Netherlands – Amsterdam

I took my first European train trip leaving Berlin but rather than the punctual and predictable service I expected from the Germans, my scheduled train was cancelled (due to flooding along the route).  Luckily, and with the help of a station agent and a nice German girl, I was able to catch a train to Hannover and connect with another train to Amsterdam from there.

Amsterdam makes a big point of being bike-friendly and riding one here is awesome.  Bikes appear to have special precedence over cars and pedestrians–they all patiently defer.  In fact, compared to walking, with its attendant terrors of cornering trams, obtuse intersection angles, multi-median crosswalks, and of course the invincible cyclists, biking feels much safer.

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Armed with a rented cruiser and a vague sense of the city’s layout (but somehow no actual map), I rode down to the Concertgebouw concert hall and watched a free classical performance by a talented violin-cello-piano ensemble.  Afterward, I visited the Van Gogh museum.  Among the best of his paintings shown those featuring blossoming trees–very beautiful.  I also learned that Van Gogh had originally wanted to become a draftsman.  Drew, that bodes well for your potential as an artist.  It bodes poorly for your ear.

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After the museum, I decided to just ride around for a while.  I cruised through the city center and beyond, got lost, took a break next to a canal to estimate my position, started again, and ultimately found my way to the familiar landmark Vondelpark.  There I procured an orange juice and a banana, found a comfortable spot on the grass, and sat there feeling peaceful.

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The next day I rode to the Western Canal Ring in the Jordaan neighborhood to take a self-guided walking tour.  I started at the Westerkerk cathedral where I overheard what I can only imagine was a horribly unsuccessful audition for the position of organist.  From there I walked from canal to canal and boutique to boutique in the “9 streets” area.  I imagine it could be very nice living in a townhouse along one of those canals.

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After that, I made a visit to Amsterdam’s…ahem…”entertainment district”.  While I purchased no goods or services myself, it was an experience just to see what was  on the menus at the coffee shops and walk past the avenues of window girls.

As Amsterdam was just a two-day stopover on the way from Berlin to London there was no time for more.  However, it was great to visit another famous European city, ride a bike, and relax canal-side.

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