It really started off as a 'challenge' to tick off from the 'to do' list a particular item which entailed being in Amsterdam, namely, to get stoned in Amsterdam before hitting 30. Browsing the calendar earlier this year, a serendipitous moment revealed that Marianna's 30th happened to be just after the August bank holiday weekend and hey presto all was booked in no time. A long gestation period, characterised mainly by the Ph.D. viva and submitting the thesis' final version was followed by a scrutinty of two guide books and hence the long-awaited vacation.
The 11am flight was right on time and we landed in Amsterdam in the late morning and was at the hotel - literally behind the Van Gogh Museum - half an hour later. Luggage ridden of, we gathered a supply of Vitamin D in the Museumplein and started exhausting our I am Amsterdam 72 hour card at the Diamond Museum and a brief homage to Renzo Piano's NEMO building. After dinner and an unexpected rain shower, the next call was at the city's infamous Red Light District, which initially I thought was a disappointment having seen only 2 or 3 sets of windows until we found ourselves in the heart of the area where I was overwhelmed by the neon. Although I only saw 1 client entering (technically 2 since this particular lad carried his girlfriend along apparently for some triple fun), the number of withdrawn curtains suggested a thriving business...needless to say, I only did window shopping.
Despite this liberal approach to prostitution and, of course, drugs, I found the Dutch to be an extremely amicable bunch: courteous, helpful and polite. It is impossible for all the Dutch I met to have behaved in this way for sheer want of ass-kissing tourists (they are too chilled for this); it is their second nature to act so and if one stereotype is to ever be true, it should be that the Dutch are all warm people. But they really do need to revise some of the name tags to their buildings. Oude Kerk (or Old Church) bang in the middle of a street lined with women whose entire body coverings cover less area than my hair even now that it is in jeopardy? Or the Nieuwe Kerk (or New Church) abutting a fully-fledged cannabis shop?
Back to the itinerary: Day 2 started off with a visit to the Flower Market and a walk up the southern canal belt up to the city centre - picturesque scenery indeed despite the crappy weather - via the Von Loon and Willet houses and the FOAM and Handbag and Purse (!) Museum. Next stop: an hour cheese tasting session, which proved to be a great, albeit cheesy, experience. A herring sandwich later and via the Begijnhof and the Amsterdam Historical Museum, we ventured through the Red Light District again (empty this time, presumably its workers all asleep?) via the New and Old Churches and a hidden away gem that is the Our Lord in the Attic house-cum-chapel. The day was concluded with a canal cruise till sunset and a decent dinner and finally ticking off the list 'the deed' before the clock ticked 27th August...
Rembrandt's house and studio were the first point of call the next day, which I found fascinating, probably even more than his actual paintings (quite an unfair comment though). Next I was forced to wear a kippah to visit the Jewish synagogue, a first for me and a welcome accessory given that the Dutch sun was almost scourging my balding head! Alas I had to return this prior to visiting the Royal Artis Zoo - definitely much more interesting than London's counterpart. After lunch and across the city, we dropped by at the Canal, Houseboat and Tulip Museums - very local-themed venues - and finally the famous Anne Frank House. It was the first time that we had to queue to enter an attraction but it was well-worth the wait for such an emotional visit (excluding the accumulating heel pains after several hours of walking). And finally a traditional Dutch dinner and Day 3 was done.
The final day: the Van Gogh Museum. Wow - a well-managed place with a just-right dose of museum pieces and explanatory notes. And the obligatory shot with 'The sunflowers' (that is to say, with 1 of the many). Souvenir shopping followed (very simple choice: tulip bulbs!) and then the Stedelijk Museum, in which case the venue definitely outweighed the contents, except for some Mondrian and Picasso perhaps. And the singing escalator.
All good things come to an end and this was the case of our trip to Amsterdam. Impression? Very positive. The people? Wonderful (except when they are on a bike and/or in a hurry, in which case the outcome could be lethal). Amsterdam is living proof that liberalism works and oppression of vice probably has greater dangers, but whether this model can be used in a Mediterranean context (where people tend to be given an inch but then go for a mile) is debatable. Politics and philosophy aside, it was a very relaxing holiday amidst our crazy lives in London and would recommend anyone to visit the city, which has much to offer beyond its famed tulips, its women and its grass.
