The Side Of AMSTERDAM They DON'T Show You (DE BIJLMER)

Amsterdam is one of the most well-known cities in the world. But often, people have a very narrow view of what you can do or see in Amsterdam. One of the places often overlooked in Amsterdam is de Bijlmer, and if people do hear about it, they are often advised to stay away from there for safety reasons. But is this reputation really valid or outdated? Watch me in this video spend a day in de Bijlmer, with my friend Dior who is born and raised there!
Big thanks to Tare for helping me film, if you're in the Netherlands and need a videographer, check out her page here: www.upwork.com/freelancers/~0...
Follow on Instagram & TikTok: @exploringtheforeign
Email: [e-mail]
Buy Me a Coffe: www.buymeacoffee.com/exploringtf
00:00 History of de Bijlmer
01:13 Introducing Dior
01:47 Amsterdamse Poort
02:00 Is de Bijlmer really a ghetto?
03:22 Shopperhal
04:53 How is growing up in de Bijlmer?
06:23 Ganzenhoef Market
07:13 How has de Bijlmer changed over the years?
08:01 Smeltkroes 2.0
10:04 Were you ashamed of de Bijlmer?
11:12 Holendrecht
11:56 What's the future of de Bijlmer?
12:26 Would you raise your kids in de Bijlmer?
#amsterdam #bijlmer #netherlands

[@exploringtheforeign]

Through this experience, I was able to witness how unique of a place de Bijlmer is in the Netherlands. What's your view of/experience in de Bijlmer?

[@nfboogaard]

I was there last monday, passing through the market, it really is it's own little world, not ghetto at all. Just people having a good time in their community.

[@marknieuweboer8099]

I went there a couple of times in the 1980s and felt completely safe. Maybe it was more dangerous after sunset, like in those years several parks (Vondelpark, Vliegenbos) were infamous. The Bijlmer obviously had its problems, but so had other Dutch neighbourhoods, both in Amsterdam and other cities and towns. So I never have understood why the Bijlmet was especially notorious - except racism. In The Bijlmer lived many Afro-Surinamese people. I think thát gave it a bad name.

[@awest7726]

Beste plek waar ik ooit gewoond heb, lekker eten en gezellige mensen! Het heeft nog steeds zijn problemen met armoede etc. maar het wordt steeds beter.

[@Dronston]

Came to de Bijlmer regularly in the early 90's. I was a floormanager for "exotic dancers" and some of the ladies lived in de Bijlmer. Made it a practice to always escort them to their front doors because of the reputation this neighborhood had. But to be honest, nothing ever happened nor was there ever a threatening situation. The ladies asked for the escort though, so I guess they did not feel safe alone late at night. Have not been to de Bijlmer since, so it was interesting to see how much has changed.

[@jibberism9910]

The worst was from late 80s to mid 90s. Crime was in fact extremely high by Dutch standards, there is no way around that. It was also BIG. Maybe you hung around places that weren't quite as problematic. @@marknieuweboer8099

[@daveydeboer2542]

I grew up there as a white kid, in my childhood there were places you shouldnt be in the dark but since some 10-15 years its been a world of difference from what it was. It brought me up in touch with a lot of cultures and im grateful to this day for the lessons i was taught by many. Also being able to speak and understand sranang (Suriname language) as a white man is very funny.

[@vanCaldenborgh]

As a Dutchman I did not even know this language existed in the first place. Recently I realized how little I know about my own country, visited so many capitals in world, but know nearly nothing about Amsterdam. Soon going to the Berlin scenes for the 10th time, but Bijlmer is on my list now, will be something very new for me.

[@djan71]

​@@vanCaldenborghI also am frequently a little embarrassed by my lack of knowledge about so many things about the netherlands and even the culture, despite growing up here. It's still never too late to learn!

[@harrykemma]

heb je ook op de o.s.b gezeten ?

[@BroodPitt]

Ook in de bijlmer opgegroeid.... Kleiburg 🫡 natuurlijk ook op de bijlmerdrie gezeten. leuke tijd was het, veel muziek! jammer dat de pinkpanther niet meer is.

[@RoninOrO]

Gaasperdam 🎉😅 steenworp zeg maar...

[@ElMariachi1337]

I grew up in Zuidoost (Reigersbos) myself and the Bijlmer can't really be compared today: in the late 80s/early 90s it trully was a ghetto , all the grey flats, obscure garages, lots of graffiti in the subways and on the streets, junkies and dealers around Kraaienest/Ganzenhoef and even places the police rather avoided like Hoptille/Haardstede. But even then I never really felt unsafe because you simply learned the way of the streets growing up there. And in the end it truly enriched me as a person, all the different cultures; Antillianen, Surinamers, Afrikanen and the occasinal Dutchy like me, different foods, different people, different life styles. But the main thing I learned was the rest of NL saw the Bijlmer as an asocial place when in fact it was the most social place I've ever lived in, still grateful growing up there!

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you for sharing this!🙏🏾

[@jibberism9910]

Yeah, ganzenhoef was a dystopian wasteland back in those days. But the old Bijlmer was unique and I loved living there regardless. There was simply nothing remotely like it! What a lot of people don't know is that the Bijlmermeer as it was before the major refurbishing began, was the biggest single-project residential area that has ever been developed in Europe.

[@wolfgangdevries127]

But the Zeedijk was worse afaicr. In the old centre.

