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http://www.columbiatribune.com/arts_lif ... 1a73c.html

Amsterdam and environs marry the urbane and the pastoral

Charming.

In one word, Amsterdam is stunningly and breathtakingly charming.

On the North Sea, where many of the rivers exit to the ocean, the city of canals woven into land reclaimed from the sea, Amsterdam sits in subtle noble reign.

Amsterdam is a city of rich history and current pleasures, blending together like fine wine and aged cheese.

As with most European cities, the streets are narrow, merging with no pattern or reason, confusing and filled with buses, pedestrians, cars, taxis and bicycles. Amsterdam, however, has more than its share of bicycles. Tens of thousands of bicycles fill the streets, with a seemingly unwritten law that — like women — they are always right. Even taxis yield to bicycles.

However, the bicycle and predominance of walking rather than riding in a car — Americans tend to drive or ride in a car to go no more than half a city block — could contribute to an observation: There is a general absence of obesity.

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You missed out the best bit Ed

And then, of course, there’s the Red Light District.

“Disappointment” is a one-word description. The half-mile area is situated along two sides of a pungent, trash-filled canal, certainly never navigated by tour boats nor whose sides ever contain stylish houseboats.

My guess is I had read too many glorified internet postings. I expected erotic, sensual and classy.

I was big-time wrong.

Bikini-clad girls soliciting in windows looked frightened and uncomfortable. Pitch men for live sex shows on the trash-filled street looked like hoodlums. Marijuana stores abounded. Ugly they were.

Bottom line: The Red Light District was plain nasty. I went. I saw. I will not return.

Summing up Amsterdam: Amsterdam is a delight. Amsterdam and the surrounding area is a great place. Amsterdam — the seedy Red Light District aside — is charming.

talkrum wrote:You missed out the best bit Ed

And then, of course, there’s the Red Light District.

“Disappointment” is a one-word description. The half-mile area is situated along two sides of a pungent, trash-filled canal, certainly never navigated by tour boats nor whose sides ever contain stylish houseboats.

My guess is I had read too many glorified internet postings. I expected erotic, sensual and classy.

I was big-time wrong.

Bikini-clad girls soliciting in windows looked frightened and uncomfortable. Pitch men for live sex shows on the trash-filled street looked like hoodlums. Marijuana stores abounded. Ugly they were.

Bottom line: The Red Light District was plain nasty. I went. I saw. I will not return.

Summing up Amsterdam: Amsterdam is a delight. Amsterdam and the surrounding area is a great place. Amsterdam — the seedy Red Light District aside — is charming.

I saw that, and was relieved prudes like this stay out of de Wallen! What a puritan.
Trash filled canals are not the norm in my experience, maybe the writer happened by on a particularly crowded and raucous night. Or maybe they are too uptight. Other than that though I liked the article. Thanks for your feedback.

One of things I like to do when taking a newbie to Amsterdam, is walk them down through the red light district 1st thing in the morning after an overnight flight on the way to the BlueBird, showing them the oldest channels and building gables, then take them back at night when the girls are out and the lights are on

that writer did not get it

Willjay wrote:One of things I like to do when taking a newbie to Amsterdam, is walk them down through the red light district 1st thing in the morning after an overnight flight on the way to the BlueBird, showing them the oldest channels and building gables, then take them back at night when the girls are out and the lights are on

that writer did not get it

Agreed!