March 18, 2008 iAmsterdam
If there's one city that stands out in Europe in terms of architecture, city structure and people's lifestyle, then it is Amsterdam! It was built upon reclaimed swamplands, very flat as most of the Netherlands, with marine climate and dreamy atmosphere... It was built on a dam in the river Amstel. That's where its name comes from.
For some people, it's all about drugs and sex. For some others, it's about the land of opportunities, and for some others it is all about art and architecture. Every visitor makes his own picks, and I guess, all of them enjoy their short or longer stays in this city.
When you take canal buses and enjoy the sightseeing from the many canals of Amsterdam, you remember Venice...
When you make your way to the Red Light district, it reminds you somehow Patpong area in Bangkok... (and I couldn't stop myself by calling Amsterdam as Bangkok of Europe. Well, that can be the worst association afterall because it is one of safest and cleanliest cities in Europe)
People
But I've never seen such a diversity of races, colors, religions, nations and their mixes in any other place. It was hard to distinguish the dominant race there; Dutch, African origins, Indonesians, Turks, Chinese, Arabs. And I was amazed by seeing so many mixes of blacks and whites, Asians and Europeans. You get to accept that how colorful, pretty and stylish are the people of Amsterdam! I assume the actual dominant Dutch population (~80%) is more spread out in the countryside and other cities, but not in Amsterdam. Neither I am well informed about Dutch colonization history, but I can make solid guess that Indonesian population are the descendants of those brought to Europe from once colonized Indonesia. And I am closely familiar with huge immigration of Turks in 70-80ies to Germany, Netherlands, etc.
Dutch people are different than other Europeans. They are not so proud and I could feel that straight away. The attitude of waiters are much better, and in general customer service was much on higher level compared to Prague (maybe Eastern Europe as a whole).
Another well-known characteristic of Dutch people is being open-minded and liberal. To really get to know them you need to stay longer, short visits usually are not enough to really understand the locals. Also, though smoking marijuana or using drugs are legal there, you see more tourists than locals in those "coffeeshops". Same goes for Red Light district visitors. I personally didn't enter a coffeeshop and try drugs, I never use them. Yet I was planning to taste some piece of space cakes, cakes baked with marijuana powder inside just for the cultural exchange reasons, nothing more :))) I ended up not going there just because I didn't feel like going. Anyway, you can feel the smoke when you pass by those coffeeshops.
Architecture
Amsterdam has its own typical architecture. Central area of the city is occupied with well-preserved historic buildings. Many of them are private houses. Gothic, Renaissance, Dutch Classicism, Revival style are some of the architecture styles. More about architecture styles you can read here.
My favourite were the canal houses. The canal houses, usually built as residences for wealthy citizens, determine the Amsterdam cityscape. They are characterized by narrow, relatively tall facades, often crowned by richly ornamented gable tops. Ornamental gable tops came to be used as a way to hide the saddle roofs from view. A whole range developed: stepped gables, neck-gables, bell-shaped gables etc.
You can find more information about historic houses here.
Art & Museums
This was the second time when I was exposed to so much art. First time it was inside Vatican Museum. We ended up visiting only Rijksmuseum, and only part of the exhibitions with main paintings were open to public. Well, it still took us 5 hours to finish, and I can imagine how much time it would take if it was fully accessible. We got to see the famous paintings like Rembrandt's "The Night Watch", Vermeers' "The Milkmaid" and "The Little Street", Hals' "Portrait Of a Young Couple", and many others. It was long and tiring tour, and we got overwhelmed by so much art and paintings that we decided to leave the visit to nearby Van Gogh's museum for some other day or visit. Surely, that was enough art to feed us for next few weeks. Another museum I am planning to visit next time is Madame Tussaud's Museum. This time there were more interesting things to do than seeing famous people's wax figures.
Rijksmuseum
Rijksmuseum current entrance
NEMO - technology museum (navy blue building) and "Amsterdam" sailor ship
Madame Tussaud's Museum (wax figures of famous people)
Anne Frank's house
iAmsterdam
Miki & iAmsterdam
sailor ship - childhood dream
Red Lights District
It may not be a museum, but you'll find tour guides taking people around this famous area. It is neither a zoo, but people are staring at the almost naked girls as if at the animals in their cages. Located in the very center of Amsterdam, it attracts not only the male customers looking for 50 euro per session pleasure, but also all other people who are hungry to fulfill their curiosity. Photo taking is not allowed, no specific rules on that. But I managed to take snap from the distance, and it gives you some idea how this area looks like. Almost naked girls are trying to attract customers standing, dancing or posing at the large red-lighted windows. Mostly Europeans, but there are some Asians and Afros as well. You can see that these small rooms contain bed and shower room. Once the customer gets into the room, they pull the curtains...
