Amsterdam quickly came off to us as the city of many things… (most notably the XXX city)
City of Canals
The canals of Amsterdam are iconic of the city. The city center is composed of 6 main canal rings. These are all man-made and were originally designed to transport goods back when Amsterdam was a major port city of Europe. Big warehouses still sit along the canals, where boats from the harbour used to bring all sorts of international goods into the city.
Back then there were actually many more canals, but due to hygienic issues many of them had to be filled in. And once the city started growing and needed more roads for cars, even more were filled in. Now that Amsterdam is no longer a true port (it’s now separated from the sea by a series of locks), the canals are preserved more for appeal and historic reasons.
Since the canals used to stink up the city and cause health issues, what differs now? Previously windmills tried to keep the water flowing. Now, the city allows fresh water current to flow through three times a week; the locks close and clean water is pumped in from a nearby lake, pushing all the dirty water out the other end.
Along the canals you quickly notice boats parked along the side, especially the large house boats. We learned that these people actually own this water space (they don’t have to rent it from the city) and can set up permanent homes here. They can cost over 250 000 euros for the spot!
Overall the canals add lovely character to the city and we found ourselves enjoying a stroll throughout the various rings, especially in the evening hours when the canal rings were nicely lit:
City of Bikes
Amsterdam must have more bikes than almost anywhere in the world! Bikes are parked in every corner of the street, and there are even huge multi-level bike parkades at the central train station.
After talking to some of the Dutch, we learned a few interesting facts about their biking culture…
Most people own one bike, if not two, though they are rarely worth much. This is because they get stolen so frequently. Amsterdam has one of the highest bike theft rates in the world. And for most Dutch, they’ve at least once caught a junkie on the street trying to unknowingly sell them back their own stolen bike.
Driving is a nightmare in inner Amsterdam due to the numerous one-way roads and cyclists with the attitude that they have their right of way. Plus, parking is an issue! For a spot in front of your apartment along the canals, the wait list is four years (and that’s just where they chose to end it). For that reason, the bike seems like a great transportation option.
Plus we learned here you can do anything with a bike. Many have baskets for groceries or a seat in the back for your baby. Some have a big bucket in front to fit three of your babies, and carrying furniture over your shoulder while you ride is no problem. And if you’re feeling tired, just grab onto a moped and let it pull your bike along.
City of Tulips
The Netherlands are blossoming full of multi-colored tulips every spring! Sadly we missed it this time, but still witnessed the tulip craze in Amsterdam’s flower market.
Interestingly tulips aren’t native to the Netherlands. The short story is that – as a result of Amsterdam being a port city – goods came through from all around the world.
One day tulips came through from the Middle East (modern day Turkey), and the people from Amsterdam were so impressed by its beauty and multitude of colors, that they started trading bulbs in the Amsterdam stock market to get the most desired ones.
It became the most lucrative business in the Netherlands, with some people trading and buying tulips for a price greater than that of their home! Thankfully someone eventually had the common sense to realize this was not worth it, and after calling it out, the whole thing fell through.
Result: the Dutch, being left with all these bulbs, have continued to grow them since then and they are now strongly incorporated into their culture.
XXX City
Not in the way us North Americans think, though somehow it seems easy to mistake it that way based on the city’s reputation in the adult entertainment industry. XXX is Amsterdam’s city coat of arms of over 500 years, of which each one of the St. Andrews crosses is meant to ward off the 3 dangers to the city: fire (houses were made of wood), flood (the canals), and the black plaque (all the waterways put people at risk).
But since I implied otherwise, we might as well mention that Amsterdam does come off as a tolerant city with an open mind. This is somewhat true, with prostitution being legal and marijuana tolerated in small amounts (though technically still illegal). However, much of this is trying to be minimized. Which we think wouldn’t hurt the city too much, as these activities appeared heavily targeted towards tourists and seemed to take away from experiencing much of true Dutch culture.
Practical Information
Amsterdam can be an expensive city, for unique and affordable accommodation options check out AirBnB. You will get to stay with a local who can give insight into the city and get a decent priced room in a great location.
