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Amsterdam is one of the most beautiful and enchanting cities in the world – from the many canals to world-famous museums, it should be at the top of the list for any traveler to Europe. Its official name is Kingdom of the Netherlands which also has in control its overseas islands, Netherlands Antilles and Aruba. Only the central part of the Netherlands is called “Holland.”
The number of canals has led Amsterdam to become known as “The Venice of the North”. And thus, a trip to Amsterdam is not complete without a romantic boat cruise.
Amsterdam is truly a “bike city” and though there are bike lanes, be careful when exiting a bus or taxi as a bicyclist may startle you. I always look both ways – even when crossing a sidewalk. Bikers always have the right of way!
No matter what direction you take, within minutes you’re biking throughout the countryside, enjoying the fragrance of flowers and tulips in bloom! I often stop at a local windmill to learn the history of windmills that date back to the 17th Century!
You can visit on a tour or just bike out to Zaanse Schans. You will enjoy watching local artists hand paint wooden clogs, as well as the process of making cheese. On display in most souvenir shops, is the beautiful delft blue pottery. If you have time you could plan a tour to the city of Delft. Delft pottery became famous in the 17th Century to duplicate Chinese porcelain.
Museums are the main tourist attraction in Amsterdam. Everyone knows the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh. Amsterdam has over fifty museums which attract millions of visitors each year.
The Rijksmuseum this past April officially opened after ten years renovation. During the renovation years you could visit part of the museum and see some of Rembrandt's and Vermeer's paintings. But today it is truly magnificent – with over 8000 works by Rembrandt, Vermeer and van Ruysdael!
The Van Gogh museum has in permanent collection of over 200 paintings by Van Gogh along with many drawings and letters. Famous are the various “Sunflowers” renditions that he painted over the years. In addition to Van Gogh there are paintings by Alma-Tadema, Gauguin, Millet and Monet. My favorite group of artists was the Pre-Raphaelites from England and often the Van Gogh sponsors a special viewing of these artists, the most recent was “ Ophelia” by John Everett Millais.
A hidden annex of Amsterdam canal house, where two Jewish families hid from persecution by the Nazis from July 6, 2023 until their betrayal in August 4, 1944, is one of the most popular visiting places in Amsterdam. It is here that Anne Frank, only 15 years old at the moment of her death, wrote her famous diary. It is referred to as the Anne Frank House. It is very popular and you should check to be sure you get tickets in advance if possible.
Throughout the Netherlands, pubs selling marijuana are called "coffee shops." Amsterdam alone has over 300. The Dutch, like many Europeans, view marijuana as a soft drug — like tobacco and alcohol. Marijuana is tolerated. But hard drugs are strictly forbidden.
Another side of Amsterdam's entertainment scene is its Red Light District. Practitioners of the world's oldest profession flirt and tease in display case windows as they have here for over 300 years. I remember my first encounter as I was just walking down a street that paralleled the canal, and when I looked up into a full glass window façade, there she was, blowing kisses to me! I quickly crossed the bridge and resumed my walking to the Van Gogh museum!
A little secret if you are an avid traveler and are running out of pages for your passport! The US Embassy Annex is just across from the Van Gogh Museum and you need to make an appointment (can be the day before), show up and within twenty minutes you can easily obtain those additional pages. Also important to note, that those last two to three pages in the back of your passport at the top says “ads” and most countries refuse to stamp their visa on these pages (especially China) so be sure you have plenty of extra pages in your passport. (Generally when you are renewing your passport you can opt to get additional pages added at that time).
Happy Travels!
July 11, 2023
