What is Amsterdam? Is it really the city where everything is tolerable? Is Amsterdam only about the Red light district and drug coffee shops? Are the locals really as tolerant as it is claimed?
Together we will have a closer look to Amsterdam throw my stay in this magical city.
Bicycles !
Before going to Amsterdam, I was in Lille (France), I took the bus then the train to Amsterdam Central Station, I remember the first thing I noticed in the city was Bicycles! There are so many, almost too many bicycles in this city. There are even car parks without cars, but only bicycles.
Seen this was something crazy for me and really unusual, I remember clearly having then the first feeling that made me realize that i am really in Amsterdam. As a pedestrian, you sometimes feel a bit awkward, surrounded by all the bikes.
The second thing that made you feel in Amsterdam was obviously the smell of marijuana all around the city ;)
Coffee shops and marijuana!
In the over 300 coffee shops you will find a huge selection of different marijuana varieties.
It is also not uncommon to buy different kinds of mushrooms (I am not talking here about the food).
The mushroom and grass varieties are each labeled, they can work very strongly after consuming them so be prepared before any use :)
Here you will also meet numerous of untypical "customers" who buy pre-twisted joints and try it all out on a single try.
Sightseeing:
I was always fascinated by the culture in Holland and one of the main reasons i visited Amsterdam was to try to understand these people, the culture and how they became one of the coolest people in the world, so this is some of the visits I made during my stay.
Free Tours with a guide:
The first thing i would recommend if you're visiting Amsterdam for the first time is to do the Free Tour , each day, at the Historical center of Amsterdam called DAM square there are many free tours.
I have already heard of this kind of tour but never try one before, this time I decided to give it a try because it was recommended by some friends I made during my stay in the best Hostel in Amsterdam.
This tour was really very interesting , we had a great guide, we walked through the city with him , we made good jokes and I made some good friends, it took us almost Two hours and we got to really know many things about the culture and the city .
The tours are free, but a tip is really appreciated to encourage the local volunteers.
Now, we will see together my favorite green place to visit in Amsterdam
Vondelpark :
Like you already know, i am someone who love nature, and being in Amsterdam made me really need to be in a cool park to chill, and breathe some good Oxygen.
VondelPark is for sure the best place to be, i spend all the day chilling and meeting some good people and pets.
To reach the park i took the Line 2 of the tram from DAM Square and stopped at the Rijksmuseum station then walked my way to the big park.
Van Gogh Museum :
I am a left handed person and they say that left handed people can be very artistic, Maybe this is why I am always in love with the story and the work of Van Gogh.
Of course between the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh museum I choose to visit the Van Gogh Museum, where I got to see the work of the master by my own eyes!
During my visite I travelled through history and through the famous paintings at the museum and it was something unbelievable.
I stayed more than 03 hours and got one of the most memorable vibes in Amsterdam, far from the canals, the marijuana and the tulips, although i love these ones ;)
This is Holland:
I was staying in the beautiful hostel of ClinkNord , so I was passing by this height and original building called « This is Holland ».
One day, coming back earlier to my hostel to grab some stuff, I decided to check that building and see what is it about.
Well, to make it simple it’s one of my favorite things to do in Amsterdam specially if you are interested in the history and culture of Holland and you like Flying !! And good sensations.
I prefer to let you discover the rest by yourself.
Secret spots :
The story about this picture can teach us something very important while travelling. I was in Amsterdam and i could spend my time only taking pictures and partying, but i decided to discover not only the buildings but also the people who lived there and the local culture that made the city one of the best cities in the World. I met this local in Dam square and i asked him, if he can show me around!! and he said YES!! 😀 I spend with him the best day in Amsterdam, learning about the culture and discovering secrets and hidden places only locales know about. 😍😍 This spot was an example... Surrounded by buildings, i could never see this place if i stayed in my corner and didn't said YES to a new adventure.
The city of tolerance!
After spending some days in the city, you quickly get the feeling that the inhabitants are very open and tolerant. The city has a good range of diversity of people from more than 170 nationalities.
Also, more than half of the inhabitants are under 35 years old. These are facts that speak for and demonstrate the tolerance of the new generation in the city of Amsterdam.
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