[@arranchace1306]

I still live near Reigersbos, now for little over 35 years, and saw it change from a unliveable ghetto, to imho the most liveable neighbourhoods of Amsterdam. 5min walk from the Metro that unlocks the whole city, 5min walk from Gaasperplas with a summer long of festivals to visit and a nice beech where everyone BBQ's, and have a really social time there in the summer.. And to top it off, 5min drive to the A9 so i can go anywhere with the car IF i need to, and enough parking space here too, next to a complete independent bycicle infrastructure. 15-10 years ago, i wanted to move out, last few years... i am even proud to call this neighbourhood my home, and most people who visit me here hardly believe this is Amsterdam, because how green it is here, they expect this of Almere of Lelystad, not Amsterdam. Nom Once the reputation of the Bijlmer was true, but that is exactly that, in the past. And yes, there is crime here too, but as a local here, i hardly notice it at all, even those i suspect of beeing naughty are in fact not scary guys, but mostly those who are like most others here, there is no real gang culture here.. sure few lowlife who think they are cool gansta's, but i see those everywhere in any city. Cant really say its more of a "problem" here are as in other parts of Amsterdam. And here i feel skincolor is even not a issue, black, brown, white, yellow whatever color you are, imho it makes Bijlmer/Z.O somehow i feel the culturemix is what makes Z.o Zuid-Oost and a fun place to live. In other parts of Amsterdam i feel way more judged on my skincolor as in Z.O. dispite i'm white. Thats why i love Z.O, people here judge you on who you are, not what you look like.

[@Bruintjebeer6]

Everything changes at times. When I was a kid I was not allowed in the Dapper buurt and other neighborhoods like that in the sixties. Those neighborhoods are now filled with yuppen. Than it was the Bijlmer and Zuidoost. Osdorp in the seventies was a neighborhood for the middle class with white collar jobs in the hoger paid segment. Look at it now. People should not hang on to old times. The Bijlmer is a great example how it can be one of the greatest places to live in and around Amsterdam when everyone involved is prepared to work to make it a great place. I live in Alkmaar but if I had to choose between the Bijlmer and Zuid I choose the Bijlmer ant day.

[@patjeplebs]

Born and raised in Amsterdam, moved to Bijlmer 7 years ago and I dont ever want to leave! It is one of the last real Amsterdam neighbourhoods. You will be surprised how nice it actually is nowadays. There are great public transport options and there is lots of green! I'm glad I moved away from the old town, it''s nice and quiet here and I don't hear every move my neighbours make. Don't let the media fool you, it is a really nice place!

[@ThankYouUniverse11-11]

Exactly, do not believe the media .. When you watch television you are watching Tell LIE Vision .. The place where you find a lot of differente cultures there is the place to be 🙌

[@patjeplebs]

@@Levis612 in my youth i lived in suriname plein buurt and kinkerstraat, after i moved around the city.. from kattenburg, Wenckebach weg, leidsegracht (illegal rent) and lijnbaansteeg. Finaly found peace in south east.

[@peterf1]

Heel goed! As an American trying to soak up Dutch culture, THIS is such an important part of the country. I don't have to tell you, so often these are the stories that don't get told, because somebody decided it's not important. It's important. So thank you Sam for telling this story.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you, Peter! I definitely felt this was a special video to put out and one I had been looking forward to doing for quite some time.

[@VaQm11]

As an Dutch living in the (east of the) Netherlands, I couldn't agree more. Glad to see someone paying attention to something other than the more obvious. Some super inspiring stories of self-organizing neighbourhood groups there too by the way. Bijlmer is (also) an inspiration.

[@beautyneytiri]

important ? amsterdam is not the only place in the netherlands !!!!!!

[@boostio2720]

@@beautyneytiri Do you even know what important means?

[@114Riggs]

@@boostio2720over sixteen millions other people in the country than Amsterdam. That’s what she means with important.

[@DikWhite]

Interesting to see how de Bijlmer has developed over the years. I remember sitting in my Opa's car driving on the highway through the Bijlmermeer construction site en route from Badhoevedorp where Oma and Opa lived to Amersfoort where my aunt and uncle lived. The 1992 disaster was terrible but also a significant turning point for the neighbourhood. Looks quite cool now.

[@terrelmensa4373]

As a Ghanaian 🇬🇭 American 🇺🇸 every time I visit my friends in Holland , Bijmer they show me so much love. Great culture good food.

[@heylson]

Have you been to the world of food Amsterdam? They’re selling Ghanaian food.

[@terrelmensa4373]

@@heylson Yes I was there in 2016. This nice market place under this huge bridge with different food tents. Really nice.

[@ItsSKYYo]

Whaaat!!!! That’s the Ghetto!!!! Man… they have trees, grass… shops!!! Man you go to my hood of Chicago.. and it’s abandoned houses, no grass… no stores.. maaaan…. This looks nicer than the city center of amsterdam!!! Ayyye great video!!! Man! I need to go here sometime!

[@exploringtheforeign]

😂😂😂 yeah it definitely isn't Chicago haha. Thanks, Sky!

[@urbnctrl]

Just because we marginalize people does not mean that the house cat's dont deserve a good hunting ground for their birds bro.. Have some heart.. This is the Netherlands.

[@exploringtheforeign]

@urbnctrl this went over my head😅

[@ItsSKYYo]

@@urbnctrl dude I’m so confused with what your saying.. but ok. 😂 I’m just saying… I’d love to visit this place. I mean… I live and never heard of it 😎

[@nfboogaard]

Whats up Sky, love your videos ✌🏼

[@cherylh.1537]

Great job Sam!! Keep highlighting all the great things about The Netherlands and its diverse people. At the end of the day, all the different cultures are amazing and should be celebrated. You’re a great spokesperson for what makes The Netherlands one of the must see countries in the world❤

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thanks, mom!!

[@leonkotler]

Great video man, really enjoyed it. Top notch production quality and loved seeing a part of Amsterdam that I've never given too much thought to. Great guest too!

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you so much! And yeah, Dior is awesome🙌🏾

[@RoddersMcGee]

The fish that usually goes with the Teloh is called "Trie" in Suriname. You can also eat it with salt fish, but traditionally Trie (with a lot of Adjuma peppers) is the way to go🤙😬

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thanks for the info!

[@Em-VR]

As a half Surinamese person that didn't grow up in the Bijlmer but moved there to live in a student appartment I didn't know what to expect at first but as soon as I set my first step I felt at home. The Bijlmer is truly an amazing hub for people of different culture's to come together and the city center is a great experience in summer with people making music and enjoying good food

[@Lilygirl283]

What a nice area, colorful and clean, i wish i could smell the spices they use, big play area for the kids, another good video Sam...👍👍👍

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thanks, Lily! Glad you enjoyed!

