Latest Episodes for this Channel
Fri October 26 2007
The weed. Ganja. Marijuana. Mary Jane. Space Cakes. These are aliases for that one magical herb for which people travel to Amsterdam. Amsterdam is fam...
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The weed. Ganja. Marijuana. Mary Jane. Space Cakes. These are aliases for that one magical herb for which people travel to Amsterdam. Amsterdam is famous for its liberal laws about soft drugs like
cannabis, and the Cannabis Cup, November 18-22, 2007, is the grand celebration of the Dutch brand of tolerance that makes Amsterdam such a happy place. The event is sponsored by High Times magazine
(make... read more
The weed. Ganja. Marijuana. Mary Jane. Space Cakes. These are aliases for that one magical herb for which people travel to Amsterdam. Amsterdam is famous for its liberal laws about soft drugs like
cannabis, and the Cannabis Cup, November 18-22, 2007, is the grand celebration of the Dutch brand of tolerance that makes Amsterdam such a happy place. The event is sponsored by High Times magazine
(makes you wonder how this magazine is published), and a complete schedule of events can be found here. We at walki-talki.com neither endorse nor repudiate anybody's personal stance on
drugs--especially marijuana. We simply provide useful information about the cities that we cover, no matter how bizarre the information. In that vein, our own Ben Silburn interviews Lorna Clay, the
director of Amsterdam's Cannabis College (which you will encounter in our walking tour of the red light district of Amsterdam). Veteran tokers and curious amateurs must listen to this podcast in
order to get answers to these very important questions before entering any coffee shop in Amsterdam, or even contemplating entering the Cannabis Cup. Where do I get cannabis in Amsterdam? Which kind
of cannabis should I buy? How fast should I smoke? What do I do if I don't feel so well? What is a space cake? Should I try it? Click here to listen to this podcast now. And, enjoy everything
Amsterdam has to offer. Important Links Visit the official Cannabis Cup web site. Visit the Cannabis College web site. Read more about the Cannabis Cup at Wikipedia The walki-talki.com self-guided
mp3 audio walking tour of the red light district of Amsterdam. High or sober, the best tour of the red light district.
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Sun April 22 2007
Describe a marketplace that is international in scope, that takes up the entire city, that has absolutely no limitations on who can sell what, that is...
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Describe a marketplace that is international in scope, that takes up the entire city, that has absolutely no limitations on who can sell what, that is free from taxation, that is accompanied by
countless musical stages that serve every genre of music and that contains countless restaurants that dispense cheap food and beer, and you will probably hear a thousand conservative economists
scream in ec... read more
Describe a marketplace that is international in scope, that takes up the entire city, that has absolutely no limitations on who can sell what, that is free from taxation, that is accompanied by
countless musical stages that serve every genre of music and that contains countless restaurants that dispense cheap food and beer, and you will probably hear a thousand conservative economists
scream in ecstasy. But, this is not a conservative economist's wet dream. The above description is that of Queen's day, Amsterdam's largest party, and it happens the final weekend in each April. Here
are some practical tips on what to expect, and what to do. The festivities begin the evening before Queen's day (evening of Sunday, April 29, 2007). It is best to check the weather before leaving for
Amsterdam because Amsterdam weather may be very pleasant or quite cold. So, dress appropriately. Arrive in Amsterdam between 6 PM and midnight the night before, and make the rounds as you please. The
Jordaan neighborhood is a good place to walk on this night, in this humble guide's opinion, but there is no "bad" locale during these 24 hours. The night before Queen's Day the festivities will
continue until the wee hours of the morning, and resume soon after noon on Queen's Day. You can expect to have a stage at every street corner in central Amsterdam. On the stages you will find jazz
bands, blues bands, djs (The Netherlands is famous for its djs, from dj Tiesto to Kraak en Smaak), experimental musicians and, of course, pop bands. You will find major concert installations in the
city's three major open areas: Dam square, Museumplein (by the Rijksmuseum) and Rembrandtplein. Yes, artists like Queen have been known to give concerts on Queen's day on one of these major concert
platforms. You must also expect huge crowds and literal seas of people, for millions of visitors descend upon the city for this event. You will see the color orange (the official Dutch color)
everywhere, and a major showing of Dutch pride, which is the reason behind the celebration. So, do respect the Dutch citizens' right to be Dutch on this day. By the afternoon of Queen's day,
Amsterdam is tired. Everybody is drunk and happily asleep, and the streets are blanketed by unhealthy layers of trash. But, after nightfall, it will all be cleaned up, and things will return to
normal the next morning. And, you will be so happy that you were there, and so sad that it's over. You can get more information, including a map of the party, from these official sites: The Amsterdam
Tourist Bureau The official Amsterdam web site. Don't forget to take the walki-talki.com mp3 audio walking tour of the red light district of Amsterdam with you. It's on sale this month. LISTEN TO
THIS PODCAST NOW Picture: Leidseplein on Queen's day, 2005, at approximately 3 AM. Credit: Payam Minoofar
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Fri March 09 2007
It used to be that cathedrals were built over decades, even centuries. This practice fell out of favor long ago, however. Except in Barcelona. The Sag...
