The Bloodstream of Dutch Society

As I stepped onto the platform, and down four steps onto the wooden dock overlooking the canal, I could see the calm channel filled with boats cruising back and forth. Some of the boats were single propeller fishing boats or paddleboats filled with tourists pedaling to reach the other end. In contrast, some were large boats with rows and rows of seats accommodating large groups that were embarking on a tour down the river. Once on the dock, I saw the large white canal boat that was going to lead me upon my journey through the canals of Amsterdam. My friends and I sat under sky roof, allowing the sun to warm each of our faces. Appreciating the weather, we began our excursion down the river.

At first, I heard a strange dialect sounding through the speakers that I could not recognize. Then another foreign tongue began radiating over the loud speakers, and again my friends and I exchanged confused glances wondering what on earth was being said. Finally, to our surprise, English began touching our ears explaining the meaning of the canals and their overall significance to the city of Amsterdam. The prolonged addition in other languages reminded me how far from home I was, and the culture of a place like Amsterdam that appreciates diversity and a rich ethnic past. The captain of our tour explained that the city is often referred to as the “Venice of the North” because it contains one hundred kilometers of canals, approximately ninety islands, and is home to 1,5000 bridges. The extravagant city is built upon three main canals, Herengracht, Prinsengracht, and Keizergracht that were constructed during the Dutch Golden Age. As we glided across the water, I noticed that each side of the channel was contained by stonewalls lined with a various assortment of boats. Some boats were small dingy’s and other boats were floating houses that according to our guide take permanent residence along the river. I could hardly imagine leaving on the water, but many of the floating homes were quaintly decorated and some even had outdoor patios with deck furniture and beautiful flowers. Having a small cultural capacity, I never imagined a waterway as a common house, a territory so to speak. I always perceived streets to be the residing territories of a home, but through my visit to Amsterdam, experienced a new territory or boundary for residence.

The docked boats along the channel hardly stirred as we passed, but as I stared into the water trying to judge the depth, I noticed the fast pace current of the center of the river. It then dawned on me a fact that I had learned acting right before my eyes; the fastest part of a stream is the center, and began to understand the physicality of the channel. As we kept moving down the stream, I noticed small streets filled with homes, restaurants, cafes, pubs, city-squares; everything was centered on the channel. I then began to ponder as I saw the “XXX” flag waving, the intense planning and creativity that must have been present while constructing such an intricate and detailed city. As my thoughts were running through my mind, our guide almost took the question out of my bewildered stare. “Amsterdam’s canal system was a comprehensive plan devised in the 17^th century, calling for four main, concentric half-circles of canals with their ends joining at the IJ Bay.”

The inhabitants of the 17^th century epitomized city planning in the construction of the canals. And as we drifted further, I could see an opening where stonewalls no longer lined the channel, but where the water opened up into a large port where no instituted boundary was apparent. My initial thought was the intense mercantilism that must be at the center of the city’s economy, and secondly the beauty of the large body of water that surrounded the old town and cobblestone roads. I listened as the captain raved about the success of the port, and then realized that he was proud of his city’s achievements, portraying a strong sense of nationalism. As discussed in class, cities use monuments to map their beliefs and cultural identities. Yet, in the case of Amsterdam, although the canals are not stone structures, they map a collective meaning to the people, hold a significant aspect of their history and accumulation of wealth, and are largely the bloodstreams of Dutch society.