READ THIS FIRST!
-Please have references
-Last minute requests are fine too.
-There is a cat in the house
-If you decide to send me a request, please use my name and refer to the information in my profile that made you decide to send me a request. Please do refer to interests we may have in common.
Impersonal and copy paste requests are likely to be declined without further explanation.
-Please allow some budget to have a few drinks in a bar together. I can understand it when you travel on a low budget, but I do not like to host people who travel on a no-budget base.

I live in Zaandam, just at the northwest edge of Amsterdam proper.
My house is a few minutes walk from Zaandam railway station. From there it's 12 minutes by train to Amsterdam Central station, just six minutes to Amsterdam Sloterdijk station (for Flixbus, Ouibus, Megabus,..) or 18 minutes to Schiphol airport.
The bike is usually my favorite way to get around, though. It is an easy bike ride fom my place into central Amsterdam.

ABOUT ME

Consider me outgoing, social, talkative and curious, but also a bit alternative and eccentric. With my 1.94m, I am easy to find in a crowd.
You can always talk to me about nature (my house resembles a natural museum with many aquariums and plants). I also love to talk about Amsterdam, Zaandam, outdoor activities like cycling or hiking, travel, cultures/languages, history, music and the gay scene.
I am not interested in competative sports or technical stuff like the inside of motorized vehicles at all.
I'm always in for a wine or a beer and a laugh, but do not like drugs or smoking.
I love Eurovision!

ARRIVE PREPARED!
These sites can help you to get the most out of your time in the Amsterdam/Zaandam area.
For all general info about what to see and do in the city: https://www.iamsterdam.com/en
For public transport through the whole country, including Amsterdam: https://9292.nl/en
About the public transport chip card: https://www.ov-chipkaart.nl/home-1.htm#/
Info on biking: https://www.amsterdamtips.com/cycling-in-amsterdam
Better info on biking in Amsterdam: https://www.wanderlustingk.com/travel-blog/biking-amsterdam-survival-guide
For a nice hike in nature: https://www.iamsterdam.com/en/plan-your-trip/day-trips/amsterdam-beach/dutch-dunes
To the famous windmills: https://www.dezaanseschans.nl/en/
Zaandam 'the green city': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEVrmLbzHLc

PHILOSOPHY
Couchsurfing offers you a way to see the place as is really is. No paper travel guide can compete with experiencing a place with a local.
And for the rest it all largely depends on the alcoholic state of intoxication... but nothing beats a good time with interesting people.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING
I do more hosting than travelling. But hosting can be like travelling too! To hear the stories or to see my town through the eyes of my guests is great fun.
I do like to spend time with my guests by showing/guiding them around in the 'real Netherlands'. To see people being amazed by the things that are normal here, is a real joy.
That said, I do not offer full board and ending up paying for all your expenses. In return for staying at my place I expect you to bring in some wine or the food you eat. Do not be a freeloader!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Though I started this CS-profile only in 2013, the concept was not new to me at all. Only, before I started this CS profile I had met most of my guests and hosts in person somewhere else on the planet before staying at each others place. I like it when my guests will join me for a drink, or a hike or bike ride in nature and are curious, funny, cummunicative and gay-friendly or gay.

Interests

Nature, cycling, more nature, gardens, plants, animals, aquariums, local history, world music, history, geography, languages, bar hopping, Eurovision, semi-philosofic talking over a good wine.

• animals
• gardening
• cycling
• ecology
• history
• languages
• nature
• plants
• eurovision
• gayfriendly
• native plants
• botany
• birdwatching
• nude beaches
• aquariums
• house plants
• gays
• field biology

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: Where to start...? Not patient enough to sit out a movie.
Music: Love golden oldies, world music/ethnic music but a lot more.
Books: Not a big reader of books any more, now usually I read from the internet, mostly books -loosely- based on real stories.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Snorkelling with wild sea lions, penguins and sea turtles on the Galapagos Islands. But actually any place i visited was special and amazing in its own way.

Teach, Learn, Share

Experiences and stories. Travel advice. I can show and explain you a lot about the history, the culture and nature in this part of The Netherlands. Also I like to share some crazy thoughts, jokes, ect.

Countries I’ve Visited

Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Liechtenstein, Malawi, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Morocco, Mozambique, Norway, Oman, Palestine, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Scotland, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Vatican City State, Venezuela, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

Netherlands