[@MultiEpicnezz]

Good video, ignore the weird hate comments, they clearly didn't bother watching the video.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thanks, Cody! I already anticipated some not nice comments when making this video so it's all good🙌🏾😃

[@MrMaurice1960]

"If this is a ghetto I'd like to see how the riche people live!" 😃 Yet another well-produced, interesting video! I used to visit de Bijlmer a lot some 40-50 yrs ago when my gran was involuntary moved to a new old olks home there. I've seen it being build, so to say, designed to dehumanize (though we later lerarned city planners led astray thought they were doing the opposite). Particularly the opaque-windowed parking garages and the empty elevated motorways used to give me the creeps... Enter a mix of people much more focused on caring and enjoying the immaterial aspects of life. It makes me happy to see they brought de Bijlmer alive - making me want to go there just to enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you, Maurice! Glad you enjoyed and interesting to hear your stories from then!

[@mariav4097]

For Dutch standards it might be called ghetto. Compared to other countries it would not be seen as that.

[@jaka2274]

@@mariav4097 no, its just the reputation. Even for dutch standards bijlmer is not a ghetto. Transvaalbuurt, Schalkwijk (haarlem) or woensel are for dutch standard ghetto's. Bijlmer is just a culturally mixed place, which influences the quality of life positively.

[@GerHanssen]

I have peculiar suggestion. Go to Eygelshoven, in Limburg. It is very near to the German border near Kerkrade. Please go there to the market on a saturday. On other days there will be no market. It is famous for decades in the environment. Far into Germany and Belgium. You will find a market that is full of exotic people, but not like in Amsterdam, but with equally many nationalities. Yet, there they don't speak English, but mostly German. In reality you are in the Netherlands there. I think it is a very special multicultural place inside our country, that hardly anybody knows about.

[@lordsleepyhead]

I think the Bijlmer is a "ghetto" only in the sense that you find a lot of minorities living there, and it's slightly poorer than average, but it's actually very nice and not unsafe any more. It's a very colorful and vibrant place, it has a flavor that's different from the rest of Amsterdam. I like it.

[@exploringtheforeign]

This does align with the pure definition of "ghetto" so I agree haha. But yeah, usually people have a real negative conotation with it, as my friend mentioned.

[@Wazztheweasel]

I am born in the bijlmer and it used to be filthy back in the 80´s 90´s . people just threw the trash from their building down from these big flats and they did not care about how it makes everything look crappy. but they pimped it allot so these kind of people either don't live there anymore or they stopped doing it cant explain how it all works ? housing prices went up maybe ? It just changed for the better.

[@weirdmonkeyfish]

Great video! Thank you for showing the Bijlmer. Great host too. 👍🏽 From Meppel to Bijlmer, i love it! 🙂

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you! :) Gotta keep people on their toes!

[@abi219]

Great vlog 👍 It is certainly a massive improvement. Now a great place to visit. 😊

[@Blackadder75]

I went to the Bijlmer often in the 1990s. I was told that was a bad period with a lot of drug related crime but I never felt unsafe , even while walking around with lots of cash at the time because I worked in market stalls and everything we sold in those days was cash and i had to take it home before putting it in a bank. (I am an ordinary white Dutch guy btw) Never had any bad experience there

[@vanderquast]

So glad the Bijlmer is getting better all the time 😊

[@luluognam]

love the vid!

[@mikepictor]

I love this. I may be starting a new job in the Bijlmer area soon, so I loved getting a closer peek.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Congrats on the job! And glad the video was helpful🙌🏾

[@carolinavanderlande4904]

Great topic, very informative!

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thanks, Carolina!

[@katrinterkatz3293]

Great video Sam! So fun to watch

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you, Katrin!! Really appreciate you watching.

[@djTLMtv]

It's always nice to see someone showcase other parts of Amsterdam. De Bijlmer is a great place to live. I grew up in the center of Amsterdam, but I've been living in De Bijlmer for the last 16 years, and it's where we've been raising our children. It's funny: most of the people who speak about De Bijlmer in a negative way now have never been there. They just heard stories that mostly stem from way back, but they assume it's still like that. De Bijlmer was pretty rough in the 80s and 90s, but so was the center (Zeedijk, etc).

[@kaasvreter3000]

Thank you for sharing. Gives a beautiful perspective on the Bijlmer. Even a lot of people in the Netherlands think its still like it was 30 years ago.. myself as well. Thank you ❤

[@lj5479]

I traveled to Amsterdam from the USA for the N. Sea Jazz Festival in 2022 and visited the Bijlmer neighborhood - a diverse and proud community. It was one of the highlights of my time in the Netherlands.

[@r.crichardson697]

wat een leuke video, ik kwam uit St. Maarten en woon nu hier voor ongeveer twee jaar. It's always a pleasure to see more about the sides they don't tell you about.

[@dylanainge2324]

Such a beautiful and vibrant part of the city! I’ve had a fascination with the Netherlands, and Amsterdam specifically for such a long time, and I’ve never heard anything about it. I’m so glad to have stumbled upon this channel ❤

[@dv6937]

Great episode! Nice to see my old neighborhood (i didn't really live in "Bijlmer" but Reigersbos next to Holendrecht) it's near the Bijlmer. I must say that South East has been transformed enormously. The creativity is booming there now and that attracts many different kind of people. My parents stil live in Reigersbos and they do not want to move to another place because it's their home. I must say that i live in a smaller town just outside of Amsterdam right now and yes sometimes i do miss living like the old days. With the good things and the bad thing that happend in that time period. thanks again for the video :)

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you for sharing your story😃🙏🏾 happy to see you enjoyed the video!

[@dekippiesip]

Sounds like gentrification. Those that where causing trouble 20-30 years ago have just been priced out of the neighbourhood. They are probably somewhere else now.

