This photo is of a typical canal in the heart
of Amsterdam a few blocks from Dam Square. Beautiful old buildings with
typical Dutch facades grace these two roadways. A quiet stroll in the spring
sunshine made me feel very lucky to have visited this city. People were
extraordinarily friendly and the atmosphere among the most cosmopolitain
I have come across anywhere in the world. What amazed me was how silent
these streets were even though I was only a block or two from the very
heart of this city of one million people or more. I could have imagined
being in the Canadian countryside if I had shut my eyes but yet life went
on all around me. If anyone reading this is thinking about going to Europe,
I would strongly recommend stopping off in this city. I stayed at the Singel
Hotel in downtown and would recommend it to anyone. It was a small local
hotel similar to the buildings you see in this photo. The owner's were
very pleasant and the atmosphere very European, not rushed or overwhealmed
by hundreds of people.. very relaxing and clean. Restaurants serve
food from every corner of the globe. A good speciality I found in the city
was Indonesian and Argentinean. The Dutch have their own specialities but
I must admit I ended up munching on Kroquettes most of the time I stayed
there.. an odd food which no one I spoke to seemed to know, or would admit
knowing what was inside one of these saussage like rolls. I must have liked
them, I came back to Canada a little heavier than when I left :) Along
with local foods you will find some of the stereotypes of Amsterdam:
a younger crowd coming in for drugs, the Red Light district which everyone
must see no matter what your opinions on this are.. there's no place like
it, canals every few blocks.. ..and Bicycles... everywhere... and I mean
everywhere.. Go to Central Station and just imagine trying to find your
bike in the tens of thousands that line up outside..
