In Awe of Amsterdam

“Travel is the best way to be lost and found at the same time.” I don’t know who exactly said that, but it describes adequately my experiences this past weekend in Amsterdam, the capital and largest city in the Netherlands. This was my 6th overnight trip since arriving in Portugal, but my first solo trip of the bunch. I knew ahead of time that it would be a different experience; a chance for me to take in even more of my surroundings, to hone in on details I may not have noticed before whilst chatting amicably with my travel partners. And it would be easier than ever in flat-as-a-pancake Amsterdam. Each neighborhood had a hidden history that most of the seething mass of tourists in the city miss. I may have only spent 2-and-a-half days there, but I feel that a good portion was unlocked for me. How so? Just by walking, and visiting as many places as I possibly could!

And I would walk 500 hundred miles…

Bear with me when I say that I am almost an expert of this city. Yes, Amsterdam is a large city, made up of 900 islands and 1200 bridges. But, I walked nearly 30 miles over the course of my time there; it’s fair to say I saw a lot of the city. Most of this walking distance was on my own volition. There were many times I decided to get off the trams that weave their way through the canals earlier than my final destination, following the beckoning of lights or markets. It was well worth it. My first walk was a pleasant walk from my hostel, located in Amsterdam-Centrum, to the neighborhood of Jordaan. The Westerkerk, a church with a magnificent spire, is the icon overlooking this area in the west of Amsterdam. This was a beautiful Friday morning, with the sun dazzling overhead (Well, I can’t say overhead, because the sun is so far south, that it appeared to be setting all day). Trees, still laden with yellowing leaves, line the infinite number of canals, as do boats of all shapes and sizes (with the one common denominator being that they are low boats, as so to fit underneath the low bridges that zigzag over the canals). It was also very quiet; I discovered that a majority of the tourists in Amsterdam (of which there were many during this Thanksgiving weekend) stayed in the center part of town, where they could indulge in a Madame Tussaud’s, a Ripley’s Believe-it-or-Not, and luxury shopping (really not bummed I missed those things). The only sounds here are the constant rhythm of the cyclists pedaling (I believe the Dutch are born on bikes) and of the ice cold breeze making ripples on the water. It is a idyllic picture that I didn’t imagine I would espy when coming to Amsterdam. I thought everything would be crowded all the time. It was here that I was able to enjoy a peaceful lunch at Cafe de Prins of a sandwich heavily portioned with goat cheese, radishes, arugula, and walnuts, paired with a draft IPA. I was able to observe the city in its natural environment, as it slowly woke up and evolved into a bustling city street. The number of bikes only intensified, as did the sounds of ringing bells and cyclists churning their pedals to the max. Quiet conversation in many different languages, but mostly Dutch and English, was also discernible. But that was it. No construction noises, no traffic noises, no large groups of people taking selfies and causing a ruckus (we get to that later). It was a delightful picture. And it was much of the same anywhere else I strolled in the city.

My main walk on Saturday was through the Marken and De Pijp neighborhoods, in the eastern part of the city. In Marken, I was greeted with rows upon rows of stately brownstone houses, and a peaceful park where a young man enthusiastically led his geriatric companions in a exercise routine. Boats motored lazily past the many parks of deciduous trees along the banks of the canals, moving at the same pace as I desired to move myself. In De Pijp, I was subjected to more of a crowd, but this crowd was savoring the Albert Cuypmarkt, a market that has operated for 100 years, selling just about anything one could want. Stroopwaffles, Belgian fries, souvenirs, clothing, seafood, you name it. It was there. It took me 15 minutes to walk it from end to end at a leisurely pace. And I would have missed it if I wasn’t keeping my eyes peeled outside while on the tram. I’m glad I did that.

My final walk of a significant distance happened Sunday morning. I walked back to Jordaan to enjoy a breakfast of a Dutch pancake (their thin and huge, and lathered with powdered sugar and Dutch syrup), and then decided to walk about a mile or so to Vondelpark, the largest park in Amsterdam. Alluring mansions encircle this park, and the creaky sable gates are flung upon early this morning. A dense mist sits just to the east of the park, like a looming menace. I felt that I was the only non-native in the park. It is basically a large loop trail around a series of small ponds in the middle, with a few cafes overlooking these ponds. So, not much to necessarily attract tourists. It was a beautiful park nonetheless. The best part was perhaps the cacophony of birds trying to out-sing each. A glut of joggers worked their way around the loop at their own pace, some with their dogs, some with their children on bikes (or not on bikes). A profusion of exercise groups were scattered around the park, with their leaders barking instructions to them. All in all, it felt like a park full of peace for the locals, a peace I hoped I was not intruding on. But, in reality, that was never a worry (the only thing I heeded were the bikes, as they are RUTHLESS!). Like every other neighborhood I wandered into, I felt immediately accepted, and at peace. The hoards of tourists didn’t know what they missed.