Bicycles
One of the main transportation means for the locals are the bicycles. Also, many tourists explore the city on them. You can rent it in many locations, and roads have special lanes and traffic lights specifically for the cyclists. It was windy and a bit cold when we were there, so we decided to use public transportation to move around. I put on mind another visit to this city, and already have the list of whole bunch of things to do next time including the bicycle tours.
Canal buses
This can't be missed! Your Amsterdam experience is simply incomplete without a tour on a canal bus. There are many options ranging from simple 1-hour tour up to dinners on the canal buses. 1 hour tour costs 7 euros per person. You get to see central historical buildings and sites, bridges and boat houses. Now this is something very interesting; people actually live in them, and these boat houses have usual addresses and considered to be part of housing. As there is not enough land to live on, some people live on the water!
Drugs and smoking
Especially inside Red Light District you can smell unusual smokes coming from coffeeshops or seed stores. Marijuana, cannabis, stimulants, space cakes are widely available in many shops and coffeeshops and they have been attracting millions of tourists to Amsterdam.
For the curious newbies; Upon my question about trying space cake for the first time, my Dutch friend suggested me to buy 1 piece and again divide it into 4 smaller pieces and try that 1 quarter of the slice. It gives some buzz and nothing more. But I ended up avoiding it and overcoming my curiosity.
Bulldog - the oldest coffeeshop of Amsterdam
One of the many drug shops - marijuana, cannabis, seeds, etc.
Dam square
Royal Palace at night
This is the main central square of the city. It's in front of the Royal Palace (entrance to the palace is closed at the moment), and Madame Tusseaud's museum is also facing it. It's great location to start and end your daily trips because many tram lines coincide here, it's close to Central Train Station and other areas like Red-Light district, canal bus tour spots and coffeeshops. During the day it's crowded with pigeons, tourists and those who rip them off.
Amsterdam at night
Simply beautiful and well lighted up!
Cheese
Inside Amsterdam you can find almost any kind of Dutch cheese in the supermarkets, and prices seem to be a bit lower there. Also, you can go on a tour to cheese factories in order to get to see how cheese is made, taste and buy original Dutch farm cheese. We went on a tour to one of the Henri Willig's cheese farms outside of Amsterdam, indeed interesting experience it was. As it comes for the prices; cheese was slightly more expensive at the farm than in supermarket, but the brand was different as well. In general, all Dutch brands produce good quality cheese but prices vary. I bought 1 kg Goudse Kaas cheese for 6+ euros, and also 3 different 340g weighted Henri Willig's cheese pieces for 25+ euros. Good prices for good quality!
Read more about Dutch cheese in my previous post. Also, here's the must check web-site about Dutch cheese that tells about making, serving the cheese and related information!
Stroopwafels
These syrup wafels are must-try in Amsterdam. Never buy them from tourist shops where they are over-priced. You can get them in the supermarkets for the prices between 60 cent - 1.6 euro per pack.
Dutch Frites/Fries
It is French Fries with thick tartar sauce, nothing much different. Seems like a bit over-exaggerated popularism for a known snack. It gives nice experience though, when you get it in a paper cone filled with sauce and eat in Dam square on a cold February day.
Tulips
Holland is famous with its tulips. The time we went there was obviously not the tulip season, but you can still buy them or tulip seeds in local flower market. Miki bought one pack and already planted them in her garden.
Pancake Bakery in Amsterdam
Maybe that's not something much related to Dutch cuisine, yet a visit should be paid to Pancake Bakery (not far from Anne Frank's house). It's possible to enjoy from the traditional pancakes to pancakes with ice-cream and with many other flavors and toppings. Definitely, no miss! It's located at Prinsengracht 191, in Ring Canals West district.
Clogs of Holland or Dutch wooden shoes
In one of the previous posts, I shared the full video demonstration of how these clogs are made. In a country with so much water, you need something wooden not to catch the rheumatism.
At the end of the tour we checked the very modern built national library. On its top floor, there's a terrace from where you can catch great view of the city and Amstel river.
I simply fell in love with this place; modern, cosy, comfortable and huge!
My travel mate - Mikisan. She made this trip very pleasant, enjoyable, fun and sleepy! ;))
In fact, Amsterdam was her choice. And for some parts she even guided me around... till we got lost! Nnnn... But, yeah, she knows much more about paintings and artists, and did well in introducing some pieces of art to me in Rijksmuseum.