[@McFrikandellenGamers]

Thank you for showing this side of the Bijlmer! Some lovely people in the video :)

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thanks! And thanks for watching :)

[@Wielie0305]

Mooi om te zien dat je niet alleen de festivals en feesten in steden laat zien, maar ook reportages maakt met diepgang. Vroeger kwam je niet in de Bijlmer. Slechte naam. Nu kom ik er af en toe als ik naar de arena of ziggo dome ga. Het is eerlijk gezegd nog steeds niet mijn ding. Dat heeft niets met de mensen te maken maar mee alles met de modernere bouw. Ik hou meer van de oude binnensteden. Dank weer voor super interessante video met toffe mensen!

[@exploringtheforeign]

Heel erg bedankt voor het kijken en voor jouw mooie reactie, zoals altijd!!🙏🏾😁

[@thereheis2093]

Great job, fun to see this. I’m Dutch. didn’t knew anything about de Bijlmer, except for the common stories. Of course I didn’t assume that it was all facts. But it’s nice to peak a little in a “kitchen”, I wouldn’t have seen otherwise. For that I’m grateful you given me a little bit of a experience in a other world. I hope you do well on your canal, succeed in what you wish for. so you can visit much more countries and area’s/ hoods. So you can give more people what you gave me. 👌 ❤

[@worldofnuance]

Very cool to see a different side of Amsterdam. Growing up in America, I used to think that the kind of diversity you showed in places like Biljmer only existed here. But traveling to other countries like you has taught me that rich diversity exists elsewhere, too.

[@Blackadder75]

the rule of thumb is: did the country have any colonies in the 17th-20th century? If yes: They will have people from all those colonies, a melting pot. If not, they will probably be mostly original people with only small minorities of modern day migrants or refugees.

[@exitspree]

​@@Blackadder75 Well yea but no. The Netherlands also had a ton of Moroccans and Turks, but we never colonized those places.

[@HalalChickenGaming]

@@exitspreeThat is because the Netherlands needed cheap guest workers for the factories. They went looking for people that would do the work for low prices, so they went to Turkey and Morocco.

[@benzotv1553]

@@exitspree they colonize the Netherlands

[@exitspree]

@@benzotv1553 No.

[@LindaCasey]

I lived in the Bijlmer for a time in the early 70s (till I moved to Hoorn) and still have friends who live there. It's like a small city

[@exploringtheforeign]

I'm arriving in Hoorn as I write this comment!😃

[@LindaCasey]

@@exploringtheforeign It's been 44 years since I Iived in Hoorn, (Iived about a 1000 pIaces since then), but you wiII Iove it!🌹

[@Luna-jv9zb]

​@@exploringtheforeignyoo nice hit me up i live in hoorn

[@lkruijsw]

You forget to say that the Bijlmer has the best cycling infrastructure of the Netherlands. I can remember the original design. All the car roads were raised and the pedestrians and cyclists going under. Making it the most traffic safe area of the Netherlands. However, the tunnels were not felt socially safe and the monotone design made it a little bit gloomy. Later they introduced the Amsterdamse Poort and torn down some of the flats. And in general they made it less monotone. The flats itself are okay, quite spacious.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Interesting!

[@exploringtheforeign]

I researched a bit about the original intent of the design of the city. But didn't wanna dig too deep into that for this video.

[@lkruijsw]

@@exploringtheforeign I understand. In the background of your video you can see some of the very wide cycle paths. And most of the crossings with cars are level grade. The Amsterdamse Poort was only introduced when it already was recognized as problematic. I think the idea was that the people from Amsterdam would also come shopping there once in a while, mixing the people. Also with the offices they build (ING headquarters, although that is not used by ING anymore, I think).

[@worf792]

Nah Houten has the best cycling infrastructure. They won prices for that!

[@dimrrider9133]

Ai i think Utrecht is een stapje verder dan de Bijlmer en de rest van Nederland, daar kan niemand tegenop boksen

[@haatpraat5037]

I'm UK born of Jamaican heritage - both sides who has re-located to the Netherlands. I once got lost at night in my UK license car in the Bijlmer and was followed by another car, I stopped and the guy politely asked me if I was lost. I said I was and he showed how to get back on the right road. Since that time I have always had a nice feeling for the people in the Bijlmer.

[@hunchbackaudio]

You did a fantastic job on this one, as always. Didn’t know about the Smeltkroes, definitely have to try that one. The Teloh looked very good, they don’t have that everywhere. All in all a pleasure to watch, we surely enjoyed it till the end.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thanks Hunchback!! I was really looking forward to you and the family watching this one. Thanks!

[@hunchbackaudio]

@@exploringtheforeign We where all watching, it was great. You always manage to capture the vibe in your videos. And always the positive angle of approach. You’re a born filmmaker waiting to be discovered.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you!!

[@angelam.5508]

I moved here from the states in May but my mom’s family is from Suriname. A few of them live in de Bijlmer & I think it’s quite gezellig! I love the food and community because it brings back fond memories of my childhood when family came to the US to visit and my mom would cook delicious foods like Pom, Bambi, Nasi, bruine bonen met kip en rijst, and baka bana. And the feestjes with Bigi Pokoe! Mi Gado! I feel like I’m in Suriname there..definitely feel more at home than in the states. I hate ppl call it ghetto because it’s not at all.

[@annetmartens422]

Loved the video, thanks

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed😃

[@viderethevaccinatorfromhol7536]

Awesome video. Wow de Bijlmer looks like a fun place nowadays. Everyone deserves a nice neighborhood.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you! And I agree!

[@dutch1987]

I loved this video! I grew up around and in the bijlmer and this seriously shows De Bijlmer. Yes, it has it's rough start, but it's such a nice place to live.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you!

