Amsterdam was by far my favorite city in our trip. It may be because we took an amazing free walking tour with one of the best tour guides ever, but who knows. We arrived to our hostel, which used to be an elementary school, which was different. We decided for our first night, we would go to the Heineken Experience in downtown Amsterdam. It was a museum-like set up and we had a few of these amazing brews at the end of our tour.
"Welcome to the World of Heineken"
You can tell I like Heineken.
Free samples.
The old horse carriage.
For our first morning, we decided to go on the free walking tour through the city. Coming into Amsterdam, we had preconceived notions about the city of sex, drugs and rock and roll. But this walking tour helped us understand the city much better. Our tour guide told us that Amsterdam was about two things: tolerance and money. We learned that this city was very tolerant of lifestyles that may be looked down upon in other societies, such as the sex workers in the red light district. Although I don't agree with this profession, the law enforcement in Amsterdam makes every sex worker register with the town hall, and pimping is completely against the law. These women rent out a window themselves and set their own rates and hours. But Willie and I were still very uncomfortable walking in the red light district because it's such a different atmosphere. Not only does Amsterdam employ tolerance of professions but they also had the first gay marriage in the world.
Some funny art in the ground.
The canals and the typical Amsterdam-ian houses.
Graffiti in the Jewish quarter.
Fun Heineken bottles.
The Amsterdam sign.
Floating flower market.
Throughout the whole city, there are hidden churches because of the laws that made Catholicism illegal for many years. There was also a Jewish quarter which had recently been abandoned because the Nazis took the Jews during the second World War. We also went to see the building in which Anne Frank lived in secrecy for two years while the Nazis controlled the city. This city has so many different aspects that make it what it is today. Besides being completely historic, Amsterdam is a beautiful city, with the canals and the floating flower market. It was definitely my favorite city.
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