Interesting coincidence, in one of the shops.
For some people, it's all about drugs and sex. For some others, it's about the land of opportunities, and for some others it is all about art and architecture. Every visitor makes his own picks, and I guess, all of them enjoy their short or longer stays in this city.
When you take canal buses and enjoy the sightseeing from the many canals of Amsterdam, you remember Venice...
When you make your way to the Red Light district, it reminds you somehow Patpong area in Bangkok... (and I couldn't stop myself by calling Amsterdam as Bangkok of Europe. Well, that can be the worst association afterall because it is one of safest and cleanliest cities in Europe)
People
But I've never seen such a diversity of races, colors, religions, nations and their mixes in any other place. It was hard to distinguish the dominant race there; Dutch, African origins, Indonesians, Turks, Chinese, Arabs. And I was amazed by seeing so many mixes of blacks and whites, Asians and Europeans. You get to accept that how colorful, pretty and stylish are the people of Amsterdam! I assume the actual dominant Dutch population (~80%) is more spread out in the countryside and other cities, but not in Amsterdam. Neither I am well informed about Dutch colonization history, but I can make solid guess that Indonesian population are the descendants of those brought to Europe from once colonized Indonesia. And I am closely familiar with huge immigration of Turks in 70-80ies to Germany, Netherlands, etc.
Dutch people are different than other Europeans. They are not so proud and I could feel that straight away. The attitude of waiters are much better, and in general customer service was much on higher level compared to Prague (maybe Eastern Europe as a whole).
Another well-known characteristic of Dutch people is being open-minded and liberal. To really get to know them you need to stay longer, short visits usually are not enough to really understand the locals. Also, though smoking marijuana or using drugs are legal there, you see more tourists than locals in those "coffeeshops". Same goes for Red Light district visitors. I personally didn't enter a coffeeshop and try drugs, I never use them. Yet I was planning to taste some piece of space cakes, cakes baked with marijuana powder inside just for the cultural exchange reasons, nothing more :))) I ended up not going there just because I didn't feel like going. Anyway, you can feel the smoke when you pass by those coffeeshops.
Architecture
Amsterdam has its own typical architecture. Central area of the city is occupied with well-preserved historic buildings. Many of them are private houses. Gothic, Renaissance, Dutch Classicism, Revival style are some of the architecture styles. More about architecture styles you can read here.
My favourite were the canal houses. The canal houses, usually built as residences for wealthy citizens, determine the Amsterdam cityscape. They are characterized by narrow, relatively tall facades, often crowned by richly ornamented gable tops. Ornamental gable tops came to be used as a way to hide the saddle roofs from view. A whole range developed: stepped gables, neck-gables, bell-shaped gables etc.
You can find more information about historic houses here.
Art & Museums
This was the second time when I was exposed to so much art. First time it was inside Vatican Museum. We ended up visiting only Rijksmuseum, and only part of the exhibitions with main paintings were open to public. Well, it still took us 5 hours to finish, and I can imagine how much time it would take if it was fully accessible. We got to see the famous paintings like Rembrandt's "The Night Watch", Vermeers' "The Milkmaid" and "The Little Street", Hals' "Portrait Of a Young Couple", and many others. It was long and tiring tour, and we got overwhelmed by so much art and paintings that we decided to leave the visit to nearby Van Gogh's museum for some other day or visit. Surely, that was enough art to feed us for next few weeks. Another museum I am planning to visit next time is Madame Tussaud's Museum. This time there were more interesting things to do than seeing famous people's wax figures.
Rijksmuseum
Rijksmuseum current entrance
NEMO - technology museum (navy blue building) and "Amsterdam" sailor ship
Madame Tussaud's Museum (wax figures of famous people)
Anne Frank's house
iAmsterdam
Miki & iAmsterdam
sailor ship - childhood dreamRed Lights District
It may not be a museum, but you'll find tour guides taking people around this famous area. It is neither a zoo, but people are staring at the almost naked girls as if at the animals in their cages. Located in the very center of Amsterdam, it attracts not only the male customers looking for 50 euro per session pleasure, but also all other people who are hungry to fulfill their curiosity. Photo taking is not allowed, no specific rules on that. But I managed to take snap from the distance, and it gives you some idea how this area looks like. Almost naked girls are trying to attract customers standing, dancing or posing at the large red-lighted windows. Mostly Europeans, but there are some Asians and Afros as well. You can see that these small rooms contain bed and shower room. Once the customer gets into the room, they pull the curtains...
