Peter, you are asking questions about 1000 years tradition. One may investigate one man behavior to find earthly reasons. Questioning multi-generational traditions will never find common ground in rational terms.
In regards to your specific questions, studying Torah was/is considered very positive (the most positive usage of Sabbat time), and saying openly (by observant Jew) that he does not study Torah, or consider it excessive/dull would be similar to this person appearing in public place without pants. You see, it is not criminal, it is just not publicly acceptable. Moving issue has different levels of compliance with commandements. General rule allows unrestricted moving on foot, but special restrictions are allowed too, i.e. there is no limit in self-improvement. Certain communities can make own rules that they will not move beyond certain lines; it could be considered as a sign of additional piety. Again, I am not aware what kind of special rules were common in Amsterdam.

>Thanks for answering Naomi. See my remarks.
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>>>>>>It is like working to me.
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>>>>>>But that is not even the point. It is true that certain activities are prohibited on the Sabbath, but the goal is to create a special atmosphere in which we pay tribute to G-d for having ceased working on the 7th day.
>>>>>>\
>>>>>>The Sabbath consists of family oriented events; we have 3 home cooked family meals, with discussions and songs for all ages. We review what the children learned in school this week. We go to the synagogue at a leisurely pace with no pressing business appointments. We visit friends nearby. We study some of the Jewish topics we did not have time to get to during the week.
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>>>>>Friends nearby because it is not allowed to visit friends who live farther away?!
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>>Simply because you can not use cars, so you have to walk. And if a friend lives far away, you would not be able to visit him.
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>>>And walks in the countryside are also not allowed, right?
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>>They are allowed, you can walk as much as you want. You can not carry anything with you except for certain areas.
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>My father told that they were allowed to walk within the borders of the city (Amsterdam). Walking beyond the city wall was not allowed.
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>>>Isn't study like working? It can hardly be called free time.
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>>Learning Torah is an enjoyment that is very appropriate for Shabbath. You can not write anything, but you can read.
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>Isn't it an individual's choice to experience it as an enjoyment, or not ? How about the person who does not enjoy it? Is he or she free to not read the Torah?
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>>It may be the fact that you like all those activities, but at least studying is an activity after all, in my eyes. The odd thing is that such a simple act as turning on a light is regarded as work. Or is it not allowed for another reason?
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>>That's a bit complex question, so I'll let others answer it.
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>>>Well Naomi, the questions were for Tuvia Vinitsky, not specially for you. And if you think they are naive, you might decide to give good information. And if you think they are prejudiced, you might decide to - again - give good information, because prejudice is a judgment based on insufficient information. In other words, the worst reaction in such a case is not answering at all.