[@ACwebseries]

Nice video. I’m originally from Los Angeles and live in Holendrecht. Zuidoost is the best hidden secret in Amsterdam. Life is simple and diverse and overall safe. As you pointed out, parts of the US, are far far worse. I lived in West Hollywood where you can be robbed when getting out of your car. Never had any major crime issues in Zuidoost. Zuidoost is also the gateway to picturesque towns like Weesp and Abcoude.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Aye! A fellow LA'er! How long have you been living here if I may ask? And yeah, the safety difference is very apparent.

[@ACwebseries]

@@exploringtheforeign 15 years permanently. Before that I was living in both cities for about 7 years.

[@Cheesy_Cheese420]

Very interesting topic! Beautifully explained, and also funny (“ghetto”). It’s not that bad in that region, it’s a place to meet others! Doing absolutely great sam!

[@sabrinaculverimdbme]

I love this post ...so happy i found your page ..I am also an American in Amsterdam

[@lbergen001]

Beautiful video.👍👍 Good promotion for the Bijlmer.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you very much!

[@rondotexe]

Thanks for sharing!

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thanks for watching!

[@FilipSkobic]

I've arrived in the Netherlands 9 years ago, and heard things about the Bijlmer from people that live in other parts of Amsterdam, but when I visited my experience was much much better. I've seen it keep improving each time I've passed by since! It's probably just people having a perception from 30 years ago, and it takes quite some time for that perception to change, especially if those people never visit themselves to see how things have changed. Only wish the business park on the west side would be built/renovated in a more pedestrian-friendly way. Otherwise, keep up the great work improving!

[@devmiles]

Great episode! Shout out to the Bijlmer where i've been living for the past 16 years. Such a great, green and diverse area.

[@urbnctrl]

BIMRE!! Bro ETF you the man for bringing out this kinda content, please do a part 2 where you dive even more into Bijlmer and BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD living in the Netherlands! Show the world, you make unique content that we LOVE. Bigups from XXX PS: NEVER tell a Surinamese that the food BETTER BE FIRE! lol

[@exploringtheforeign]

Much appreciated! And I'll make a note of this😃🙏🏾

[@urbnctrl]

​@@exploringtheforeignbecause they will add the fire😂🌶🌶🌶

[@cherylh.1537]

😂😂😂Lol

[@B0K1T0]

until you're in love with that hot lady Jeanette and you don't want no boring bland food anymore 🌶♥😆

[@bert2526]

Nice one Sam! You should really do a guided "Wadlopen" tour from Friesland to Ameland someday! I'm sure you'd love the oddly peaceful and unique experience and it would make a great video.

[@AmericanDreamer]

amazing idea 💛

[@barroyhermanos]

Geboren en opgegroeid, mooie tijd! Mooie beelden! Thanx!

[@RonicBeatsz]

Watching this in Ganzenhoef right now, I highly appreciate this!!

[@Konaboy]

Biljmer looks Like a great place! I’m glad you showed us this place, next time I’m In Amsterdam I will check out the market and the restaurant. Great video thanks.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thanks, Darryl! I hope you enjoy :)

[@kiptandoru]

Bijlmer is 100% my favorite place in Amsterdam, he explained it very well, the sense of community is unmatched.

[@rotorismo]

Nice and beautiful video. Although I haven't been to the Bijlmer I think its wonderful how the Bijlmer is evolving towards a better world. Especially when you consider the Bijlmerramp in 1992. (unfortunately not touched in this video) To this day the footage of the news on that day is imprinted in my memory. Therefore I think the resilience of the community is out of this world and admire the people that makes the community grow how it is today. And I hope I can visit the Bijlmer soon to experience this strength myself.

[@CJ-du6dd]

Great job and thank you for sharing. I traveled to Amsterdam last year and stayed at the Apollo Hotel and did not check out De Bijlmer. Next year I will be back to check it out.

[@jaspermooren5883]

I work in the Bijlmer at one of the biggest banks of the Netherlands, it's definitely not the place it is made out to be! It's a quite nice area with amazing food options. I'd say it's nicer than the city center that's 90% tourists tbh.

[@tkuzu9548]

Abn strijder

[@creativepicnl]

Used to be on a project at the same bank. The Bijlmer has a thriving business district. People tend to forget that.

[@countryculture629]

Indeed,it has a lot of beautiful things such as ziggo, Arena and many. I love this place❤❤❤

[@toniderdon]

It is good when people clearly say "I feel dutch because of course I am dutch". In Germany some bad areas have come to the point where people say everything, but not "I am German". They sometimes say stuff like "I am Russian" or "I am Polish" or whatever even if both parents are German and the last time they had something to do with Russia or Poland or Turkey was over 100 years ago. I don't really know who is to blame for that. Either their community for seeing being German as something negative, our other people that always tell them stuff like "You are not German" just because they come from a bad area. I think it might be a bit of both. And I really hope we can fix it in the future

[@relo999]

Having lived in some famously bad neighbourhoods here in the Netherlands, I'd say it's their culture or community. The Bijlmer's "I'm Dutch" mentality is an outlier in my experience, possibly due to the majority of people that came there being people from the former colonies that rejected the independence of Suriname from the Netherlands. Most often it's an outright rejection of being Dutch. The most extreme and obvious example I can name would be the Islamic elementary school I lived near and it being the only one in the region. Where parents specifically driven hour+ trips each day to an elementary school that had pretty poor academic results just to avoid having kids go to typical Dutch school that was local. Kids only spoke rather basic Dutch for their age and parents (who are second generation migrants) often spoke such poor Dutch that'd you'd only expect from someone new to the country. I think it's not unfair to say it's the community when a second generation migrant is actively trying to avoid integration of their kid in the national culture.

[@thereheis2093]

WW2, even when it’s silly. People don’t want to associate with the told history. I guess that’s why it’s perception is negative. Besides that, western society/world. The leadership is doing there best, to kill every culture. “When your proud Dutchman”, your being seen as a socialist/ racist/ Na*i. Or whatever term they use. To vilify you as a bad person. Or at least in public. And I do understand we’re it’s coming from. But it kills the underlying thought,motivation and spirit. THE PEOPLE “we are not alone. We are together in bigger numbers. And can accomplish anything we really want”. All in the context of divide and conquer

[@RekaCath]

I went to school in a part of Amsterdam where a lot of kids with Maroccan and Turkish heritage went to school, and I have to say, unfortunately people fromr Suriname and Indonesia are the exception and not the rule. Most of the immigrants we have still feel very "othered" and a lot of my former classmates would never call themselves Dutch, even though they've never lived anywhere else.

