Amsterdam, Netherlands

After a very early start we arrived in Amsterdam. I'm not sure I was actually looking forward to Amsterdam but it is one of those city’s you “must” visit if you are nearby, so here we are. After dropping our bags off we spent the afternoon exploring Amsterdam, wandering up and down the canals, trying to get our bearings and work out our way around the city.

It certainly wasn't what I expected Amsterdam to be. One of the things Amsterdam is known for is its tulips, but in actual fact there are not a vast amount of tulips around. While there are some beautiful planter boxes scattered throughout town there are not a lot of garden spaces. While I know the tulip fields and gardens are in the nearby towns, I did expect to see a bit more colour in Amsterdam itself.

In our explorations we came across the red light district which was a bit confronting and surprising. It had a much seedier feel than I thought it would. Maybe at night time there is a different vibe to the place. We eventually found a cafe to eat at along one of the canals but it was definitely not the outdoor eating experience we usually enjoy. While the service was fast and friendly, the prices were ridiculous, the food and wine not that great, and the atmosphere was like we were on a bucks party. I think we definitely chose to eat in the wrong area.

I think the Gods were against us visiting any churches in Amsterdam as the two we went to visit were both closed while they were removing exhibitions. The one church I really wanted to visit was Oude Kerk (Old Church), the oldest church in Amsterdam, constructed in 1306. The church has become a place where the sacred and the profane meet. Situated in Old Church Square, the church now shares real estate with the a heavily trafficked zone of De Wallen, or the Red Light District. Although some raise eyebrows at the collision of the two worlds, the city seems to have embraced the dichotomy. Proudly standing in front of the church doors, a bronze statue entitled "Belle" was erected in 2007 as a monument to the sex workers of the world.

What I do love about Amsterdam is their architecture, from their historic old buildings that lean all over the place to their ultra modern and very unique newer builds. No basic buildings here. It gives the city a sense of vibrancy.
Amsterdam is impressive, amazing, interesting, a little bit seedy, and full of history. It is also very busy - not our usual holiday location. I don't know how many times I saved Brad from being run over by someone on a bicycle. They are everywhere and dangerous.

We managed to tick off a few of the sites to visit from all the “what to see in Amsterdam” lists but we really weren’t blown away. It has reinforced our love of the smaller. less crowded towns.Leer más