After a day of acclimating to our surroundings my travel group and I set out on a journey from our hostel, located in the red light district to the Van Gogh museum, located all the way on the opposite edge of the city. This venture led us through many of the varying regions of Amsterdam. Within Amsterdam, different areas present different cultural aspects, such as types of food, entertainment and people in general. I found that this journey gave a wide range of what the city of Amsterdam can offer. The regions are not physically bound in any way however, things like spatial distributions, monuments and other landmarks can give you a good idea of what zone of the city you are in or entering.
The Red Light District was everything that can said about it and even yet you find yourself surprised. Walking down these narrow winding streets, you notice the clutter of coffeehouse expelling small waves of pungent smelling smoke, the cafes sporting all of the different beers offered on the sides of their entrance, and the red lights gleaming from the even narrower alleys on either side. Here it was obvious to me that there was limited space here, all shared by people with a lot of activity going on at once.
After winding through these narrow streets, we found ourselves in the midst of The Dam, the square that houses the National Monument, the New Church and the Palace, which at the time was being renovated. This square is so open and people are dispersed throughout, either taking pictures, sitting on the steps of the monument or taking part in the open-mic performance that was going on. Here all of the hustle and bustle of the red light district was focused in one area. This place gave me an overwhelming feeling of ‘wow, this is Europe, this is what Amsterdam is all about’. These large open squares cannot even be grasped in a photograph. This specific area was a hotspot for culture with live music, the national monument casting a looming shadow reminding the visitors of the victims of WWII, and the dark spires of the New Church (Learn more about Dam Square, and a 360 View of Dam Square).
Next, passing through the Dam and up towards the Van Gogh Museum, we came to the Muntplein. Here, on one side of you is the Amstel River winding through the various colored, peaked houses and hotels, with all of their awnings and symmetric windows detailed with white. If you look another way, it leads down to the flower market with numerous booths of tulips and bulbs just waiting to be smuggled into foreign countries. The Muntplein is a vast open junction where all modes of transportation and people with all different purposes are crosses. I noticed tourists, business people, families and vendors all spread out where it seems chaotic yet harmonious. Geographically this was one of the largest centers for movement and activity in the city. If you were not eating lunch outside at a café here, you are either headed to the Museumplein, the business district or the Leidseplein. (360 View of the Muntplein).
Finally, after crossing over the four major canals and the Rijksmuseum was in sight, we had reached the Museumplein. This area of town was littered with art galleries and shops. The area with the I Amsterdam sign was different to me because in part it is all covered in stones instead of grass, which does extend on the opposite end of the open area, but I found this landscape choice interesting. The cluster of museums are tucked back into this cozy residential looking area, which begins to confine some space just as the Red Light District did, however, with high bushes, fences and homes. The quietness of this part of the city on a Friday evening was comforting yet a bit eerie. (360 View of the Museumplein)
This journey across town with a geographical perspective helped me to notice the boundaries and the different areas of culture and space. I can appreciate the differences this city has in comparison to others in Europe with the canals, coffee shops and the large prominent monuments that cannot be seen anywhere else. Also, the layout of the city which radiates outward from the train station makes navigating difficult yet wandering fun. My final advice for maneuvering the streets of Amsterdam, is get a map with major landmarks on it and use the canals as a way of always know where you are and where you are going.
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