Points of Interest

I visited  10 major points of interest while walking around the city. I figured it best to organize them into the neighborhoods they were in, and describe them each in detail in this manner of categorization.

Zaans Schans: What a wondrous side excursion I decided on! Well, mostly. Zaans Schans is a complex located in the northern suburb of Zaandam, about 8 miles outside of the city. A bus that runs every 15 minutes from the Central Station got me there. What exactly is there of interest? A taste of Holland. When one thinks of Holland, I believe that one thinks of tulips, windmills, and happy-faced farmers in clogs. Zaans Schans fits that description. Six windmills have been relocated to this river-side plot. A lovely museum recounts how this area was once one of the most productive in the entire world, nevertheless the Netherlands. Oil, lumber, sugar, rice, and so much more was grown here. And yet, many who show up to this site never bother to wander into the museum. That was the case for my journey. A large group of Asian tourists had conquered this area, blocking paths, taking a selfie with every single blade of grass, and generally making a ruckus that ruined what should have been a picture of sereneness. But, one can look past that. This place was still astoundingly beautiful. The windmills overlook a plodding river to the west, and boundless fields, currently barren, but I imagine are abundant with tulips in the spring. It appears that the sun is always setting this time of year, as it is so far in the south (Amsterdam is nearly as far north as Edmonton…the latitude difference between Seattle and Amsterdam is the same as between northern and southern Germany. Ignoring the annoyances around me, I found myself in love with this stereotypical portrayal of the Netherlands, and of simpler times.

Old Jewish Quarter: The Jews have always been a significant part of Amsterdam’s history. Settling in the 15th and 16th centuries from Spain and Portugal (Sephardi) and eastern Europe (Ashkenazim), they always thrived on being separate from the goings-on of the rest of Amsterdam. In this area, one can learn about the history of the Jews throughout their 500 years of presence in Amsterdam. Through the Golden Age, through the Holocaust, and today. The Holocaust Museum particularly was poignant, with the opening exhibit being that of playthings left by soon-to-be-deported Jews to their friends and neighbors. Each child had a story, but each story ended the same way: death in internment camps. This was also emphasized in the separate Jewish History Museum. As much as some people say the Jews should “Just forget about it,” that’s impossible. How can one forget the innocent children who were taken away, not understanding why these evil people wanted them dead when they had done nothing other than be a Jew. The gravity of the situation was important then, and still is today. Probably my biggest take-away from my trips to the Jewish museums was that their heritage is still threatened today. Two sets of bullet-proof glass doors blockade the entrance into each museum, creating a sense of foreboding and forcefully reminding that genocidal ideals and antisemitism still exist in the world. Also in this area was the Hortus Botanical Gardens, nearly 500 years old. The first tulip in the Netherlands was cultivated here. The autumn foliage still bedecked the trees, and the tropical greenhouse provided a pleasant taste of warmth for this cold traveler. The Rembrandt Huis is also located in this quarter. Here, Rembrandt lived, and painted many of his paintings, overlooking the Amstel River. The Jewish Quarter contains a lot of history, history that some may choose to overlook, but one simply cannot.

Museumplein: One is immediately struck by the grandeur of this area. An endless blanket of manicured grass stretches from the Rijksmuseum to the concert hall. An ice skating rink is set up, where children happily skate, laughing gleefully. Surrounding the plaza are the four most famous art museums of the Netherlands: the Rijksmuseum, the Stedelijk, the Van Gogh Museum, and MOCO. I visited the first three. The Rijskmuseum is housed in a building that looks like it could easily handle a university with an enrollment of 5000 students. And yet, every bit of its four floors is filled with art, meticulously spaced. One cannot put on a price on the worth of all the art housed here. Rembrandt, Vermeer, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Velazque etc. There are painting, sculptures, fine china, model ships. It was an exhausting array of art that took me two hours at a brisk pace to get through. I could imagine spending a whole day there easily. I attended the Stedelijk next.

This contained more modern and impressionist art, and was naturally housed in a sleek modern building. The special exhibition at the time was Picasso. I was able to walk abidingly through his work by myself. This contrasted to the Rijksmuseum, where people flocked to “Night Watch,” Rembrandt’s most famous work. Some of the works on display at this museum are very well-know, yet they sat in solitude. I enjoyed this museum a lot! But, my favorite museum of the three was definitely the Van Gogh museum. Although the busiest, it was the most informative, and contained a stunning assembly of Van Gogh’s most famous works. These works were intertwined with stories of his humble beginnings, and his relationship with both his brother, and his fellow artist Paul Gauguin. The story was told amazingly well, and his artwork is stunning. Van Gogh was a genius in so many different forms of artwork. It’s a shame his genius got stemmed by insanity (leading to that famous incident you all know about where he cut off his ear). Plain and simple, if you want to get cultured, Museumplein is the place to go.

