Amsterdam, the true city of Sin or is it? Well yes it is.. What is one of the most beautiful places I visited was also the worst people wise. I stayed downtown close the action thinking that would be best. What I didn’t realize was how much of a party town Amsterdam really was. The hostel was just a place for people to crash after they drank and smoked themselves silly. The other guys there we young British guys away for a mini stag weekend filled with drugs and hookers. I don’t blame them of course, but it wasn’t what I was looking for.
I was here for about a week and most days I ended up walking and hour outside of the main downtown to try and find a real local experience. What was the local food like? Where did they go? What did they do? It was impossible to really find the answers in Amsterdam. If I had a bike, or local friends my experience would have been much different. But to me the city felt like a Circus. The middle of town even had a large ferris wheel and carnival food was everywhere. Mix in the marijuana cafes and red light district and you are really in for a sensory over load.
The canals of course are quite pretty and there are a few amazing museums and galleries in town but really if you want to feel the culture of The Netherlands make sure to go out side the city. It’s their Las Vegas and it really feels like it. I of course would go again and I highly recommend you go also. Just stay away from the downtown core.