[@RFGfotografie]

All criminals have moved to Rotterdam now. If you see the P2000 pages, you see that Bijlmer is calm/quiet.

[@jeroenpost2260]

hahahahahaha grappenmaker.........

[@liamsmith2340]

Stop lying, Amsterdam is still a shit hole.

[@AdamEuroS]

He’s right Rotterdam is way worse than Amsterdam way more crime and bad people in 010

[@dashawnbennett7274]

I love it! Thank you so much for covering this neighborhood! Just the other day, I was watching an old episode of National Geographic's "Air Crash Investigation" where they covered the story of the plane crash into that very same complex. It's so nice to see how it has evolved. And listen, as someone from the States, I would be more than happy to live in THAT "ghetto", 😃 Once again, Sam, really great video. So informative. 👏🏾

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you, Dashawn! Wow what a coincidence that you were just watching something related to the crash!

[@patediale]

By far one of your best videos dude.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Wow, thanks! I was really proud of this one.

[@dark108x]

I moved to NL in 2005, lived in Utrecht, worked in Amsterdam, and Bijlmer was on the way home. It's where we would meet after work to get some roti and go to the cinema, sometimes at the weekend I'd shop there if I just wanted a change from Utrecht. I never felt unsafe there, and liked that there were always people around - I feel more anxious walking around in very quiet neighbourhoods. I knew the reputation, and that was to expect from building such a huge neighbourhood with little forward planning. Anyone who had a choice didn't live there, and the infrastructure was very basic, but these places do take 1-2 generations to find their feet. I don't have much interest in the rest of Amsterdam, but always liked Bijlmer.

[@romiellens2412]

This was very entertaining, I think I get it.. the vibe was felt.

[@MarksWorldOfAdventure]

This place is like a city in itself. I really enjoyed exploring this neighbourhood

[@koolade76]

Definitely taking friends there when they visit.

[@maartenvz]

I think de Bijlmer part of a bigger development where creative people flock to "poorer" areas in cities and start making them very interesting. The same happened in Eindhoven, first with Strijp S and then Woensel West (which also was a "probleemwijk'").

[@damnson9158]

Quite educational for Dutchies as well! Great video.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Dankjewel!

[@XxXx-Evo]

I did not live in the Bijlmer but in Amstelveen, but loved to shop there 25 years ago, never felt unsafe. Lovely people, nice shops, delicious food green neighbourhood. I knew the place had a bad reputation, but I never experienced it.

[@JannekeW1996]

Love this video! De Bijlmer is an area to be very proud of as a country. Groetjes uit Scheveningen!

[@exploringtheforeign]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@ConnieIsMijnNaam]

In the nineties my (then) boyfriend moved to the Bijlmer and I visited him every week. The cultural diversity and vibrancy was there and I loved it! But the place was a big mess. Drug addicts were everywhere, the streets were littered with needles and in the first two weeks he had a break-in ànd he was robbed at knifepoint. One sunday night in october 1992 we witnessed the plane crash and the terrible aftermath on the ground. It impacted us profoundly. I don’t think it was just this event that caused a turning point. Overall street crime started to decrease everywhere in the Netherlands, not just in the Bijlmer. Some people who have lived in the Bijlmer their whole lives are kind of nostalgic and feel something is lost. I, as an outsider, feel the overall vibe is way better now without all the drugs and crime on the streets.

[@jibberism9910]

Both are true. What was lost was a unique environment that had no equal regarding it's sheer size. But many of the spaces throughout the neighbourhood became derelict or borderline derelict, which helped give many of the designs that were applied a "hole in the ground" vibe, and attracted tons of junkies that could get good dope at low prices and a place to sleep. But it was marvellous at the same time. It's hard to explain. It was a weird combination of huge buildings snaking through beautiful green landscapes with lakes and what not, but at the same time it was gritty as hell. Nowadays the neighbourhood looks much healthier and normal. But it has lost some of that almost alien impression it could give off.

[@ryantnttve1953]

Nice content! you touched the subject of changes in the Bijlmer, I was only missing one word , "gentrification" 😁. Would have been interesting to hear his thoughts about that, if that's happening or if he is afraid that's gonna happen?

[@exploringtheforeign]

Glad you enjoyed it! And good point.. I didn't point out that word exactly but I feel like some of the conversation revolves around that

[@Bruintjebeer6]

There was a time taxi drivers refused to go to the Bijlmer. I think a lot of people hang on on that time because they missed the development and never go there.

[@dennisd9875]

Interesting. I am dutch guy living in NYC and because I have been away for a long time I still had this idea/memory in my head of Bijlmer as a place always negatively in the news and with a bad reputation. I did know that there was a concerted effort in the past two decades to turn it around, and seem it was successful. This video actually reminds me of walking around in e.g. Jackson Heights (queens) or (Spanish) Harlem. It's great to see this level of non-western/non-European culture so accessible and with positive vibes in Amsterdam.

[@ana68475]

wat lul jij nou gap? Ga je nou de bijlmer met Harlem vergelijken. Beide zijn wereld van verschil, vooral qua leefbaarheid, gemeentelijke beleid, economische kansen,criminaliteit etc...

