After a long week of classes, a trip to Amsterdam was needed. I had visited the city before, but it was on a student tour that was dedicated to quick glimpses on the bus past the most famous tourist spots. I wanted to make this trip different than my last one, dedicating myself to walking and biking the city, visiting and experimenting in the famous coffee shops, and strolling down the streets of the red light district.
Above: Nightlife in Amsterdam
Once my friends and I had arrived in Amsterdam, we spent time getting lost as we tried to find our hotel. It was during this time when I realized discovering Europe was not just about taking pictures next to the tourist sites, but about walking down a sidewalk to compare the differences in culture and society from my own. I looked in awe at the buildings, the detail in each one could not be found in any other edifice around. The road was barely a road, as more of the room between the buildings and canals were dedicated to bike paths, trams, and sidewalks. Many of the streets had only one lane with many bike lanes and pedestrian areas.
Getting lost in Amsterdam is moving. Since we did not know how to get to our hotel, we kept wondering the streets. We passed the main squares, the Van Gogh museum, and even the red light district without even trying to find it on the confusing maps of Amsterdam. Because Amsterdam is a city that is known more for its beauty and liberal culture, rather than the must see tourist sites, getting lost is the only way to see the city. On our way Sunday to the train station, we kept passing parts of the city we didn’t find on our journey from the days before. It truly opened my eyes to the city and the way the citizens of Amsterdam and the Dutch people as a whole live their lives.
Above: A free concert in Amsterdam
I came to love this way of transportation; maximizing usage of rail and tram lines, as well as taking advantage of the flat surfaces of Amsterdam. The tramlines are always busy and full of people, and the bike lanes are constantly cluttered with citizens young and old whom. The system in Amsterdam, and throughout Europe, is dedicated to maximizing ease in moving people in the most efficient ways without the use of cars. It made me think about my experiences on Amtrak, the United States version of Eurail, and the horrible inefficiency and slow service it offers. Using the trains to move from city to city was efficient, clean, reliable, easy and fun.
On my last trip to Holland in 2007, I made cheese with friends, rode bikes alongside the dikes and windmills, and bought a pair of wooden clogs. We passed many souvenir shops that sold ashtrays next to the wooden clogs that are famous in Holland. As my friend and I got more lost in Amsterdam, I kept trying to put together the differences and similarities of rural versus urban Holland. If I was new to the area, I would have been confused why the people of Amsterdam liked to smoke their weed and buy their prostitutes in wooden shoes. Farmers and workers of Holland once protected their feet from sharp objects and moisture wore these wooden clogs. It is clear that Amsterdam is vital in the history of the Netherlands. If given the opportunity, I would love to go back to see more of the rural lands of the nation, as well as The Hague and other vital urban core cities. More can be learned at:
http://www.ehow.com/about_5438931_history-dutch-wooden-clogs.html
Above: One of the many views from the canal bridges of Amsterdam
Amsterdam is a gorgeous city with a great nightlife scene, legalized marijuana and is a place where you can window shop for sex. The flags that fly with the triple X’s symbolize a culture not found anywhere else in the world. Next to the flag of Amsterdam, is the flag of the Netherlands, a nation with bustling ports and industry, as well as a large agriculture base. Amsterdam is where these cultures collide to create one great city and region full of art, architecture, history and some naughty fun that all visitors should experience.
Check out the Amsterdam tourism site for more information on this great city:
http://www.iamsterdam.com/en/visiting
I really liked your post, It gave me a great overview of Amsterdam and what is to be offered. I didn’t know the history of the wooden shoes and why these were worn by them. My dad actually has a pair of the wooden shoes that he bought when he was traveling through Europe when he was in his 20’s; so this gives me a better understanding of what they are and what they are used for.
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