A Different Type of City

This weekend was, for me, a time where I actually had very little idea what to expect. In traveling to Amsterdam, I was going to a city whose historical significance I wasn’t particularly familiar with, but whose modern perception is quite well known. This was also our first weekend traveling in the MUDEC program, and my first experience traveling without any real “supervision” or pre-planned itinerary. In a way, this was intended to be a very experimental weekend for me. I wanted to use my time to obviously see one of the world’s most famous cities, but also to get to know some of my fellow classmates and learn a little bit about traveling on my own.

My first impressions about Amsterdam were, perhaps obviously, an overwhelming awe of my surroundings. The city is certainly one of the most picturesque locations I have ever visited, and it will certainly be difficult for many other European cities to top. One of the things that I find so refreshing about Amsterdam, as well as some other European cities, is their lack of modernity in areas such as architecture. That’s not to say that the cities aren’t modern, they are in absolutely every way, but cities in the United States tend to be identified by their skylines or how many skyscrapers are located downtown. When I was in Amsterdam this past weekend, I was able to feel in many ways like I was visiting a small town as opposed to one of the largest and most famous urban areas in the world. The small shops and pubs give a small town feel, while the abundance of history and entertainment, along with the locals bustling around quickly on their bicycles, remind travelers that they really are still in a large city. I think the fact that I come from a small town probably makes this feel more appealing to me, but whatever the reason, I found Amsterdam to be a very comfortable and intriguing locale.

Obviously, one of Amsterdam’s main attractions is what I characterize as somewhat of a “sin city” environment. The city’s party scene is legendary, and places like the Red Light District and abundant “coffee” shops allow people to take part in activities that are forbidden almost everywhere else in Western civilization. While drugs and prostitution aren’t personally an appeal for me, it is very interesting to see an area that is much more liberal in some of its ways and also to see how inhabitants deal with such a vast array of guilty pleasures from which to choose. While I don’t know any crime rate statistics about Amsterdam right off hand, it seemed to me like most were fairly responsible in their use of things like marijuana. It’s interesting because in the United States there is such a fear of abuse of some of the activities that are commonplace in Amsterdam, but in a culture where this has become quite normal activity, the novel effect perhaps wears off a bit. Not that I’m promoting legalized prostitution and drug use in the United States, I’m certainly not, but it’s intriguing to me that I actually felt quite safe in an area where all these things that we typically view as taboo are permitted. I suppose it’s simply a different perspective.

While I spent most of my time walking around Amsterdam and taking in the city as a whole, I did visit two of the typical tourist attractions: The Heineken Brewery and the Van Gogh Museum. I definitely found the brewery to be interesting, which wasn’t much of a surprise because I usually enjoy learning about how different products are manufactured and how they came to prominence. What was surprising to me was that I actually quite enjoyed the Van Gogh Museum. I’m not really much of an art buff, and frankly I usually have no idea what I’m looking at, but the way the museum was laid out and the sequence in which the works were displayed kept me intrigued, and it really allowed even an art idiot like me to see the progressions in Van Gogh’s work, as well as how he evolved as an artist. I was also intrigued to learn that he didn’t become an artist until only ten years before his death in 1890. It’s amazing to me how someone with such a short career could have such a major impact on the art world, and I’m very glad that I took the time to visit the museum and learn a little bit more about it.

From little to no expectations, to gaining confidence as a world traveler, this weekend was certainly an adventure and a success for me. It was a wonderful experience to just explore a new city and interact with some of the people living there. It was refreshing that everyone I spoke with seemed very kind and helpful, always taking the time to help us out when we were completely lost. I was very impressed with Amsterdam’s people and beauty, and it certainly sets the bar high for my future travels on this trip.