Netherlands Travel Blog: HIGHlights of Amsterdam

Re-published from my old travel blog

March 6, 2015

Amsterdam is the place we all wish we could see, merely just to witness with our own eyes the otherwise unheard-of coexistence of legalized marijuana and prostitution. But after a weekend trip, I found out that that’s not all Amsterdam has to offer, in fact the coffee shops and the red light district aren’t even at the top of my list of highlights, despite the pun. Of course, if you’re traveling to Amsterdam you have to embrace the culture and accept it for what it is. So I will try my best to give a conservative description of my favorite parts of the city. Here goes…

THE ATMOSPHERE

Initially, I was amazed at the natural charm and quaintness the city maintained in the face of its many stigmas. The vintage buildings, bustling street corners, quiet canals and overwhelming amount of bikes add a sort of preciousness to the city I was not expecting. When you first start to walk around and explore the city center you feel like you’re walking through an old-fashioned film.

THE FOOD

After this weekend our group of friends started to call it ‘the food tours of Amsterdam’ because there was just so much to eat, and we definitely took advantage of it. I’m still not really sure what traditional Dutch cuisine consists of…but we had at least three amazing Italian meals (there’s Italian restaurants EVERYWHERE) and countless desserts. The waffles are irresistible and you can find them with nearly anything on it, chocolate, Nutella, fruit, gelato, you name it. After you try one they will haunt you for the rest of the trip showing up in every storefront window and in pop-up food carts at all the tourist attractions.

THE NIGHTLIFE

Similar to the discotecas of Spain, there were lots of fun clubs to go to, but the one we landed on was Escape, one of the largest and most popular night clubs in the city-center. They played a mix of house, electro and dance music accompanied by flashing lights and falling confetti. We accidentally made it into the VIP section and enjoyed a front row view of the club, along with the bottle service of some wealthier Brits. It was definitely a night to remember, but if you want to go out in Amsterdam be sure to have your Euro’s ready…

THE HISTORY

Restricted by both time and a budget, we were able to see the Van Gogh museum and The Anne Frank House. The Van Gogh museum was smaller than I expected and excluded some of his more famous works, like Starry Night, but was still worth the stop. An entire floor was dedicated to his self-portraits, which turned out to be my favorite because of his amazing use of color and obscure detail.

On the other hand, The Anne Frank House completely surpassed all my expectations and only cost nine Euros. Seeing the famous bookcase that hid the secret door to their annex, and walking through all the rooms where they lived during Natzi Germany was like being inside a literal time machine. We saw Anne’s bedroom, her original diary, her magazine clippings of actresses, art and history she had glued to the walls, and the pencil marks where her mother had recorded the heights of her and her sister, Margo, during the two years they spent hiding. We heard testimonies from friends of the family, accomplices and Anne’s father after he survived Auschwitz and finally read Anne’s journals. Thankfully we did this on our last day, just a few hours before heading to the airport, because it was an intensely emotional experience and would have been difficult to transition into a celebratory mood shortly after.

THE COFFEE SHOPS

Now for the mandatory recount of the most well known aspects of Amsterdam. Surprisingly, the coffee shops are a fun place to just hang out whether you’re a smoker or not, and they actually do have good coffee. It’s something everyone should see while there because you can’t find anything quite like it anywhere else in the world. The first one we went to was the Greenhouse, probably the most well-known due to its numerous Cannabis Cups and laundry list of celebrity guests including Snoop Dog, Wiz Khalifa, Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, Eminem, Nelly, Will Ferrell and many more. It was small and quiet, with little tables and booths to sit and relax with a group of friends. Both the coffee and “the coffee” were worth a try…

THE RED LIGHT DISTRICT

You would think that we could all be mature and walk through the red-light district with an open mind, making a conscious effort to see it the way they do, as just a part of life…but it’s actually a lot harder than you think. I’m convinced it’s something I will never be able to wrap my head around, because even after three days of passing half-naked women in window fronts I was still taken aback each time. I watched mothers walk down the streets holding their childrens' hands passing dozens of fully visible prostitutes and not even blinking an eye at it. It’s a curious part of their culture and it actually made me thankful that I’ve been dealt such a fortunate hand in life that includes a stable home, financial security, supportive friends and family, education, and the opportunity to see the world.