Best of Netherlands
We visited Amsterdam on August 22, 2014 for four days and we were simply fascinated with this city, which, in our opinion, is one of the most beautiful ones we had seen in Europe. Amsterdam is much more than what it is commonly known for, but unfortunately most tourists come to experience the “freedom” they do not normally have. This lovely city is often linked to marijuana and prostitution. It is true, the marijuana smoke coming out of the “coffee shops” will reach you while walking around Amsterdam’s old town and at night you will see semi-naked women displaying themselves for sexual pleasure, like in a meat market, behind glass doors.
But Amsterdam is more than that, it is a masterpiece of engineering and water canals; a man-made city where sailing and trading took place for centuries; a place where local cycling took over, where bicycles are parked in multi-story parking, and where they run everywhere anytime; a city of beautiful buildings and colorful flowers; and where Anne Frank wrote her diary while in hiding from the German Nazis. Amsterdam is a city where you can appreciate Van Gogh art and his life, which is a testimony of how much we still do not know about mental health and talented minds.
Amsterdam is a trading town where sailing, science, and cartography were developed. Some areas of Amsterdam have been built at 5.5m (18 ft) below sea level. Houses were built with wood but with a stone facade to protect them from fire. The beauty of this city is a result of many humans that lost their freedom and became slaves under the hands of the Dutch East India Company. The Netherlands overcame dark periods of Spanish, France, and Nazi occupation throughout history. During these periods and battles for independence, the country inherited strong principals of freedom, religion, democracy, and equality. Although these important values were applied for their citizens, the colonies of Netherlands did not receive the same treatment. The country flourished thanks to the earnings from slavery and colonization. Things have changed and after generations of exploitation, citizens from the Dutch colonies have been able to make use of their Dutch citizenship to immigrate to the Netherlands in a search for a better life. This was the case for many Suriname immigrants currently living in the country.
Amsterdam has been an example of progressive thinking, tolerance, and freedom. On April 1, 2001, the first gay and lesbian marriages in the world took place in this city. Since 1972, “coffee shops” in Amsterdam sell and allow the consumption of marijuana, which is considered a “soft drug” by the city law. Prostitution is also allowed in the Red Light District, but human trafficking is illegal. The city was hoping for a decrease in crime related to prostitution by regulating it, but this unfortunately did not occur successfully. Most recently the city decided to decrease the areas in which prostitution is allowed, leaving only 60% functioning.
We loved Amsterdam for what it is: a gorgeous city engineered to be one of the most beautiful ones in the world! A man-made creation under sea level and where progressive thinking has developed to overcome the mistakes from the past.
Below are other great things we enjoyed about Netherlands:
Food and Drinks
Syrup Waffle
Apple Pie
Sandwiches of Pekelvlees (salted beef), Kroquetten (croquettes), and Beef Tartar with onions and hardboiled egg
Favorite Sights and Activities
Walking along the Canals and Admiring the Architecture
Seeing Many of the Locals Being Conscious of the Environment by Cycling Everywhere
Enjoying and Learning in the Well Organized Museums, such as the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank Huis
People
Arjan and Maria: from the Netherlands, we met them in Tanzania and they invited us to stay with them in Amsterdam.
