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Published: October 20th 2013
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Tulips, Clogs, Dykes, Windmills, Tall People and the colour Orange. This is exactly what came to mind of the Netherlands before I had even left Adelaide. Just simple obvious stereotypes, which to be fair are stereotypes for a reason, because some some extent they are true!
But lets say Amsterdam, I will guess that your mind has already ventured off into the world of their red light district. Prostitutes, Pot, Alcohol and lewd behaviour. Yes, it does exist, but there is so much more to the capital city than just that. It is a place of history and beauty.
Arriving in a city that has fascinated me for so long the day after I first landed in a new continent was something exciting and almost daunting. Alain de Bottom talks about perception being better than reality, and for my sake I was hoping that this wouldn't be true about Amsterdam! And fortunately for me, it wasn't the case, in fact the city more than lived up to my expectations.
Arriving at Amsterdam Ceentral after half an hour conversing the what seemed endless expanses of flat Dutch countryside was amazing. A Gothic style old building, renovated to harbour the
constant stream of trains that run through there each and every day. Billboards on the walls and in the underpass writing with letters familiar to me, but words all so foreign to me. But it was the sound that drew a smile to my face, an unfamiliar yet so familiar sound, what seemed similar to a hocking sound, that was used to create a verbal sound commonly used in the Dutch Language. To me, and remember it being one of my first experiences hearing the sound, I assumed for the briefest second that the people were suffering a cold. But quickly I remembered that the sound, after learning the proper pronunciation of Vincent Van Gogh's name (It's closer to Hock then Go).
This being the first time I have ever been to a non native English speaking country in my life, I was grateful to have a friend, Arjen, to guide me around his countries capital. Emerging from Ceentral station for the first time was literally an eye opening, jaw slacking experience. It was an accumulation of life long dream and from first sight I had fallen in love. Surprising blue skies, old stone buildings, canals and hundreds of
people greeted my still weary eyes. We started to walk down to Arjen's first suggestion, a famous part of Amsterdam, Dam Square.
I have never seen such a beautiful square in my life, fantastic old buildings full of rich history and new museums and shops, a massive monument with hundreds of locals and visitors sitting around drinking Heineken or some other Dutch beer, simply enjoying a lovely warm...ish day.
After that we boarded a tram bound for the museum district, where we decided to enjoy a small meal. For me, one of the most important facets of travelling is learning about a foreign culture and one of the biggest parts of experiencing a new culture is trying local food. Immediately a local Dutch delicacy jumped out at me, Poffertjes. What are they? You may ask. Well essentially they are small fluffy pancakes with butter. Never in my mind would I have expected Dutch food to taste so good! It was amazing, after all I do like sweet food and Pancakes, so it's no real surprise!!
Next on the Agenda was the recently renovated and reopened Rijks Museum and as expected it was unbelievable. Walls full of amazing
masterpieces and artefacts that have survived the test of time and have inspired many generations of people. On my own I also visited the Van Gogh museum and got to see masterpieces that I have seen and read about back in High School. Throughout my life before that point I wasn't much a fan of Art, but even I could understand the brilliance of Van Gogh's work. It is a complete mystery to me why he never sold a painting whilst his life! The sun flower and self portrait are two of the most easily identifiable pieces in the world and for me they didn't just live up to expectation, they broadened my appreciation for art. To the point where in future destinations I was looking forward to looking at art work.
I had plenty of time, seeing as I spent days around Amsterdam to get immersed in the infamous Dutch culture, after a day looking around the beautiful city, I decided to discover the seedy, ever popular underside of Amsterdam, it's very famous Red Light District. I have heard a lot of tales about this seedy area of one of the worlds most famous cities. Indeed there was
red lights adjourning some of the buildings, and there was prostitutes that were provocatively sitting or standing in their boxes, in hopes of pulling a 'fare'. But the thing that surprised me was just how casual it seemed. The district surprised we with a clash between the normal and the unusual. There was a church, bars, restaurants and homes as well as the many infamous hash cafe, sex museums and prostitute boxes and none of it seemed out of place even in the slightest. Even the fluorescent red globed boxes precisely opposite the Oude Kerk seemed strangely normal and acceptable even. But that's Amsterdam!! An amazing city that caters to anyone and everyone!
There is plenty of amazing, inspirational or memorable places in Amsterdam, but none seem to stick in a persons mind as much as the famous factory warehouse that Anne Frank and her family hid during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. Anne Frankhuis could possibly be one of the most famous buildings in the world and it is all because of a talented 13 year old whose ability to write far succeeded her age. The warehouse is a weird combination of mesmerising and humbling. It is
hard to imagine for nearly two years two families were able to hideaway from the Nazis who persecuted and executed Jews. But when there a sense of respect and amazement fills you as you can really start to comprehend how difficult it must have been for those who occupied the annex. Such an experience is not something to be missed!!
The night-life of Amsterdam is insane, everywhere you look after night people are enjoying themselves. Whether they are simply enjoying an Amstel out in a beer garden on the banks of a canal, or clubbing the night away in one of the many clubs and bars that occupy the streets and lanes of Amsterdam. You can see why there is such glorious reviews and for me it truly lived up to the occasion. It all started at a shots bar with what seemed like hundreds of people packed like Herrings, that Dutch people really enjoy, into a small bar, but was one of the greatest nights of my life. It was almost a utopia of civility People from all around the world enjoying each others company, good Dutch Techno beats and the ambiance of the Amsterdam canal the bar
was located near. For me this was the feeling that overcame me for my entire time in the Netherlands. I can see why the Dutch are a happy and joyous nation. Life is simply good there!!
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