Bicycles
One of the main transportation means for the locals are the bicycles. Also, many tourists explore the city on them. You can rent it in many locations, and roads have special lanes and traffic lights specifically for the cyclists. It was windy and a bit cold when we were there, so we decided to use public transportation to move around. I put on mind another visit to this city, and already have the list of whole bunch of things to do next time including the bicycle tours.
Canal buses
This can't be missed! Your Amsterdam experience is simply incomplete without a tour on a canal bus. There are many options ranging from simple 1-hour tour up to dinners on the canal buses. 1 hour tour costs 7 euros per person. You get to see central historical buildings and sites, bridges and boat houses. Now this is something very interesting; people actually live in them, and these boat houses have usual addresses and considered to be part of housing. As there is not enough land to live on, some people live on the water!
Drugs and smoking
Especially inside Red Light District you can smell unusual smokes coming from coffeeshops or seed stores. Marijuana, cannabis, stimulants, space cakes are widely available in many shops and coffeeshops and they have been attracting millions of tourists to Amsterdam.
For the curious newbies; Upon my question about trying space cake for the first time, my Dutch friend suggested me to buy 1 piece and again divide it into 4 smaller pieces and try that 1 quarter of the slice. It gives some buzz and nothing more. But I ended up avoiding it and overcoming my curiosity.
Bulldog - the oldest coffeeshop of Amsterdam
One of the many drug shops - marijuana, cannabis, seeds, etc.Dam square
Royal Palace at nightThis is the main central square of the city. It's in front of the Royal Palace (entrance to the palace is closed at the moment), and Madame Tusseaud's museum is also facing it. It's great location to start and end your daily trips because many tram lines coincide here, it's close to Central Train Station and other areas like Red-Light district, canal bus tour spots and coffeeshops. During the day it's crowded with pigeons, tourists and those who rip them off.
Amsterdam at night
Simply beautiful and well lighted up!
Cheese
Inside Amsterdam you can find almost any kind of Dutch cheese in the supermarkets, and prices seem to be a bit lower there. Also, you can go on a tour to cheese factories in order to get to see how cheese is made, taste and buy original Dutch farm cheese. We went on a tour to one of the Henri Willig's cheese farms outside of Amsterdam, indeed interesting experience it was. As it comes for the prices; cheese was slightly more expensive at the farm than in supermarket, but the brand was different as well. In general, all Dutch brands produce good quality cheese but prices vary. I bought 1 kg Goudse Kaas cheese for 6+ euros, and also 3 different 340g weighted Henri Willig's cheese pieces for 25+ euros. Good prices for good quality!
Read more about Dutch cheese in my previous post. Also, here's the must check web-site about Dutch cheese that tells about making, serving the cheese and related information!
Stroopwafels
These syrup wafels are must-try in Amsterdam. Never buy them from tourist shops where they are over-priced. You can get them in the supermarkets for the prices between 60 cent - 1.6 euro per pack.
Dutch Frites/Fries
It is French Fries with thick tartar sauce, nothing much different. Seems like a bit over-exaggerated popularism for a known snack. It gives nice experience though, when you get it in a paper cone filled with sauce and eat in Dam square on a cold February day.
Tulips
Holland is famous with its tulips. The time we went there was obviously not the tulip season, but you can still buy them or tulip seeds in local flower market. Miki bought one pack and already planted them in her garden.
Pancake Bakery in Amsterdam
Maybe that's not something much related to Dutch cuisine, yet a visit should be paid to Pancake Bakery (not far from Anne Frank's house). It's possible to enjoy from the traditional pancakes to pancakes with ice-cream and with many other flavors and toppings. Definitely, no miss! It's located at Prinsengracht 191, in Ring Canals West district.
Clogs of Holland or Dutch wooden shoes
In one of the previous posts, I shared the full video demonstration of how these clogs are made. In a country with so much water, you need something wooden not to catch the rheumatism.
At the end of the tour we checked the very modern built national library. On its top floor, there's a terrace from where you can catch great view of the city and Amstel river.
I simply fell in love with this place; modern, cosy, comfortable and huge!
My travel mate - Mikisan. She made this trip very pleasant, enjoyable, fun and sleepy! ;))
In fact, Amsterdam was her choice. And for some parts she even guided me around... till we got lost! Nnnn... But, yeah, she knows much more about paintings and artists, and did well in introducing some pieces of art to me in Rijksmuseum.
Interesting coincidence, in one of the shops.
Labels: Amsterdam, Holland, Netherlands
posted by Aibek D. at
5:24:00 PM
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