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It used to be that cathedrals were built over decades, even centuries. This practice fell out of favor long ago, however. Except in Barcelona. The Sagrada Familia (Sacred Family) is the last great
cathedral to follow this outrageous construction schedule. After a century of construction, architects and workers toil (and perhaps worship) on this site still. It is perhaps the greatest monument
of th... read more
It used to be that cathedrals were built over decades, even centuries. This practice fell out of favor long ago, however. Except in Barcelona. The Sagrada Familia (Sacred Family) is the last great
cathedral to follow this outrageous construction schedule. After a century of construction, architects and workers toil (and perhaps worship) on this site still. It is perhaps the greatest monument
of the modern era. It is virtually synonymous with Barcelona, the capital of Catalunya and a city that is rapidly regaining its unheralded glory and luster after centuries of repression and conflict.
As the work of the greatest Catalan architect, the Sagrada Familia represents Catalan pride, achievement and richness of culture. By any measure, however, it is one of the most magnificent structures
in Europe. Use the coupon "Gaudi" (without quotes) to save 25% on the walki-talki.com tour of Barcelona, Ramblin' on the Rambla LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST NOW
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Sat February 10 2007
Venice is a collection of small islands in the Adriatic with a long and illustrious history that contains more drama than that of most nations. It was...
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Venice is a collection of small islands in the Adriatic with a long and illustrious history that contains more drama than that of most nations. It was an empire, a site of pilgrimage, and the
technology center of Europe and the world. Along with the riches came culture, art and architecture like no other. This is why walking in the city feels like a dream. As you walk in the city, you
cannot belie... read more
Venice is a collection of small islands in the Adriatic with a long and illustrious history that contains more drama than that of most nations. It was an empire, a site of pilgrimage, and the
technology center of Europe and the world. Along with the riches came culture, art and architecture like no other. This is why walking in the city feels like a dream. As you walk in the city, you
cannot believe that this maze of canals, amazing buildings and monuments is real. (The ever present mist in the air enhances this dreamy ambience, of course.) Venice has inspired poets, composers,
philosophers and commoners alike for centuries. Venice is still host to many important cultural events, including the International Film Festival and the International Art Exhibition. In this
podcast, Ben Silburn and Sabrina Tucci talk about Venice's oldest and most unique event, the Carnevale. It takes place in February, before Lent, and it is another dreamy event in this dreamy city.
LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST NOW. You can save 25% on the Venice tour by using the coupon code "Carnevale" (without quotes) during the checkout process at walki-talki.com Visit the official Venice
Carnevale web site. Piazza San Marco is the main attraction in Venice, and stop number 9 on the walki-talki.com tour of Venice.
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Wed January 03 2007
This podcast gives you an overview of the history and major sights of Edinburgh and uncovers some of the legends that help to make it the most intrigu...
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This podcast gives you an overview of the history and major sights of Edinburgh and uncovers some of the legends that help to make it the most intriguing city in Scotland. Edinburgh is a living
museum that oozes with medieval architecture from Castlehill down the Royal Mile, to the Cathedrals that put the city on the map. Find out how the city inspired literary greats such as Robert Burns
and Robe... read more
This podcast gives you an overview of the history and major sights of Edinburgh and uncovers some of the legends that help to make it the most intriguing city in Scotland. Edinburgh is a living
museum that oozes with medieval architecture from Castlehill down the Royal Mile, to the Cathedrals that put the city on the map. Find out how the city inspired literary greats such as Robert Burns
and Robert Louis Stevenson, and learn how Edinburgh continues to reign at the seat of world culture as it plays host to the largest annual arts festival in the world: The Fringe Festival. LISTEN NOW
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Dutch Architecture Podcasts
