| Page Views: 3,470 Last Visit to Amsterdam: May, 2006 | Cycling and opera in Amsterdam by Nemorino - last update: Mar 19, 2008 |
What sets Amsterdam off from other major cities is its glorious tradition as a cycling city.
Some decades have been more glorious than others, however. Bicycle use actually declined in the 1950s, 60s and 70s while the automotive lobbies had the upper hand, but in 1978 a new and more sensible City Council was elected, and since then the city has been working consistently to improve the quality of life, which of course includes measures to reduce motor traffic and encourage cycling.
As on my Paris page, I have grouped all my Amsterdam cycling tips under the category of General Tips, so as to keep them together. I hope you'll enjoy reading them!
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| The Opera House in Amsterdam |
Unlike other European countries such as Italy, France, Austria and Germany, the Netherlands do not have a long opera tradition. Even neighboring Belgium, which owes its very existence as a country to the Opera House Revolution of 1830, has more of an opera tradition than the Netherlands.
Now, though, Amsterdam has an impressive new opera house which was built in 1986. Its official name is Het Muziektheater, meaning The Music Theater. The name is in the singular because it is the only real opera house in the whole country.
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In the entrance hall of the Amsterdam Opera House this statue of a violinist seems to be erupting through the floor from some forgotten world below the surface. My impression of this violinist is that he is dead (look at his hand) and that he is perhaps a Jewish violinist who was murdered by the Nazis. This would be apt because the opera house was built on the site of an old pre-war Jewish neighborhood.
The message of the sculpture might be: You have killed us but you can't kill our music. |
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Nemorino's Amsterdam Travel Tips
 Comments for Nemorino about Amsterdam | | | | |
ynzel Thu Sep 3, 2009 19:43 UTC
Hello Nemorino, thanks for your comment on Münster. I enjoy the many cycle-pictures in Amsterdam. I lived there in the 80's en was a real cyclist too. Now I live in the north. | garridogal Sat Aug 29, 2009 21:28 UTC
I don't know what Coupe Advokat is but if it involves avocados then I'll bet it's yummy! | VeronicaG Fri Jun 26, 2009 20:54 UTC
As a museum lover, I know I would favor a visit to the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh museum if I were visiting Amsterdam. I got a kick out of the taxi bike...never saw anything like this in my life. However, it may be larger than a smart car..... | jumpingnorman Tue Jun 23, 2009 16:56 UTC
I still haven't watched an opera, Don but I am glad I don't have to wear a tux! The only time I wore one was at a sister's wedding...also, Arizona law still does not require bikers to have helmets - and so there a motorbikers with no helmets on freeways |
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