I Amsterdam

So, last Sunday I took a trip to Belgium, with a side-trip to that liberal haven of northern europe: Amsterdam!

I can’t even begin to describe how much I loved that city. It was so beautifully European, with the picturesque buildings and canals, the lovely people, and the wonderful culture. Yet it was also young, gritty, and with a definitely audible counter-cultural element to it. I wasn’t there long enough to really meet anyone or go to any parties, but I could still tell that there was a large underground scene there.

I stayed at the Flying Pig Downtown hostel, it’s a friendly place right in the heart of Amsterdam, walking distance from the train station. I would definitely stay there again, but it’s a little pricey (all things considered, that wasn’t a big deal). After checking in and ditching my stuff I poked around a little; the hostel has a smoking room in the back, with a raised platform and tons of pillows. I got into a conversation with a guy who works there, he was really helpful and took the time to suggest a couple sites to see and parties to go to. Spent my afternoon chatting with him and others at the hostel, and then headed out for my first night in Amsterdam!

As this is a school blog, the telling of these stories shall not be posted. Friends, if you want to know, you can ask me later.

The next morning I entertained myself quite well by simply walking around and people watching. I could have done that for a few days alone. The dutch are lovely: tall, blond, stylish; and the proportion of young people in Amsterdam is rather large. I got a lot of inspiration from simply looking around and wandering. And the bikes! So colorful, individualized, and completely non-hipster (unlike Vancouver). Cycling is a much more univeral concept, everyone from schoolgirls to businessmen use their bikes as primary transport, and it’s obvious in the different styles of bicycle you can see around the city. Vancouver, get your act together, create more bike lanes!!

Advertisement