The Netherlands (Amsterdam)

The two of us purchased (or had great brothers who purchased) a bus pass that would take us throughout Europe; our first stop using the bus pass was Amsterdam.  The bus dropped us off in the center of the city, at the hostel most of the passengers were staying at.  We unfortunately had procrastinated on booking a place to stay, so we ended up staying on the outskirts giving us a nice lengthy walk to our hotel.  We ended up being very lucky because our hotel was right on the tram line, giving us easy access into the city.

View while walking to our hotel.  There are about 2500 houseboats in the Amsterdam canals

We didn’t really know what to expect with Amsterdam and were excited to explore the next morning.  We found a city pass that would give us free admission into about 30 museums, a canal tour, a metro pass, discounts to attractions and restaurants, and free items.  We figured it would be worth the cost because Amsterdam is an expensive city, with most of the museums charging a higher entrance fee than we were used to.  Having only two full days in the city we spent the first day running around, trying to take full advantage of our city pass.  This pass shaped our experience of Amsterdam because we went into many different museums that we otherwise might have passed up.  We also might have had too much fun scurrying around to make sure we got all the free items (most of them cappuccinos, giving us even more of a perk to continue running around, although we did score a Heineken bottle opener and some chocolates).

Near the Amsterdam City Center

When most people hear Amsterdam, they immediately think about the liberal use of sex and drugs that the city has become known for.  It is true, ‘alternative’ lifestyles are not just tolerated, but welcomed in Amsterdam, as has been the case for hundreds of years.  The extensive Red Light District, and numerous ‘coffee shops’ attest to that.  However, this forward thinking attitude extends to other areas as well.  The city (and country, for that matter) has needed meticulous planning and engineering since its inception since it lies almost completely below sea level.  People are also very environmentally conscious in Amsterdam; almost everyone gets around on a bike or using public transport.  It took Matt a while to get used to all the bike traffic… luckily Marilyn was there to pull him out harm’s way on several occasions.  Also, at the main train station, there is a multilevel parking garage… for bicycles.

Parking garage... sorry for the obstructed view!

Bikes lining the edges of the canal

The old grain measuring hall used by the East India Company

To launch our cultural tour we began with two museums dedicated to the history of Amsterdam.  Amsterdam’s golden age occurred due to the first major multinational corporations, the East India Trade and West India Trade Companies.  The museums also detailed the formation of the complex canal and waterlock system that is essential to keep the city from flooding.  While Venice is often what comes to mind when thinking of a city with canals, Amsterdam actually has more which add tremendously to the beauty of the city.  We finished off our first day at the most famous museum, the Van Gogh Museum.  It is filled with over 200 of his paintings, as well as sketches and other pieces of work.  Seeing the paintings in person was a much different experience than seeing a print of one.  The texture and detail were very impressive, although the vast number of works we saw was overwhelming after our long first day in the city.

View of houses on canal.  Many houses used to be warehouses for the trade industry

The following day we started off with the canal tour.  Most of the cities we had visited also had canals, but this was our first time taking a tour.  While there is something to be said of seeing a city from the perspective of the canals, we wouldn’t recommend one in this city.  Most of the boats, including the one we were in, were covered, making it difficult to get a good view and with an automated “tour guide” it was easy to zone out.

For the rest of our final day we decided to take a more relaxed approach, considering the pace of our previous day.  This allowed us to get a better feel of the city and appreciate the laid back, liberal atmosphere.  Amsterdam took us both by surprise with its beauty and vast history.  Once again, we found another city that we really enjoyed. Which city will be the first to break this streak? 

View from the Amsterdam Harbor.  One of the only good pictures from the canal tour