, Amsterdam is hardly more liberal than other major cities in Europe,[[note]]The most liberal drug laws in Europe are actually in UsefulNotes/{{Portugal}} and UsefulNotes/TheCzechRepublic, where most drugs are decriminalized in personal-use quantities[[/note]] and in many aspects more restricted. Holding an open can of beer on the street is officially illegal (although it will rarely if ever get you a fine), smoking a joint outside is frowned on by the locals. The red light district doesn't differ all that much from the ones in, say, Brussels or Hamburg, except the prostitutes in Amsterdam at least look happier. Magic mushrooms have been banned (though the mayor flat-out refuses to order police raids to check and [[ExactWords truffles are not banned]]), and marijuana is actually only decriminalized rather than flat-out legal, meaning you simply won't be fined. And the sex museums, dildo shops and weed shrines? That stuff's just for tourists. The city has no stoner subculture to speak of--you either smoke or you don't, but it doesn't make you part of a social group--and most of the true hippies are stranded Americans looking for some change. In fact, the Netherlands has a much lower rate of cannabis use than the United States. Mentioning weed to most people over 50 and/or Christian gets the same reaction as it would in the States.

You've heard of Las Vegas's nickname and reputation as Sin City, right? That's nothing. Amsterdam is the modern Sodom and Gomorrah. You can do ''everything'' in Amsterdam. You can do drugs till you drop (or are struck by a cyclist), explore the wildest boundaries of sexual debauchery, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and have your fries with mayonnaise]].

As for the wooden shoes: nobody really wears them anymore. There are some small rural villages (e.g. Spakenburg) where people still occasionally dress in traditional clothing, of which wooden shoes can be a part, but the only other places you'll see the things are kitschy souvenir shops.

Amsterdam is the modern Sodom and Gomorrah. You can do everything in Amsterdam. You can do drugs till you drop (or are struck by a cyclist), explore the wildest boundaries of sexual debauchery, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and have your fries with mayonnaise]].

* Both played straight and averted in ''Film/TheWindmaillMassacre''. Jack's story starts in Amsterdam's notorious RedLightDistrict where he [[AccidentalMurder kills a prostitute]]. However, Jennifer starts the film working as a nanny for a perfectly ordinary family in the suburbs of Amsterdam.