Jordaan: I’ve already mentioned this neighborhood before, but we’re back. When I walked to Jordaan my first morning in Amsterdam, I was doing so with a reservation for the Anne Frank Huis in my hand. This museum is located in the actual attic where Anne and her family hid during the war. As one queues their way through the maze of hallways and rooms, one is treated to an in-depth analysis of the effects of the Holocaust on the Jews in Amsterdam, while including Anne’s story as perspective and corroboration. One is also struck with an increasing sense of sorrow as Anne’s story builds up to a climax, one that is achieved upon reaching her bedroom. This was an A+ museum, probably one of the best I’ve ever been to, if not the best. It did a fantastic job of telling a story that matched perfectly with what I was seeing. And, it kept the mood right for events as horrific as these. (Pause to think) Crossing the bridge of the canal adjacent to the museum leads to another museum, this one telling of the history of the tulip in the Netherlands. The Amsterdam Tulip Museum paints a picture of just how reliant the Amsterdam economy became on the tulip, and how that foolish reliance became the downfall of many speculator in the 1600’s. Their gift shop naturally sold tulips, and I wasn’t going to buy any until I ran across a type of tulip called the Mt. Tacoma tulip! There is no way that name originated anywhere else but from Washington, as Tacoma is a Salish word. I had to buy these white tulips, which I assume are representative of Mt. Rainier! So, Jordaan was another treat, with a hidden history accurately portrayed in the Anne Frank Huis.

Amsterdam Lights Festival: After I had booked this trip, I learned that I would be in Amsterdam during the opening week of their 8th annual light festival! That excited me greatly, and rightfully so. The city was glowing during the night hours. Every bridge was decked out in lights, and strings of lights forming festive shapes hung overhead in almost every neighborhood. But, the icing on the cake are the light installments designed by artists from all over the world placed in significant vantage points along the main canals. These are best seen by boat, so I took a 9:30 pm canal cruise to best appreciate these works of art. It was on this cruise that I learned that the theme for this year’s festival was “Disrupt.” Disruptive like the atomic bomb that opened up the cruise. Disruptive like the sunken city, eliciting thoughts of a not so far-off future where Amsterdam is underwater. Disruptive like the installment called “Like the Kardashians” where we were blinded by “cameras” held by cookie-cutter people. All this is intertwined with the main canals of the city, while passing by many places of cultural significance to Amsterdam. It was well worth the near freezing temperatures.

Red Light District: I’m not going to go into too much detail with this one, but this area is still an important part to understanding Amsterdam. As many of you reading may know, the Netherlands is one of the more liberal and free-thinking countries in the entire world. They legalized weed before it was cool to do so. Weapon usage is greatly restricted. And…the kicker and most famous one, maybe even more famous than legalized marijuana. Prostitution is legal “indoors.” This can be found only in the Red Light District. This district technically is synonymous with the entire area of Amsterdam-Centrum, but usually refers to one particular street that is bathed in soft red lights. The red lights are what was traditionally used to identify brothels before prostitution was legal. Now that it is legal, the lights illuminate the windows on this street. Inside the windows are more than one really wants to see (I did say prostitution is legal indoors; they can’t leave their windows). The street was surprisingly crowded, with many married couples laughing at the spectacle of large groups of British lads with their eyes goggling.  Some brave parents even decided to walk with their 10-year old sons down the street (I really hope that was on accident). I went only to see how other people reacted to it, and it was as expected. The Netherlands is definitely unique in this way. I’m glad I walked here on my last night, or else it would have negatively skewed my whole perception of the city.

Final Observations

Amsterdam was a treat. I was blessed with good weather, and good fortune. I was able to visit all these places with the help of my trusty 48-hr tourist card, which provided me free admission into all the museums I mentioned, as well as unlimited transportation, and discounts on food. I saw more of the city than I could have ever imagined. And I can say quite confidently I was in awe of the enigma Amsterdam is. The amount of history and culture and quirkiness it can shove into its 900 tiny islands is higher than normal. Amsterdam was my favorite European city so far, and I really don’t think my next destinations will change that opinion.

Thank you for reading once again! This one is by far the longest I’ve written, just over 3,000 words. But, one has a lot to say after spending the whole trip talking to himself more than anyone else. Amsterdam deserved every word I wrote. But, I will have more words for one specific place that treated me especially well in Amsterdam, a little restaurant called Bull and Dogs. I hope to have that one up by Friday at the latest. I only have a week of class left, but I have a oral exam tomorrow, a video project due Sunday, and a final exam next Wednesday. But, after that exam, I have a 9-day period in which I will travel to Budapest, Bordeaux, and Toulouse. So a lot more blogs coming, as well as one next week in which I will reflect on going home. Thanks for sticking with me! Until next time,

Jeremy Caldeira