[@ameliab.7056]

It relocating from Amsterdam to NYC easy or difficult? Sorry just asking out of curiosity hehe

[@H1SCOTTY]

Planners out of other countries come to The Netherlands to see our “projects” and they’ll always be amazed to hear this are our problem districts. Yeah when I was young there were lots of problems, especially with the heroine cocaïne epidemic. Nowadays isn’t in comparison with that past. The Bijlmer disaster showed lots of problems, like they still not know the exact amount of casualties because of the illegal immigrants who lived there, they didn’t dear to ask for help even when a loved one was missing. Nowadays I don’t know really anyone who’s calling it a getto. I’ve been there for work, and would feel lots more at ease than in the whole of Rotterdam

[@00wheelie00]

Even during those epidemics the problems were concentrated in a small part of the Bijlmer. I walked home many times because according to taxi drivers it was unsafe to go there. Never had any problems walking there at 03:00 at night. Taxi drivers were just a bunch of whimps...

[@Blackadder75]

@@00wheelie00 same for me, in the late 90s I often went there to see friends, I didn't live there but I did visit it often. I have never been threatened or robbed and I walked there quite late sometimes. But ok, I am a rather big guy, maybe it was much different for women.

[@liamsmith2340]

Didn't expect it, but a surprising short documentary.

[@jayeverything]

Bijlmer really changed a lot, its really safe now.

[@PEDALTHIS]

Another lovely video . I remember as a little kid (that's a long long time ago)i went with my dad to go to Kraaiennest. Where his girlfriend lived. And yes ! We went with the all new subway ! From Amsterdam Central station. Later i worked at the Kraaiennest and Amsterdamse poort streetmarket. Beginning of the 90's. I was great fan of the sandwiches. Broodje fasjong/ bakkeljauw met peper en zuur. Yes it was more rough in those days but also the Zeedijk and Nieuwmarkt was totally different. The heroin pandamic did a lot of bad things to all neighborhoods. Now a days all of Amsterdam looks like a Disney world compared to the 80's ! March this year i went to Bullewijk to see Cherryblossom trees. Instead i ended up at a place called vleskeuken. WOW the bbq meat was out of this world! Loved the video❤

[@exploringtheforeign]

First, I'm really glad you enjoyed the video! Second, thank you for sharing your memories, this was really fun to read!

[@LennertWanders]

Lived their trough my teens, and now living their again. Best place in Amsterdam. You are in the center in no time but you live with the peace of a village. The connections of the city, the diversity of the major world cities. It is also the greenest place in Amsterdam. Off course some people prefer to be in the center with its crowded places. It has improved a lot.

[@itomg]

Wow this actually hits me. When me and my girl got married in 1981 we moved to the Bijlmermeer. I still remember that time as the most beautiful part of my life! My eldest daughter was born there too. We really enjoyed the view from the 6th floor and the abundance of greenery in the area. It was quite an experience to live with so many people of different nationalisaties. Sure there where some grim parts, but it never made me feel unsafe. We left mostly because we considerate it not to be the ideal environment to raise a family. A couple of years ago 'our' first home was one of the last from those days that was torn down. It hurt, it definitely did. I do believe however that a lot has improved. Although I left Amsterdam including the Bijlmer, I still feels like my city, my roots and the roots of my family.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Wow, really awesome to read this!

[@MegaDesertfish]

I don't understand why you didn't consider it to be a good place to bring up a family. You spund so positive about our neighbourhood. My two girls grew up their entire childhood here and it was great!

[@erics320]

This suprised me a bit. As a dutch citizen i have heard bad things about the bijlmer in the past. But the last 10-15 years not so much. Never thought much about it but i assumed it was getting worse and would be a real getto by now. Its nice to see that plans from city government to make it better actually worked. We dont see that often.

[@pizzablender]

One hears a lot of "bad stories" about so many places. But the bad things are such a small part, but they gather the most attention. Whether you go to Plein 40-45 in Amsterdam, or Hoefkade in Den Haag, there is a lot of positivity and life.

[@avarielhr]

I am at de Bijlmer area right now. Came to work, from Croatia, on an IT project at the area close by the Arena. Walking every day through the neighborhood among the local people, a bit to the south, towards Bullewijk. I got my lunch today from the Deli Company on Bijlmerplein!

[@p3d938]

Worked from 1990-1995 in the Bijlmer, the conditions were not good. Nowadays it has turned around 180 degrees and is a very nice, chill, diverse and social community. Love to visit the markets for food, the best in town. Keep it up Bijlmer!

[@mitchellk3363]

I love this vid! Im Surinamese and been waitin for you to try some Su Food! Shoutout to the homie for letting him taste Saoto! Add the ketjap next time!

[@exploringtheforeign]

Glad you enjoyed it! And the food was🔥🔥🔥

[@exploringtheforeign]

I'll be sure to try that next time

[@LydiaLyon]

I have been in the Netherlands for some years now and spent most of my time living in de Bijlmer. I was instantly in love and still am, even though I moved a bit further away now. I made such lovely friends in the neighborhood and felt right at home. It's such a treasure that many here refuse to rediscover. That's okay. If you know, you know ❤

[@hunk1967]

Thanks, Almere has spots with the same vibe and mentality. These places have become an inspiration.

[@maidenekker]

I really like you made a video about de Bijlmer. Just yesterday I spoke with my girlfriend who works there as a nurse for the youth (jeugdgezondheidszorg), she meets people of many cultures there and she told me as well how the neighbourhood has improved the last 30 years. Better care of infrastructure, a lot of green areas, parks, playgrounds.

[@exploringtheforeign]

What a coincidence!

[@maidenekker]

Yes! We also spoke about expats, who live in the Netherlands for several years and never bothered to learn any Dutch and I told her about some people on YT (by which I meant you) who moved here and really made an effort to learn Dutch. @@exploringtheforeign

[@exploringtheforeign]

Haha, that's crazy! But fun to hear :)

[@Wafa21]

Always amazes me how hopeful urban planners were about their highrise residential blocks back in the day, the demand for private lawns and gardens was definitely underestimated in the design of the Bijlmer haha. But it's nice to see how they've adapted to the situation since, I personally always enjoy when I'm strolling around there. Nice video, good to hear from someone like Dior :)

[@exploringtheforeign]

I agree! Really nice how they were able to turn things around. I'm glad you enjoyed the video and yeah, Dior was great!!

