Marijuana "coffee shops" and the Red Light district. It's a shame that these are the things Amsterdam is most known for because it is an amazing city for so many other reasons.
HISTORY
The most infamous historical character to hail from this place is Anne Frank. The home in which she and her family spent 2 years hiding during the Holocaust is now a museum and the most popular tourist attraction in the city. It was, by far, the most interesting museum I have visited in Europe. And my friend/roommate Kate who accompanied me on this trip is Anne Frank's biggest fan. I know it sounds weird but she's read the book 4 times, knows all about the lives of Anne and her family members, and has been dreaming of visiting Anne's home since she was 10 years old. I've seriously never seen this incredibly quiet roommate of mine so giddy. Most people our age look forward to getting completely stoned in Amsterdam. Kate and I looked forward to walking through the house of a 16 year old Jewish girl. Different strokes for different folks, I always say.
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| The Anne Frank House |
One of the most striking things about Amsterdam is how beautiful it is. It has more canals than Venice (about 1500 kilometers) and there are trees EVERYWHERE. The architecture is very old-worldy and buildings are stacked one next to the other, much like SanFran.
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| The quietest place in Amsterdam |
There is also a MASSIVE park that we visited with trees, lakes, fountains, gates, and gazebos. A lot of people go there with friends to chill after a trip to a "coffee shop" but many just go there to enjoy nature.
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| So many things about this park reminded me of the Sound of Music. |
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| Where the hell are Rolf and Liesl? |
LAWS
Marijuana:
Let me set the record straight: marijuana is NOT LEGAL in Amsterdam. It is, however, tolerated. The city's law enforcement has a long standing record of turning a blind eye to rule breakers. That's why there are coffee shops. Coffee shops are not coffee shops; they are a cheap disguise for drug dealers. Don't try to order coffee. You ask for a menu and they hand you a list containing everything from space cakes and lollipops to black widow and pineapple express. (note, I know this only by WOM, not experience). Coffee shops are never comfortable because the owners don't want you staying there. You go to the bar or a random bridge if you want to smoke. Though, in 30 years, only 1 person has been arrested.
Prostitution:
Prostitution IS legal in Amsterdam. The Red Light District is seen as a business district and it's exactly what you picture it to be. Glass-paned doors with red strobe lights overhead and scantily clad women in the windows, waiting for offers. There are 3 requirements for these women:
-They must be citizens of an EU nation.
-They must be over 18 years old.
-They must be women (though, believe me, not all of them are. That's the blue-light district).
The women are treated basically like contractors. They must go to the tax office and register themselves as self-employed just like, say, a tour guide. Pimps are not allowed and women may refuse any proposition they are given. Also, if you try to take pictures in the district, prepare to feel some hooker wrath. They will come after you.
Our hostel was basically located in the Red Light District so I took many strolls through that area and it was as sad as I thought it'd be. What forces a woman to that point? How can anyone see that as okay? What's more, the oldest, largest church in Amsterdam (creatively named Old Church) is in the center of this district. And around the corner? A kindergarten.
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| Old Church |
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| The kindergarten |
Also, there are sex shows and sex shops (called supermarkets) all over the center of Amsterdam (you can get away from it if you move away from the center). Obviously there's a HUGE market for all of this stuff. I guess I just never realized how freaky people are.
For the sake of taste, I will not post any pictures regarding this topic. :o)
FOOD
Holland isn't exactly known for its cuisine. The typical foods are pancakes and cone fries. The pancakes are different here and you can get them filled with just about anything. The fries come in paper cones and are covered in a sauce of your choice. The way I see it, Amsterdam markets these foods as their own just to cure people's munchies and hangovers.
Also, Amsterdam has FEBO, a fast food restaurant comprised of rows of glass boxes similar to vending machines. You choose what you want, put your money in, and pull your cardiac arrest out of the box. I did not partake but I was extremely intrigued by the concept.
Unfortunately, my last night in Amsterdam, I got VERY sick. It's too gross to discuss in too much detail but I became extremely dehydrated and I was still feeling it in Paris. Because of this, I wasn't able to experience much of the cuisine in Amsterdam.
RANDOM STUFF
-The hostel situation was the worst in any of the 4 cities we visited on this trip. It wasn't bad. The hostels are always clean, give you a decent breakfast, and provide comfortable beds. But we jammed 8 messy female 20-somethings into a room barely big enough for 2 girls on a good day. It's a good thing Amsterdam was too beautiful to waste much time there!
-Amsterdam isn't a huge city and most people use bikes to get around. There are about 500,000 bikes in the city and about 10% of them are stolen every year (apparently the canal floors are lined with bikes).
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| Bikes are so common, they have their own traffic lights. |
As for the kids, just add a seat to a wheel barrel and call it a day. These things aren't just nifty, they're stinkin' adorable.
-The people of Amsterdam are super chill. Almost everyone speaks English and they are happy to do so (I can't say that for all countries!). I didn't meet a single Amsterdamer I didn't like. Most of them were probably high but I will take a friendly stoner over any kind of grouch.
-The city of Amsterdam provides its streets with what I have termed "pee deflectors". Male public urination became such an issue at one point that the city installed these in many of its corners. If a man did decide to relieve himself there, he would be the sole provider of his own negative reinforcement (if you catch my drift).
-With over 50, Amsterdam has more museums than any other European city. The Anne Frank House and the Van Gogh Museum are the most popular but you can also visit the Sex Museum, the Vodka Museum, and the Bags and Purses Museum.
-As is the case in most European cities, Amsterdam has really legit graffiti.
-I would LOVE to go back to Amsterdam...especially to do mission work. It's such a gorgeous city with so many beautiful people and it's a shame to see how totally lost some of them are. Tolerance is a part of what makes the city what it is and I think it'd be really cool to show Amsterdam that you can love God and be tolerant. Christianity is all about seeing people as equal to ourselves, loving others, and treating them accordingly. That's a philosophy that most stoners already maintain so why not add Jesus to the mix?
Okay, so...Many of you have expressed a desire for detail when it comes to my blogs. I'm trying to go into detail without getting mundane so let me know if I cross that line. Believe me, I could delve into much more depth here!
I'm writing this one after the 15 hour overnight bus ride back to Florence and a full day of catching up on random things. I look forward to painting a picture of the past 2.5 days in Paris for you all. Goodnight, my loves!
~Britt
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