Savvy Sightseer - tips and insights for seasoned travelers!
Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Anne Frank, World War II Resistance, Canals, the Red Light District . . . there's so much in this compact city! Make sure you pack walking shoes - this town was designed for getting around on foot! Enjoy this trip through the country's largest city.
Click on these links to visit additional pages and pictures for Amsterdam:
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Amsterdam Museums - World War II Remembered - a look at two that offer very interesting and powerful exhibits: the Dutch Resistance Museum and the Anne Frank Museum
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Amsterdam Museums - Fanciful and Unique - visit the Het Grachenhuis - Museum of the Canals and the Museum of Bags and Purses!
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Click on any set of pictures for a slideshow and more information.
Amsterdam deserves at least a solid week to take in all there is to see. Art lovers will spend hours in the Van Gogh and Rijksmuseum; the curious will stroll through the Red-Light District (not much more than a couple of streets, but those aren't mannequins in the window - those are women displaying what they have to offer!); others will find their way to the floating flower market, or stop to learn about the fascinating endurance of this city's citizens during World War II.
The city is easy to navigate if you keep a picture in mind of the layout of canals. From central Amsterdam's Dam Square, the first circular canal is Singel, followed by Herengracht, then Keizersgracht. Next is Prinsengracht and then Singelgracht. Roads stretching from Dam Square out are level, and seem to be much closer than appears on the map.
Mouse over images below to view descriptions, or click on them for a larger view.
Some general sights that should be on everyone's list to see include the Floating Flower Market. Across from the profusion of cannabis starter kits and tulips of every color is a string of cheese and chocolate shops (with lots of taste testing!). It's fun just to watch young Americans stocking up on the pot plants, oblivious to the fact these will not be allowed on the plane home! For lively bartering, the Albert Cuyp street market has a little of everything.
No visit to Amsterdam would be complete without a canal cruise to see popular sights, such as the Skinniest House - a way to get around the high taxes on property fronting the canal is to have a small entryway leading to a larger living area in back - and to admire the gabled rooftops and stately facades of canal homes. Canals are shared with large houseboats, some decorated to amuse, others to impress.
Wandering Amsterdam's narrow streets gives visitors the chance to enjoy local cafes, pickled herring vendors, quirky shops, parks, coffee shops (marijuana legally sold for personal use and smoked here), and stunning canal views from the many bridges. A word of caution though, bit of broken glass are caught up between the cobblestones; notice dogs are protected with little booties!
Amsterdam is built on reclaimed land; huge wood pilings driven into the ground support the structures. Most of the houses appear to be leaning; while some do sag due to their construction, the houses are built to lean deliberately. Winches are built into their gables to hoist bulky furniture up and down; by pitching the house at an angle, big pieces are less apt to bang into the house.
People-watching is best done from Dam Square, situated in front of the Royal Palace. At the height of the day, the Square is packed with tourists as cars, trams and the ever-present speeding bicyclists whiz by. Amsterdamers on bikes are a marvel - they pack all kinds of things on their bikes; some fit three little kids on theirs! - and they travel at something close to the speed of light. They even have their own stoplights!
Records indicate cheese has been produced in Amsterdam since 200 BC!
One of the few helmets seen on bikers - but their stats show very few head injuries.
Bicycles comprise about 40% of street traffic in Amsterdam.
Religion is featured prominently in Amsterdam. Majestic cathedrals abound, but one church is very easily missed - it's hidden in the attic of three connected canal houses! During the Protestant Reformation, Catholicism was deemed illegal. To circumvent this, wealthy businessman Jan Hartman had the attics of three attached homes merged in 1663 and converted to become the 150-seat, three-story Our Lord in the Attic Church, ironically enough - steps away from the Oude Kerk (Amsterdam's oldest church, which was taken over by Protestants) and inside the Red Light District!
One thing to know about the Red Light District is to definitely adhere to the rule of no picture-taking of the women in the windows! Amsterdam's legalized prostitution center is a magnet for curious tourists who will find unique sex shops in this rather seedy area of town.
To enjoy the Amsterdam experience at its fullest, attend a Savvy Sightseer - Amsterdam Travelogue at a library or community center near you! Check the Programs page for upcoming dates and locations.
