msterdam has long been the capital of tolerance and has had successive waves of refugees as far back as the fifteenth century. And judging by the surnames of most of its citizens, it is probably Europe's true rainbow city even though it is one of Europe's smallest with only some 750 000 residents.

The capital of Europe's first republic is pretty unique in the world and offers the sex tourist as well as the cultural tourist something unforgettable. The city is still the only one in the world with an enlightened "soft drugs" policy and you can buy your favourite marijuana from a menu at any of the hundreds of "coffee shops" in and around the capital.

There is so much to do and see regardless of what the season is, but should you visit in summer you will be delighted by the beaches at Zandfoort, about twenty minutes by train, because two of the city's most popular gay clubs has a beach presence in the form of a bar and café.

Summers can get very hot (as high a 32 degrees celsius) but the winters are quite mild for Europe and seldom drop below zero, but if it does you will be able to skate up and down the canals.

The city has a dual sexual character and the "vanilla" scene exists quite comfortably side by side to the sleazy scene, the latter of which can also experienced during the day.

The Warmoesstraat area represents the darker side which is where you will find the leather bars, clubs, shops and cinemas. The leather scene is very retro and you may find yourself in a twilight zone that will transport you back to the early seventies. Some of the men in these places still dress up in plad shirts and tight jeans, sometimes even with moustaches.

The "leather" scene however includes most or all of the fetishes: fist fucking, leather, S&M, bears, rubber, latex, corporal punishment (or CP), uniforms and recently, the gay skin head scene. The uninitiated will soon discover that the term S&M is one that could include any of the above as well, but that the other fetishes can exclude "leather".

The innocent tourist wandering into The Argos, Amsterdam's oldest leather bar may come across a naked man hanging in a sling with another man's fist up his ass… or stumble through the dark cellar to find a man in a US marine uniform beating a new "recruit" with a belt or whip!

Next to the Argos there is Club Jacques with a similar leather flavour as does The Eagle and Dirty Dicks all within a few metres of one another. Mr B is the shop right next to the Argos that specializes in all the delights above (leather, rubber, latex and S&M) as well as a collection of toys and clothing that is astounding.

The Cock Ring is not far from the leather action and is actually a disco that plays commercial music (in the basement) but it also has an alternative bar on the mezzanine floor and a back room on the first floor.

But that is not all because a few metres down the same road there is not only another leather shop called the Leather Master, as well as the Stablemaster, a leather bar with a hotel upstairs.

Not far from the Warmoesstraat area there is also the Cuckoo's Nest and the Web, both also leather bars, so whatever fetish you are into you are bound to find something you like around the downtown area. The Warmoesstraat area is strictly men only and specialise in facilities for sex.

The "vanilla" scene caters for those who do not necessarily want to have sex on the spot and who prefer a drink or a meal. The Reguliersstraat is for those with more traditional tastes. This part of town boasts no fewer than eight bars, clubs and restaurants and even a few shops that sell sexy underwear and other toys for boys.

Havana is a dance bar with a great embience and décor and attracts a younger crowd than the Warmoesstraat area. The same goes for April, a few metres away. Both are more intimate venues.

If you want space club IT and Exit playing less commercial music and cater for a more mixed crowd although they are officially gay venues.

Down Town is the local "lunch room" with seating outside so you can watch the passing parade and the Other Side coffee shop is the local gay hash-and-marijuana joint just up the road.

The third gay section is Kerkstraat which is where most of the gay-owned and gay-friendly hotels are. The area also houses two of Amsterdam's three saunas. They have aptly been named Thermos Day and Thermos night, so you can lie in the steam around the clock!

It is generally quite easy to identify gay-owned businesses because there all have a rainbow flag outside.

Amsterdam's two bookshops Intermale and Boekhandel Vrolijk both not only sell books in at least three languages, they carry a wide variety of titles making them fairly unique in the word. Neither really sell porn because the hundreds of porn bookshops all over the city do that already.

Intermale specializes in men's books and carry European and American titles as well as photo books, comics and feature videos.

Boekhandel Vrolijk also carries a wide range of women's books and extensive Dutch titles.

Both of these also have web sites so you can browse the latest stuff and buy on the Internet (see our resources column on the right).

Amsterdam was the first city in the world to get their own gay monument, "Homomonument", made of pink granite with a line from a gay Dutch novelist from the turn of the century etched across it ("such a measureless yearning for friendship" - Jacob De Haan). The monument is right next to the Westerkerk, near Anne Fank House.

A corner of one of the triangle tips juts out over the Keizersgracht and points to the Dam to the Liberation Monument that commemorates those who died during World War II. The other tip points towards Anne Frank House just around the corner.

Of course no gay monument would be complete without a gay tourist kiosk next to it, which is where you will find info on absolutely anything queer.

The city a few years ago hosted the Gay Games and later this year the Amsterdam gay pride parade will take place on the city's canals, where else?

You can find safer sex information all over the city, especially at gay and lesbian venues and usually in at least six languages. It will probably surprise you that the average Dutchman/woman speaks four languages!

Amsterdam is not as expensive as other European cities and is very gay tourist friendly which makes it pretty unique place in the world.

Amsterdam's pride weekend and Canal Pride takes place on August 4, 5 & 6 August, 2000