Dutch Roadtrip: Gables & sex (3/6)

Amsterdam lies at the northern edge of the Randstad, one of Europe’s largest conurbations, which stretches to Rotterdam in the south and is home to something like 6 or 7 million people, about a third of the country’s entire population. While the journey from Delft includes some green bits, you’re never far from a house, factory or office. The central station is actually a very good place to start your visit to Amsterdam, as the old city fans out from here. Because this is Holland, the station is actually built on an artificial island in the bay: there simply wasn’t room anywhere else. Depending on who you ask, it has between 0.7 and 1.4 million inhabitants and is the country’s largest city. Technically, it’s the capital, although the seat of government is in The Hague. It began as a 12th century fishing village, but by the 17th century was the richest city in the world. It’s now home to 7 of the world’s top 500 companies, and to one of the few things cyclists in the Netherlands will willingly give way to. It also has canals, earning it the title of “Venice of the North”: a title it shares with Copenhagen, Hamburg, St Petersburg, Stockholm and many others. There are 1,000km (600 miles) of canal, 90 islands and 1,500 bridges, but here it’s actually worth taking a boat. The canals were dug in the 17th century in a series of concentric half-circles known as the “canal girdle”, but the eastern part was never fully completed. One word you will hear frequently is the Dutch for “canal”: “gracht”. Today, they have lost their significance for serious transport, but are one of Amsterdam’s biggest tourist attractions. Houses built on the canals were taxed according to their width: consequently, they were built as narrow as possible. This meant trouble for anyone trying to get furniture up staircases, hence the hooks attached to the decorative gables. Very wide houses belonged to the very rich, but if your budget is more limited, you can go for a less conventional option. Canals are an obvious hazard when parking your car, and in the 1960s the city had to install guard rails. Even so, between them citizens and visitors manage to drive a car a week into the water. The Netherlands, built largely on water, have a noble seafaring tradition, but it’s odd that the shp Amsterdam built a replica of to celebrate this tradition was one that sank on its maiden voyage. More than 3.5 million visitors a year come to Amsterdam, and the city isn’t too proud to live up to its own stereotype. But it is true that the Netherlands are proud of their tolerant attitudes towards drugs and sexuality. Of course, a more highbrow culture is also important to the city, but if you want to visit the Van Gogh Museum or the Rijksmuseum or Rembrandt House, plan an extra day. It’s interesting, though, to see what Amsterdam considers worthy of a museum. The sex industry, with its red light districts, is also important to the city, as it traditionally is for any large port: so important, the Chamber of Commerce is actually worried that prostitution is on the decline. The most famous red light district is in the oldest part, around the Old Church. Consecrated in 1306, it’s the only building unchanged since Rembrandt’s time. You’re probably hoping for some footage of some of the people who work in this area. But the fact is, it’s not necessarily a good idea to point your camera at them. Especially when their bosses are milling around. So instead, I’m afraid you’ll have to make do with this artist’s impression. As you can see, you’re not missing a great deal. Back to the video. The Netherlands had at one time many colonies abroad, and consequently in modern times a fair amount of immigration, mostly from Indonesia. Perhaps it’s this vague connection with Asia that led to the construction of Sea Palace, a floating Chinese restaurant, a copy of a much larger one in Hong Kong that can seat 5,000. But what surprised us was that Amsterdam actually has a Chinatown. It’s not exactly San Francisco — it consists basically of one street, Zeedijk — but it has most of the trappings you might expect from something that calls itself “Chinatown”. It even has one of Europe’s largest Buddhist temples, which I wasn’t allowed to film inside of. Zeedijk ends at the New Market, which includes the Waag, the weigh house. Originally it was a gate in the city’s fortifications, where goods were weighed and taxed. The 19th century St Nicholas’s Church stands near another remnant of the original fortifications: the Weepers’ Tower, from which seafarers’ wives could wave goodbye. It’s the small building that looks like a witch’s hat. We didn’t see much of the Royal Palace: not only was it covered in scaffolding, there was a funfair in front of it. Nearby is the New Church, although “new” is relative: construction began in 1385. Opposite is the National Monument, which commemorates the city’s victims of World War 2, the most famous of these being Anne Frank. The Flower Market reflects the country’s importance as an exporter of flowers. The Mint Tower is the third and final remnant of the old city wall, but built late in its history. The old Jewish quarter is now gone, replaced by a modern development which includes the City Hall and Music Theatre. The 17th century Renaissance-style South Church, the subject of a famous painting by Monet. Amsterdam is a world-class city with lots to offer, more than can be seen in a single day. But we had to get the train back to Delft, have a bite to eat and a good night’s sleep.