March 19, 2009

It’s known for a culture of tolerance. Still, I was underprepared for the ease I felt in the Netherlands. It was partly a sense of independence – no one really noticed us or cared what we did – and partly the comfortable organic growth of this cool, old city.

Coming from a New Urbanist perspective, I love places that reflect how people really live. I’m not interested in cities that have clearly defined tourist areas, where the only shopping is for plastic crap and the only restaurants are in English. In contrast, Amsterdam boasts bike-friendly streets crowded with businesses (places to work), apartments (places to live), and bakeries, bookstores, and coffeeshops (places to hang out) . Like I said, it’s an organic sense – the entire city has sprung up naturally over time.

In our short time there, we didn’t get a great sense of the language, food, or art. I did notice a tolerance for tourists fumbling around with the rail lines and maps, but we didn’t do much to really understand Dutch culture. I would recommend the Anne Frank House for its simple emotion (though it’s somewhat hard to focus on the tragedy with tons of fellow tourists tramping up the narrow stairs), and the Van Gogh museum is worthwhile if you like art. Take a boat tour through the canals to get a sense of the layout, and, in general, revel in the confident pulse of a city that just works.