[@lkruijsw]

That is not the full picture. The demand for the houses was there (maybe a little bit less) and we have currently also high demand for houses, not only houses with lawns and gardens. However, in that time there was this idea of 'separation', what is still prevalent in the US. So, an area for living, an area for working and an area for retail. Also Almere was setup like that, creating a lot of traffic between Amsterdam and Almere. They fixed Bijlmer by tearing down some of the flats, add some retail and offices. And creating a complete mix of things.

[@Bianca_Toeps]

What I learnt from a documentary about the Bijlmer is that they also royally fucked up because the metro wasn't finished in time, so a big reason people didn't want to live there is that the transportation wasn't there yet. I believe the project was delayed by a couple of years, which obviously made the location a lot less attractive, especially further away from the center/train station.

[@matiaslauriti]

Super nice video as always! I had, in fact, to go to the Bijlmer like 5 times, to Ikea, Decathlon, and MediaMarket near the stadium (and in a near future, to the Imax). I found that area a little bit weird, going to the Ikea, everything seemed pretty sparce, like US, when you go somewhere and need to walk or drive a lot, but now it makes sense why the area is like that! Thank you again for us, but me, places to go around! I am in Amtelveen and it is pretty near, thanks to the public transport, so next time I go, I will visit other places from there as you showed!

[@exploringtheforeign]

Awesome to hear! Thanks, man! Just an FYI, I believe that the outdoor market that I show is only on Saturdays👍🏾

[@matiaslauriti]

@@exploringtheforeign okay! I will check it out next Saturday! Thank you so much!

[@pizzablender]

Ikea is in an office area. But if you are in Decathlon, just pass under the train station and you will find one of the shopping areas that was shown in the video. About 5 minutes walking in total.

[@matiaslauriti]

@@pizzablender Thank you so much! I will have a look on google maps because I think I saw that place on it!

[@Erinxh]

Was born in Amsterdam and spend the first 2-3 years of my life living in the Echtenstein flat in the Bijlmer, my parents decided a year prior to the Bijlmerdisaster to move to Almere. My mom once told me that she called a friend of hers who still lived in the Bijlmer, in the flat that got torpedoed by the airpline. She told her friend that she had a bad feeling, and kind of begged her to move away from the Bijlmer. A month before the disaster she moved out. Escaping the disaster.

[@exploringtheforeign]

oh wow!

[@janvandoren8910]

I loved the market. In places like that the best tastes you find in the Netherlands come together.

[@r.othomas1355]

You got a new subscriber. Born and raised in Amsterdam now living in Eindhoven. Your video’s bring back alot of memories ❤….the other guy is like the dutch scottie pippen.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you! :) And haha, he 100% does!

[@steorra1556]

I lived in de Biljmer - I'm an American living the Netherlands as well - for four years. I wouldn't recommend it if you're looking for "traditional Dutch culture." I used to live near Kraaiennest metro stop and there was a lot of shouting at odd hours on the weekend and just in general a lot of rudeneess around. I will tell you that if this is the "ghetto," I'm totally laughing at that as overall it's more safe than that American equivalent. I still wouldn't walk out (unlike most of the Netherlands) at midnight or 1am on the street in this neighborhood though.

[@IntheCity-rj8ge]

Yeah you should have in the 80s and 90s. You wouldn't be laughing. It was dirty and grimy. You know the Bijlmer now. But you don't know really know that place honey.

[@sidneyhartmann9786]

I was born in Suriname , raised in Amsterdam-Bijlmer! Thanks for showing this to the people whom talking negative about the Bijlmer. Bimre Big Up!

[@exploringtheforeign]

I appreciate it, man! Glad you enjoyed!

[@rivkathegreat]

Hele goeie video. Geeft zeker ook een andere outlook dan de misinformatie die mensen krijgen via dat gare "MIMOSA" boek. Heel blij dat jullie de tijd nemen om te laten zien hoe leuk het daar is!

[@exploringtheforeign]

Dankjewel!

[@tomvh4482]

Wat een fijne opname en toelichting, zeg! Dit heeff mijn negatieve kijk op de Bijlmer toch wenzenlijk veranderd! Ga ik nu zeker bezoeken. Hoop dan ook, dat de mensen er net zo sympathiek zijn als de beide interviewers.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Super leuk om te horen. Ik hoop dat je er een fijne tijd hebt!

[@renevaanhold]

Hi Sam. Fantastic video! It shows you the fibes of the Bijlmer. In the video I saw the appartement of my nephew at the Ganzenhoef market at the Annie Romeinplein. He is a biology teacher at the Open Schoolgemeenschap just around the corner. When we visit my nephew he orders food at the Smeltkroes restaurant. We love the Javaans/Surinaams dishes. By the way Smeltkroes means Melting Pot. And after the dinner we go to the Ajax football game at the Johan Cruyff Arena or to a concert of worlfamous artists at the Arena or the Ziggo Dome or AFAS Live. As you can see the Bijlmer is one of the most vibrant neighbourhoods of Amsterdam and absolutely not a ghetto! 🫶 👍🏽

[@exploringtheforeign]

Super cool you were able to spot that, René! And sounds like you guys have a great time when here. Also, thanks for that translation of Smeltkroes, I didn't even think about that haha

[@Kyoshi2012]

I had to work on the streeds in the evening a couple years ago, Puting up posters. People were on the streets, people were sitting in there windows. Music was playing, food was being shared. I felt like staying there :D It was dynamicand fun. They were having a good time in "the HooD" .. Meaning in the best of ways!

[@Saaihead]

Great video, thanks for sharing! I'm not from Amsterdam, so I don't know a lot about its neighborhoods. But as a Dutch guy I obviously know about the El Al plane disaster and the reputation the neighborhood used to have. But the place looks great and I will definitely pay the Bijlmer, the market and the shopperhal in particular, a visit. The Saturday market is the one to be, right? And are there any orher places worth visiting in the area?

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you! I think that those are all great places to start with :) But also great to go when there's an event going on, such as Kwaku!