"Amsterdam" a Amsterdam Travel Page by el_ruso

I had only a day to see Amsterdam. Of course I did not see everything of interest, nor did I have enough time to understand the city as my experiences here did not have a chance to integrate into one picture. But I certainly left with a desire to return.

Amsterdam center is fairly compact and you can use the boat tour to supplement walking to see most of the city's highlights on a tight schedule. The two museums I really wanted to see (Rijksmuseum of art and the museum of the Dutch Indies Company) were in the process of renovation, so I have an excuse to return. Other highlights include the Van Gogh museum, Jewish museum, house of Anna Frank, NEMO children's museum. The Red Light district is a lot cleaner than I imagined and actually constitutes a tourist sight. Amsterdam, despite its size and history, lacks somewhat in outstanding architecture. The most notable examples are a row of patrician houses "Golden Bend", St Nicolas church, city palace.

But Amsterdam certainly does not lack in atmosphere. It is very... different. The contrast with the nearby Belgium is especially poignant. While people speak basically the same language and the architecture is vaguely similar, these similarities deepen the contrast of the many profound differences. What you have heard about Amsterdam IS true: it is a profoundly liberal place where certain behaviors are not only legal, but are celebrated. Amsterdam is one of the few places with a very open and celebrated Red Light district, legal marijuana shops and a monument to gays who were killed in WW II (one of a kind). Come here with an open mind, or you will not enjoy it. You don't have to accept the weird attitude of the place in your daily life, but it is worth to experience it, at least once.